Dani stared incredulously at the disheveled man standing on her doorstep. It wasn’t so much his identity that shocked her, as his appearance. Rob had always dressed impeccably. Tonight he looked as if he’d grabbed clothes from a laundry basket.
“What are you doing here?” she asked with an icy calm she was far from feeling.
“Can I come in? We need to talk.”
“We do not need to talk,” she retorted. “And no, you may not come in.”
He blinked at her in obvious surprise. “What’s the matter with you?”
His total lack of understanding of what he had done to her infuriated her as nothing else could have. Either he was blind or she had been so submissive that he’d anticipated being able to steamroll over her as if nothing had ever happened. Dani didn’t like either explanation much. Both said things about her she would rather not have believed true. Well, then, it was about time she stood up for herself and made her feelings perfectly clear.
She stared at him coldly. “That’s the problem, Rob. You never did have a clue about anything that mattered. It was always about what you wanted, what you needed.”
When she would have slammed the door, he blocked it and for the first time she felt a niggling sense of unease. “Rob, please. Don’t make a scene.”
“Afraid that shining Adams image will get tarnished?” he asked sourly.
Dani was stunned by his bitterness. What the heck did he have to be bitter about? “Just go away, please. I’m expecting company.” She spotted Duke and his sons strolling along the sidewalk less than a block away. “In fact, they’re on their way right now.”
Rob turned and followed the direction of her gaze. “Still looking for a built-in family, I see. You always were predictable.”
Dani winced at the mean-spirited accusation. Any second now rage was going to overcome common sense and she was going to throw a tantrum that would set Los Pinos on its collective backside.
Fortunately, Duke had apparently picked up on the scene even from a distance. He spoke quietly to the boys, who stopped where they were without argument. Then Duke quickened his pace. Before Dani could say anything more, he was casually, but effectively sliding between her and Rob. He dropped a deliberate kiss on her forehead, then fixed an interested stare on her visitor.
“Hey, darlin’, who’s this?” Duke asked.
“Rob Hilliard. He’s an old acquaintance from Dallas.”
Duke’s gaze narrowed, which suggested he’d heard the name mentioned. Since she’d never told him the identity of the man who’d hurt her, she could only assume that someone else in the family had filled in the blanks she’d left in the story.
“Glad to meet you,” Duke said. His tone was polite, but any reasonably bright man would not have found it welcoming.
“Rob was just leaving,” Dani prompted, since he appeared not to have taken Duke’s hint.
Neither man paid a lick of attention to her. They were squaring off like contestants in a championship boxing match.
Rob was no hero, though. Duke was at least four inches taller and twenty pounds of pure muscle heavier. Eventually her ex-fiancé backed down.
“I’ll catch up with you later,” he said pointedly to Dani. “Sometime when you’re not so busy.”
Duke shook his head. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” he said. He studied Dani. “Is it?”
“No,” she agreed. “It’s not a good idea at all.”
“Fine. Have it your way.” Rob smiled at Dani, but there was little warmth in his expression as he added, “The girls send their love. They miss you.”
Dani felt as if she’d been sucker-punched. She could deal with Rob. She could dismiss him as if he were no more than an inconvenience, but the girls… She couldn’t pretend to be disinterested.
“Are they okay?” she asked.
Rob shot a triumphant smirk at Duke to indicate his belief that he’d bested the other man, after all. “They’re unhappy.”
“Why?”
“As I said, they miss you. They’d like to see you.”
The offer was nearly two years too late. Dani didn’t want to ask, but he’d left her no choice. “What about Tiffany? Won’t she object?”
“We split up.” Ignoring Duke’s presence, he added, “They want you to come home. We all do.”
The thought of holding Robin and Amy in her arms again, the prospect of reading them bedtime stories and drying their tears, all of it was almost enough to make her weaken. Duke’s steady hand on her waist gave her the strength to shake her head. It reminded her that what she felt for those two darling girls was not nearly enough to compensate for the fact that their father was a weak, insensitive fool.
Steeling herself against his likely reaction she said coolly, “I would love to see the girls again, anytime you’d like to bring them for a visit. But we will never be a family, Rob.” She met his gaze evenly. “Never. I’m surprised even you would be foolish enough to think it possible.”
“But…”
“I think you heard her,” Duke said quietly. “Now it’s time you were on your way.” He glanced at Dani. “Right?”
“Absolutely,” she said.
Only after Rob had turned and walked away, did Dani feel her knees sag. Duke’s arm circled her waist protectively. “You okay?” he murmured.
She nodded, unable to speak. There was too much emotion clogging her throat. This time she was the one who’d cut the ties to Robin and Amy, severed them beyond repair. Rob would never bring them for a visit, not now that he knew there was no place for him in her life. He’d been using those poor, sweet babies of his as pawns, just as he always had.
