A Note from the Hero
Giving birth doesn’t make you a mother. What makes you a mother is giving unselfishly, putting a child’s needs before your own. How you treat and love a child…that’s what motherhood’s all about… Anyone can give birth, but it takes a special person to be a real mother.
“Wild Bill” Cody
Chapter One
“Darling, put your pants back on.”
Darling put your pants back on? Frowning, Maggy drew back and looked at the telephone receiver strangely. “Mother, is there someone there with you?”
“Well, dear…I guess you could say I have company.”
“Company?” Maggy said slowly. “What kind of company?”
“Why dear, male company, of course.”
“Do you mean to tell me,” Maggy croaked, “that you have a male in the house without his pants on?”
“To tell you the truth, dear,” her mother admitted with a soft chuckle, “he really doesn’t have much of anything on.”
Maggy held the phone aside so she could swear. “What on earth is this person doing in your house without his pants on? Never mind, Mother,” she went on, shaking her head. “I’m not sure I want to know. May I ask how on earth you met this…person?”
“Actually, I just met Bobby today. And Maggy, he has the most glorious blue eyes,” her mother gushed. “Wait until you meet him.”
Aware that her boss Miss Barklay was sitting in the next office, Maggy cupped her hand over the receiver. “Do you mean to tell me that you let a perfect stranger in your house because you liked his eyes!”
“Don’t be ridiculous, dear,” her mother chided. “I liked much more than his eyes. He also has a wonderful smile. Although it would be much nicer if he had all his teeth.”
“Had all his what!” Maggy cried, bouncing out of her chair.
“Teeth, dear,” her mother repeated sweetly as Maggy began to pace frantically around her office.
“Mother…mmm…what…does this…person do for a living?”
“Do?” Elizabeth hesitated. “Well dear, Bobby really doesn’t do anything. He has very simple needs, though,” she added cheerfully. “A bottle now and then and he’s really quite happy.”
“Oh Lord!” Maggy moaned, almost dropping the receiver as visions of a toothless wino danced through her mind. “Mother, now listen very carefully to me. I’m on my way home. I want you to—”
“Got to run now, dear. Bobby’s waiting. I’m going to take him to lunch.”
“You’re taking him? Mother! Mother!”
Elizabeth plunked down the receiver. Chuckling softly, she bent down to scoop up two-year-old Bobby off the floor.
“Shame on you, Elizabeth,” the man on her couch scolded, wagging a finger at her.
Mindful of the posted speed limit, Maggy roared through the streets. There had to be a logical reason why her mother was entertaining a naked man in the middle of the afternoon. On the other hand, she thought with a frown, whatever her mother was involved in generally bore no resemblance to logic or reason. Elizabeth had done some wild things in her days, but this time she had gone too far.
Consorting with a toothless derelict of questionable character who had a fondness for the bottle and Lord knows what other decadent pleasures was going too far, even for her mother.
It was a good thing most of her mother’s money was invested in good blue-chip stocks and T-bills; otherwise her crazy assortment of friends would surely have run through it by now.
There was no way some slick-talking gigolo could get his hands on her mother’s money, Maggy thought confidently. At least not without her knowing about it. A sudden thought caused her hands to tighten on the steering wheel. There was her mother’s monthly allowance. Not a fortune for sure, but certainly enough to keep some wine-guzzling pervert in fine style.
Pulling into the long, climbing driveway of her mother’s estate, Maggy slammed on her brakes and brought her Mercedes to a screeching halt. Snatching her briefcase off the seat, she shot out of the car and hurried up the walk. She had absolutely no idea what her mother had gotten herself into this time, but she fully intended to put a stop to it. Now, before her mother got hurt.
“Well, I’ll be…” Cody muttered. His deep Tennessee voice lilted with humor as he peered through the curtains at the young woman storming up the walk. From Elizabeth’s description of her daughter, he’d thought for sure she’d be a sourpuss of a matron whose idea of a good time was walking neutered poodles. But this woman… His twinkling blue eyes quickly ran the length of her. Although diminutive in stature, she carried herself with regal bearing. Her cool blond hair fell in glossy, layered waves to her shoulders. He couldn’t tell the color of her eyes from this distance, but he could see enough of her to know she was breathtakingly beautiful.
