by Judy Duarte
“Awesome.” Kieran snuck a glance at Dana, who stood before him like a beautiful, red-haired lady from days gone by.
“We not only had a history lesson,” Dana said, “but we also had fun while you were gone.”
“I can see that.” Kieran was growing more and more impressed with Dana’s finer qualities each time he saw her.
She gave a little shrug. “I guess there’s no secret that I have a quirky side.”
“No, you can’t hide it from me any longer. But for the record, I think you’re the cutest teacher I’ve ever met.”
Her flush deepened, and he glanced away. The last thing he needed to do was to get caught up in his attraction again. But like it or not, he found her adorable, quirks and all.
And there lay the problem. He needed to shake off the romantic musing. So in an effort to do just that, he scanned the inside of her nicely decorated home, which had a retro vibe that suited the house and the neighborhood as well as the owner.
But he didn’t just get a visual of her home. The sweet aroma of vanilla filled the living room. “I take it you pioneers also found time to do some baking today.”
“We made cookies,” Rosie said. “And there’s a special one just for you. I put a lot of pink sprinkles on it because that’s my favorite color. But you can’t eat it until you have lunch. That’s what Dana said.”
“Sounds fair to me.” Kieran gave Dana a wink.
“Can we go to the park now?” Rosie asked. “Dana made sandwiches and apples and stuff. We’re going to have a picnic.”
Kieran turned to Dana. The invitation to join them should come from her. After all, she’d been entertaining Rosie the entire morning. Maybe she wanted to take a break.
“I made plenty for all of us,” she said. “Are you hungry?”
Kieran’s brother Ben, the president of Robinson Tech, had brought in breakfast burritos for everyone at the meeting, so he wasn’t starving.
“I’ve never been one to turn down food,” he said, “especially if I can share a light meal with two pioneer girls.”
Dana blessed him with a pretty smile. “Does that mean you’re up for an afternoon at the park?”
In spite of his earlier resolve to avoid Dana, he’d be happy to join in any activity if it included her. “Sure. Why not?”
“Goodie!” Rosie clapped her hands.
When Dana instructed her to go change her clothes, she took off, dashing down the hall, the skirt of her prairie dress sweeping the hardwood floor.
“While she’s gone,” Dana said, “I have a question for you.”
“What’s that?”
“Why did you apologize for kissing my cheek when you left this morning?”
Her cheek. Right. It’s not as though he’d kissed her on the lips, which he’d been tempted to do.
“That kiss was impulsive, and since I know how much you cared about Zach, I didn’t want you to think I was trying to...”
“Take his place?”
“Yeah, I guess that’s it.” A lot of people might have thought that a computer whiz kid and a cowboy might be unlikely friends, but they’d loved each other like brothers.
“I thought that kiss was sweet. And that it was appreciative of our...friendship.”
“I’m glad. I guess I’m the only one stressing about it.” Kieran raked a hand through his hair.
She might have just let him off the hook but he was still struggling with what he’d done. He couldn’t help thinking that it should be Zach standing in Dana’s living room, overwhelmed by his sexual attraction to the pretty redhead. It should be Zach looking forward to taking his sweet daughter to the park for a picnic.
But Zach was gone. And the woman and child he’d left behind were burrowing deep into Kieran’s heart. And something about that felt wrong.
“Just for the record,” Dana said, “Zach and I weren’t as involved as people might think.”
Kieran merely nodded. In a way, it was a relief to know they hadn’t been talking marriage or engagement. But just because Dana and Zach hadn’t been too serious didn’t mean they hadn’t been sexually involved. And that’s what made him so leery about the idea of dating her.
Striking up a romance was sure to lead to more kissing and eventually to making love. And as appealing as that might sound, Kieran didn’t feel right about taking his best friend’s girl to bed, even if that friend was dead.
Hell, Zach was one of the greatest guys Kieran had ever known—honest, hardworking, dependable and loyal. Yet life had never been especially easy for him, especially financially.
What had he done wrong? Why did he have to die so young, before he’d experienced love and happiness?
On the other hand, Kieran had it all. Not that things had been perfect for him growing up. But unlike Zach, he’d never had to worry about financing his college education, caring for aging parents who weren’t in the best of health, trying to turn things around for a struggling ranch or being a single dad.
There seemed to be something wrong about stepping in and taking Zach’s place.
And it was too bad Kieran felt that way. Because that was the only thing holding him back from admitting his feelings for Dana.
* * *
After a short five-minute drive, Dana, Kieran and Rosie pulled up at Westside Park, Austin’s newest recreational spot for families.
“I hope I’m not the only kid here,” Rosie said.
Dana hoped so, too. Rosie didn’t like to play alone, and if there weren’t any other children on the playground, she’d want the adults to swing and slide with her. They’d had a lot of fun this morning, but Dana was ready to sit back and enjoy a picnic lunch in the fresh air and sunshine.
“It’s Saturday,” Kieran said. “I’m sure you’ll find plenty of kids to play with.”
And he was right. By the time he parked the car, they had a clear view of the grassy play area, with its Western-themed climbing structure and big yellow slide in the shape of a giant sombrero.
