She should have known that her mother wouldn’t just leave the matter alone.
“Why does she need a protective detail?” her mother asked. “Is she in danger?” And then another question, far closer to home, occurred to January’s mother. “Does that mean that you are in danger, too?”
“Mom, don’t get ahead of yourself. I’m just taking care of her until Sean…um… Detective Stafford locates her parents.” She attempted to divert her mother by appealing to the woman’s incredibly kind heart. “You can imagine how scared that little girl had to be, surrounded by a bunch of strangers in a world where she’s unable to hear anything that’s going on.”
“That’s why you were assigned to her.”
January gave her mother a slightly more rounded explanation of the circumstances. “That’s why I volunteered to take Maya in and be with her until she can be reunited with her family.”
“How did she get separated from them?” her mother asked. “Can’t you get her to tell you how that happened?”
“I’m working on it, Mom. First, I need to get her to really trust me,” she told the woman. “That’s why this gathering you’re having will be so helpful. I’m thinking that maybe just having her around everyone, absorbing all those good vibrations, getting to feel secure—” January stopped abruptly, realizing that she wasn’t being clear. “Oh, you know what I’m trying to say, Mom, right?”
She heard the smile in her mother’s voice. “I know, darling, I know. You come with… Maya, is it?”
“Yes, Mom, it’s Maya,” January replied.
“Well, you know you’re welcome to come with Maya and your police detective—”
January needed to nip this in the bud before her mother got carried away. This was all Sean needed to hear. “He’s not my police detective, Mom.”
“All right,” Farrah said, changing her direction. “You come with whoever’s detective he is and we’ll all show the three of you a very good time.”
January wasn’t completely convinced that there wouldn’t be a problem. “You won’t embarrass him—or me—will you?”
“Sweetheart, we wouldn’t dream of it,” her mother assured her. “Your happiness and well-being is our only concern and if, by extension, that includes Maya and Detective…?”
“Stafford, Mother. Detective Stafford,” January told her. She knew she had already told her mother his name once and really doubted that the woman had forgotten it so quickly. Her mother was just enjoying this far too much.
“Detective Stafford,” her mother repeated. “If that includes both of them, as well, well I say all the better. Now stop talking and start getting ready, dear.”
“The gathering is tomorrow, remember, Mom?” January pointed out.
“Tomorrow will be here before you know it, darling,” her mother said.
January sighed. “That’s what you always used to tell me when I tried to put off doing my homework or studying until ‘tomorrow.’”
“And I was right, wasn’t I?” her mother asked, amused. “I also succeeded in getting you into the habit of studying before the very last minute. I’m very proud of that.”
“Yes, I know,” January answered with a laugh. “You’re a great mother, Mom. Simone, Tatum and I are in complete agreement on that. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go. There’re some things I need to do before we come over tomorrow.”
“Just bring yourself, Maya and your protective detail, dear,” Farrah added with emphasis. “That’s all any of us want—or need—to see.”
“And you will all be on your best behavior?” January asked one last time.
“When have we not been?” her mother asked innocently.
“You really want me to answer that?” January responded with a dry laugh.
Farrah chuckled, her tone vetoing that idea. “On second thought, you’re probably tired. Get some rest, dear, and we’ll talk tomorrow when you and your entourage get here.”
She was about to tell her mother not to refer to Maya or Sean as being part of an entourage, then decided to drop the matter. Her mother, she knew, would be on her best behavior once she finally got to meet Maya and Sean. At this point January knew that it was a toss-up as to which one of them would hold the most appeal for her mother, although, in truth, she had to admit that she did have her suspicions about the matter.
Despite her concerns, January couldn’t wait for the next day to come.
CHAPTER 16
“Hey, Sean, could you come here for a minute?” January called to him.
It was the day of the party and she was dressed and ready to leave for her parents’ gathering. She had gone into the living room to make sure that Maya was still ready, as well, even though she had gotten the girl dressed earlier. January was taking no chances since she was accustomed to children who could get dirty and disheveled at the drop of a hat.
To her relief and delight, not only was Maya still neat and clean, she was actually entertaining herself. Sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table, the little girl was drawing on the sheet of paper January had given her.
Expecting to see wide, unrecognizable circles and squiggles, January was surprised at how well Maya was able to actually draw. The end result was a picture of animals gathered together. It was definitely better than most five-years-olds were capable of doing.
The girl had real talent, January thought.
Reacting to her summons and expecting the worst—because that was the nature of his work—Sean came hurrying into the living room. He hadn’t tucked his shirt in yet, but his service weapon was in his hand and ready to use if necessary.
Seeing his gun, January realized how she must have sounded to him and she immediately apologized. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you think that something was wrong.” She gestured toward the coffee table at the drawing Maya was working on. “Look at what Maya drew while waiting for us.”
