He took a step closer to her until they were almost touching. She didn’t know who made the first move, but suddenly his lips were against hers, his arms wrapping around her and pulling her close.
A jolt of surprise danced through her, but she ignored it. So what if kissing Mike wasn’t smart? Who said she had to be smart all the time? She’d wanted this kiss for what seemed like forever.
As the kiss deepened, she slid her arms around his neck, feeling his body pressing closer to hers. She sensed he was giving her everything he felt in his heart at that magical moment. She knew she was. “I shouldn’t be doing this,” he breathed into her ear, “but I don’t care.”
His mouth joined with hers again, giving her no time to analyze what he’d said, leaving her breathless and hopeful.
“Yah,” Brian said gleefully, returning her to real life.
It returned Mike to real life, too. His voice was shaky when he broke off the kiss and took a step back, his eyes still fixed on her face. “Allie, what just happened, I think—”
She sensed what was coming, so she rushed to stop him. “We shouldn’t make a big deal out of it. It was a kiss, a lovely kiss on a beautiful afternoon. Let’s just leave it at that.”
For a heartbeat, she thought he was going to argue with her, but his face smoothed out, and he nodded. With a slight smile, he gestured toward Brian, who was kicking his heels against the stroller and staring at a gigantic, lopsided, not-quite-ripe pumpkin.
“So that’s the one, is it?” Allie asked. Her voice was unsteady.
“Why do you think he likes that one?” Mike sounded shaken, too.
“It’s big and silly-looking. You can’t help feeling happy when you look at it.” She couldn’t help feeling happy, but the pumpkin wasn’t the reason. “Pick one for yourself,” she told him, her knees still feeling wobbly, her heart still zinging.
“Okay.” He knelt down, then looked back up at her. “And one for Maury.”
She was touched that he would think to take a pumpkin home to Maury. He was like a father to the boy. He would learn to be a terrific father for Brian. She was sure of it.
Chapter Nine
The next few weeks flew by in Fast Forward. Allie spent too much time daydreaming about Mike, but she still managed to get a lot done on the benefit. She’d whipped together the last arrangements, thrilled that the space would be filled to capacity. Enthusiastic volunteers had agreed to pick their chrysanthemum plants down to the ground to make centerpieces for the eight tables, and the feed store in Holman was loaning them potted mums to scatter around the room.
She’d learned from Maury that the Churchill Consolidated High School had a string quartet. With trepidation, she’d hired them for the dinner, and even if they were awful, four students had netted her eight parents who bought tickets for the dinner.
The plan was in place, ready to be implemented, until the last-minute crises occurred, which they would, because they always did.
As for the other two things on her mind, Priscilla had been enthusiastic about the yard sale. “Mother was thrilled to be doing something for the foster-care center. She’s already furnished her room with her favorite things, and I’ll keep the family heirlooms and a few other pieces I’m fond of. The rest can go. Once I get them out of the way, the cleanup will be a lot easier. Can you get along without some of the furniture?”
“If you leave the bed, one of the sofas and that wing chair in the living room, I’ll be fine.” Allie smiled. “Maybe I can get my mother to buy them when I move out.”
Priscilla, Lilah and her “troops” showed up after school on the Thursday afternoon before the sale. Mike was in the forefront of Allie’s mind as she helped dust and price items. He’d been all she could think about this week. Her body had tingled each time she heard his name or saw his face.
He was a dedicated man who also happened to be charming, irresistible, actually. He only became more irresistible the day he announced that he’d be taking two afternoons off each week to be with Brian. He was entertaining him this afternoon, in fact, taking him to a baby gymnastics program in Rutland.
Allie lived for the promise of those two afternoons. She cherished the time she spent with Mike and Brian, and knew deep down that her world currently revolved around two things: making Brian happy and spending time with Mike.
It was dangerous territory. Her world might revolve around them now, but in a few months, she’d have to shift her axis, feel the pull of her classwork.
