Daddy By Default

by Nikki Benjamin

No matter how he vowed to let bygones be bygones....

  Chapter 6

  Humming along with the vintage rock-and-roll music playing on the truck’s radio, Gabriel pulled out of the district administration building’s parking lot and turned toward Nuestra Junior High School.

  Despite the unusual amount of wrangling that had gone on over allocation of funds at the monthly budget meeting, he was in a surprisingly good mood. Eventually, he had gotten the money he needed to upgrade his school’s language lab, but that wasn’t the only reason he was feeling so lighthearted.

  It was Friday, and for the third week in a row, he and Brian and Madelyn would be spending the evening together. After the rocky start they’d had the first time he’d asked her out, he had been hesitant to suggest it again. Though they had all enjoyed themselves, he hadn’t wanted to push his luck.

  Luckily, Madelyn hadn’t had similar qualms. The following Wednesday she had invited him and Brian to join her for dinner at the cottage Friday night. Afterward, they’d played a rowdy game of Scrabble, and again, they had all had a good time together. It had seemed only natural to invite her to dinner and a rematch at his house tonight—an invitation she had readily accepted.

  He would have never guessed they would fall into such a pleasurable routine. Not after the way she had greeted his initial overture. He had been confused and hurt by her erroneous assumptions that Friday afternoon. Gradually, however, understanding had dawned on him.

  Looking back, he realized he had given her cause to question his motives, albeit unintentionally. Yet he’d also known that she must have harbored some friendly feelings for him, or she wouldn’t have taken his avoidance of her so deeply to heart.

  Knowing that had pleased him more than he could say. And it had also given him hope. For what, he wasn’t quite sure yet. But he liked the upbeat feeling all the same.

  Thankfully, whatever minor disgruntlement there had been among the other teachers over his hiring of her had dissipated completely. Most of the staff had begun to accept Madelyn on her own merits, welcoming her gladly into their fold.

  That, in turn, had made it possible for him to be more cordial to her at school without arousing any animosity. However, they were still fairly reserved with each other when they happened to cross paths.

  Gabriel had been studiously avoiding certain issues, and he sensed Madelyn had been doing likewise. Neither of them mentioned Ethan when they were together, and whenever Brian did, one of them swiftly, yet skillfully, changed the subject. Also, while Madelyn had to be curious about how he had come to be raising Ethan’s child, she had yet to introduce the subject. Of course, they were rarely alone for more than a few minutes. But Gabriel doubted she was the type to pry into such a private matter in any case.

  Initially, Madelyn’s reticence regarding Brian’s paternity had been a relief. Lately, however, Gabriel had found himself wondering how she would react if he told her the truth about Ethan and Lily.

  He’d had good reason to bear a grudge against his half brother all these years, and he was beginning to think Madelyn ought to know it. Yet he didn’t want her feeling sorry for him.

  Despite all the heartache he had suffered ten years ago, Gabriel knew he had been the lucky one. And with that knowledge had come a certain amount of forgiveness.

  He wouldn’t have traded the joy of having Brian in his life for anything. Nor would he have turned Ethan away if he’d chosen to come home to die.

  The anger and bitterness he’d felt toward his brother—the same anger and bitterness he had directed Madelyn’s way on their first meeting—had gradually begun to dissipate. After seeing the photographs she’d taken of Ethan, Gabriel found it hard to hang on to his hatred. He had also realized how much she must have done for Ethan. He had been glad that she’d been with Ethan at the end, and he had begun to understand, at last, why his brother had chosen to reward her in such a generous way.

  Oddly enough, Gabriel wanted her to know that most of all. Now all he had to do was find the words to tell her. Along with the words to tell her that he still hadn’t had any luck getting a loan to cover the entire sum he owed her.

  But that was a whole other story—one he would rather postpone going into as long as possible. Luckily, she hadn’t mentioned Ethan’s will or the money she was due since he had told her he would need more time, so—

  Frowning, Gabriel scanned the cars lined up in the school parking lot as he pulled into his space. Madelyn’s sporty little compact wasn’t among them. And a glance at the clock on the dashboard told him it was much too early for her lunch break.

