Harper nodded.
Then Hank turned to Mari. “How would you like tonight off?”
That wasn’t what she had expected. And not what she wanted, either. Not when the other option would most likely be spending time with Hank. Suspecting Simone was behind this, Mari scrambled to come up with an answer that wouldn’t give away her true desire. “If you want time with Harper, I understand, but I don’t have anything else I need to do.”
His forehead creased. “But you haven’t had any time off since you’ve gotten here.”
“I’m fine with that. All I would do is sit in my room by myself. I’d rather hang out with…with Harper.” Especially when it meant she was able to be with him too. And truly, if she wasn’t taking care of Harper, she would paint, which she did anyway. No, she was perfectly content with the way things were.
“Are you sure?”
She smiled. “Yes.”
“All right. Never mind then.”
“I’m thirsty,” Harper said. “Can I have a drink please?”
“Of course,” Mari said, then she took her by the hand and led her into the house, all the while wondering what Simone’s next move would be.
Chapter Fourteen
All of Hank’s guilt had been washed away by Mari’s sincere answer. He had no doubt that she loved his little Harper, which made her all the more attractive to him.
“Hank,” Simone said, drawing his mind away from Mari and back to her.
He walked over to her as a different kind of guilt descended. The kind that said he should tell her there was no reason for her to waste her time with him, that his interest was waning.
“So?” she asked, a bright smile on her perfectly made-up face. “Are we on for tonight? We can order in, or Mrs. Stillman can make us one of her specialties, and then we can have a movie night.”
All of those things sounded fun, but he would prefer doing them with Mari.
“I’m sorry, Simone. Tonight’s not going to work.”
Her lips formed a little pout, something he used to think was endearing, but now just found annoying. “Come on, Hank. It’ll be fun.”
“I’m just not up for it.”
Her lips compressed. “It’s that nanny, isn’t it?”
Well, yeah, but he wasn’t about to admit that to her. He’d barely admitted it to himself.
“What would your ex-wife think about that? You having a thing for the nanny?” She shook her head. “It’s so cliché, Hank.”
He wasn’t sure if Simone and London had any friends in common, but he knew it wouldn’t be impossible for her to get in touch with London if she wanted to. And he wouldn’t put it past her to get word to London that, indeed, he did have a thing for the nanny. Punishing him for doing something that displeased her was exactly the kind of thing Simone would do. He had to deny it and deny it hard.
“I don’t have a thing for the nanny,” he said. “She’s great with Harper, no doubt about that. But come on, Simone, she’s just a kid. As unsophisticated as they come. I could never be interested in her. She’s an artist, for crap’s sake. Doesn’t even like football.” He made a scoffing sound in his throat as he shook his head. “Believe me, there’s nothing there and there never will be.”
Hank felt like a dirtbag for saying those things about Mari, especially when he’d grown to care about her so much, was so attracted to her. But he had to convince Simone that he didn’t ‘have a thing’ for her. If London found out, there would be hell to pay.
“All right, all right,” Simone said with a Cheshire-like smile. “Let me know when you’re up for a night out.” Then she pulled him in for a deep kiss, one that told him how much she wanted him. He couldn’t help himself, he kissed her back with just as much passion.
Mari couldn’t believe what Hank had said about her, and if she hadn’t left her shoes out back she wouldn’t have overheard the horrible words spilling from his mouth. She’d been happier thinking he was a nice guy. But nope. London was right. Hank was charming yet selfish. More like a complete jerk. Pretending he liked her, that he respected her, all the while his true feelings were completely the opposite.
And the way he’d kissed Simone? Yeah, he definitely liked her.
Then and there, Mari put aside her fantasy that there could be anything beyond friendship between her and Hank. And even friendship seemed questionable.
Hank was glad when Simone finally left. He felt bad that he’d turned her down, but he didn’t regret it. After walking her to her car, he came back inside to see what Mari and Harper were up to. It wasn’t even three o’clock, so they had hours ahead of them. The thought made him smile.
When he didn’t find them in the kitchen, he headed to the game room. Sure enough, that’s where they were.
“Look at these beautiful pictures,” he said, stopping in front of some finger-paintings hanging to dry. He turned to Harper, his eyes wide. “Who did these?”
Her face broke into a bright smile and she touched her chest. “I did.”
“Really? I never knew you were such a good painter, Princess Pink Rose.”
Her head tilted from side to side. “I like to paint.”
Stealing a glance at Mari, who was attaching a fresh sheet of paper to Harper’s easel, Hank waited for her to acknowledge him. When she didn’t do so much as look his way, his forehead creased in question.
“Will you paint my nails, Daddy? Please?” Harper said as her hand slipped into his.
“What?” He tore his gaze from Mari and turned to Harper.
“I want pink nails.” She waved the hand that wasn’t holding his, showing him that her nails were uncolored.
“Oh, uh, I don’t have any nail polish.”
“Mari has some,” she said.
Hank looked her way. She must have heard her name, because she lifted her gaze from the easel and glanced at him, but after a split-second she turned her attention to Harper.
“I’ll get my nail polish,” she said, her smile clearly meant for Harper only. Then she turned and left.