She wanted a husband and children, but not right now. It was impossible, the daydream of becoming part of the Foster family that had plagued her recently.
Maybe she was just confused and lost at the moment, so daydreaming about Mike and Brian gave her something to do besides worry. She couldn’t imagine not having a career that would make a difference in the world beyond the family she longed to have. She wasn’t even sure what career path she wanted to pursue, although she was finding the idea of clinical psychology increasingly appealing.
It would take years of study. She’d have to get a doctorate. She’d have to train under a practicing psychologist. Brian would be in school by the time she finished. He wouldn’t remember her by then.
Mike would have to take over from her. He’d hire a new nanny to take care of Brian while he worked, but he’d have to be the important person in Brian’s life. He was wonderful to Brian, but something was missing. If Brian had been his own child or a planned adoption, he’d feel different. But how could anyone keep from loving Brian? Because that’s what was missing—the sense that Mike truly loved the baby.
“I’M GOING CRAZY being at home all the time,” Barney grumbled, shifting his recliner to an upright position. “I want to get back to work.”
Mike couldn’t wait to have Barney in the kitchen again, but only if he was up to it. “Are you sure you should come back that soon?” he asked, for probably the tenth time.
“The doc said part-time starting Monday. You want him to write me a note?” Barney grumbled. “I won’t lift anything. I won’t stand too long. But being out and moving and doing what I like to do will be great for the old ticker.”
Mike could see how that could help. “Okay, if you’re sure, and if you promise not to overdo. And no sneaking any fried foods.”
Barney nodded glumly. “Yeah, it’s all grilled chicken breasts and greens for me from now on.”
He looked so crestfallen that Mike chuckled. “Cheer up. You know I can cook a chicken breast that will make you forget all about steak.”
Barney glared at him. “Prove it to me.”
“Just watch me. You’ll be fine if you change your diet and exercise.”
“That’s what the doc says. You two been talking behind my back?” A sneaky smile suddenly appeared on his face. “How’s Allie?”
The unexpected change of topic surprised Mike. “Fine. She’s taking care of Brian for me.”
“Bet you’re glad she’s back in town, aren’t you?”
Okay, he might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but Mike knew when someone was baiting him. “What are you talking about?”
Barney shrugged. “The whole town’s been watching you two fall for each other.”
Mike’s mouth dropped open. “Whoa! The whole town knows? How could—wait a minute. We haven’t fallen for each other. Allie and I are good friends, that’s all.”
Barney snorted. “Just friends. Got it.”
Mike let it go because he knew there was no sense in arguing with Barney. The older man had been through a lot, and fighting with his employer couldn’t be good for his heart.
But Barney was wrong. Mike had noticed how attractive…make that beautiful…Allie was. But it wasn’t like they were falling for each other. Not at all. Sure, they’d shared a couple of kisses, but the time he’d kissed her after the crisis with Brian didn’t count. He’d been so strung-out he didn’t know what he was doing.
Now the kiss in the pumpkin patch—but that didn’t mean anyt
hing. Even Allie had said it didn’t mean anything.
He stood, more than ready to leave, when someone knocked on the door. “I’ll answer it,” Mike said, and to his amazement, Elaine Hendricks stood on the porch.
He was almost too startled to let her in, but he managed. “I just came by to drop off a little something for Barney to eat,” she said. She was bent to one side from the weight of a tote bag that Mike could see was stuffed with storage containers, and she was blushing. He turned to glance at Barney. Talk about color in his face. He was scarlet.
“That’s mighty nice of you, Elaine,” he said.
“It’s all very healthy,” she said, sounding a little breathless. “I even found a cake recipe that’s made with olive oil. I’ll just put the bag in the kitchen and be on my way.”
“No, no,” Mike protested. “I was just leaving. Bye, Barney.”
“Look for me in the diner bright and early next week,” Barney said. He said it sheepishly, but then he scowled. “And that grill had better be clean.”
“I’ll scour it myself,” Mike promised. “I don’t trust anybody else.”