“Will you look at that?” Kieran chuckled. “You ladies didn’t need to change out of your prairie dresses. You would’ve fit right in here.”
“Maybe so,” Dana said, as she unbuckled her seatbelt. “But long skirts aren’t very practical or safe for running, jumping and climbing.”
After exiting the car, Kieran removed the packed picnic basket from the backseat while Dana unbuckled Rosie. Then they went in search of an empty table near the playground.
They hadn’t yet reached the grass when Rosie’s breath caught and she slowed to a stop.
“Uh-oh.” She pointed toward a small boy who’d just left the parking lot with his mom and was heading toward the playground. “That’s the boy from Cowboy Fred’s. The one who hit me.”
She was right. Dana recognized both the child and his mother.
Kieran placed a hand on Rosie’s shoulder, urging her to continue walking. “Let’s go say hello.”
“No.” Rosie dug in her heels. “I don’t want to. He was mean to me. He made blood come out of my nose, and it really hurt.”
“Yes, I know,” Kieran said. “But he told you he was sorry. Remember?”
Rosie looked up at him and frowned. “But what if he does it again?”
Dana cast a glance at “Uncle Daddy,” who looked back at her and rolled his eyes. Then he urged the girl onward. “I’m sure he won’t. Come on, princess. Let’s go say hello.”
As they started toward the swing set, each of its plastic seats shaped like a saddled merry-go-round horse, Rosie’s steps slowed again. She turned to Kieran and frowned. “How come I have to talk to him?”
“In case you haven’t noticed, most of the other kids on the playground are a lot older than you, and he’s about your age. You’ll probably become good friends—if you give each
other a chance.”
Dana looked over the girl’s head at Kieran. When she caught his eyes, she pointed to her temple and mouthed, “Smart move.”
He shot her a dazzling grin, his eyes as bright as the wild blue yonder, then placed the picnic basket on the grass. “I’ll be back as soon as we bury the hatchet.”
Rosie balked. “What’s a hatchet?”
“Never mind,” Kieran said. He glanced at Dana and shrugged, not quite able to stifle a grin. “Wish us luck, okay?”
Dana crossed her index and middle fingers to show him she was on his side and that she was hoping for the best.
He nodded, then took Rosie’s hand. “Come on, princess. I’ll face the dragon with you.”
“But he’s got a pirate shirt on today,” Rosie said, as she reluctantly trudged along with him.
“You’re right, but dragons and pirates won’t stop a brave princess like you.”
Dana followed them on their short trek to greet the mother and child.
“Hi, there,” Kieran said to the towheaded boy. “Your name’s Michael, right?”
The little guy nodded.
“Do you remember Rosie?” Kieran asked him. “We met you at Cowboy Fred’s. And now here we are, ready to have a fun day at the park.”
Michael bit down on his bottom lip and shot a careful peek at Rosie, who eyed him back. But neither uttered a word.
“It’s nice to see you here.” The mom looked down at her son and placed her hand on top of his head. “Isn’t it, Michael?” Then she addressed Kieran and Dana. “We just moved to town, so we’re still checking out places where we can play.”
“I’ve lived in Austin my entire life,” Kieran said, “but this is the first time I’ve ever come to this park. And that’s really a shame, because I would have loved going down that sombrero slide—or riding on those horse swings. Maybe Michael and Rosie can show me how fast those ponies can go.”
The boy brightened. “I can go super high and fast.” Then he looked at Rosie. “You wanna do that, too?”
When she nodded, they both dashed off, with Kieran taking up the rear.
“It’s nice to see a family together at the park,” Michael’s mother said. “Even before our divorce, Michael’s dad rarely went on outings with us.”
“Actually,” Dana said, “We’re not a family.”
“I’m sorry. I just assumed you were.”
It was an easy mistake to make, Dana supposed. She expected Michael’s mother to quiz her further, but she didn’t, which was a relief. She and Kieran had landed in an odd situation and a difficult one to explain, especially to a stranger.
“My son and I recently moved in with my parents,” the woman said. “There aren’t any families with young children in their neighborhood, so Michael doesn’t have anyone to play with. I tried to enroll him in a preschool that’s supposed to be a good one, but there’s a pretty long waiting list. So I’ve tried to take him places where he can meet and play with other kids his age.”
“You may not realize this,” Dana said, “but there’s a story hour at the library on Thursday mornings for preschoolers. You might try going there, too.”
“That’s a good idea.” The woman laughed. “By the way, Mikey isn’t the only one who needs to make new friends. My name is Elaine Wagner.”
Dana took her hand, gave it a warm shake and introduced herself. “It’s nice to meet you.”
They both turned to watch the children play. But what really caught Dana’s interest was Kieran, who would give one child’s horse swing a push, then the next. It was such a fatherly thing for him to do, and knowing what she did about him, that he was a bachelor who didn’t have any plans to settle down, it touched her heart.
“Is Rosie’s father divorced?” Elaine asked.
There it was—the quiz Dana had been expecting.
