“After the museum, me and Amy went to the mall.” Emma’s eyes brightened. “I like the mall. Will you take me there sometime, Daddy?”
“Sure,” Dan said. “So you met Steven at the mall?”
He didn’t know why he was pushing so hard for details. After all, as long as Steven hadn’t deliberately been part of the outing, it wasn’t any of his concern.
“He was at the store that had all the pretty jew-ry,” Emma said. “Buying Christmas presents.”
Emma twirled in the aisle. “I want lots and lots of pretty presents.”
Dan tuned her out. He’d already heard too much. Steven had been looking at jewelry. Buying presents. Probably picking out Amy’s Christmas gift.
Steven was a successful, eligible bachelor who seemed genuinely interested in Amy. Dan knew he should be happy for her. But all he felt was jealous. He wanted to be the one buying her ice cream on a Sunday afternoon. He wanted to be sitting across the supper table from her, talking about the day and laughing with her at Emma’s knock-knock jokes. At night he wanted to be the one in her bed. And, if anyone was buying her jewelry, Dan wanted it to be him.
His jaw tightened.
“Steven’s taking Amy to a party Wednesday night, so she can’t come see me.” Emma’s smile turned to a pout. “It’s not fair. Wednesday night is my night.”
Shortly after Amy moved out, they’d set up a visitation schedule. She took Emma every Wednesday night and every Sunday. This would be the first time she’d canceled.
Not many women would have been so diligent. Most of the ones he knew put career and their various social obligations before children. Tess, he’d finally come to realize, had been no exception.
When Dan had married Tess, he hadn’t thought much about the kind of wife and mother she’d be. All he knew was that they were happy and in love. But as time went on, he found himself wishing she didn’t see the need to be so involved in everything. He’d gotten tired of eating out every night and always being on the run.
He’d hoped she’d slow down after Emma was born, but if anything, the pace only picked up. Maybe it was a good thing Amy had backed out of their engagement. When she’d talked about working full-time at Chez Gladines he’d felt as if she’d taken a knife to the heart. The last thing he wanted was to come in a distant second to her career. Like he had with Tess.
Still, Dan missed Amy. Marjorie, the woman who Amy had recommended, kept the house clean and took good care of Emma. But without Amy, the house no longer felt like a home.
“I want to go to the party with Steven and Amy,” Emma said. “Can I, Daddy? Can I go?”
Dan only wished he could grant Emma’s wish. He’d love to send his daughter along as a chaperone. But he knew Amy needed to get on with her life, just as he did. He threw a box of cereal into the cart and shook his head, unruffled by Emma’s pleading expression.
“The only place we’re going is home,” he said. “Grandpa Phil and Grandma Gwen are coming tonight and they’re bringing your presents.”
Emma gave an excited squeal and Dan smiled. At least one of them was happy about the visit. But he couldn’t complain because he was the one who’d invited them.
In preparation for tonight, he’d made a quick trip to his attorney’s office and had gotten the information he’d needed, information he should have gotten a long time ago. After dinner, he’d send Emma up to her room to play with her toys. Then he would have a talk with Gwen and Phil. A long overdue talk.
Chapter Eighteen
Dan glanced around the grand ballroom of the Michigan Avenue hotel, which had been transformed into a Winter Wonderland. Fake snow and ice sculptures, red and white roses as well as the more traditional poinsettias and garlands of greenery were everywhere. The laughter of the festive holiday crowd filled the air.
With a resigned sigh, Dan snagged a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. He’d planned to spend the night playing board games with Emma, but at the last minute one of the other partners couldn’t attend the mayor’s Christmas Gala, and Dan had been roped into going.
Christmas.
The big day was less than a week away and Dan hadn’t bought a single gift or even put up the tree. Christmas had always been his favorite holiday but this year he hadn’t been able to summon up much enthusiasm.