Sean looked at the drawing more closely. To his surprise, he was able to make the figures out. “Is that supposed to be us?” he asked.
“Well, two tall figures and one short one with long brown braids. Judging from the clothing the taller figures are wearing, they’re definitely supposed to be a man and a woman. So, taking that into consideration,” January told him with a smile, “my guess would be yes, Maya made a drawing of us.”
She slanted a glance at the detective. He wasn’t picking up on the important part. “Look at it. She drew us as a family.” She indicated the figures. “Look, we’re all holding hands.”
“Son of a gun, you’re right,” he said, smiling at the drawing. Maya looked up at him and he signed “Good,” pleasing the little girl while surprising January.
“You just told her good,” January said, amazed. He hadn’t said anything about continuing to learn how to sign.
“I know,” Sean replied as if being able to do so was nothing out of the ordinary.
January smiled at him. The man just kept surprising her. “You’ve been studying.”
Sean merely shrugged. “I thought it might be a good idea to try to keep up a little,” he said, as if learning to do so was no big deal on his part, even though January knew it had to be. The detective was incredibly busy. Learning how to sign, even in a very minor way, would have taken a lot of concentrated effort on his part.
The man really cared.
He looked back at the drawing. It was impressive for what it was. “She’s pretty talented for a half-pint,” he told January.
“And, on that note, I think we should be leaving,” she said. “We don’t want to be late.”
“Why? Do the doors slam shut at the mansion if you don’t arrive on time?” the detective asked. But it wasn’t a hostile remark. His mouth curved as he asked the question.
“No, it’s just not polite to be late, that’s all,” she informed him matter-of-factly. She had b
een raised to always be punctual. “And it’s not a mansion. It’s a regular house—just a little larger than most,” she added, then felt she needed to tell him one more fact—or maybe two. “My parents’ house and my uncle and aunt’s house were built on the same property next to one another. The houses are exquisitely furnished. That’s because both my mother and my aunt Fallon are interior designers. They have their own company.”
“And your father and uncle are into developing medical technology,” Sean recalled as he held the front door opened for January and Maya.
“You have done your homework,” January said, impressed. “By the way, anywhere in that homework you did, did it happen to mention that my dad and my uncle Ernest are twins?”
“I might have read that somewhere,” he replied vaguely, resetting the alarm system before he walked out to join Maya and January.
“Uh-huh. Did you also happen to read that my mom and my aunt Fallon were twins, too?” January asked.
That caused Sean to stop short for a moment before he finally got to his car and unlocked the doors. He held the rear door open so that January was able to secure Maya in her car seat.
The part about her mother and aunt had eluded him. “Twins marrying twins?” he asked, saying the words out loud as if to make sure that was what January was telling him.
She couldn’t help laughing at the expression on Sean’s face. He appeared stunned. She could relate to that.
“When you’re a little kid,” she told him, remembering various incidents from that time, “you think you’re always seeing double. And then you start to think that everyone’s parents have look-alikes. Wrapping your head around the fact that your parents are actually unique turns out to be a little harder.”
“I’ll bet. Well, if nothing else,” he said as January got into the car on the passenger side, “today should really prove to be interesting.”
“And fun,” she reminded him, buckling up. “Don’t forget fun.”
“So you said,” he told her as he started the car. At the time, he’d just thought she was trying to talk him into going, but now, he was beginning to think that maybe she was actually right.
As he started up the ignition, January realized that she hadn’t given him her parents’ address. “Oh, let me give you the directions,” she offered.
But before she could say anything further, Sean told her, “Not necessary. I’ve already got them.”
January could only shake her head in total wonder. “You really are prepared, aren’t you?” she marveled.
He didn’t see why that should surprise her. “In my line of work, my life could depend on that,” he reminded her.
“Well, for today your life is secure. All you need to be prepared for is to enjoy yourself,” she informed him. “If you ask me, I think you both could use it.”
“I can see Maya needing it,” Sean admitted. “But not me.”
He could feel January looking at him. “Oh, I think you need it a lot more than you think, Sean,” she told him. “If you ask me, you’re in a dark place, Detective. You need to find a way to get out of there before it winds up swallowing you whole.” Her eyes met his. He was blocking her, she thought. “I know what I’m talking about.”
“Is that the social worker talking now?” Sean asked.
His tone told her that he was humoring her, but it also told her that she was right.
Sean was harboring something, something he didn’t want to talk about. Maybe he had suffered some sort of breakup, January guessed. Or maybe it was something else, but whatever it was, it had definitely left its mark on the man and wounded him.
He looked as if he was visibly shutting himself off from her.
“I also volunteer for several charities and deal with a lot of emotionally wounded people,” she told him, trying to explain why she felt he was being secretive about something.
“I see. Well, you save all that insightfulness for them,” he told her. “With me, what you see is what you get. No trapdoors, no secret hiding places.”