Elaine was certainly taking a long time to put a tote bag on the counter. Time for him to leave so she’d stay and visit with Barney.
Elaine and Barney? Should he spread the rumor? Nope. They were probably—just good friends.
DESPITE THE COLD and the early hour, the garden behind Mrs. Langston’s house was crawling with people. What furniture they were selling had gone quickly. Now all that was left were piles of smaller household items, tables filled with clothing and linens and a mountain of books.
“Boy, you don’t mess around, do you?” Allie turned to Lilah. “Have you ever considered running for President? You really know how to get people to go along with you. This turnout is amazing.”
Priscilla had decided not to come to the sale, thinking that seeing her mother’s things go might make her sad, so Lilah sat in one of the wooden chairs behind the cashier’s table tallying up what they’d made so far. “It isn’t hard when what you’re doing supports such a good cause. I’m worried though, because business is slowing down now that the furniture is gone.”
Allie sat in the chair next to hers. “It’s still early,” she said. “But frankly, a lot of what’s left is junk.”
“They are valuable heirlooms,” Lilah said, turning a stern face in Allie’s direction. “Once-in-a-lifetime purchases.”
Allie had to laugh at that. She could see from the disinterested expressions of some of the shoppers that the words valuable heirlooms weren’t what they were thinking.
“Gee, I’m not sure how we’ll convince them,” Allie said. She looked around, trying to come up with some ideas, when she spotted Mike and Brian walking toward her. As usual, her heart fluttered at the sight of Mike. He was drop-dead gorgeous, and all she could think about was kissing him again.
“You’ve got quite a turnout,” Mike said when he reached their table.
“Yes, but the buying has slowed down.” Allie leaned over and nuzzled Brian’s cheek. “How are you guys today?”
She’d taken the day off for the sale, but she had to admit she didn’t really want the day off. She’d rather spend it with her two special guys.
“We’re good,” Mike said. “Had a cereal fiasco this morning, but everything is fine now.”
“Brian didn’t want to eat his cereal?” Allie asked.
Mike smiled and bounced the baby on his hip. “Let’s just say we had different ideas about what should be done with the cereal. My vote was for eating it. Brian thought tossing it around the room was a better approach.”
Lilah laughed and held out her arms to take Brian. “What a mischief you are.”
“Said like a person who didn’t spend an hour scraping cereal off the floor,” Mike said dryly.
“I know how we can take your mind off the cereal,” Lilah said, shooting a conspiratorial smile toward Allie. “Help us persuade our customers to buy, buy, buy.”
Mike looked around. “Persuade them, huh?”
“Yes, apparently Lilah feels what we have for sale here are heirlooms. We just need to help people see their potential,” Allie told him.
“Okay, I’ll try if you’ll try,” he said to Allie.
Although she had no idea how to be a super salesperson, she wanted to follow Mike wherever he was going. Standing, she circled the small table. “You go first.”
Mike surveyed the crowd, then walked over to a middle-aged couple standing near an assortment of old pails. Since Allie didn’t recognize them, they had to be out-of-towners, and she was sure Mike had chosen them for that very reason.
“I want these pails,” he said loudly to Allie. “I’ll pot plants in them next summer and put them on the back porch.”
The couple turned their attention to the pails.
“Rustic chic,” Allie trilled. “Very trendy.”
He glanced at a price tag. “These are authentic. I’ll take them all.”
“Excuse me,” the woman said, “but we’d already decided to buy the pails.”
Mike turned to Allie. “I’ll pay you double the price.”
“No,” Allie said sternly, “that wouldn’t be fair. These people saw them first. I’m upset that you’d even suggest such a thing.”
The couple gathered up the pails, all nine of them, and darted toward Lilah at the cash register. Nonplussed, Lilah sent a glance toward Mike and Allie.
“That went well,” Allie said.
“Just need to help people see the value of a rusty pail.” His eyes twinkled. “Your turn,” he said. “Let’s see you in action,” and he stepped toward the cash register, where Daniel had begun helping Lilah pack those pails in newspaper as if they were treasured objects.
