“Are you sure you want to do this?” Arden asked Brendan late the next morning when the woman behind the desk at the bank left for a moment to get the proper forms.
Arden and the girls had met Brendan at the bank shortly before eleven. Once he discussed adding Arden as a signer on his account, the full reality of the situation struck her. He was putting all his assets in her hands, at least all the monetary ones.
His parents, he’d explained, had power of attorney. But he’d also make sure she had one for the full care of the girls when he was gone.
“I mean, being able to sign on this account means I have access to all your money. I thought we’d just set up a household account.”
He leaned close, his breath brushing her cheeks as he spoke. Arden could see the faint lines radiating from his eyes. Her fingers clenched tightly to keep from reaching up to touch him. They were in a public place, for heaven’s sake. And he was just talking. But the urge was strong. She swallowed hard and tried to concentrate.
“If I trust you with my children, why wouldn’t I trust you with my money? I can always get more money.”
She knew he had no worries about her absconding with funds. But it surprised her to realize the depth of his trust.
“Okay. And you have nothing to worry about. I would never take your money,” she said earnestly.
Brendan nodded. “I know.”
He sat back as the bank official rejoined them.
Arden drew a deep breath and tried to relax her jangled nerves. The man was driving her wild, and he hadn’t a clue. Which was as it should be. She simply could not let herself find him fascinating and bewitching. Or have him suspect for one instance how he had her hormones raging.
Remember to focus, she admonished herself.
Signing the cards where indicated, Arden tried to distance herself from the proceedings. She was a signer on his account. When he was away, it’d be up to her to make sure the bills were paid on time, the groceries were bought; the girls had clothes and shoes. The responsibility seemed heavy–almost that of a wife. She hoped he wouldn’t be going anywhere for a long time.
“How about lunch at McDonald’s?” Brendan asked as they paused on the sidewalk outside the bank. He held Avery in his arms and smiled down at Hailey.
Arden, for the first time in her life, didn’t feel too tall standing next to Brendan.
She smiled at Hailey’s enthusiastic response and reached for the child’s hand.
“Shall we go, then? Your daddy has to get back to work soon.”
“You drove your station wagon?” he asked as she paused by the dusty old car. “I have a car in the garage. I thought Ella told you to use it.”
“She did. But I prefer driving my own. It may be old, but the engine is in perfect condition. My aunts would never let me drive something that wasn’t totally safe.”
“And who tuned it up last, you or them?”
Arden opened the back door and waited while Hailey scrambled inside.
“I did the last time, under Aunt Eugenia’s close supervision. It runs like a top. Come on and be daring. I’ll drive to Micky D’s and you can see for yourself. Another advantage is its size. If we were to get in a wreck, it’s old and heavy and sturdy. It’ll handle a lot of impact before being damaged.”
“I hope you aren’t planning any wrecks,” he said, leaning over to place Avery in her car seat beside her sister’s and buckling them both.
Arden laughed softly. “Nope. And if you’d check out the car, you’d see while it’s old, there’s not a dent to be found. That should tell you something about my terrific driving record.”
Brendan liked the banter in Arden’s tone. He made a production of studying the car, and acting surprised when he found her words to be true. There wasn’t a mark on it. He met her eyes over the top when she rounded to the driver’s door.
“Looks okay.”
She laughed again. He noticed she did that a lot.
“It’s in perfect condition, and you know it.”
Vague feelings of guilt swept through him as he slid into the passenger side. He studied Arden as she pulled on her seat belt and started the engine. She wore another pair of stretch pants today, the soft white material hugging her long legs. The top she wore was a rich blue, which deepened the color of her eyes. Her hair was pulled back, the only way he’d seen it. When did she release it to flow around her shoulders?
Snapping on his own seat belt, he faced the front, banishing the thought. Flirting with the hired help was not something he even wanted to contemplate, much less start.
Lunch had been a bad idea. They looked like a family. But not the family he’d thought he’d always have. Lannie was gone. Instead, he was standing in line with a tall, leggy blonde with eyes the color of the blue Atlantic on a sunny day. Her laughter was infectious and even people standing near them smiled when they heard it.
She bent over Hailey, listening intently to the little girl’s request for lunch. He held Avery again, glad for the warmth of her little body. He couldn’t be intrigued by Arden–he refused to be.