  So where was she?

  Had she come to school as usual, only to be called away? And if so, why?

  Her car had still been in the garage when he and Brian had left, but they’d departed earlier than usual because of Gabriel’s meeting at the administration building. He was sure the lights had been on in the cottage, though.

  Considering how cold it had been that morning, she could have had trouble starting her car. Since he’d already been gone, she would have had to take the bus, or maybe hitch a ride with someone else. Which was no big deal. Though he was still bothered by it.

  Inside the building, Gabriel detoured out of his way, walking by Madelyn’s classroom just to assure himself she’d gotten to school all right. But through the glass panel in the door he saw Eileen Duggan standing in front of Madelyn’s fourth-period, eighth-grade math class.

  Worried now, Gabriel walked hurriedly to his office.

  “Where’s Ms. St. James?” he asked, pausing by his secretary’s desk. When she glanced up at him, a puzzled expression on her face, he added, “I saw Eileen in her classroom as I came in.”

  “Oh, she called in sick this morning. Ms. St. James, that is. Although I have a feeling Eileen isn’t going to be feeling too good by the end of day, either,” Trisha replied with a knowing smile.

  “Probably not,” Gabriel agreed.

  More concerned than ever about Madelyn, he continued into his office, hung his overcoat on the coat tree and reached for the telephone as he sat in his desk chair.

  She had been looking tired for the past couple of weeks. He had mentioned it to her twice, but each time she had fluffed it off. Maybe she had simply worn herself out by trying to do too much. He certainly hoped that was all it was. But in reality, he feared it might be something more than that.

  What if she, too, had contracted some sort of virus while she’d been out of the country? Or what if she was pregnant with Ethan’s child?

  Neither possibility was completely out of the question. Over the past two years, she had traveled throughout Central and South America with Ethan. She could have easily, and unknowingly, picked up some sort of virulent bug along the way.

  As for the other...

  Ethan had died in mid-November. It was now the first week in February. Which meant she could be almost three months along—

  Cursing under his breath, Gabriel dialed his home number. He found the thought of Madelyn carrying his half brother’s child more distressing than he would have ever imagined, for reasons he absolutely refused to consider. Unlike Lily, she was really only an acquaintance.

  Of course, that didn’t mean he would let her struggle on her own. He would do whatever he could to help her. Whether she was pregnant—as he’d much prefer—or dying of some dreaded disease.

  After two rings, Millie answered with a businesslike “Serrano residence.”

  Gabriel had forgotten she would be at the house today and would probably pick up before Madelyn had a chance.

  “Millie, this is Gabriel. Would you do me a favor?”

  “Of course.”

  “Go over to the cottage and check on Ms. St. James for me. She called in sick this morning, and I just want to make sure she has everything she needs.”

  “Do you want to hold on or shall I call back?”

  “Call back,” he instructed as Trisha appeared in his office doorway with Ricky Montoya slouching sullenly
beside her.

  Apparently, the boy was in trouble yet again.

  Gabriel had just enough time to lecture Ricky on the perils of shooting rubber bands instead of paying attention in class when the telephone on his desk finally buzzed. He sent the boy back to class with one last warning to shape up or spend the following week at the district’s alternative learning center—a fate that would incur his mother’s wrath and cost him the new skateboard he’d been promised if he stayed out of ALC for the rest of the semester. Then he grabbed the receiver.

  “Your housekeeper’s on line one,” Trisha told him.

  Gabriel thanked her, then punched the appropriate button.

  “How is she?” he asked without preamble.

  “Well, I don’t rightly know,” Millie replied, her concern evident. “I knocked on the door several times witchout getting any answer. Then I checked the garage to see if she’d gone off somewhere, but her car’s there. ’Course, she could have been sleeping and just didn’t hear me.”

  “Yes, that’s possible.”

  “I can try again in an hour or so.”

