“He started binge drinking,” he went on. “When he got a job managing a motel in northern Arizona, Misty—my sister-in-law—wasn’t thrilled, but she went along.”
A couple of nurses carried their trays to a table that gave them a good view of Daniel. He didn’t appear to notice.
“When I learned that the local clinic had an opening for an obstetrician, I decided to take the post for a year to keep an eye on things,” he went on. “I hoped my brother would stay sober now that he had a job and a baby,”
“Did he?”
Daniel gave a resigned headshake. “He and Misty quarreled frequently, and then she started drinking heavily, too. I took care of Nina as much as I could.”
All these years, he’d been sacrificing for his niece? “She’s a sweetheart. But that must have been hard on you and her.”
“I encouraged them to join Alcoholics Anonymous, but it was a lost cause,” he said. “They wouldn’t even acknowledge the problem. Then one night there was a fire.” He broke off, breathing hard.
They’d died in a fire, Sarah recalled. “What happened, exactly?”
“One of the motel guests heard Nina screaming and pulled her out of the manager’s apartment before the firefighters arrived.” He clenched his hands on the table. “Fred and Misty died from smoke inhalation.”
“That’s awful.” And horrifying, especially for the little girl. “What caused the fire, if you don’t mind my asking?”
“The investigator said it started in the kitchen. Possibly unattended cooking equipment.” Daniel’s chest rose and fell rapidly. “My niece has blocked that whole night. She doesn’t remember any specifics. I hired a therapist, hoping to help Nina face what happened so she can heal, but it hasn’t worked.”
“You stayed there another year?”
“Until the adoption was final. Then I heard about this job and it was perfect.”
He still hadn’t said why he’d withdrawn from their relationship. If it had to do with his brother’s problems, there’d be no reason to keep it secret.
Yet Sarah wondered if she’d been too hard on him. Or was his magnetic pull clouding her judgment?
If so, she’d better get over it. Soon.
Chapter Three
That afternoon, Luke Van Dam called Sarah’s name as she walked past his private office. When she stopped in the doorway, he said, “Thanks for supervising Daniel today. My wife tells me you two had some issues from the past. If I’d been aware of that, I wouldn’t have volunteered you.”
“No problem.” Since he didn’t appear reassured, Sarah added, “We’ve put that behind us.”
“Glad to hear it. And it’s great that your mom’s able to watch his little girl.” Luke was a striking man in his own right, despite a slightly crooked nose from an old football injury. “I remember how hard it was when Zoey was a kid, after the divorce. My ex-wife travels—she’s a singer, and that involves a lot of touring. Until I married Jane, I struggled to find good sitters.”
“It doesn’t appear to have hurt Zoey.” The twelve-year-old had sailed into adolescence with considerable self-assurance. She was popular, athletic and a good student.
“Kids need a mom, especially girls.” Luke gave her a wry grin. “Despite my medical specialty, there are some areas of Zoey’s development that I’m happy to leave to Jane. The way women react to Daniel, he should have no trouble finding a new mom for Nina.”
“You think it’s that simple?” Sarah asked sharply. “Just find the right interchangeable mother and….sorry, Luke. It’s been a long day.”
“I did make it sound like that, didn’t I?” he said. “Came out wrong.”
“Not that I care.” Sarah was protesting too much. Best to change the subject. “My last two patients canceled, so I’m off early.”
“Thanks again.”
With a wave, she stepped out. Down the hall lay the receptionist’s counter, behind which Edda Jonas leaned forward, beaming at Daniel. They were both chuckling, apparently over a shared joke.
“He should have no trouble finding a mom for Nina.” Luke’s remembered words sent a pang through Sarah.
Catching Daniel’s attention on her, she mustered a polite nod and hurried off. So what if he was flirting with Edda? None of her business.
The walk cleared Sarah’s thoughts, and she arrived home in a cheerier mood. She found her mom and Nina emptying the dishwasher. The little girl solemnly placed silverware in a drawer, matching forks to forks and spoons to spoons.