The girls ate quickly, more interested in hurrying outside to the play area. As soon as they could, they dashed from the table to the slide and other equipment designed to delight children.
Brendan ate steadily, glancing at his watch. He had plenty of time before he needed to return to the office, but the sooner they were finished, the sooner he could leave and get back to work. He needed something to take his mind away from Arden Glover.
He watched her nibble on a long French fry. He could almost feel her savoring the taste as she dipped it into ketchup again, and took a small bite.
“Are you planning to finish lunch before dinner?” he asked when he realized she ate more slowly than he and his daughters.
She grinned and nodded.
Brendan felt a kick in his gut. She was as pretty as sunshine and the fact that he even noticed concerned him.
“I like enjoying my food, even at a fast-food restaurant. The tastes and textures are to be savored. The flavor relished.”
Sensuous, that was the word that popped into mind when he watched her. She seemed to relish everything in life and every aspect, from the visual to the tactile. In the short time she’d been watching his girls, he’d noticed how often she touched them, brushing back a strand of hair, patting them on a shoulder, or hugging them when they said something she liked.
If he said something she liked, would she hug him?
Brendan stood abruptly and gathered the trash.
“I have to get back to the office.”
“Already? The girls just began to play.”
“I’ll walk back to the bank to get my car. It’s not far. You stay and take them home when they’re finished.”
“Yes, sir.”
That grin was infectious. Just like her laugh.
Brendan turned and strode away. He needed to gain some perspective. The walk would give him time alone and provide an outlet for the restless energy that seemed to envelop him.
Arden settled Avery in her bed that night and pulled up the covers. What darling little girls Brendan had. Did he know how lucky he was? They were so quiet and polite unless unleashed in the yard. There they ran and yelled and laughed like the children she often saw in the park. Like she had done when she’d played with her friends as a child.
As she had once thought children of her own might one day behave.
“Where’s Daddy?” Avery asked again.
Arden smoothed the spread and smiled at the child.
“He’s late coming home tonight, remember? He’ll be here soon and come up to kiss you goodnight. If you’re asleep, he’ll still come up.”
“Sometimes he goes away on a trip, then he doesn’t tell us goodnight,” Hailey said from her bed.
“I know. But he always comes home, right?” Arden said, suddenly wondering what would happen if Brendan didn’t come home one time.
What would these girls do without at least one of their parents?
The same as she had done, she supposed. Go to live with relatives. They had their aunt Ella, and both sets of grandparents. It wouldn’t be the end of the world, just the end of their world as they knew it.
Her own life was full and rich, but she still missed her parents.
Arden wandered back down the steps, the baby monitor in hand. Had Brendan stayed away deliberately? Had it been something she said at lunch?
Or maybe this was just part of his job. His sometimes dangerous, fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants job. How had he come to make a career of hostage negotiations and top-level security setups? Would he tell her if she asked?
By eleven, Arden gave up waiting. She’d kept a plate warming in the oven but turned off the stove and put the food in the refrigerator. By now, he surely had eaten.
She checked the doors and windows and went to bed.
“Arden?” The knock on the door sounded again.
Disoriented, she rose on one elbow. “Yes?”
“Arden, it’s Brendan. Wake up.”
She pushed back the sheet and glanced at the clock. It was three in the morning. Crossing swiftly to the door, she opened it. Was there an emergency? Was something wrong with one of the girls?
Brendan stood there, looming in the faint light from the kitchen. He hadn’t turned on any lamps in the family room.
“What’s wrong? Is it one of the girls?”
“No, they’re fine. Still sleeping. I just came home to pack. I’m leaving in a few minutes and need to talk to you before I go. A madman has a family barricaded in a hacienda. We’ve been working on the situation all night. It’s not working. I need to get there in person.”
He named a Latin American country noted for instability.
“The local officials have requested my help and I can’t say no. I have to leave in,” he glanced at his watch, “less than ten minutes. One of the men from the company is waiting out front for me. I’ll leave my car here. Use it if anything happens to your old station wagon. Or use the one in the garage. Any last-minute questions? You know where all the paperwork is. Don’t worry about the girls. They already know I take trips.”
“I don’t have any questions. You left a list of contact phone numbers, I know the routine. I have the papers that give me custody when you’re gone. I’ll take good care of your daughters. Did you peek in on them? Kiss them goodbye?”