The season was off to a great start. Amy had moved out. Then, Phil and Gwen had left in a huff barely twenty-four hours after they’d arrived. To top it off, his mother and stepfather had decided at the last minute to spend the holidays in Texas with his aunt.
This year it would be just him and Emma. The fact that his mother and Hal wouldn’t be spending the holidays with them didn’t bother him. Not as much as the knowledge that, for the first time in three years, Amy wouldn’t be at his side. He shoved the disturbing thought aside.
Mistletoe hung at discreet locations throughout the room. Dan felt a tap on his shoulder and realized with horror that he was standing under one of the sprigs. One of the wives of a prominent city official loved to kiss men she found standing under the mistletoe and for a second Dan feared he’d been caught.
He turned and breathed a sigh of relief. “Bree. What a pleasant surprise.”
Dressed in a clingy copper-colored dress with a front that was cut almost as low as the back, Bree looked more like a sexy chorus girl than a respected tax attorney.
“Merry Christmas, Dan.” Bree put her hands on his shoulders and brushed a friendly kiss across his lips. She took a step back and gazed up at him, as if waiting for his reaction.
“Merry Christmas to you, too.” Dan glanced around. “Who’d you come with?”
“I’m alone,” she said with a sigh. “Poor little Bree, doesn’t have a date.”
Her lips pulled together in a cute little pout.
“If it makes you feel better, I’m in the same boat,” Dan said. “This was Harry’s year to come but he got sick so I’m a last minute fill-in.”
She rested a hand on his arm. “I’m so happy I ran into you.”
She smiled warmly and sounded so genuinely pleased that Dan found himself relaxing for the first time since he’d walked into the ballroom. He’d been lonely since Amy left and it was nice to see a friendly face.
“Care to dance?” he asked impulsively. If he was forced to spend the evening mingling he might as well try to have a good time.
Bree’s smile widened. “I thought you’d never ask.”
“Are you still dating Jake?” Dan had been so furious with Jake—and with himself—that he hadn’t seen much of the man during the past month.
“Good Lord, no.” Bree laughed as if he’d made a joke. “We never did date. I just went to that one party with him. Actually I’d been seeing someone else. But we just broke up.” She paused and cast him a speculative gaze. “I heard Amy moved out.”
“Yes, she did.” Thankfully they’d reached the dance floor and instead of saying more, Dan took Bree into his arms.
As she cuddled up against him, he realized she smelled as good as she looked. Dan inhaled the light citrus scent and let his hand caress the soft silky skin of her back.
He waited. Waited to feel a jolt of lust. Waited to experience the urge to pull her close. Waited for that rush of desire that would make him want to kiss her.
Instead he felt…nothing. If it were Amy, he’d be already kissing her and thinking of ways to ditch the party so he could get her back home and into his bed.
“…you might be interested.”
Dan lifted his gaze and blinked. “Interested?”
“In a kitten,” Bree said, a hint of exasperation in her tone. “Like I was saying, Kellycat, my Scottish Fold, had kittens six weeks ago and I’m looking for good homes.”
“A cat is the last thing I want or need,” Dan said absently. He wondered if Amy was going to be going home with Steven tonight. His hand clenched into a fist behind Bree’s back.
“I was thinking of Emma,” Bree said, a note of concern in her voice. “She
lost her mother and now Amy. I was an only child and I know how lonely it can be.”
Dan resisted the urge to tell her to mind her own business and reminded himself that Bree was only being a concerned friend.
“Emma’s not lonely,” Dan said firmly through gritted teeth, hoping Bree would get the message and let the subject drop. “She’s always had lots of friends.”
“Friends are fine.” Bree laid her head against his chest. “But they can’t cuddle with you. And we all need someone to hold. Someone to love.”
Dan’s heart clenched as an image of Amy flitted across his consciousness. He’d had a best friend, someone to hold, someone to—
“I’ve got the prettiest black-and-white,” Bree said. “Very nice markings.”
Dan had finally had enough. “I don’t like cats. I won’t have one in my house.”