“She’s home,” Elizabeth whispered gleefully, trying to peek over Cody’s broad shoulder. Catching the determined look on her daughter’s face, she sighed heavily. “Oh, Cody, I don’t know what’s come over that girl lately. I think that finishing school she works at has finished her off. I tell you, she’s much too serious for her own good.” Elizabeth clucked her tongue in dismay. “Cody, she doesn’t have an ounce of fun in her.”
Cody’s eyes went to the young woman again and he nodded. She was impeccably dressed, if one was an undertaker. Even in the blistering heat of the August day, her expensively tailored clothing didn’t have a wrinkle in it. The suit fitted her slender body well, giving just the barest hint of the curves that lay beneath. The only touch of femininity was a colorful scarf that was tied primly at her throat. Her long legs were shapely, her tiny feet encased in a pair of black pumps that looked shiny enough to see one’s reflection in them. Her clothing quietly but firmly insisted that this was a woman who took life seriously, thought Cody. She probably planned out each and every idea, motion and movement, leaving nothing to chance or fate—poor thing.
“Well, Elizabeth,” Cody drawled, letting his lips curve into a mischievous smile. “Why don’t we see if we can put some fun in her life?”
Elizabeth smiled with relief. “Maggy’s really a wonderful woman, Cody,” she explained hurriedly. “She really can’t do much about being—stuffy. It’s that job of hers. I’m sure Maggy will help you.” She patted his broad arm. “Wait and see,” Elizabeth said with false cheer. “She’ll grow on you.”
Warts could grow on you, Cody decided. Margaret Magee, however, he wasn’t quite so sure of. Yet despite her austere appearance there was something about the woman, a hint of vulnerability that made him curious. What was hiding beneath the prim clothes and serious demeanor? Cody didn’t know, but he had a feeling he was going to have a hell of a lot of fun finding out.
“Why don’t you let me handle her?” he suggested, and Elizabeth nodded as she headed toward the door.
“Maggy darling!” Smiling, Elizabeth opened the door with a flourish. “What a surprise! I didn’t expect you home so early.”
Blinking rapidly, Maggy swallowed a smile. Her mother’s clothing always was a shock to her visual senses, but today she seemed to have outdone herself. A silk something or other in a violent shade of purple flowed and billowed from her slender frame. Her feet were clad in enormously high-heeled sandals that caused her to totter precariously. A red and green plaid bow was gaily tied around her silver head, giving her the appearance of a slightly wilting Christmas decoration.
Deciding to ignore her mother’s outlandish appearance—at least for the moment—Maggy bent to kiss her cheek. “Where is he, Mother?”
“Where’s who?”
“Your friend…Bobby?”
“
He’s taking a nap, dear.” Elizabeth shut the door.
“He’s what?” Maggy looked at her mother in disbelief, totally unaware of Cody’s scrutiny. From his vantage point in the living room he could see yet not be seen, which suited him fine for the moment.
“Darling, he’s tired. Bobby’s had quite a bit of exercise this morning. He has so much energy, dear.” Her mother sighed dreamily. “Since your father died, I’ve not been used to so much…physical activity.”
Maggy felt her cheeks go pink at her mother’s words. Shaking her head, she dropped an arm affectionately around her mother’s shoulder. “I realize that you’ve been lonely since Father died. But certainly it’s not necessary for you to—” Maggy stopped abruptly as she searched for the correct word “—to cavort with men of unscrupulous character,” she finished softly, causing Cody to chuckle. The deep-throated laughter was definitely masculine, and Maggy whirled in the direction of the sound.
Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open in shock as her gaze collided with the deepest, bluest eyes she’d ever seen. For a moment, her breath crawled back down her throat. Her mother certainly had been right about one thing; he did have glorious eyes.
