by Doreen Alsen
Plopping her hiney down on one of the chintz-covered chairs, she toyed with the idea of going shopping, but she didn’t feel the need for being around lots of people. Didn’t want to ruin her post-sex buzz. Her foot swung back and forth as she sighed.
As great as she felt, curiosity just wouldn’t let her go. Her every thought revolved around Dave and what was going on at her home.
She looked at her watch and frowned. How long a wait would be polite? She didn’t want to offend Dave by coming home too soon, but she was dying to know.
As much as she wanted a relationship with Dave, no way could she have one if her children couldn’t deal with it. It would be difficult, but she would nip things with Dave in the bud.
A tremor of sadness ran through her at the thought of the loss of someone she could fall into forever love with. But her children had to come first.
Always and forever.
She sent off a quick prayer that Ruark, Shanna, and Patsy would be fine with it. More than fine.
Spectacularly fine.
The first difficulty would be slipping past the lovely older couple who ran the inn. She and Dave had been a little noisy. There could be no doubt about what they’d been up to all afternoon.
No time to be embarrassed. No reason to be embarrassed, she decided. Who gave a damn?
Standing then grabbing her purse, Ainslie scooted out of the room and made a beeline to her car. She just had to see what was going on.
****
Well, the house wasn’t on fire. Good sign, right? Ainslie’s tires screeched as she pulled into her space in front of her tidy little rental house. Taking a deep, bracing breath, she marched up her porch stairs and opened her front door.
The mouth-watering aroma of braised beef and freshly baked bread met her as she stepped in the room. Silence reigned, except for Patsy’s sweet little voice reading to Dave. He wore a pair of horn-rimmed glasses and followed along with Patsy’s reading like a lazer.
Those glasses shouldn’t be as sexy as they were. She felt her engine revving all over again.
Patsy curled up next to him, reading like it was her job. Shanna sat cross-legged in front of the coffee table, scratching out some math homework. Ruark sat apart from them all, at the computer, ear buds in while he wrote notes on some music manuscript paper.
Patsy and Dave looked up, identical grins on their faces, two peas in a pod. “Hi, Momma! Mr. Mason makes real good mac and cheese!”
That was all well and good, except for the fact that Patsy hated mac and cheese. “I thought you didn’t like to eat mac and cheese.”
“He put a secret ingredient in it which makes it dee-lish-us.” Patsy squirmed off the couch and ran to get a hug. “He made it special for me ’cause I don’t like pot roast.” She made her icky face. Ainslie hoisted her up onto her hip and gave her a kiss on the top of her head.
Shanna unfolded herself from the floor and brought a paper full of equations over to Dave to look at. “Are these right? Hi, Momma.” She rolled out a big yawn and stretched. “Did you have fun at the spa?”
Dave looked up from Shanna’s paper. His eyes twinkled with mischief. “You look relaxed.” His brow creased. “I did think you’d be along later.”
“I skipped the seaweed wrap.” She and Patsy exchanged little Eskimo kisses as she walked over to Ruark. Pulling off his ear-buds, she knocked gently on the top of his head, like she was asking to be let in. It was a game the two of them played when he was deep into his music. “Hey, Bub. What are you doing?”
“Theory homework.” He tunneled his hand through his hair, then slid his eyes over to where Shanna sat, on the arm of the sofa while Dave helped her through some corrections.
“Looks tough,” Ainslie didn’t have the first clue as to what all those squiggles, dots and lines on Ruark’s paper meant. It astonished her that she had a child who did. Pride in her baby boy filled her up to the brim.
“Not really.” Ruark shrugged. “It’s a lot of review so Mrs. Kelly knows how much I know and what I need to work on.”
“I’ll let you get back to it.” Ainslie let Patsy slip down. “Why don’t you run upstairs and get ready for bed?”
Patsy put on that famous pout of hers. “But I gotta finish reading to Mr. Mason. He won’t be able to sleep if he doesn’t know the end of the story.”
“Good try, doodle bug, but I think Mr. Mason will do just fine if he has to wait another day or two for you to finish the story.”
“Can he come back tomorrow so we can finish it?”
