“If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine. I just should’ve leveled with you from the start,” Emily admitted, smoothing the hem of her black wool maternity skirt and crossing her legs at the knee. Taking a deep breath, she continued, “But I didn’t because I figured what happened with the Washburn family really didn’t apply to the situation since I was only going to be with you a very short time.”
Dan looked at her, and once again Emily felt the electricity crackle between them. He looked a little taken aback, too. Maybe because this seemed to happen every time they were alone together. “I wish you’d given me more credit,” he told her quietly.
Emily did, too. And yet she knew, given that the two of them were on such different life paths, it was best they not get too intimately involved with each other. Dan had his hands full running his architectural firm and parenting the three kids he already had. He didn’t need to take on any of her concerns, nor did she need to take on his.
“Not that it matters, in any case,” she blurted before she could stop herself.
Dan arched a brow.
Emily met Dan’s calmly assessing gaze. “I’m pretty sure I’m going to go into partnership with Tex Ostrander.”
Dan sat on the edge of his desk and faced her. Concern glimmered in his eyes. “What happened to your reservations?”
“They’re still there,” she confessed with shrug. “I know Tex’ll try to run roughshod over me.”
Dan’s gaze narrowed. “And yet you’re still willing to go into business with him.”
Emily’s hand dropped to her tummy. Her palm curved tenderly over the baby growing inside her. “I’ve got to do what is best for my baby,” she said softly. And what was best, Emily knew, was carving out a legacy for her child’s future.
DAN KNEW IT WAS A MISTAKE for Emily to ignore her instincts, which initially had been to say no to everything her ex-fiancé proposed. He also knew it wasn’t his place to advise her on her career objectives.
Not at this stage of the game, anyway. So instead, he said, “If there is anything I can do…”
“Actually there is,” Emily said with a smile, standing once again. She remained directly in front of him, her body braced in challenge. His heartbeat kicked up a notch. “Tex wants to gut the inside of the house I grew up in and turn it into a tearoom, and convert the barn on the property into a retail store. He thinks it will be cheaper than tearing down and starting anew. Before I agree to anything I’d like to get a second opinion. And since you’re an architect…” She paused. “I figured maybe you’d know someone reputable in the Fredericksburg area I could contact to take a look at the property.”
Finally seeing a way he could help, Dan offered, “I could do that for you.”
Her high-sculpted cheeks glowed pink against the fairness of her complexion. Her dark silky hair fell in a straight blanket, brushing her shoulders. She rocked forward in her suede shoes. “But you’re so busy…”
Dan tried not to recall how much he had enjoyed kissing those soft lips. Or how sweet and feminine her body had felt pressed against his. Even now, he fought the urge to hold her in his arms again…. “So are you,” he countered implacably as he pushed his mind back to business, “and you found time to help me out when I needed it.”
Again, that slight hesitation. She pressed her lips together, then said, “I’m not sure I could afford your rates.”
Dan wasn’t sure he could bear to walk away from her and the tantalizing image of what they might one day have, once all the barriers were dispensed with. “How about we barter, then?” he asked casually.
Her blue eyes glittered. “I’m listening.”
He shifted forward enough to inhale the soft, womanly fragrance of her hair and skin. “You stay on as personal chef through Thanksgiving weekend—at the salary we’ve already agreed on. And this is especially important—I want you to make our holiday meal and dine with us.” His lips quirked. “If you agree to my terms, I’ll go with you to Fredericksburg. See the property, give you my honest opinion and draw up any plans you want.”
She stepped back slightly. “When would we go?”
Dan mentally reviewed his schedule. “Saturday at noon okay with you?”
“You’ve got a deal. In the meantime, I’d better get going if you all are going to have dinner ready at six tonight.” Emily started for her coat, scarf and shoulder bag.
“Emily—”
She turned.
“Thanks for everything,” Dan said softly. “Being so honest in your assessment of my kids and helping us out.”