“Josh, Zack,” Duke called to the two wide-eyed boys who were still standing where he’d left them. “Why don’t you go into the clinic and spend a little time with Honeybunch.” He looked at Dani. “Is that okay?”
“Yes,” she said. “Just remember he’s still hurt. Don’t try to touch him.”
When they were gone, Duke prodded her into the house. “Sit. Do you want something? Some tea? A stiff drink?”
“Nothing, thanks.”
He studied her worriedly. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
She managed a faltering smile for him. “Believe it or not, I’m relieved.”
He stared at her incredulously. “Relieved? I’m afraid you’re going to have to explain that one to me.”
“All this time I’ve worried what would happen if I ever saw him again. At first I prayed that he would come after me, beg my forgiveness and take me back to be a part of his family again, just the way he did tonight.”
“I didn’t hear a whole lot of begging,” Duke pointed out.
“For Rob, what you heard was close enough. Anyway, I imagined myself falling into his arms and going back. It’s taken me a long time to realize that I was never half as much in love with him as I was with the girls. I adored his daughters. From the beginning I loved them as much as if they’d been my own.”
She sighed. “And I worked so hard to win them over. I had Jordan’s example to go by. Did you know he once thought he would be a terrible father? He was scared to death of me when he and mom were first seeing each other, but he made me a part of his life just the same. I wanted to make Rob’s girls feel just as safe. Tonight when Rob asked me to come back, though, it was like a giant light bulb switching on. I realized I couldn’t go just for them. Sooner or later their father and I would have split up and they would be hurt all over again.”
“So all in all, this visit was a good thing?” Duke asked, his expression skeptical.
“I think so, yes.”
He nodded slowly. “Okay, I’m glad, then. How the hell did you fall for a weasel like that in the first place?”
Dani grinned at his indignant tone. “He wasn’t at his best tonight.”
“An idiot in sheep’s clothing is still an idiot.”
Dani shrugged. “Much as I hate to admit it, maybe you’re a better judge of character than I am, even if you do play havoc with old clichés. At any rate, Rob no longer matters. Let’s eat. Suddenly, I’m starved.”
“I do love a woman who has her priorities in order,” he said approvingly. “Before we get the boys, though, one last thing.”
“What’s that?”
“If second thoughts about this Rob person start to sneak up on you in the middle of the night, don’t call him,” he warned. “Call me. I’ll set you straight again before you go and do something rash.”
At the moment, Dani couldn’t conceive of having second thoughts. Nothing was clearer in her mind than the decision she’d reached just moments earlier to leave the past in the past.
“Promise,” Duke insisted, when she hadn’t responded.
“No buts, darlin’. When it comes to love, second thoughts are a given.”
“I don’t love him anymore,” she said with absolute certainty. Relief about that almost left her giddy.
“But you did once. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, that’s enough to get you thinking crazy.”
She regarded him speculatively. “You’ve been there?”
“Been there, done that. I don’t recommend it.”
“Will you tell me about it?”
“Maybe I will,” he said. “If you ever make that call to me at three a.m.”
* * *
Duke had been itching to plant his fist in that Rob person’s face from the moment he’d walked up the sidewalk and seen him attempting to intimidate Dani. A thoroughly primitive, possessive instinct had flooded through him, startling him with its intensity. Only the certainty that Dani would have hated the resulting scene had kept him from following through on the urge. Something told him, though, that one of these days he’d get his chance. Men like Hilliard rarely learned their lesson the first time out.
All through dinner he kept his gaze pinned on Dani, watching for signs that she was already having those second thoughts he’d warned her about. She would, too. He’d heard enough to know just how much she’d loved those two kids of Hilliard’s. Given the opportunity to have them back in her life, she wouldn’t walk away without a single backward glance. The maternal instinct in her ran deep. He’d seen it in her reluctant interaction with Zack and Joshua. Not even past hurts could keep her from treating his sons with genuine warmth. Even now she was asking them about the day camp they were attending and showing the kind of genuine interest that could never be faked.
“Then the lifeguard at the pool said, ‘Zachary Jenkins, you get out of the water right this instant,’” Joshua was telling her, his tone mimicking the teenager’s precisely. “I said, ‘But I’m not Zachary.’ She didn’t believe me. I got out of the water and five seconds later, Zachary swims smack in front of her. She turned real red and started to yell again, but then she saw me standing next to her. ‘Told you so,’ I said.”
“And what did she do?” Dani asked.
“She said, ‘Oh, never mind,’ and walked away.”
“Interesting story,” Duke observed. “What exactly did Zachary do in the first place?”
