by Linda Wisdom
And the rest of the night that followed. Not one word.
“She’s special,” he said finally, opting for what was safe dialogue.
Lucie arched an eyebrow. “Special? Gee, there has to be more to her than just saying she’s special, although that is a sweet thing to say. And?” she prompted.
“And I like her a lot.” What an understatement!
She rolled her eyes. “Like her a lot? That’s what you say about your mechanic, Zach, not what you say about a woman you’re dating. Special was good. Expand on that.”
“Why can’t we talk about your dates?” he growled, shifting uneasily.
“I’ll tell you what. If I ever get lucky enough to have a date again, I’ll let you interrogate me. Considering I haven’t had one in over a year, I wouldn’t advise you to hold your breath.” She met his gaze directly. “Why don’t we get down to the nitty-gritty here? Have you told her about Emma and Trey yet?”
He shook his head.
Lucie grimaced. “You need to tell her,” she said softly.
“You’re not telling me anything I haven’t told myself,” he said. “It’s not as if I can say ‘By the way, I have four-year-old twins,’ while we’re having our morning coffee.”
When he lifted his head, he noticed a strange expression cross his sister’s face.
“What’s wrong, Luce?” he asked.
She hesitated, then smiled and shook her head. “It’s nothing. Maybe overload. I just finished setting up a tour for fifteen seventy-year-old ladies who plan to whoop it up across Europe. They each had something different in mind, and I had to find a way to give them all what they wanted. By the time I finished, I was ready for a nervous breakdown. Except I had to pick up Nick from school and take him to tae kwon do class.”
Zach felt instant guilt. “I’m sorry, sis. I should be giving you a break, instead of loading up your life. What if I take Nick for you next weekend? Give you a chance to have some time to yourself.”
“So I could do what? Enjoy the silence?”
“Then take some time for yourself the way you told me to take some for myself,” he urged her. “What about that spa you like to go to?” He noticed a wave of color cross her face. “See? You’re not thinking it’s so bad, after all.”
“Then you’ve got it, big brother. I’m taking you up on your offer. Nick is all yours. I’ll set up appointments for a manicure, pedicure, facial and massage,” she told him. “Then I’ll call a few friends and see if we can do a girls’ night out.”
“Just tell Nick he can’t talk Trey into trying to take over the country on my watch.”
Lucie got up and walked over to Zach. She hugged him tightly.
“You’re my favorite brother, you know,” she murmured, kissing his cheek.
“I’m your only brother.”
“Yes, but I love you, anyway.” She hugged him again. “I want you to be happy, Zach. You deserve the best.”
“I intend to tell her, Luce,” he said. “Soon.”
“Do it the easy way. Take Nick with you. She’ll be so grateful he’s not your son that she’ll instantly adore Emma and Trey.”
“See my lipstick, Daddy!” Emma ran into the room with a slash of red across her mouth.
Zach muttered a curse.
“Emma, that isn’t the lip balm I gave you,” Lucie said, peering closer at her niece’s face. She winced at the vivid color.
“Nick told me I could have it,” Emma said, wide-eyed.
“Oh, damn.” Zach examined his daughter’s face, then looked up at his sister. Frustration warred with anger. “This was done with a marking pen.” He swiveled around and bellowed, “Nick!” at the same time his sister did.
ZACH SOON LEARNED no amount of scrubbing could erase the color on Emma’s lips. He’d ended up slathering some ointment on her chapped lips before putting her to bed.
“I guess I should be grateful he colored within the lines,” he muttered, dropping onto his bed.
Nick hadn’t seen the error of his ways. His defense was that he was helping Emma with her makeup. He heard his mother complain her lipstick didn’t stay on the way she wanted it to. He just made sure Emma’s would stay on.
A smile reluctantly tugged at the corners of his mouth.
The young boy had been so solemn when he explained what he’d done and why he didn’t feel he should be punished.
“Daddy?”
He looked up and found Emma standing in the doorway.
“What’s wrong, Peanut?”