Rising to the challenge, Allie spotted a group of potential buyers. She approached the teenaged girls with a smile. “Have you looked through the clothes?”
The girls looked horrified. “They’re for old people.”
“They’re vintage,” Allie said. “Have you priced vintage clothes at that shop in Woodstock?” She picked up an elegant blue cocktail dress that looked as if it dated back to the fifties. “Imagine yourself wearing this to the Homecoming Dance. One of a kind, no one else will have anything like it.”
“I’m buying my dress at the mall in Manchester,” one of the girls said, eyeing the blue dress dubiously.
“Me, too,” the other one said. They wandered off to look into a box of DVDs.
One girl stayed, her eyes fixed on the dress. “I’d like something different for the dance and I really can’t afford anything from the mall. I love this color, but I’m not sure about—” She tweaked one of its puffed sleeves.
“Picture it without the sleeves,” Allie said. She looked at the price tag. “And even though it’s an expensive designer dress, it’s only five dollars.”
The girl still looked uncertain, but Allie spotted a talented local seamstress going through the linens. “Let’s ask Marion what you could do with this dress. I bet she could alter it to suit you, and you’d still have paid a lot less than what you’d pay for a cookie-cutter dress at the mall.”
The girl nodded with excitement, and in a few minutes, Marian and the girl had decided how to make the blue dress into something stunning for the Homecoming Dance. Allie felt good about what she’d done, and furthermore, every woman at the sale was at the clothing table, going through Mrs. Langston’s dresses.
When Allie rejoined Mike, he nudged her lightly. “You’re getting the hang of this. Should we take our act on the road?”
“Hey, Allie, want to come over for dinner tonight?” Daniel asked, coming over to join them. “Mike and Brian will be there.”
Mike shot his brother a pointed look, then turned to Allie. “Not to babysit,” he said. “To eat.”
“I’m not sure I’d know how to eat without a baby on my lap,” Allie said, smiling at Mike’s flushed face. “I wish I could, but—” oh, she hated saying no “�
��I promised Mom I’d come to dinner after the sale. She wants to crow over the treasures she took home.” She felt like teasing Mike because he looked so uptight about the babysitting idea. “Want me to take Brian with me?”
“No,” chorused all three brothers and Lilah, who’d stepped up behind them.
Laughing, Allie stepped toward the table of threadbare linens, and was soon pointing out the hand-crocheted trims on the pillowcases. “You could put this on a little girl’s dress,” she said to potential buyers, “and turn it into something special.”
DINNER AT Daniel’s house always included a soccer game. Boys were everywhere, running, laughing and playing. In the middle of the commotion was the family dog, barking and running around the backyard.
Today, in addition to Mike and Brian, there were Ian, Daniel, Lilah, the foster boys and a few of their friends, Lilah’s son Jonathan, and Jesse, the elderly ex-Marine who helped care for the boys.
No wonder Allie hadn’t wanted to come. There wasn’t room.
Mike settled on the back stoop and watched the soccer game. Brian sat on his lap, apparently delighted at all the sights and sounds around him.
“He’s going to be walking in a few months,” Lilah said, sitting next to him. “Maybe sooner. And then after walking comes running.”
Mike shuddered. “I have enough trouble keeping up with him when he crawls. I can’t even think about running.”
Daniel came over and stood by his wife. “Ha, that’s nothing. Wait until he learns to drive a car.”
That was it. “Now you’re just trying to bug me,” he told Daniel.
“True.” He leaned down and took Brian from Mike. “He seems to be settling in okay.”
Mike shrugged. “I guess. I hope so. We seem to be doing fine, but I worry all the time. Like at any second something could go wrong.”
“It could,” Ian said.
“Ian!” Lilah scolded him. “Just keep an eye on him. Babies and toddlers are curious, but they don’t have a smidgen of common sense. And you have no idea how fast they can move when they’re motivated.”
Surprise Dad Page 13