  Gabriel thought for a moment, trying to decide what to do next. He didn’t want to upset Millie, and he certainly didn’t want to disturb Madelyn if she was resting. But after the way his imagination had been working overtime, he didn’t think he could wait another hour or more to find out if she really was all right.

  “I think I’ll stop by the cottage myself in a little while,” he said, making up his mind. “I was planning to run errands on my lunch hour anyway.”

  “I’ll be here at the house,” Millie stated. “Let me know if you need me for anything.”

  “I will, thanks.”

  Grabbing his overcoat, he strode out of his office just as the bell rang.

  “I’m going out for a while,” he said as he passed his secretary’s desk. “I have several things to do, so I’m not sure when I’ll be back.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll hold down the fort for you,” Trisha promised. “Although I may not have much luck running interference for you with Ms. Duggan.”

  “You know, I think I might actually be gone the rest of the day,” he amended, grinning as he glanced back at her.

  “Can’t say I blame you.”

  With Trisha’s laughter trailing him out into the noisy hallway, Gabriel dug the keys to his truck out of his coat pocket. Moving as quickly as he could through the teeming mass of students, he headed for the nearest exit, barely faltering when he heard his vice principal’s strident voice calling his name.

  He made the drive home in record time, pulled into the driveway behind Millie’s ancient station wagon and went straight to the cottage. In the brilliant late-moming sunlight the place appeared to be deserted. The blinds on the windows were shut tight and not a wisp of smoke drifted from the chimney.

  Gabriel rapped sharply on the door, waited what seemed like an eternity as the blasted dog snuffled and growled on the other side, then knocked harder, calling Madelyn’s name in a voice that sounded frantic to his own ears.

  Somewhere in the back of his mind, he realized he was on the verge of going off the deep end over a woman who should mean little or nothing but trouble to him. Yet sometime during the past month she had begun to stir up emotions in him as no woman had, including his ex-wife.

  He kept forgetting that she had once been under Ethan’s spell, and that surely he must pale in comparison. Instead, he had allowed himself to enjoy her company and to believe that she enjoyed his, as well. And though he had avoided dwelling on the possibility that she would ever be more than just a friend, he couldn’t deny that desire lurked deep inside him, often surfacing at the oddest, most unexpected moments.

  Now, perhaps not surprisingly, had also come a longing to protect and care for her that, more than likely, she wouldn’t welcome—

  “Who’s there?”

  “Gabriel,” he answered, his concern deepening at the weak, raspy sound of her voice.

  “Gabriel?” The lock clicked and she opened the door only partway, squinting at him in obvious confusion as she shushed the dog. “Why are you here?”

  She was dressed in rumpled sweats and she did not look good. Her hair was a tousled mess, her eyes bleary, her face pale except for the bright spots of red high on each cheek.

  “I was worried about you,” he admitted, setting aside his pride. “They told me you’d called in sick this morning, and when I asked Millie to check on you, she couldn’t seem to rouse you.”

  Unable to stop himself, he reached out, resting the back of his hand against her forehead. She seemed startled, but stood still as he shifted his hand to the side of her face.

  “You’re burning up,” he muttered.

  “Mmm,” she murmured. “I was afraid of that. My throat’s really sore, too.”

  “What about headache and nausea?” His hands on her shoulders, he turned her around, gave her a gentle push into the cottage and followed after her, ignoring the little dog’s yap of protest.

  “Yes, both.”

  “Sounds like strep throat to me. Where’s your coat?”

  “Closet.” She gestured with one hand. “Why?”

  “I’m taking you to the emergency medical clinic.”

  “You don’t have to do that,” she protested.

  “Oh, yes, I do. You’re too sick to take yourself,” he retorted. “You’ll never get well without antibiotics, and I want you well as soon as possible. Eileen Duggan had to take your classes today, and from what Trisha told me, she is not a happy camper.”

  “Ah, I was wondering if you provided this service for all your teachers, but I see you have an ulterior motive,” she teased, a slight smile curving the corners of her mouth as she let him help her on with her coat.

  “Hey, cut me some slack. The woman scares me.” Grinning, he led the way to his truck. “She’d never agree to take your classes two days in a row. Then what would I do?”