“We’ll see. He might be busy.”
Dave stood and walked over to her and Patsy. He pulled his glasses off and put them in his inside jacket pocket as he crossed the room. “You need to do what your mom says.”
“Oh-kay,” she sing-songed. “But you can’t go until I come back down,” she told him. Off she raced.
Ainslie’s nerve endings started to tingle all over again the moment Dave got near her. He smelled as good as he usually did, that clean, woodsy scent, with no hint of eau de wild monkey sex, so he must have grabbed a shower after leaving her.
Shanna yawned lavishly. “I’m really tired. I think I’ll go to bed.”
“Got all your work done, pumpkin?”
“Yep, thanks to Mr. Mason.” Shanna nodded at him. “Without help, I don’t think I’d have been able to finish that math.” Her lips quirked up in a little smile. “Math is so not my friend.”
“You’re welcome.” Dave blushed, which just made him look more adorable.
“So, Ruark.” Shanna sidled up to her twin. “Aren’t you tired too?”
Ruark gave Shanna that disgusted look Ainslie knew he saved just for his sister. “No.”
“But, you’ve got that big test tomorrow. You need to rest up for it.”
“I don’t have any such thing.”
“’Course you do. How could you have forgotten about it? In history? Just the most important test of the term.” She motioned with her head toward Dave. “You need your sleep.”
“I haven’t finished my theory homework yet.” Ruark frowned at Shanna.
“You can do that tomorrow. Come on.” She made a bigger motion with her head toward Dave. “I bet Mr. Mason has to tell Momma all about Patsy’s reading tonight. And we’ve got that monster test.”
Ainslie rolled her eyes. Her little girl was not the most subtle person on God’s green Earth.
Dave looked at his watch. “Actually, I’ve got to get going. I’ve got an early meeting with the superintendent and the chair of the school board.”
“Oh, you can’t go yet!” Shanna jumped into the conversation with both feet. “You need to wait for Patsy. You promised her you would. I’ll go up and see what’s keeping her.” She scrambled off after Patsy.
Ruark released a heavy sigh as he slowly got to his feet. “I’m tired. And I guess I’ve got a big, huge, honkin’ test tomorrow. Good night.” He turned like he wanted to say something, but shook his head, then ambled off.
“Good night, baby.” Ainslie wasn’t fooled. He didn’t have a test tomorrow. Loyal to a fault, he’d always follow Shanna, whether it was to protect her or join in her mischief. Their bond ran very deep.
“Well, we seem to be alone.” Dave’s voice felt like silk along her ears.
“As alone as it ever gets around here.” She smiled at him. “Thank you for my spa day.”
“I should thank you. I haven’t felt this good in a very long time.”
“You can repay me by sharing the secret ingredient in your mac and cheese.”
“A good chef never gives up his secrets.”
His intimate smile caressed her. He looked like he wanted to take her into his arms and kiss her, but she knew he wouldn’t, not with the children about.
She had to clear her throat. “But how will I get Patsy to eat my mac and cheese?”
“Guess you’ll have to keep me around.”
“I guess I will.” She reached out to smooth down his shirtfront, but stopped herself. Her
palms itched with the urge to touch him. “Patsy’s going to want you to come back tomorrow.”
He stroked his hand down her hair. “That meeting I have tomorrow is real. I can check in the evening after that if it’s okay with you.”
Ainslie wanted that so much, she ached with it. “Let’s see how it goes. They may need time to process this.”
“You’re right, of course.” His mouth turned up into a gentle smile. “You’ve done a really good job with them. They’re amazing people.”
Pride for her children flared within her. “They’re my life.”
Patsy came running into the living room and clambered up Dave to throw her arms around his neck. She clung there like a baby Koala on a Eucalyptus tree. Ainslie caught a whiff of soap and toothpaste as Patsy planted a sloppy kiss on Dave’s cheek. She’d at least made a passing attempt at washing up.
“Thank you for reading with me!” Patsy burbled. “Can you come back soon?”
“That’s up to your momma.”
“Can he, Momma?”