Taking his question as an invitation to enter, she ran into the bedroom and leaped onto the bed. She bounced on her knees next to him.
He winced as he looked at her reddened mouth.
Emma continued bouncing until he grasped her hand in a silent entreaty to stop.
“You want to make Daddy seasick?” he asked.
She giggled. “You don’t get seasick.”
“But I could. What’s wrong?”
“Nothin’.” Unable to remain still, she didn’t bounce but moved restlessly. “Don’t be mad at Nick, Daddy.”
“Think how long we spent trying to get that marker off,” he told her.
“I told him I wanted to look pretty so you could find me and Trey a mommy,” she told him.
Zach felt as if he’d been punched in the stomach. One look at her tiny face told him just how serious she was.
“Peanut, you don’t need makeup to look pretty. You are already the best-looking girl around,” he said sincerely. “But you’re doing it again. You’re making me feel unloved.” He pretended to pout.
She giggled and launched herself into his arms. She pursed her lips and gave him a smacking kiss on the nose. “I love you, Daddy, but I need a mommy. When Trey grows up, he’ll need a daddy more, but I’m a girl. I need a mommy for mommy things,” she explained.
“We’ve got Aunt Lucie,” he pointed out. He could easily visualize a good mommy figure. Although the woman in question didn’t even know he was a father.
“Daddy!” She harrumphed at him, her hands planted on her skinny hips.
Guilt took over as he realized he hadn’t been listening.
“I’m sorry, baby. What did you say?”
“I said—” she gave a heaving sigh “—please look for a nice mommy for us. And don’t waste any time.” She wagged her finger at him.
It took all of his self-control not to laugh at her perfect imitation of her aunt Lucie. He knew if he did, his daughter would really let him have it.
“I will do whatever is necessary,” he said seriously.
Emma looked suspicious. “You mean it?”
“I mean it.” He kissed her on the forehead. “Come on, back to bed for my favorite girl.”
“Don’t worry, Daddy, I know you won’t give us a mean mommy,” she assured him after he tucked her in.
Zach looked at her nestled under her ruffled bedcovers. His little princess ensconced in her castle.
He placed his hand over his heart. “I promise I will not give you an evil queen who will send you out into the cold dark forest where you’ll be rescued by seven trolls who all look like Nick.”
Emma’s giggle grew louder.
“Good night, my princess,” he murmured, walking out and making sure the door was open its requisite five inches. “Sweet dreams.”
He returned to his bedroom and picked up the book he’d planned to read that evening. The fast-paced plot couldn’t hold his interest.
Emma was talking more and more about having a mother. He was grateful for Lucie stepping in when necessary. She’d been a godsend in helping out when something cropped up that Zach couldn’t do. He was more than willing to take cupcakes to preschool for special occasions and help out as a chaperon when the students took a field trip. He’d enjoyed himself until a couple of single mothers took too personal an interest in him.
“Robby’s mom is nice,” Trey once told him, “but she smells really weird.” He wrinkled his nose. “Her perfume makes me
sneeze and she hugs me too much.”
Emma was more honest.
“Robby’s mommy only likes to go shopping and make herself pretty. And Robby’s nanny isn’t very nice,” she confided.
Zach stayed out of Robby’s mom’s way after that. Luckily Robby’s mom soon married a financial consultant who could afford her hobby of shopping.
Zach couldn’t believe he was thinking marriage. It wasn’t something he’d considered doing a second time. He didn’t see the need for a wife. He was a pretty well-rounded dad, willing to do whatever was necessary for his kids.
But lately, he wasn’t thinking about marrying just for the children. He wanted to do it for himself, as well.
He’d liked those nights he spent with Ginna. Not just the sex, but the cuddling, the conversation.
Ginna never lacked for conversation.
He never considered himself someone who thought in terms of hearts and flowers, but it was easy to think that way where she was concerned.
Personality of sunshine. Smile that made a guy just feel damn good.
And a pair of legs that had him feeling some even better thoughts.