Eight years ago, after Sarah’s father died of a heart attack, Betsy had been left with enough insurance money to pay her bills but little left over for travel or theater tickets. To bring in extra, she’d started baby-sitting for acquaintances. Discovering that she enjoyed caring for other people’s children as well as earning extra income, she’d develop this into a steady business.
It required flexibility to accommodate different families’ schedules, Sarah knew. Some children came before and after school, while others showed up later in the morning and left in the early afternoon. There was a mixture of ages, from babies up to ten-year-olds. Although the license allowed Betsy to care for as many as six children at one time, she rarely supervised more than four.
Betsy stifled a yawn as she regarded her daughter. “You’re home early.”
“Patient cancellations.” Although she’d meant to lie down, Sarah could see her mom was tired. “Why don’t you rest before dinner? I’ll watch Nina till her dad gets here. I can fix dinner, too.”
“That would be lovely, if it’s okay with Nina.” Betsy turned to the little girl. “What do you say?”
“Yes!” Dropping the last spoon into place, Nina ran to Sarah and held up her arms for a hug. Flattered, Sarah scooped her up, and the five-year-old clung to her.
“She doesn’t do that with me,” Betsy said. “What’s your secret?”
“My charming personality, of course.” Sarah lowered the little girl gently.
Nina took her hand. “Can we play Go Fish?”
“Sure.” Card games were instructive as well as fun. Sarah fetched a deck of cards and they sat at the table. “Do you know how many cards we start with in our hands?”
Nina frowned as if fearful of making a mistake.
“With just two players, we deal seven cards each.” Sarah shuffled the deck, flipping them in the air as her father had showed her years ago. The little girl watched in fascination. “Can you help me count them?”
Eagerly, the girl joined in, counting to seven along with Sarah as she laid out their hands, face down. Picking them up, Nina arranged the cards by herself.
“You’ve learned your numbers already. You’re in good shape to start kindergarten.” School would begin in a month. “Do you know your alphabet, too?”
“Uncle Danny taught me.”
They’d played three rounds of Go Fish, two of which Nina won, when Sarah heard a noise from the living room. Glancing up, she met Daniel’s admiring brown eyes.
“You’re good with her.” He went to his niece. “Did you have fun, sweetie?”
“Yes! Can Sarah come with us to the fair on Saturday?” the little girl asked. “Please, please, please!”
Daniel made a silent appeal to Sarah before saying, “I traded overnights with Jane so I’m free this weekend. If you don’t have plans on Saturday, we’d love for you to join us.”
Sarah had meant to catch up on sleep and do a little shopping before her Sunday on-call shift. But this was the fair’s last weekend.
“It’ll be crowded,” she warned. “But yes, let’s go.”
As uncle and niece departed, Betsy emerged from her bedroom. “I’d say he’s as keen on you as Nina is.”
“You were listening!” Sarah pretended to glare. “Anyway, it was his niece who invited me, not him.”
“I didn’t hear him objecting,” her mother murmured.
“He could hardly do that, could he?” All the same, Sarah was glad to be invited.
; *
It had been years since Sarah visited the Orange County Fair. As a teenager, she’d gravitated to the big-name concert acts and the roller coaster-style rides that drew up to a million guests during the event’s month-long run.
She hadn’t appreciated its old-fashioned, child-friendly side until today. Nina adored the miniature pig races, with little pink piglets jumping over tiny hurdles. After that, they took in a magic act and a performance by acrobats, then toured the model farm with its lambs, baby goats and chicks.
“I can’t believe this place,” Daniel said as they watched a demonstration of camel milking at the Oasis Camel Dairy. “A petting zoo and a dog show I might expect, but this is unusual.”
“Have you toured the collections exhibit?” asked a young woman next to them, hanging onto twin boys.
“Collections?” Sarah echoed.
With her chin, the woman pointed to the crafts building. “People collect all sorts of weird things.”
“Sounds like fun,” Daniel said. “Thanks.”
Nina broke in. “I’m hungry!”