  “I’m not sure, but it’s certainly nice to know I’m needed.”

  “Believe me, you are,” he said, realizing he meant it on more than one level.

  Fortunately, they didn’t have to wait long for Madelyn to see the doctor. His diagnosis matched Gabriel’s, and after an injection to help stern the infection, he called in a prescription for her, then sent her on her way with strict orders to take it easy the rest of the weekend and not return to work until she’d been free of fever for at least twenty-four hours.

  At the nearby pharmacy, Gabriel made her stay in the truck with the motor running while he ran inside to pick up her medication. Though greatly relieved that she hadn’t been suffering from morning sickness or a fatal disease, he was still concerned about her well-being.

  In fact, the thought of leaving her to fend for herself alone in the cottage made him so uneasy that by the time they arrived back at the house, he had decided she would be much better off staying in his guest room. However, when he broached the subject as they pulled into the driveway, Madelyn was anything but enthusiastic.

  “I really appreciate the ride to the clinic, but I couldn’t impose on you that way,” she insisted.

  “You wouldn’t be.”

  “But I’m probably contagious. I don’t want you and Brian getting sick, too.”

  “It’s too late to worry about that. We’ve both been exposed to everything that’s going around at school already.”

  She tipped her head back, closed her eyes and sighed wearily, a good indication he was wearing her down.

  “All I’ll probably do is sleep,” she muttered.

  “I know, but I’ll feel a lot better knowing you’re here with Millie the rest of the afternoon, then here with me and Brian tonight,” he pressed.

  She hesitated a long moment, then slanted a glance his way. “What about Buddy? I can’t leave him in the cottage all alone overnight.”

  “Let me get you settled inside, then I’ll bring him over to keep you company,” he replied, wondering if she had any idea what a conce
ssion he was making.

  He and the mutt had yet to find friendly common ground.

  “All right,” she agreed with what sounded like relief.

  Leaving Madelyn in Millie’s capable hands, Gabriel walked across to the cottage, said a few, brief, layingdown-the-law words of warning to the dog, gathered a few of Madelyn’s things for her, then returned to the house.

  Buddy trotted along beside him suspiciously until he spied Madelyn, already tucked into bed, asleep, in the guest room, and happily hurried to join her.

  Watching as the creature hopped onto the bed and curled up beside her, Gabriel experienced a pang of jealousy. He wouldn’t have minded doing the same thing. But he didn’t think he’d be anywhere near as welcome as the dog.

  He could just imagine Madelyn staring at him in consternation, wondering what he was after.

  More than the obvious, he thought. Much more...

  Turning away reluctantly, he walked back to the kitchen, said a few words to Millie, then headed out to his truck feeling unaccountably lighthearted considering he’d decided to go back to school and face Eileen Duggan, after all.

  He would rather deal with her this afternoon than put it off until Monday. Then he wouldn’t have that hanging over his head to spoil the weekend. He could look after Madelyn and personally see to it that she got well again.

  Not the most exciting way to spend two days off, but he certainly didn’t mind. And for some reason, he didn’t think she would, either. Of course, he could be wrong, but he hoped not.

  Although she was fairly sure it was Saturday, Madelyn had no idea what time it was when she first awoke and realized she was feeling better—much better. With the blinds on the windows drawn and the door closed, the guest room in Gabriel’s house was more dark than light and very quiet.

  But when she turned onto her side, she spied a slim shaft of sunlight that had somehow breached the barrier to slide across the floor. And off in the distance, faint but recognizable, she heard Brian’s young voice punctuated by the playful yips and growls of her adopted dog.

  Glancing at the clock on the nightstand, she saw that it was nearly twelve o’clock. Which meant she’d been sleeping on and off for almost twenty-four hours. She could never remember indulging herself so luxuriantly when she had been ill in the past. But then, living in St. Louis she’d had too many responsibilities—dictated by the wants and needs of her parents, brothers and sistersin-law—to consider herself first. Luckily, she had rarely been as sick as she’d been yesterday.