Stunned, Maggy allowed her gaze to scan the rest of him. Tall and rugged, there was something faintly primitive about the man. While his hair was as dark and silky as a raven’s wing, it was much too long for her tastes, but it matched the rest of his appearance quite naturally.
His face was nothing short of stunning, comprised of sharp planes and angles that fit together like the jagged edges of a jigsaw puzzle. His mouth was full and sensuous, his chin square and proud, with just the slightest hint of a cleft.
Male strength and rugged masculinity seemed to throb from every inch of him; from the deeply scarred boots that covered his feet, the faded chambray shirt that stretched wide across his broad shoulders, to the comfortable well-worn jeans that hugged his frame in all the right masculine places.
“Like what you see?” Cody teased, his eyes alight with sudden mischief. At his words, Maggy’s jaw clicked shut.
A crooked grin tilted his mouth and his blue eyes prowled over her, perusing her in the same slow, painstaking way that she had just studied him. For some reason, Maggy had a sudden urge to turn and flee. Hungry eyes, she thought dully. He was the kind of man she’d always avoided. The kind of man who was as secure of himself and his masculinity as she was insecure.
Drawing herself up, Maggy attempted to glare at him, to give him the look that usually caused the students at Miss Avalon’s to freeze in fear, but it obviously had no such effect on this man. He blatantly stared right back until she was forced to look away.
She was not used to being unsettled by anyone, least of all by a man. But this man apparently enjoyed breaking all the rules of polite society. His mere presence was evidence of that. While her personal experience with men was practically nil, in her position as assistant headmistress of Miss Avalon’s Academy for Young Ladies, Maggy had, on occasion, dealt with all kinds of men. But there was something decidedly different about this man, something that was somehow scrambling her nerves.
Fighting her own feminine response, Maggy wondered again what he was doing in her house with her mother. Women probably flocked around him like birds around breadcrumbs, she thought dully. No wonder her poor mother had let him in the house!
“Mother, I thought you said he was taking a nap?” She couldn’t prevent the hint of censure that colored her words.
“Bobby’s taking a nap,” Elizabeth qualified, only causing her daughter more confusion.
“If Bobby’s taking a nap,” Maggy said carefully, acutely aware that the man’s blue eyes were still meandering over her, “who on earth is this?”
“This is Cody,” Elizabeth announced, turning to trot into the living room. “Come along, Maggy dear, you’re looking a little peaked. Some tea might perk you up.”
“I don’t want any tea, Mother,” Maggy said tightly, dragging her eyes from Cody’s as she followed her mother. “And I don’t want to be perked up. What I want is to know what’s going on. Who is this man?” she hissed, deliberately ignoring Cody, who was just behind her. She had the uncanny feeling the man was now checking out her backside, but wasn’t about to turn around to find out, fearing she was right.
“The name’s Bill Cody,” he drawled, his accent more pronounced as it curled softly around his words. “Wild Bill Cody.”
Maggy’s lips pursed in displeasure. Wild Bill indeed! Somehow it didn’t surprise her. From the looks of this man she could just imagine how he had earned his nickname, and it probably wasn’t for his dancing.
“My friends call me Cody,” he went on pleasantly, leaning one broad shoulder against the wall and letting his gaze travel over her again.
The look in his eyes was warm enough to scorch the starch in her blouse, and Maggy drew herself up, trying not to let on how much this man and those eyes were affecting her.
“I shall call you Mr. Cody,” she returned coolly. “Until something more…appropriate occurs to me.”
“Honey, from the look on your face,” he teased, “I’ve got a feeling something…more appropriate has already occurred to you.”
At his words Maggy’s mouth slammed shut once again and her briefcase fell from her nerveless fingers, landing on the oak floor with a resounding thud. There was no point in standing here trading verbal insults with the man. She’d find out exactly what was going on, and then she’d throw him out! Giving him a scathing look, Maggy turned toward her mother.
“What is going on here?” she demanded.
“There’s no reason to get upset, dear.” Elizabeth cast a worried look at her daughter. “Cody and Bobby need our help.”