What was going on? Why did she seem decidedly unfriendly all of a sudden? Was it because Simone had come over?
He was an idiot. Of course that was why. Simone had interrupted the fun they’d been having in the pool. When Simone had told him to get out and talk to her, he’d done exactly that. Really though, why would that upset Mari? In all reality, she was the nanny. Why would she have a problem with him dating Simone? She knew he was dating Simone. He’d told her the other night before going out, yet she’d been waiting up for him after his game the day before. And earlier, when they’d been in the pool, she’d been as friendly as ever.
It was only after Simone had shown up that Mari had started to act differently.
Uncertain what he should do, but no less attracted to her, Hank decided it was time to let her know that his interest lay with her, not Simone. But he would have to tread carefully, because even though he’d gotten the feeling that she was interested in him too, now he wasn’t so sure. Hitting on her when she had no interest would be a big mistake.
Chapter Fifteen
With her manicure supplies in hand, Mari made her way back to the game room/art studio. Knowing Hank was there, waiting for her, brought on a kaleidoscope of emotions—excitement and anticipation, but even more so, hurt feelings and embarrassment. Despite that, and even after overhearing the things he’d said about her, the magnetism he exuded and the need she had to have him notice her, to want her, had hardly dimmed. And that made his words hurt all the worse.
Frustrated with herself that his words hadn’t killed her interest, she sighed as she opened the door to the art studio and stepped across the threshold.
Keeping her focus on Harper, she could feel Hank’s eyes on her.
“I brought all my nail polish so you can choose which one you want.” Mari set the bottles on a low table, then waited while Harper examined each one, picking one up and staring at it before setting it down and choosing another.
Finally, after studying each one, she held up two—a hot pink and a deep red. “I like these.”
Smiling, Mari said, “Then we’ll use both. We can alternate. Pink on one finger, then red, then pink and so on.”
“Okay!” She turned to Hank. “I want Daddy to do it.”
Not able to stop herself, Mari looked at Hank, whose eyebrows were raised. “I, uh, I’ve never painted nails before.”
Wanting to make Harper happy, and putting aside her stung feelings, Mari smiled tightly. “I’ll show you how.”
His gaze lingered on her. Why was he looking at her like that? Especially after what he’d said to Simone?
Clenching her jaw in annoyance that she was even asking herself those things when she needed to draw a bright red line between their roles, she tore her eyes from him and looked at Harper. “Let’s go outside so we don’t get any polish on the carpet.”
“Come on, Daddy,” Harper said, her hand still clutched in his as she tugged him toward the door.
Once they were all outside, Mari led the way to a shady spot near the pool. Sitting cross-legged on the pavers, she patted the ground in front of her. “Sit here, Harper.” Casting a quick glance at Hank, she didn’t direct him where to sit. Why should she help him any more than she was already?
He didn’t let her off that easily, though. “Where should I sit, Marigold?” His voice was low and sexy.
Hearing him say her full name, especially with that deep tone, brought back the memory of Friday when he’d leaned over her on the pool table and murmured in her ear. Heat pounded through her. She forced her suddenly rapid breathing to slow.
“You…you can sit wherever you want.” She couldn’t let him get to her like this. Not when she knew the truth of the way he felt about her.
A slow smile tugged up the corners of his mouth. “If you say so.” Then he sat right beside her.
That wasn’t what she had in mind, and when the subtle scent of his cologne wrapped around her, she had to stop herself from swaying in his direction.
Turning her full attention to the task at hand, she shook the bottle of base coat, then unscrewed the cap and lifted out the tiny brush.
“Let’s start with your toes, Harper,” Mari said. “Put your foot on my leg.” Then she glanced at Hank out of the corner of her eye. He was watching her intently, his striking green eyes boring into her.
What was going on? Why was he looking at her like that when he’d stated in no uncertain terms that she wasn’t his type, that he would never be interested in her? Because that wasn’t the message his eyes were broadcasting.
Harper’s foot landed on Mari’s leg, yanking her attention away from Hank and back to Harper. Glad for the distraction, Mari bent forward slightly and gently grasped Harper’s big toe. “This is the base coat, which you put on each nail before you add the color.” Keeping her attention on Harper’s toe, she added, “You brush on a thin coat. Like this.” Then she brushed some on.
Barely glancing at him, she held out the bottle of base coat. “Now you do it.”
He cupped her hand with both of his before taking the bottle, then he stroked the tender skin on the back of her hand with his thumb. Sensations raced up her arm and she had to work to keep from gasping. Seconds later he let go. Torn between loving the feel of his skin against hers and furious that he was playing with her, she clenched her jaw.
Did he think she was a stupid little girl? That she would fall for him just because he gave her some attention? That he was too amazing to resist? Clearly, he had no idea she’d overheard what he’d said to Simone. Besides, he was dating Simone! How dare he put any moves on her, no matter how subtle. London was so right, so very, very right, and if it wasn’t for Harper and how much she loved being with her father, Mari would tell London that she and Harper needed to go back to LA right away.
But she would never do that to Harper.
“Let me have your foot, Harper,” Hank said.