Emily picked up her coat and put it over her arm. “It’s my pleasure—Oh!” The garment slipped out of her fingers and fell to the floor.
But, Dan noted, she didn’t look as if she was in pain. Just some sort of…shock. He looked at her closely in an effort to diagnose the problem. “Emily?”
She still didn’t move. Didn’t blink. Barely seemed to breathe.
Dan tensed in alarm. “Is everything okay?”
Chapter Six
Emily stood motionless, hardly able to believe…And then she felt it again. The tiniest movement, a fluttering deep inside. Her breath caught and moisture filled her eyes.
Dan’s hand was on her arm, lightly touching, prompting. “Emily?” he said again. “What’s wrong?”
The tears she’d been holding back spilled from her lashes and rolled down her cheeks. And still Emily couldn’t move, couldn’t bring herself to speak. And then…there it was again—the slight fluttering of life. Wanting to hang on to the sensation, this tiny baby she already loved so very much, she shut her eyes and savored the sheer exhilaration of the experience.
“Emily?” Dan tried again. “What is it?”
The tenderness in his voice made her meet his gaze. The warmth in his eyes held her rooted in place. She sucked in a breath, her throat too thick with tears for her to speak. She took his free hand and placed it on her lower abdomen, holding it firmly against her. And there it was again, the push against her skin from deep inside. An unbearable tenderness soared through her. More tears welled and coursed down her cheeks.
Dan finally understood and a smile as radiant as any she had ever seen spread across his face. “The baby,” he murmured, shared joy sparkling in his eyes.
Emily nodded, feeling the love only a parent knew. Together, they stood absolutely still. Waiting. Waiting. And…nothing! It seemed, Emily realized with regret, that the tiny “Hello there!” was over.
Dan wrapped a reassuring arm about her shoulders. “Was that the first time you felt the baby move?”
Emily nodded, embarrassed to find she was still ridiculously choked up from the overwhelming proof that there really was life growing inside her. All she knew was that the sob of sheer joy that had been lodged in her throat made its way to her mouth. She was crying so hard she was shaking. Dan enfolded her in his arms. As he held her, she leaned into him, accepting his warmth and strength. And still, it seemed, she could not stop the flow of tears. Could not resist the soothing feel of his hand moving up and down her spine, or the soft words of comfort he murmured in her ear.
“I’m s-s-sorry,” she said finally, trying hard to get it together. And failing.
Dan slid his hand beneath her chin and lifted her face to his. An abundance of emotion flowed between them. Her heart thumped and skittered and filled. “It’s okay,” he told her. “You’ve got every right. And look at me.” He laughed. “I’m a little misty, too.”
It was true. He was.
Her voice trembling as much as the rest of her, she forced out, “It’s just…”
Dan looked deep into her eyes and finished for her, “A miracle.”
“As much as I tried,” Emily said, “I couldn’t imagine…”
He nodded, touched. “I know.”
“The first time I heard the baby’s heartbeat in the doctor’s office was something, too.”
“Really gets you—” Dan’s voice was rusty as he thumped his fist over his hear
t “—right here.”
“Yes,” Emily said. And then the blissful tears started again, flowing even faster this time.
Dan smiled and wiped the pad of his thumb across her cheek, stopping the flow of salty liquid making its way to her mouth. Emily gazed up at him with her lips parted. His head lowered, and then they were kissing again.
Yearning swept through her, as vital and real as the life growing within her. Dan flattened a hand over her spine, bringing her flush against him. They were touching from shoulder to knee. Giving in to the passion coursing through both of them, she wreathed her arms about his broad shoulders and went up on tiptoe. And still the need swept them along, the happiness brought about by her baby mixing with the reality of discovering this—
Had there not been a sudden, insistent buzzing of the phone on Dan’s desk, who knew what might have happened? Emily thought as they reluctantly moved apart. With a look of acute disappointment, Dan let her go and went back to reach across his desk for the receiver. “Yes?” He listened. “No. Tell them not to disband. I’ll be right there.”