Ainslie looked at the two hopeful, expectant gazes twinkling at her. Her baby looked so comfortable, so happy, so right in Dave’s arms. How could any woman worth her estrogen resist the two of them together?
She felt something click inside her, like a key into a lock. It opened up a door to a place she thought long dead, but sensation after sensation flowed out, knocking her nearly breathless.
Her heart dropped in a dizzy free fall straight into love. It rolled through her in long, luxurious waves, stealing her soul as well as her reason.
She loved Dave Mason. Really loved him. Forever loved him. She trembled with the force of it.
“You okay?” Dave’s forehead creased as he looked at her.
Ainslie smiled. “Oh, yes. I’m better than I have been in a long time.” She wanted to tell him how she felt, but right there, right then didn’t seem to be the time, not with Patsy staring at both of them.
****
“You should probably stop eavesdropping on Momma and Mr. Mason.” Ruark shook his head at Shanna, who was trying to hide behind the bathroom door while holding it out a crack.
“Oh, hush. I want to know what’s going on.” She swatted his arm. “Look at how Momma’s looking at him. She’s practically googly-eyed over him. I haven’t seen her look this happy in a long time.”
Ruark had to admit she did look happy. He took a deep breath and waited for the jealousy that usually filled him when it came to Mr. Mason, but instead something inside him unbent.
“Omigawd, Ruark! Look at this!”
Now just as curious as Shanna, he peered over her shoulder. Mr. Mason stood at the door and handed Patsy to Momma. Patsy wiggled out of Momma’s arms and ran into the kitchen.
Mr. Mason took her hand, he kissed her palm and curled her fingers into it, like she could hold onto it. Momma said something to him, something that made his mouth make this brilliant, amazing smile.
He left, she closed the door behind him. She leaned her back against the door and sighed as she opened her fist to place it over her heart. “Isn’t that just the most romantic thing you’ve ever seen?” Shanna cooed.
“Ew,” Ruark told her, because it was expected of him. “This is our mother we’re talking about.” He thought it was pretty romantic too, but no way he’d tell Shanna he agreed.
“I think they’re in love.” Shanna turned to face him. “Wouldn’t it be cool for the principal to fall in love with Momma? We’d never get in trouble, like ever.”
“You’re such a retard.”
“Hey, it’s already working for us. He got you that sweet independent study with Mrs. Kelly.”
Whoa. “You really think it’s because of Momma that he set up that course?” Ruark didn’t know what to make of that.
“I don’t know, but whatever.” She waved her hand in dismissal. “Why him and Mrs. Kelly did it doesn’t matter. It’s done, and you like it.” She surprised the hell out him by giving him a quick hug. “I can still cheer and all. It’s only fair that you get to do all that advanced music stuff.”
“I guess.” It did kinda feel good to have someone else looking after them. Momma worked too hard. It didn’t hurt that Mr. Mason was hot and a stand up kind of guy.
Someone good enough to be with his mother.
He took another peek as she sat with Patsy. His littler sister was deep into telling her all about her day. They both had their heads together and were laughing.
Just like they used to.
A huge sense of well-being settled on his shoulders. Shanna was right for once.
Shoot, even a broken clock had to be right twice a day.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“Slow night?” Gina and Ian Ross sat at one of Ainslie’s tables. They both grinned up at her as she brought menus over.
“Not much going on, I guess.” Ainslie had spent most of her evening sitting at the bar, making a list of ways to get Dave alone. Now that she was in love with him, she wanted to let him know in the most romantic way possible. “Can I bring you something to drink?”
“A Bass Ale for the professor, and I’ll just have a club soda with a wedge, not a slice, of lime, please.” Gina leaned her arms on the table and braced her chin on her hands. “So, where’d you and Dave go off to yesterday?”
“Mike didn’t tell you?”
“No, he didn’t.” Ian rubbed a hand down Gina’s back. “It’s been driving her crazy.”
“The rat. He wouldn’t even tell Pamela! No one can resist Andi’s mother, especially Mike. I bet she could find Osama bin Laden, get him to tell her all his secrets, and then thank her for being a good listener.” She tapped a finger on the table. “But Mike wouldn’t budge.”