Wonderful, Maggy groaned inwardly. Naked Bobby was taking a nap and Lord knows what this man thought he was doing. She turned to study him cautiously, wondering just what kind of scam he was trying to pull. Whatever it was, it wasn’t going to work. She could just imagine the kind of help he needed. No doubt it was cash, probably just enough to tide them over, she thought darkly.
“And you told him we’d help him?” Maggy asked, her voice incredulous.
“Well of course, dear,” Elizabeth admitted, flashing Cody an affectionate smile. Maggy whirled on him, and he had the audacity to wink at her! Fury darkened her emerald eyes.
“Mr. Cody,” she said tightly. “May I see you privately for a moment?”
It wasn’t a question, but a command, Cody noted as he pulled himself upright, prepared to follow her.
“We’ll be back in a moment, Mother.” Maggy turned on her heel and marched into the kitchen. Abruptly she turned to face the man looming behind her. He was standing so close, she would’ve been nose-to-nose with him, if he hadn’t been so tall. As it was, she was nose-to-chest with him, and it threw her off balance for just a moment—long enough for that wicked grin to claim his mouth again.
Squaring her shoulders, Maggy inhaled deeply in an effort to compose herself. It was best to handle these things quickly and directly. The sooner she found out what he wanted, or rather how much he wanted, the sooner she could get rid of him. And, she thought darkly, it wouldn’t be a moment too soon!
“All right, Mr. Cody,” she said quietly, tilting her head back and forcing herself to meet those eyes. “How much?” Her voice vibrated with suppressed rage, and he frowned down at her.
“How much what?”
“How much do you want to leave my mother alone?”
“To leave your mother alone?” He threw his head back and roared, much to her annoyance. “You think I’m after your mother’s money?” he asked incredulously.
“Come on now, do you really think you’re the first person to play on my mother’s sympathies? My mother’s an easy touch. She’s a rich, lonely widow with a soft heart and a kind soul. And she’s just a bit naive. But I’m not,” Maggy added deliberately, putting as much frost into her words as possible.
“Naive wasn’t quite the w
ord I was thinking of calling you,” Cody admitted softly. His voice was low and deliberately seductive. He was so close Maggy could smell the subtle hint of his cologne; she could almost feel his body heat. Her nerves fluttered with a flurry of sensations as pure feminine panic clutched at her heart.
“How much?” she finally managed to stammer again.
“You know,” Cody said, leaning closer to inspect her and shaking his head sadly. “I’m having a hard time believing you’re really Elizabeth’s daughter. She’s so full of life and spirit. But you, honey, don’t look like you’ve got an ounce of life in you. In fact, if I were you, I’d be careful not to lie down. Someone might start throwing dirt on top of you!”
Maggy’s jaw dropped open as if it had come unhinged and she inhaled a great gust of air through her nose. “I don’t think this is very funny!”
“Maybe that’s your problem,” he teased, his eyes dancing with mischief. “I’ve got a feeling you don’t think anything’s funny.”
“I’m a very busy woman, Mr. Cody, and I don’t have time to be fooling around with you. Just tell me what you want.”
“I guarantee that what we’re doing right now is not fooling around,” Cody murmured, leaning close to her until his breath ruffled her hair. “If we were fooling around, believe me, you’d know it.”
Unexpectedly, Cody reached up to brush a wisp of hair from her cheek and her knees went weak as awareness skipped across her nerve endings like pebbles across a lake. Her breath stalled, and Maggy could see her own stricken expression reflected in the depths of his eyes.
Sucking in air in an effort to release the constriction in her chest, Maggy found herself suddenly lightheaded. She was flustered, and totally off balance. But what was worse, he knew it.
And, she thought furiously, he had the bad manners to be enjoying her distress! She tried to take another step back to distance herself from him, but her feet weren’t getting the message her mind was sending.
“Don’t worry,” Cody said cheerfully. “I’m not in the least bit interested in your mother’s money. The only thing I want from you is a little courtesy.” His eyes twinkled and he gave her cheek a quick little pat. “If you can manage it?”
Baby Makes Three: Heartwarming Love and Laughter Page 1