He replaced the receiver. “I’ve got to get back to my meeting.”
Embarrassed, Emily looked around for her bag and slipped it back onto her shoulder. She ducked her head. “And I’ve got to get to work.”
Dan caught her hand before she could reach the door. “We will talk about this,” he promised softly.
Which was exactly what Emily most feared. An examination of feelings almost too complex to be borne. “Or not,” she said with an equally determined smile. Still tingling from the kiss, she rushed off.
EMILY WALKED INTO THE Kingsland family kitchen from the back door, at the same time Ava dragged herself in from the other direction. The pretty teen tossed her backpack of books onto the kitchen table, where it landed with a hard thump, struggled out of her trendy suede jacket and threw it down, too. “I’m going to die!” she moaned, pressing her hand to the center of her forehead.
Emily had no experience with teenagers. But she knew how to take care of someone who was sick. She edged closer, taking in Ava’s pallor and the beads of sweat on her forehead. “Do you think you have a fever?”
Ava shrugged listlessly. Tears gathered in her eyes. “All I know is my head is killing me. I have the worst headache ever!”
Emily risked the teen’s wrath. She pressed the back of her knuckles lightly against Ava’s cheek. Her temperature appeared normal. “Did you have coffee today?” she asked gently.
“No. I mean, I could have. Dad didn’t forbid me to have any more caffeine, but he made me feel like it was so unhealthy—” she grimaced “—I had a caffeine-free soda instead, and have been so drowsy all day I don’t think I heard a thing any of my teachers said. And then, to top it off, I got this headache!”
“Where do you keep the acetaminophen or aspirin?” Emily asked.
“In the cupboard above the fridge.” Ava dragged herself into a chair and laid her head on the table. “Top shelf.”
Emily got out the step stool. Found what she needed and shook out two pills. She took that and a glass of water over to Ava. “Take these. It’ll help.”
“I doubt it,” Ava mumbled, but she complied.
“I think you have a caffeine-withdrawal headache,” Emily said gently.
“That’s what my friend said,” Ava grumbled. “She told me to stop and get an espresso after school, but at that point just the idea made me so nauseous…”
“How about a big glass of lemon water and a snack instead?”
Ava looked desperate enough to try anything. “Sure. If you think it will help.”
“I do. You know, I had a caffeine addiction myself when I was just a little older than you.”
Ava’s mouth quirked up. “I’m guessing you kicked it.”
“Had to. I was a prep chef in a restaurant at the time and I was getting the jitters.” Emily made a face as she worked, remembering. “Not a good thing to have when you’re working with very sharp knives.”
“I guess not.” Ava lifted her head off the tabletop and sat up.
Emily set a plate of grapes, strawberries and apple slices in front of her. Slices of sharp white cheddar and a fan of soda crackers decorated the edge.
“So what’d you do?” Ava asked, munching on a cracker.
Finding she was a little hungry, too, Emily fixed herself a small plate and sat opposite the teen. “I quit cold turkey, and I’ll be honest, I was pretty miserable for a couple of days with the same symptoms you’re having, but once I got past that, life got a lot easier. I was able to wake up quicker in the morning, stopped having trouble staying awake in the afternoon and falling asleep at night. And then, of course, I learned all the ways to keep my blood sugar even and my energy level high.”
The color coming back into her cheeks, Ava asked, “Will you teach me?”
Emily smiled. “I’d love to,” she said.
FOR A MOMENT, DAN THOUGHT he’d come home to the wrong house. It wasn’t just the autumn wreath on the front door and the vase of flowers on the console in the front hall. Or even the delicious smells coming from the kitchen. It was the sound of music and the ripple of female laughter.
Walt came in right behind Dan.
Brow furrowed, he muttered, “What the…?”
Dan shrugged. “Beats me.” But he was determined to find out.
He set his briefcase down and shrugged out of his jacket, looping it over the banister, then headed for the rear of the house with Walt right behind him.