“Good man, Mike. Anyway, Gina’s been itching all day to get down here and get the story.” Ian chuckled. “So here we are.”
“So, where’d you go?” Gina’s voice dripped innocence.
“A Bass Ale and club soda, wedge not slice, coming right up.” Ainslie turned to go to the bar.
“So not fair!” Gina called after her.
“That’s right,” Ainslie called back over her shoulder. She and Dave had made lovely memories yesterday, and she clutched them to her tightly. Later, when her feelings weren’t so new, maybe then she could share, but not right now.
Spike put Gina and Ian’s drinks on the bar in front of Ainslie. “I haven’t even ordered these yet.”
“It’s what Ian drinks and Gina’s staying away from alcohol.” Spike leaned forward to whisper. “I got a bet with Bobby for ten bucks that says she’s pregnant.”
“You think so? Hm.” Ainslie glanced back at her table. Gina and Ian sat with their heads together, smiling, their fingers wrapped together, their eyes for each other only.
Spike tapped her on the arm. “Maybe you can trade information.”
“What?”
“Tell her where you and Dave went yesterday in exchange for her telling you she’s pregnant.”
“Dear Lord.” Ainslie shook her head as she put the drinks on a small round cork lined tray. “You can’t be serious.”
“I’m dead serious. I got a bet with Bobby. If he’s right, I’ll never hear the end of it.”
Ainslie laughed. “Sorry. You’re going to have to wait for her to tell you.”
“Okay, be that way,” Spike grumbled.
Ainslie shook her head as she walked up to the table. “Maybe you two should get a room. Are you ready to order?”
“Is that what you and Dave did? Get a room?” Gina looked hopeful.
“Good try. A lady never kisses and tells.” She delivered their drinks onto the table without spilling even a drop, then pulled out her pad and tapped on it with her pencil. “The soup of the day is minestrone.”
Ian snorted a laugh. “I’ll have the chili and cornbread.” He snapped the menu shut. “What do you want, darling?”
“The grilled chicken Caesar, please.” Gina muttered from out of a pout.
&nb
sp; Ainslie picked up their menus. “Thanks! I’ll be right back with your food.”
She put the order in then came back out and leaned against the bar. Chewing on the end of her pencil, she pulled out her list.
“Did you find out anything?” Spike kept her voice low and obviously tried to make it not look like she was keeping tabs on Gina and Ian.
Ainslie hugged her list to her chest. “Gina ordered the grilled chicken Caesar.”
“Well, keep trying.” Spike waltzed away down to the other end of the bar where a couple of new customers perched on bar stools.
Ainslie pulled out and looked at the small pad of paper holding the ideas of ways she could tell Dave she loved him. A small smile lifted the corners of her mouth as she circled one of her ideas with her pencil.
Dave Mason wasn’t the only one who could manage a surprise or two.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Hey, Ruark. Scooch over.”
He looked up from his Die Zauberflöte score to see Shanna and Cecily gazing at him expectantly, holding trays of inedible food. He sighed. There was no getting out of this, so he moved over a seat.
“Thanks!” Cecily scooted into the chair next to him while Shanna sat across from him.
Shanna put her bag on the empty seat next to her. “I’ve gotta save a seat for Alden.”
Ruark choked on a piece of tomato he’d just forked into his mouth. Fabulous. Just the person he wanted to pal around with. Maybe if he could make himself puke they’d go away.
“So,” Shanna chirped to Cecily, “Are you going to the party Saturday night?”
“I would, but I don’t have a date yet.”
Shanna the Subtle struck again. Ruark met Shanna’s gaze. Yep, she expected him to ask Cecily to a party filled with kids he hated. He had to do something about this Cecily situation, because he was so not her boyfriend, but not here, not now. As usual, he’d do anything to avoid a scene or embarrass his sister.
He bit the bullet and manned up. “Would you like to go with me, Cecily?” Shanna’s foot connected with his shin. “I’m sorry I didn’t ask you sooner. I’ve been busy and forgot.”
Cecily smiled and shook her shiny, perfect hair over her shoulder. “That’s okay. I’d love to go with you.”