Dan didn’t know if it was his tone of voice or his flat dismissal of the feline species that raised Bree’s ire. But her blue eyes flashed and she went rigid in his arms.
“Emma loves kittens.” Bree lifted her chin. “But you won’t even consider it.”
“That’s right.” He breathed a sigh of relief. Finally he’d gotten through to her. “No cats.”
“Because you say so.”
“Yes, because I say so.” Dan wondered where this belligerence was coming from. He’d dated Bree for months and had never seen this side of her.
“You haven’t changed,” she said.
Dan had a feeling he shouldn’t ask but he couldn’t help himself. “What in the world are you talking about?”
“You want to know why we didn’t work out?”
There it was again, that argumentative tone. He almost wished he was back under the mistletoe worrying about the city official’s wife. But he decided to play along. After all, the question was a no-brainer. They’d broken up because she’d wanted a more serious relationship. He didn’t.
“Okay, Bree,” he said. “Tell me. Why didn’t we work out?”
“Because of your pigheadedness.” Her blue eyes narrowed. “I’m sick of men who get mired in the past and refuse to move on.”
Dan wasn’t sure what had set Bree off, but he sensed she was just getting started. “I—”
“I, I, I,” she snapped. “What? I can’t let myself love you because I’m still in love with my dead wife?”
“Bree,” he said in a low warning tone.
“At least be honest with yourself.” Bree’s voice trembled with emotion. “You’re afraid to love again, afraid of getting hurt.”
“You don’t have any idea what it’s like to lose a spouse.”
“No, and I don’t have any idea what it’s like to get divorced, either. But I know when someone is letting the past screw up their future.”
“Divorce?” Dan asked, now thoroughly confused.
“It doesn’t concern you.” Bree waved a dismissive hand. “A guy I’d been dating went through a bitter divorce. The problem is he’s still letting his ex-wife’s betrayal color his view of all women.”
Now, Dan understood. Bree had really liked the guy. And once again things hadn’t worked out for her.
“You’ll find someone else.”
“What about you?” Bree asked. “Will you find a woman to replace Amy?”
Dan stiffened. He didn’t want to talk about Amy. Not with Bree. Not with anyone. “I have a temporary nanny.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about,” Bree said. “You two were close. Now she’s gone.”
“She’s got a full-time chef position at Chez Gladines,” Dan said. “She had to make a choice.”
“Emma’s in school all day,” Bree said. “You could have worked something out. But you weren’t willing to work with her because it’s all or nothing with you. Just like with Emma and the cat. I bet even if she wanted one you wouldn’t consider it. Am I right?”
“You think you know so much.” Dan’s temper had reached the breaking point. “But I don’t see you doing all that great in your personal life.”
Bree’s cheeks reddened as if she’d been slapped but her gaze remained steady and her chin up. “At least I’m open to love. And when I find the right one I’m not going to be rigid and insist on everything being my way. I’ll look for ways to make it work.”
“With that accommodating attitude I’m surprised you’re still not with your divorced friend,” Dan said, his tone slightly mocking.
“It takes two to make things work, Dan,” Bree said. “Kyle wasn’t ready or able to get past his fear. The problem is once he is, I won’t be around.”
Dan shifted uncomfortably from one foot to another.
Bree met his gaze. “I know you really cared for Amy. I saw the way the two of you were together. Do you know that when we dated I was jealous of her?”
Dan frowned. “Of Amy?”
“Yes, of Amy,” Bree said. “There was a chemistry between you two, a closeness that went far beyond friendship. When you’d talk about her, you’d get this look in your eye…sometimes I had the feeling I was dating a married man.”
Dan swallowed hard against the sudden lump in his throat. But even if he could respond, he didn’t know what to say. There had been something special between him and Amy. He couldn’t deny it.
“You care for her. And, as your friend, I just want you to take a look at what you’re losing. And for what? Because you can’t let go of the past?”