He stopped at what he saw.
Emily, Ava and Kayla were dancing up a storm in the middle of the kitchen. The lively rock music was turned up so loud and they were having so much fun, they had no idea they had an audience.
Until the back door opened and Tommy strode in, athletic bag slung over his shoulder. He, too, looked incredibly upbeat. Cell phone in hand, he was grinning from ear to ear. “Hey! Did you all get Mom’s text message? She’s coming home week after next, and she said we’re all going to be together for an old-fashioned Thanksgiving!”
The girls stopped what they were doing.
Emily stepped forward and switched off the music.
The sudden absence of sound left them all staring at one another in shock.
“I thought she wasn’t coming home until Christmas!” Ava said.
“Does this mean she won’t be here for Christmas?” Kayla wailed.
Dan had no clue, so he answered as positively as possible. “I’m sure she wants to be,” he said.
Ava tilted her head to one side. “Did Mom say anything to you about this?” she asked her father.
“We talked briefly earlier today,” Dan admitted, realizing too late he probably should have mentioned that conversation to Emily when he insisted she be a part of their holiday celebration, as both handsomely compensated head chef and guest.
As it was, she was no doubt as blindsided by the news of Brenda’s expedited homecoming as his kids were.
“And so what else did she say?” Tommy prodded impatiently as everyone waited.
Dan forced himself to be as cheerful as the situation required. “Your mom said what the text indicated. That she wants us to be together for the Thanksgiving holiday.” For the first time in three years.
“I’m going to draw her a picture right now!” Kayla raced off, beside herself with excitement.
“I’m going to try and text her back!” Ava said.
“She’s probably not going to be able to get it,” Tommy cautioned her. “Mom said she’s headed off into the wilds again, but I’m with you—let’s try anyway!”
Ava nodded, for once completely in tune with her younger brother. “She’ll get it eventually.”
“If dinner is almost ready, I’d better wash up.” Walt strode off, too.
Then, abruptly, only Emily and Dan remained.
“I have just one question,” Emily said quietly, the depth of her disappointment vibrating between them. “When were you planning to tel
l me that I was going to be having dinner with you and your ex?”
DAN NEVER HAD A CHANCE to answer that question because Kayla was back, paper and crayons in tow. The actual dinner was equally fraught with excited chatter as plans were made for their mom’s unexpectedly early visit.
Then Ava needed help with her physics homework.
Before Dan knew it, Emily had finished cleaning up and left for the evening. So he did what needed to be done to make sure his kids were all set for the evening, told Walt he needed to run an errand and drove to Emily’s place. She opened the door, looking none too happy to see him there and not at all inclined to invite him in.
This was going to be harder than he expected. He took in the pushed-up sleeves of her V-neck sweater, fuzzy-slipper-clad feet and her carelessly upswept hair. “First of all—” he looked her squarely in the eye “—I want to thank you for the wreath on the front door.”
“I picked it up at the farmers’ market on impulse.” Her tone was cool.
Dan worked to make peace. “It looks nice. Homey.”
To no avail. She simply stood there, one hand planted against the frame, her outstretched arm blocking his way.
“I bought the autumn flowers, too. So…” Emily lifted her shoulders in an indifferent shrug “—if that’s all…”
Dan had the feeling he wasn’t being pushed away momentarily, but for good. The notion was disturbing, especially after the closeness they’d shared this afternoon. “About Thanksgiving…I’d like to explain.”
Noting a man coming down the hall, artist’s portfolio in one hand, a bundle of mail in the other, Emily frowned and gestured Dan in. Thankful for the timely entrance of what was obviously one of her neighbors, Dan followed and shut the door behind him.
“What’s to explain?” Emily asked, striding to an open packing box sitting next to the bookshelf crammed with all manner of cookbooks. “I’m a temporary family employee. All I need to know is the number of guests and what type of menu you’d like for any given occasion. Along with any special dietary needs…”
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