Elaine undoubtedly found Kieran attractive—what woman wouldn’t? And she probably wanted to learn whether he was available or not. Dana couldn’t very well blame her for that. He was one sexy man, especially when he showed his Uncle Daddy side.
But Elaine had been open and forthcoming with Dana, so she figured it wouldn’t hurt to answer honestly. “Rosie’s father passed away recently, and since I was a family friend, I’ve been helping her and her guardian adjust to the changes in their lives.”
“I’m so sorry,” Elaine said. “Divorce isn’t easy to explain to a child, but death must be worse.”
Dana wanted to agree. As a child, she’d had a difficult time understanding why her parents had died and gone to heaven. Yet in spite of her grief and loneliness, she’d realized that they hadn’t wanted to leave her behind. On the other hand, divorces were different.
“I’m sure some splits can get pretty nasty,” Dana said, “which could be difficult for everyone involved.”
“Ours was tougher on me. Michael’s father never had been a big part of his life. He was always too busy for us.”
“So he was a workaholic?” Dana asked, connecting the dots.
Elaine shielded her eyes from the sun’s glare and looked at the playground, where the kids were swinging. “I assumed that he was because he used to spend so much time at the office. But I came to find out he had a special fondness for the attractive new receptionist.”
Ouch. Now it was Dana’s turn to sympathize. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It was a big blow to my ego, that’s for sure. But as it turned out, Mikey didn’t seem to be too affected by it. It’s not as if he’d had a real daddy to miss.” Elaine continued to study her son, then added, “He does have a good grandpa, so that helps a lot.”
About that time, Kieran returned to where the women stood and reached for the picnic basket that Dana had packed.
“We’re going to have a picnic,” she said to Elaine. “Why don’t you and Michael join us? I have plenty of food.”
“That’s really nice of you to include us,” Elaine said. “We ate a late breakfast before we came, so we won’t eat much. I also brought some orange slices we can contribute, and I have a blanket in the car we can spread out on the grass.”
“Then it looks like we’re set.” Dana glanced at the playground, which was about ten feet away, to check on the kids. They were just leaving the swing set and running toward the slide, both smiling.
“It looks like Michael and Rosie are well on their way to becoming friends,” Dana said.
“I can see that.” Elaine handed Dana a small bag, then pointed toward her car. “If you’ll keep an eye on the kids, I’ll get that blanket from the trunk.”
Minutes later, the two women had taken seats on top of the quilt they’d spread on the grass, the food set out between them. Kieran, who’d stretched out on the grass, drank a glass of lemonade Dana had brought.
While Dana and Elaine chatted, she soon learned that they had a lot in common, including a love of books and an interest in baking. If Kieran was bored with their conversation, he never let on. Instead, he studied a monarch butterfly that fluttered near the picnic basket.
About the time Dana thought they should call the children to come and eat, the boy and girl trotted back to the adults.
“I’m hungry,” Rosie said. “Can we have a cookie?”
“After you eat a sandwich. But let’s wash our hands first.” Dana got to her feet, then walked with the children to the restrooms. Along the way, she listened to the newfound friends chattering away.
“My mommy is a good cooker,” Michael said. “And sometimes, when she makes dinner, she lets me help.”
“So does my mommy,” Rosie said.
Dana’s heart stalled. The poor little girl had never known her mother, and now she was creating an imaginary one to impress her new friend. She probably wanted to fit in and be like other children her age. Dana certainly k
new that feeling. As a girl, she’d wished that she still belonged to a real family, one that didn’t include foster parents.
“Me and my mommy made sugar cookies this morning,” Rosie said. “I’ll share one with you. But only after we eat.”
Dana could hardly believe what just went down. Rosie implied that Dana was her mother, but Dana wouldn’t correct her now. Not in front of Michael.
Then again, she didn’t know how to address the issue at all. She’d read a few parenting articles, but that was a topic that hadn’t come up.
“When it was my birthday,” Michael said, “and when we lived at the other house that’s far away, my mommy made cupcakes for the party. And I got to help put the frosting and little race cars on top.”
“It’s going to be my birthday,” Rosie said. “My grandma said it’s going to be in two weeks, and that’s not very long to wait. I’m going to have a party, too. You can come, if you want to.”
Dana wasn’t sure what Sandra had told the child, but it was true. Her birthday was at the end of April—on the twenty-eighth, if she remembered correctly. But she doubted that Sandra had promised her a party. At least, not without talking it over with Kieran first.
That didn’t mean Rosie wouldn’t have one. Dana would make sure of it—one way or another.
That is, if Kieran wanted her help.
She glanced over her shoulder to where he sat on the grass, only to see him watching her and the children. Or was he more interested in her?
Oh, for goodness’ sake. Talk about imagining things. A substitute mommy wasn’t as bad as a nonexistent romance. And Kieran couldn’t possibly be the least bit interested in her.
He was not only an heir to the Robinson technology dynasty, but he was a Fortune. And just because he’d hung out at the park this afternoon like an honest-to-goodness family man, didn’t mean a thing. Nor did it mean that she should waste her time dreaming about things that would never come to be.
Chapter Nine