“You make it sound so easy,” Dan said. “Tess was my wife. I’d loved her since we were kids in school. She—”
“She’s dead, Dan,” Bree said. “And she’d want you to move on with your life. Fall in love again.”
“I don’t know if I can…”
“I think you already have,” Bree said. “Now you just have to decide what you’re going to do about it.”
Chapter Nineteen
Amy leaned her cheek against Steven’s chest and let the music wash over her, grateful she could enjoy the closeness without worrying her actions would be misconstrued.
When she’d made the break with Dan, Steven had seen the split as an opportunity to deepen their relationship. He’d been stunned when she’d told him she thought of him only as a friend. But in the end he’d appreciated her honesty. And when his date had canceled at the last minute, he’d called and asked her to accompany him to the mayor’s Ball…as a friend.
She hadn’t really wanted to go but she’d decided a night out might do her some good. She’d been in a funk for weeks. Some of it was living with Verna. Her aunt had run her household a certain way for many years and having Amy around disrupted her schedule.
Some of it was her new job. While she was up to the challenge and learned something new every day, she missed being her own boss. She liked the flexibility she’d had being a nanny and doing small catering jobs on the side.
But most of her blue mood she knew could be directly tied to Dan Major. Her anger over his deception had diminished to a profound regret. If he’d had concerns about Emma’s welfare, they could have talked about it, strategized. But to deliberately set out to make her fall in love with him…to deliberately seduce her…well, she’d expected better of him.
She knew he liked her. She had no doubt that he wanted her. Even now, when she picked Emma up she’d catch him looking at her and the longing in his eyes would take her breath away. Yes, he wanted her. He just didn’t love her.
Tears momentarily blurred her vision. Amy blinked rapidly for several seconds until she could see clearly again.
“All this dancing is making me thirsty,” Steven said. “How about we get some champagne and go for a stroll?”
They’d reached the edge of the dance floor when Amy stopped in her tracks. For a moment she felt light-headed.
“Dan.” Her gaze widened to include the woman standing next to him, a proprietary arm through his. “Bree. What a surprise.”
The introductions went quickly. Bree’s eyes brightened with interest when she heard Steven’s name.
“I’ve known Jerry Seim since I first moved to Chicago,” Steven said.
The comment started an animated conversation between the two lawyers, leaving Amy and Dan standing at the sidelines.
She gazed at Dan, her heart in her throat. She’d never known a man who looked so good in a tux—although she did notice his tie needed straightening. But for once she kept her fingers to herself.
“Would you care to dance?” Dan asked politely.
Amy said neither yes or no, but let him take her hand and lead her back onto the dance floor. The familiar scent of his cologne sent her senses into overdrive and the light touch of his hand made her pulse pound.
But when Dan placed a hand on her waist and drew her close, and with his other hand took hers in a warm clasp and began to move her in time to the music, Amy was unprepared for the intimacy of it.
“You’re gorgeous,” he whispered.
Amy’s face warmed. She closed her eyes, trying to concentrate on the music, or the conversations surrounding them, on anything except how good his body felt pressed against hers.
“You’re the most beautiful woman in the room.”
She kept her eyes tightly closed and acted as if she hadn’t heard.
Dan couldn’t believe after four long weeks she was finally back in his arms where she belonged.
“I’ve missed you,” Dan said, embarrassed at the breathless quality of his voice. But, oddly enough, he felt breathless.
The minute he’d touched her, he wanted nothing more than to take her home, lie naked beside her and touch her everywhere. He’d start with her breasts…
“Are you and Bree seeing each other again?” Amy tilted her head and gazed up at him.
Her words had the dousing effect of ice water, and the dream vanished.
“No, we’re not. I ran into her just a few minutes before I saw you.” He cleared his throat. “How about you and Steven? Are you exclusive?”
Amy shook her head. “We’re just friends.”
Relief rushed through him. When he’d seen them together…
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