It was way past time for him to tell Ginna about Emma and Trey. Especially since he also had to tell her he was falling in love with her.
Chapter Ten
“I really appreciate your taking me on such short notice, Gin,” Lucie said, trying not to fidget in the chair. “At first, I was going to wallow in having time to myself, then I decided I’d rather wallow in some pampering.”
“No problem. I had a light schedule for a Saturday,” she said, wielding the hairdryer like a weapon. “Pampering oneself is always a good idea. I have to say, and not just because it’s my handiwork, but these new highlights are going to look awesome.”
“When I was growing up I was a towhead. Then as I got older, my hair kept getting darker while my brother’s hair stayed blond,” she said, watching the transformation take place. She smiled at her reflection. “Wow.”
“Uh-huh.” Ginna ran her fingers through the short blond curls. “You needed a change and, m’dear, you got it.” She pulled off the drape. “You really went for the works today.”
“My brother was going to take Nick for the weekend. Then the parents of one of Nick’s friends called and asked if Nick could go to Disneyland with them for the weekend. Dear uncle was immediately forgotten.” She chuckled. “I had time to myself. I wasted no time booking appointments for a body wrap, manicure and pedicure and a facial. Now this. I walked in early this morning feeling so drab and now I feel gorgeous.” She happily wrote out a check. “If this new me doesn’t catch a man, I am totally hopeless.”
“Hopeless you’re not,” Ginna said, adjusting an errant curl. She glanced at a note the receptionist had dropped off for her.
Zach’s coming in for a haircut? she thought. She’d trimmed his hair barely a week ago.
She smiled.
“You look way too happy,” Lucie told her with a knowing glint in her eye.
“I am,” she admitted.
Lucie stood up and hugged her. “At least someone I know is having fun with a man.”
“Aunt Lucie!” A small body launched itself into her arms.
“Emma.” Lucie seemed stunned as she looked down at her niece, then over at her brother.
“You look so pretty! Daddy said I can have a grownup haircut.” The little girl looked from Lucie to Ginna. “Hi,” she said brightly, offering her a big grin.
“Hi,” Ginna said slowly, her gaze swiveling from Emma to Lucie to the man standing off to one side with a small boy standing next to him.
Zach.
Lucie uttered a soft groan. “This is not how you do it, big brother.”
“Brother?” Ginna’s eyes widened.
Looking at them standing together, she could see the resemblance. Now she understood why she sometimes thought Zach looked familiar. At the moment she couldn’t look at him. She turned to the little girl Lucie had just lowered to the floor. She’d called Lucie Aunt, which meant Zach was her father, which meant…
“Hi, Zach,” Nora greeted him, quickly stepping through the thick wall of silence between the three adults. “If your daughter is getting a grown-up haircut, what about your big guy getting one, too? It doesn’t seem fair that he doesn’t get one.”
“I’m Zachary Michael Stone III,” the boy announced proudly.
Nora grinned. “A big name for a big guy.”
“That’s why Daddy named me Trey,” he explained.
“Well, Trey—” Nora hunkered down to his level “—Ginna’s great at giving girls grown-up haircuts, but I’m even better when it comes to guys. Think you’re willing to let me give you a big-guy haircut?”
Trey looked up at Zach, who nodded.
“My treat,” she told Zach in a low voice. “Besides, I think you’re going to have to worry more about losing several layers of skin when she cuts your hair next time.” She held out her hand and Trey took it without hesitation.
“So, Emma.” Ginna dredged up a smile as she crouched down in front of the little girl. She noticed the girl’s lips were a little too red. Past experience told her the girl had substituted a permanent marker for lipstick. “I’d say you’re ready for a grown-up haircut. Do you have an idea what you’d like me to do with your hair? We have some books that show girl’s haircuts. Do you want to look through them for ideas?”
Zach started to step forward, then froze when Ginna’s glacial glare hit him full force.
“Why don’t you wait in the reception area while I cut Emma’s hair?” she suggested in a deceptively soft voice.