“And no wonder.” Her uncle checked his watch. “It’s been hours since lunch.”
They bought chicken and pineapple kebabs. Those were healthy and not too fattening, but they couldn’t resist following up with such fair specialties as chocolate-covered bacon and deep-fried ice cream bars.
“We should know better,” Daniel murmured as they staggered toward the crafts building, stuffed with cholesterol-laden foods. “We’re doctors.”
“Keep your voice down, okay?” Sarah teased.
Nina gave a little skip. “This is cool!”
Above her, Daniel eyed Sarah appreciatively. “I’m glad you came with us.”
“So am I.”
“Do you spend much time with children?” he asked suddenly.
“Only when I’m helping my mom. Why?”
“You’re good with Nina,” Daniel noted.
“I hope so.” The conversation puzzled Sarah. However, they’d reached the crafts building, and there were other things to talk about.
The collections, they discovered, consisted of anything that people chose to amass. There were wrapped moist towelettes from restaurants around the country, unusual canned goods, vintage bottle caps, and a display of Bermuda shorts. Although Sarah had assumed those garments came from the island of the same name, she’d never realized they originated with the British Army for use in hot climates.
“You learn something new every day,” she observed.
“Especially here.” Daniel patted Nina as she leaned against him. “Tired, little one?”
“Wore out,” she said.
Reaching down, he lifted her against his shoulder. “Let’s go home. Okay, Sarah?”
“Sure..”
It was nearly seven, and the sunlight was dimming. In the rear seat, Nina fought to stay awake. “When we get home, Sarah has to read me a night-night story.”
“We have to drop Sarah off at her house on the way,” Daniel said.
Sarah saw the little girl’s jaw set stubbornly. Exhausted, Nina obviously had no emotional reserves, and Sarah hated to spoil the day. “You only live a few blocks from us.” Daniel had mentioned how lucky he was to rent an apartment close to work. “I can walk from there.”
“Are you sure?” He studied her with concern before returning his attention to the freeway traffic. “Your feet must be sore.”
They’d probably traipsed the equivalent of ten miles today, Sarah reckoned. “Thank heaven for athletic shoes.”
“You’re a good sport, no pun intended.”
“I enjoy reading picture books too,” she responded lightly. Also, she was curious to see where he and Nina lived.
The apartment proved to be a charming one-story unit surrounded by flowering bushes. “This is pretty,” Sarah observed as Daniel unlocked the door.
“Best I could find, and you can’t beat the location.”
The carpet might be worn and the front room furnishings plain, but Nina’s room came from another realm. A princess-pink canopy bed, a white bureau stenciled with fairy tale characters, and a shelf overflowing with picture books transformed it into a fantasyland.
“It’s beautiful,” Sarah said.
Beaming, Nina took out a pink nightgown. “You stay right here while I brush my teeth.”
“You bet.” While Nina was gone, Sarah knelt by the shelf to select a story.
Lingering near the door, Daniel looked big and masculine amid the frills. “You fit in perfectly.”
“Did her parents buy all this?” Then she recognized her error. “I forgot about the fire.”
“I tried to replace things as best I could.” He ran his hand over the soft fur of a teddy bear. “She never said much about it.”
“It must have felt strange to her, living with you.” Book in hand, Sarah sat by the bed in the glow of a lamp. “To you, too.”
Shadows obscured Daniel’s eyes. “While I was familiar with her routine, she’d slept on my cot one or two nights a week at most. Becoming a single dad, well, I’m still adjusting. We both are.”
Nina returned and snuggled under the covers. While Sarah read, the little girl yawned, and by the last page, she’d fallen asleep.
Sarah kissed her cheek. “Sleep well, sweetie.” As they exited, Daniel switched off the lamp.
“She really doesn’t recall anything?” Sarah asked in the living room.
“Only in her nightmares. But obviously that night troubles her deeply.” Daniel ran his hand through his hair. Already mussed from the day’s activities, it sprang up at odd angles.