“Uh-oh,” Josh said, a guilty expression replacing the glee with which he’d told the story.
“Told you to keep your big mouth shut,” Zack grumbled. “This is payback for the goldfish, isn’t it?”
“Is not,” Joshua insisted.
“Is, too.”
“I’m waiting,” Duke said, cutting off the exchange.
“It wasn’t anything bad,” Joshua said valiantly. “Not really.”
“Maybe you should let me decide that,” Duke said. “Zack?”
“I just dove into the water,” Zack said, his expression totally innocent.
“A cannonball, by any chance?” Duke asked.
“Uh-huh,” Josh said, nodding, his eyes alight at the memory. “A real whopper.”
“And naturally someone was standing right beside the pool who didn’t take kindly to getting splashed from head to toe,” Duke guessed. “Who was it?”
“Some old guy,” Zack said. “In a suit. Who’d wear a suit to a pool, anyway?”
“The mayor,” Dani guessed, not even trying to smother a laugh. “He likes to stop by to see how things are going.”
Duke stared at her. “The mayor? Terrific. My boys have been here less than six months, and they’ve already tried to drown the mayor.”
Dani reached over and patted his hand. “Don’t worry. A lot of people in town have considered doing far worse.”
“Then why do they keep electing him?”
“No one else is willing to run.”
“Why? Because everyone knows that it’s Harlan Adams who really runs things?” Duke suggested.
Dani grinned. “Something like that. Grandpa Harlan does make his opinions known and people do tend to listen to him.”
“Something tells me I ought to send the man a sympathy card,” Duke said.
“No need to do that. He’s heading over here right now,” she told him, nodding toward the tall, silver-haired man striding purposefully their way. Even from a distance the water spots on his suit were evident.
“Ohmigosh,” Zachary murmured, sliding down until he was all but under the table.
Duke latched onto his arm and forced him to his feet as he rose himself to greet the older man. Dani’s expression suggested she was finding the whole thing just a little too amusing.
“Danielle,” the mayor said politely. “Good to see you.”
“Good to see you, too, Frank. Have you met Duke Jenkins and his sons? Duke is a vice president at Dad’s oil company.”
If he hadn’t been assessing the man so closely, Duke might have missed the subtle shift in his demeanor when he realized that Duke was tied very tightly to the Adams clan. His tone was suddenly deferential and whatever he’d intended to say about the incident at the town pool was swallowed. Duke refused to let his son off so easily.
“I gather you met the boys earlier today,” he said. “Zachary, don’t you have something you’d like to tell the mayor?”
Zachary looked as if he would rather eat worms, but he dutifully said, “I’m sorry for splashing you, sir. It was an accident.”
“Yes, well, a little water never hurt anyone now, did it?” the man said. “Apology accepted.”
“Dad, can me and Joshua go play the video games?” Zack asked, clearly anxious to get away before he caused any more mishaps.
“Yes,” Duke said, just as eager to have them safely out of the way. He handed them the change he had in his pocket. When they’d gone, he added his own apology for their rambunctious behavior. “And please, let me pay to have your suit cleaned.”
“Not necessary,” the mayor said. “I just wanted to bring the matter to your attention in case you hadn’t heard about it, but I see that wasn’t necessary. Good day, Mr. Jenkins. Danielle, give my regards to your father and grandfather.”
“Of course,” she said, barely containing a chuckle as he walked away.
“What’s so amusing?”
“He is. He really didn’t have any business wearing a suit and standing beside a pool filled with kids. I swear I think he does it just to get his suit cleaned for free. Guilty parents are easy marks.”
Duke stared at her. “This has happened before?”
“Once every week or two as far back as I can remember. I do believe Justin and Harlan Patrick were guilty of their share of infractions. Dad and Cody finally forbade them from swimming in the town pool. Naturally, that made it all the more fun to go there, even though there’s a perfectly good pool at White Pines. They still sneak into town, but they’ve learned to avoid the days the mayor drops by.”
“You could have told me that before I fell all over myself apologizing,” Duke grumbled.
“I considered it educational,” she retorted. “I wanted to see if you were capable of abject humility.”
Duke chuckled despite his annoyance. “Did I pass the test?”
“You were very good. I believed you were very sincere.”
“And the mayor?”
“Once he figured out you worked in an executive capacity for Dad, you could have told him to take a flying leap off the town hall roof and he would have done it and thanked you for suggesting it.”
Duke regarded her speculatively. “You know, Miss Smarty-Pants, it occurs to me that if you hold such disdain for this man, perhaps you ought to run for mayor yourself. At least then the Adams pulling strings around town would be operating in an official elected capacity.”
She looked horrified by the suggestion. “Me? You’ve got to be kidding.”