Instead of handing Emma over to a shampoo girl, Ginna took her back herself. She used the special strawberry-scented conditioning shampoo the salon kept for their younger clients. Emma declared it “neat.”
“What made you decide it was time for a grown-up haircut?” Ginna asked her.
Emma waved her hands in the air. “I’m going to kindergarten in the fall,” she confided. “I can’t have a little-girl haircut for kindergarten, can I?”
Ginna hid her smile. “No, you can’t,” she replied seriously. “I can understand why you feel this is so important.”
“Daddy says you cut his hair. Do you cut Aunt Lucie’s hair, too?”
“Yes, I do. Do you like what I did with her hair today?”
“It’s very pretty.” Emma wiggled in the chair. “Aunt Lucie doesn’t have a boyfriend,” she whispered. “Prob’ly ‘cause of Nick. He’s my cousin. Daddy says he’ll either end up in politics or in prison.”
“I have three brothers and they’re all like that,” Ginna told her. “But they grew up okay.”
“He’s sitting out there looking about as miserable as a man can look,” Nora murmured as she set Trey up at the next shampoo bowl.
“The man is dead meat,” she said in a low voice while keeping a bright smile on her lips.
“I cannot wait to hear this story,” Nora said before turning to Trey. “Okay, big guy, let’s get started with a shampoo.” She laughed when the boy made a face. “Hey, at least you’re not getting a bath!”
“I don’t need a bath,” Trey told her. “I had one last night.”
As Ginna escorted Emma back to her station, she looked toward the reception area. Zach sat on the couch where he would see them.
Nora was right—he did look miserable. Lucie sat next to him with a tense expression on her face. She was turned sideways talking intently to Zach.
Good, let him suffer big time, she thought maliciously as she set a booster seat in her chair for Emma, then draped her in a plastic cape.
She smiled and talked to the little girl, while a dozen questions ran through her mind. Not that she had any answers to them.
Why hadn’t he told her he had children? What was the big secret about them?
She put her thoughts on hold as she showed Emma a book of children’s hairstyles. After careful deliberation, they chose a short style that woul
d suit Emma’s elfin features.
“If you have your hair that short, you won’t be able to wear a ponytail or a braid,” Ginna warned before she made the first snip. “Are you okay with that?”
Emma didn’t hesitate. She nodded. “That’s okay. Then Daddy won’t have as much to comb in the morning. He says I get a lot of tangles.”
“Okay.” Ginna began snipping.
As she combed and clipped, Emma kept up a running conversation, jumping from one subject to another, starting with her brother, then telling her about her school, her desire for a puppy or a kitten and her cousin’s antics.
Lucie had talked about her son during her appointments, but it was through Emma that Ginna heard stories she swore would have turned her own parents’ hair gray.
“You’re very pretty,” Emma said when Ginna finished. She looked up with brown eyes just like her father’s. “Do you have a boyfriend? Would you like to go out with my dad? He’s really nice. You cut his hair, so maybe you already know how nice he is.”
Ginna was speechless. Obviously Emma didn’t know about their dating.
“Maybe Ginna would like to go out for pizza with us,” Zach said, walking up to them. He reached over for Emma and lifted her out of the seat. “You look gorgeous, Peanut. You’re a regular grown-up now.”
Emma beamed with pleasure.
“Hey me!” Trey insisted on his own share of praise.
Zach grinned and shook his head. “Definitely on your way to the big leagues,” he told his son. He reached into his back pocket.
“If you dare try to pay me, I will cut off your hand,” Ginna said for his ears only. “And then I will cut off something else.” Her eyes drifted south for a brief second. Just long enough to make her point known.
He quickly backed off.
“So you’ll have pizza with us?” Emma asked, tugging on Ginna’s hand. “Please?”
“Ginna, please?” Zach added his own plea.
When she turned to him, she noticed Lucie standing behind him, mouthing, Go!
“I just need to clean my station,” she said.
“We’ll wait over there.” Zach shot her a silent thank-you and urged the twins over to the couch.