Without thinking, Sarah reached to smooth it. As her palm caressed the soft texture, she heard his quick intake of breath.
His large hand covered her smaller one, bringing it to his cheek, which was roughened by a day’s growth of beard. As Daniel moved closer, his male scent mingled with aftershave lotion, sending heat surging through her body.
His hand at her waist eased her against him, length for length, feeling his strength and his longing. Rising on tiptoe, Sarah touched her lips to his.
Then she was hard against him, her mouth yielding, his tongue exploring while his arms caged her. A low moan tore from her, pent-up desire rushing to the surface.
She was lost, flying outside herself. Melting into this man who meant so much, even more now that they’d both learned, lost, grown.
Daniel lifted his head, his heart thudding so fast she could feel it through their clothing. “I’ve missed you terribly.”
“Me, too,” she whispered.
His hands cupped her face and they were kissing again, slower and deeper. Sarah’s palms found Daniel’s ribcage, then his spine. How well she remembered those taut muscles and powerful hips. She wanted more of him, much more.
With a sigh, he released her. “We have a lot to discuss.”
At a time like this? “Daniel, what’s this about?”
“I have something to ask you.” A flicker of hesitation, and then he said, “How would you feel about being a mother?”
Sarah certainly hadn’t expected that. “What do you mean?”
“You and Nina have bonded.” He searched for words. “She needs a mom.”
Disappointment knotted in Sarah’s stomach. “That’s why you’re interested in me? So your niece can have a mother?”
“I didn’t put that very well.”
“How else would you put it?” She couldn’t believe she’d let herself fall for him again. He’d played on her feelings and her attachment to Nina, when all he wanted was a stand-in wife to shoulder some of his burden. Maybe not even a wife, just a convenient housemate. “I guess it would be handier to have me on the premises, is that it?”
“No, of course not.” His tone was pleading, his manner distraught. What a great actor. “I wish things weren’t so complicated.”
“Never mind.” She refused to stand here while he figured out the most effective lie. “I’ll see you at work.�
��
Sarah strode out without glancing back. If she did, she was afraid she might be tempted to grant Daniel another chance.
Her cheeks flamed as she recalled how she’d responded to his touch. What a gullible fool she was. By next week, no doubt he’d be putting the moves on Edda, or some other sucker.
Sarah’s heart squeezed. The cool evening breeze, typical of Southern California’s dry climate even after a hot day, gradually dried the tears. Even so, it took a long while before she had calmed enough to face her mother.
Chapter Four
For the next week, Sarah spoke to Daniel as little as possible, and deleted his texts and emails. All he did was apologize for his clumsiness and repeat that the two of them needed to talk. Why? So he could formulate a more effective plan to manipulate her?
At home, Betsy watched her anxiously but didn’t pry. All Sarah had said, on arriving at home Saturday evening, had been, “Daniel isn’t what he appears.”
The following Friday night, when Nina stayed over while Daniel worked a labor and delivery shift, Sarah heated pre-cooked turkey sausage in the microwave and fixed a salad. The stove wasn’t working properly; her mother had ordered a replacement to be installed on Monday.
Betsy kept casting sad glances in Sarah’s direction. For goodness sake, did her mother have to fall for Daniel, too? He sure knew how to pile on the charm when it suited him.
After watching an animated film with Nina curled on her lap, Sarah put the little girl to bed. She’d grown too attached to distance herself from the child.
In her own room, Sarah tossed and turned. When Daniel learned of the opening at Jane and Luke’s practice, why had he been so eager to join the staff? Surely he had plenty of other opportunities.
Mentally, she replayed their last encounter. What exactly had he said? Could she have misjudged him, or were her doubts simply another sign of how susceptible she was?
Sarah fell asleep at last, only to be awakened by the shrill of the phone. It was the charge nurse in labor and delivery.
“There must be something in the water,” the woman said apologetically. “We’ve had a rush of women in labor, and Dr. Durand’s performing an emergency Caesarian section. I know it isn’t your night, but can you please come in?”
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