“Yes. They’re both sound asleep. You’ll be all right with them? If you need anything, call my folks.”
“I know, but I won’t need them. You’ll be home before we know it, right?”
“I sure hope so, but I don’t know how long I’ll be gone.”
Arden didn’t know what prompted her, but she flung her arms around him and hugged him tightly. Reaching up, she kissed him lightly on the lips.
“Take care of yourself. Don’t be a dead hero. Your daughters need you,” she whispered.
Brendan’s arms came around her, hugging her tightly, until Arden wondered if he’d ever let her go. A faint whistle from outside broke his hold.
“That’s my ride. I have to go.”
His mouth covered hers with a fiery kiss that Arden felt to her toes.
Then, suddenly, Brendan was gone.
Stupid, stupid, stupid. Arden groaned as she curled up in her bed a few minutes later and berated herself. How could she have flung herself into his arms? She’d known the man less than a week.
He’d think she was crazy. Certifiable. Or worse, what if he thought she had been coming on to him? Would he have second thoughts about her watching Hailey and Avery?
She closed her eyes, unable to resist reliving his kiss. Her body still tingled in delight. How could the mere touch of lips affect every inch of her? She’d never felt like this before. Maybe it was the lateness of the hour or being wakened from a sound sleep.
Brushing her fingers across her lips, she shivered. Less than a week on the job and she’d jeopardized it. She couldn’t afford to lose the position. She needed to make sure she stayed the perfect choice. She had to insure he had no doubts about her capability.
If he brought up the kiss when he returned, she’d pretend she didn’t remember. Could she convince him she’d been sleepwalking?
Probably not, he was too astute. Darn, what was she going to do?
Why was she so impetuous? She should have calmly assured him she’d take care of his children while he was gone. And maybe a quiet take-care-of-yourself would have been appropriate.
But no, she had to hug him, kiss him, tell him not to be a dead hero.
Of course, the kiss that had her worried was the one he’d given her.
Brendan normally left for work before his daughters awoke, so they were not unduly bothered by their father’s absence the next morning. Though Arden expected Brendan spent most of his weekends at home, neither Hailey nor Avery seemed to miss his presence. Even when Arden explained he might be gone for a couple of days, they appeared unconcerned. She was touched that they seemed perfectly comfortable being with her.
Today, she’d take them with her to visit her aunts. Eugenia and Love had called twice since she’d started watching the girls. They were eager to see her and hear all about her new job.
Her phone rang when they were ready to leave. Arden answered, her heart skipping a beat when she recognized Brendan’s voice.
“Is everything all right?” he asked.
Noise in the background made it difficult for her to hear him clearly.
“Yes. The girls are fine. Where are you?”
“We just landed a few minutes ago. I’m still at the airport. I don’t know how long I’ll be tied up. Sometimes these things go quickly, but usually not.”
“You are not in danger, are you?”
He hesitated long enough for her to notice before denying it. Was he saying that just to calm her? Was there danger? She had to trust he knew how to handle the situation, but she began to worry.
“The girls are fine. They’ll miss you.”
“How are you?” he asked.
“Fine.” Please don’t bring up that kiss.
“I’m sorry about last night. I rarely go around kissing my employees.”
His voice sounded husky, self-deprecating.
Exactly the topic she wanted to avoid. Arden took a breath, amazed to find her own voice calm and normal in tone.
“I shouldn’t have hugged you. I hope I didn’t give an erroneous impression. I mean, I wasn’t flirting or coming on to you or anything. It just seemed like, I don’t know you were leaving and all.”
“I didn’t get any impression. You’re a toucher, I noticed that with the girls. It was late.” He cleared his throat. “Actually, it was sort of nice. To have someone to tell me to take care of myself.”
“Oh. Well, good.”
She clutched the phone, wishing she could think of something else to say. Did he want to talk to his daughters? She closed her eyes, seeing him as clearly as if he stood before her. Keep safe, she thought fiercely.
“I’ve got to go. If I can, I’ll call later,” he said abruptly.
“Don’t worry about anything here. I’m responsible, remember? Good luck with the hostages.”
“Actually, Arden, you’d be surprised at all I remember.”
The connection ended. For a long moment she stared at her phone, trying to figure out just what he meant by that cryptic last remark.