“Why not? You’re bright. Everyone in town knows and respects you. I think it’s a great idea. When’s the next election?”
“Thankfully, not for another three years.”
“Just long enough to get your campaign funds lined up,” Duke said.
Dani’s gaze narrowed. “You’re teasing me, aren’t you?”
Duke shrugged. “A little, maybe. You’ve been looking a little too serious all evening, despite your claim that your ex-fiancé’s appearance didn’t upset you.”
“It was just a shock, that’s all.”
“But you can’t stop thinking about his girls, can you?”
She smiled sadly. “No.”
“Then see them. He’s opened the door.”
“I can’t,” she said simply. “It wouldn’t be fair to get their hopes up, when I know nothing will ever happen between me and their father. They’re used to me being gone now. It’s better if it stays that way.”
Duke thought back to his own childhood. How many times had he prayed that his parents would suddenly come back to claim him? Even knowing that it was impossible, he’d harbored the dream in some tiny, secret place in his heart.
“They’ll never get over losing you,” he insisted. “See them. Let them know you still care, even if you can’t be with them.”
Obviously startled by his vehemence, Dani stared at him. “Experience talking?”
“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “Just trust me, kids never forget losing someone they love.”
“Are you talking about Zack and Joshua? Do they miss their mother so terribly?”
Actually, that had been the farthest thing from Duke’s mind, but it was an easier answer than revealing his own childhood traumas. “Of course,” he said. “They ask about their mother all the time.”
“And what do you tell them?”
“That she was very unhappy with me and that she needed to go away to find happiness.”
“Does she stay in touch with them?”
“She did at first. She sent postcards every few weeks. It’s been a while now since we last heard from her, though.”
Dani reacted with visible anger. “How could a mother do that to her own children? How selfish can she be?”
Duke didn’t have any excuses for Caroline, either. It didn’t matter to him that she’d seemingly dropped off the face of the earth, but it hurt the boys. He understood that kind of anguish all too well. More than once he’d considered hiring someone to look for her, then dismissed the idea. If she didn’t want to be a part of her sons’ lives, then forcing her to go through the motions would be worse than letting them grieve and get it over with.
Though he understood its roots, he was still a little surprised by Dani’s indignation on their behalf. It reminded him of his very first impression of her. He’d thought then, as he did now, that she would make a terrific mother.
Earlier he’d caught Rob’s sarcastic remark that she’d gone looking for another ready-made family. Now he let the idea simmer. It could be a solution for all of them. She would have two boys to replace the girls she’d lost. Joshua and Zack would have a mother’s love again. Goodness knew, the pair of them could use a gentling influence.
And him? What would he get out of the bargain? He’d already admitted that he was attracted to her. That was definitely a start. The prospect of having her in his life on a more permanent basis wasn’t nearly as distasteful as it probably should have been, given his avowed determination never to marry again.
Years ago no one would have blinked twice at the idea of such a marriage of convenience. Even now there were lonely men in places like Alaska and elsewhere who advertised for mail-order brides. Would this be any different? He found that he was warming to the idea.
He glanced at Dani and saw her staring at the boys wistfully. Yes, he thought again, it would work very nicely for all of them.
“Why don’t you go on over there and give them some real competition,” he encouraged.
She grinned. “You wouldn’t mind?”
“No, indeed. They beat the pants off me. Let them humiliate somebody else for a change.”
“Not me,” she said, flashing him a smile. “I grew up with a bunch of very competitive relatives. I do believe if you check that particular machine, my record still stands.”
Perfect, he thought as he watched her join his sons. Duke was the kind of man who trusted his instincts. He also made decisions in a rush and stuck by them.
For once in his life, though, he managed to curb his enthusiasm. Something told him he’d better have his scheme very well thought out before he presented it to Dani. She struck him as the kind of woman who might not be nearly as pragmatic as he was, even under her own currently vulnerable circumstances. She might prefer at least the pretense of romance.
He could manage that. Hell, she already made him hotter than asphalt in August. A little proper courting wouldn’t kill him. Then he could spring the idea of marriage on her and everything would fall tidily into place.
Satisfied with the plan, he sat back in his chair, sipped his beer and observed her. Dani Adams was something, all right. The boys clearly thought so, too.
Now all he had to do was turn up the heat between them a notch or two and his troubles would be over by Christmas, maybe sooner.
All in all, he concluded, the move to Los Pinos wasn’t turning out to be quite as miserable as he’d feared. His job might not be as exciting as oil exploration, but courting Dani Adams promised to make up for that.
When she turned toward him, he lifted his mug of beer in a silent toast. Anticipation sizzled through his veins like fine champagne. Yes, indeed, life in Los Pinos promised to get downright fascinating.