Smiling at him, January said, “If you say so, Sean.”
“I do,” he told her emphatically, his tone a little more serious than he had intended. Gripping the wheel, he stared straight ahead as he pressed down on the gas pedal.
“Um, Sean?” January tried to get his attention as he continued driving.
“Yeah?” he bit off, then instantly regretted it, trying to get hold of the temper that had gotten away from him.
“We’re here,” she told him. “Or, we were, except that you just passed it.” She nodded toward the house that was growing smaller in the rearview mirror.
Sean bit off a sharp curse, aimed at himself. He was relieved that the little girl sitting behind him wasn’t able to pick up on what he had just said. He needed to get a better grip on things, especially when it came to himself, Sean thought.
Frowning, he shot January a look. “You distracted me.”
She caught herself grinning. “I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me so far,” January told him. She tried to hide the grin.
Sean spared January a glance, seeing the fight she was waging. Several things popped into his head as a response, but what ultimately wound up coming out was, “The day’s still young.”
Why what was, for all intents and purposes, a throwaway comment would wind up warming her heart was anyone’s guess, January thought. This was not the time to analyze it.
“Ah, something to look forward to,” January said flippantly. “But let’s just table that for now, shall we? Looks like we’re here.”
Turning in her seat, she signed as much to Maya, then got out of the vehicle.
Sean was already out on his side. “You think it’s all right if I park here?” he asked. There was a lot of open space in front of the palatial house, but he wasn’t sure just what protocol dictated and he didn’t want to accidentally cross anyone.
“I’m sure that my mother would tell you that you can park anywhere you want to, short of in the birdbath,” she told the detective with a laugh.
Then, because she was afraid that might somehow wind up intimidating him, she explained. “Because you rescued Maya and me from those intruders, you pretty much walk on water as far as she’s concerned,” she told him.
He nodded. “Yeah, well, since that’s pretty much my job, I have no idea why that puts your family in my debt.”
She flashed a smile at him. “We’re a very close family and we’re partial to keeping all the members alive,” she quipped. Then, looking at the somewhat imposing house, a house she had thought of as home all of her life, she asked, “Ready?”
“Maybe you should give me another minute or so,” Sean said. He knew that this should be like any other encounter, but for some reason, he felt as if he actually needed to create a good impression.
January had a feeling that in another minute, the detective would find a reason to either bolt or, most likely, remain outside, acting more like a protective detail and less like a guest.
She didn’t want to drag him inside, but she also didn’t want to have to explain to her mother why the man she was obviously looking forward to meeting had suddenly decided to disappear.
So, instead of giving Sean that minute he had asked for, January got out of the vehicle, took Maya by the hand and walked up to the front door. She heard Sean closing the car door behind her. She hoped that was a positive sign.
January rang the doorbell.
The next instant, the massive front door flew open, and as she had prophesied, Sean found himself seeing double. Both her mother and her aunt Fallon were standing in the doorway.
“Welcome!” her mother cried, delighted as she extended the greeting.
Equally pleased, Fallon’s eyes swept over the police detective who had escorted her niece. She proclaimed, “You’re here!”
Both women welcomed Sean with open arms at the very same time that they embraced the little girl they had been told about.
For her part, Maya seemed both overwhelmed and slightly enchanted at the same moment. Her head moved back and forth as she looked from one woman to the other, and finally to January, an obvious question in her eyes.
January quickly signed to Maya, introducing her to her mother, Farrah, and then to her aunt Fallon. Belatedly, she realized that she had neglected to do the same for Sean.
“Wow, where are my manners?” January admonished herself. “I’m sorry.” The apology was meant for all three adults. “Mother, Aunt Fallon, this is Detective Sean Stafford. Our bodyguard.”
“And here I was, feeling sorry for you for having to give up your vacation,” said a tall, very pretty blonde, walking up to them. She momentarily gave Sean her undivided attention. “Hi, I’m January’s cousin, Carly Colton.” She put out her hand.
Sean shook it. It was obvious that he was trying to place her—and failing.
“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to stare. It’s just that you look very familiar,” he explained.
“There might be a reason for that,” Carly told him. “I’m a pediatric nurse at Chicago University Hospital. If you’ve ever had any reason to come by the hospital on police business or for any other reason, our paths might have crossed.”
Her words unexpectedly brought back an image that he had struggled for two years to bury. It was never that far from his mind, but the mention of the hospital managed to quickly unearth it.
His expression grew grim. Carly didn’t notice, but January did.
Unable to ignore it, January leaned into Sean and whispered, “Is everything all right?”
“Yes. Sure.” Sean was quick to rally. “Just a little overwhelmed by how much your mother and aunt look alike.”
He was lying, January thought, but for now she knew she had to let it go. Sean clearly needed space, and maybe even some time to cope with whatever was going on in his head.
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