“Are we going?” Hailey asked, running into the kitchen.
“I’m ready,” Avery said two seconds later, tagging along after her sister.
Arden smiled at the two girls, seeing their daddy in their features. She refused to get caught up in dreaming about Brendan Ferguson. He’d checked in to see how his daughters were and to apologize for the kiss.
Darn, she didn’t want an apology. She thought she might like another kiss.
“Yes, we’re ready to leave right now.”
She knew so little about Brendan, she mused as she drove to Ocean View. He missed his wife, that she recognized. But it’d been three years. Had he begun to put the past behind him? Had he started dating again or was he still too lost in grief to do that?
Maybe she’d talk to her aunts about him. They were wise and had experienced loss. Maybe they could provide some insight into Brendan’s feelings.
And help her avoid any awkward confrontations like that soul-searing kiss. She’d have to watch her impulsiveness from now on. Brendan was not a child to hug impetuously when the mood struck.
As Arden suspected, the aunts adored the children. Hailey and Avery were quickly chatting away with Eugenia and Love without the normal shyness and hesitation children sometimes showed around strangers.
Eugenia Murray and Love Glover had their own small two-room apartment in the retirement complex, but it was tiny, so they insisted on using the common lawn area for visiting.
“It’s warm enough for it,” Eugenia commented as she lowered herself awkwardly on one of the white wrought-iron benches beneath a widespread oak. Arden could tell her aunt’s arthritis was bothering her. She wished there was something she could do.
Tall and thin, Eugenia’s white hair neatly framed her face. Her eyes were the same blue as Arden’s and she wore a simple print dress that looked elegant on her.
“We’ll get the cold soon enough come fall,” Love said as she sat on an adjacent bench. Also thin, Love wasn’t quite as put together as her older sister. Her clothes always looked the tiniest bit disheveled. Though always clean, it was amazing how fast they could get wrinkled once she donned them.
“Come sit with me, Hailey, and tell me all about having Arden coming to live with you. She used to live with us, you know,” Aunt Love said, patting the space beside her.
“I want you to come visit us often,” Eugenia said. “It’s not the same living apart as we’re doing now. I miss you.”
“I’ll come as often as I can get away,” Arden promised.
“Bring the children. I always loved to be around children. I regret your father didn’t have more. A son or two to carry on the name.”
“So you’ve mentioned,” Arden couldn’t resist murmuring.
It had always been a sore spot. Wasn’t she enough? Why had first her father, then her aunts lamented the lack of a son?
“Girls are special,” Love said gently, her gaze on Arden. “Your father adored you. You were always special to us from the first day you came to live with us.”
Arden smiled at her aunt, the old ache easing a bit.
Try as she might to smooth things out, Love couldn’t deny men seem to want a son to carry on their name. Arden had heard it enough growing up.
With two daughters, if Brendan married again, he’d certainly want a son as well. Maybe more than one.
Her friends, Patti and Doug, had discussed when to start their family. Doug wanted a son first, then a daughter.
Sighing softly, Arden shook off her pensive mood. The world was the way it was, and nothing she could do would change things.
The girls ran around the wide lawn, playing tag and shrieking with laughter, stopping from time to time to chat with the different residents, then racing back to Arden to inform her of their brief conversations.
“They’re adorable,” Love said, watching their antics with a wide smile.
“And they have so much energy,” Eugenia added.
“Not all the time. They can be fairly quiet and subdued at home. I was worried I wouldn’t fit in that first afternoon. I don’t know if that was Ella’s influence or not. Their father seems to like a strict routine.”
“How does he deal with his daughters?”
“He’s crazy about them, but doesn’t seem to know quite how to relate. And in the few conversations we’ve had, it sounds as if his wife took care of Hailey and he had little to do with her. His wife died giving birth to Avery.”
“Hmm, most men aren’t much use around babies,” Eugenia said.
Arden laughed softly.
“That’s being sexist. I guess it isn’t only men who have definite views along those lines.”
When asked to clarify what she meant, she told them about her first night in the Ferguson household, the row with Brendan about his comment about women’s work and how she thought she’d almost lost her job before it started.
Eugenia regarded her with some speculation, but Arden knew she'd given nothing away. There was nothing to give away. She enjoyed working for Brendan.
And their kiss would remain her secret.