Harper moved her foot from Mari’s leg to Hank’s, and Mari shifted her gaze so that she was watching him. His focus was on what he was doing. Knowing it was safe to observe him, when she saw the incongruity of his large hands holding the tiny brush as he carefully painted the base coat on Harper’s toenails, despite her anger at him, a minuscule smile forced its way onto her lips.
When he was done, Harper held out her hands. “Do my fingers, Daddy.”
He looked at Mari, a question on his face.
After tossing a smile at Harper, when Mari looked at Hank, the corners of her lips straightened. “Do the same thing as you did with her toes.”
Looking a little uncertain, he held each of Harper’s tiny fingers in turn, painting base coat on each nail. When he was done, he put the lid on the bottle of base coat.
“It has to dry now,” Harper said, like this was old hat for her.
“Do you still want both of these colors?” Mari asked as they waited for the base coat to dry.
“Yes.”
“Okay.” She handed the bottles to Hank, not giving him a chance to touch her hands again. Forcing herself to hold his gaze, she said, “Shake the bottles really well. And then you paint them on just like you did with the base coat.”
He grinned. “Alternating colors, of course.”
Frowning, she said, “Of course.”
“Got it.” After shaking the bottles, he opened the bottle of pink polish and did a decent job of painting it on every other nail on Harper’s fingers and toes. Then he did the same with the red. “What do you think, Princess Pink Rose?”
Harper admired her nails. “It’s pretty. Thank you, Daddy.”
“You’re welcome.”
Keeping her eyes pointed at Harper’s nails, Mari said, “This coat will take longer to dry, otherwise the polish will smear. Once Harper’s nails are dry you’ll need to add a top coat.”
Hank chuckled. “I had no idea painting nails was so involved.”
Despite herself, Mari looked at him and tried to tamp down the irritation she felt. “I’m sure there’s a lot about women you don’t know.” Where did that come from? Completely out of line.
Mari’s face burned.
Hank’s gaze lasered in on her, and his voice was low and sexy. “I’d like to learn.”
The butterflies in her belly began to dance and she frantically tried to calm them. Tried and failed. Why was he looking at her like that when he had zero interest? Confused, Mari tore her gaze away and ignored his comment.
“I like the colors you picked,” she said to Harper. “They’re perfect for you.”
“Can we play a game after?”
“What game would you like to play?”
“The cherry game.”
Mari smiled. “Hi Ho Cherry-O?”
“Yeah!”
“Okay.”
“Will you play with us, Daddy?”
Watching him out of the corner of her eye, Mari waited to see what he would say. In a way, it would be a relief if he bowed out. On the other hand, she didn’t want him to leave.
“I’d love to, Princess Pink Rose.”
Harper grinned. “Yay!”
Why should she expect him to bow out? She’s the one who should leave. It was time to give Hank and Harper father/daughter time. And putting space between her and Hank would be a good thing.
She smiled at Harper. “You and your daddy should play. Just the two of you, okay?”
Harper didn’t seem fazed at all. “Okay.”
Pushing herself to her feet, Mari looked at Hank. “I’ll be in my room if you need me.” Then, not giving him a chance to comment, she turned and walked away.
Chapter Sixteen
Hank watched Mari go, surprised at how disappointed he was that she was leaving.
“My nails are dry, Daddy,” Harper said a few minutes later as she tapped a painted nail with her fingertip. “It’s not sticky. That’s how you tell.”
“So now we do the top coat?”
Nodding, she said, “Yes. Then
they will be shiny.”
He adored his little Harper and loved this time with her, but not having Mari with them felt wrong somehow.
Turning his attention to Harper, he painted on the top coat, and when it was dry they went inside and into the sitting room. After taking the game out of a cabinet, Hank opened the box on the coffee table, then turned to Harper. “How do you play Hi Ho Cherry-O?”
Harper pointed to the little baskets with plastic pieces in them. “You have to put the fruit on the trees first.”
Once the game was set up, he looked at her. “Now what?”
Her face serious, she pointed to the spinner. “Don’t choose the basket or the dog or the bird.”
Hank’s eyebrows rose. “Why not? What happens if I pick those ones?”
“You have to put the fruit back on the tree.”
Confused, he said, “But the fruit’s already on the tree.”
Harper sighed like he was a big idiot. “You have to take them off first.”
The Vipers typically lined up over ninety plays in their playbook for a typical game, and for each of those, Hank memorized the position and action of each of the eleven guys on offense. Hi Ho Cherry-O was a game for small children. Maybe he needed to read the rules. That, or ask for Mari’s help. He liked the second option better.
When Mari heard voices floating up the stairs and into her room—she’d left her door open, just in case—she tiptoed into the hall that overlooked the sitting room. She could hear Harper explaining the game to Hank.
Wanting so badly to join them, she held back a soft sigh. It had been her idea to leave them alone. Her idea to put space between her and Hank. An idea she now regretted.
“Mari?” Hank called out. “Mari, we need you.”
Eyes widening, Mari had to hold herself back from racing down the stairs. Pausing, she counted to five—no reason to give away the fact that she’d been standing there. Then she leaned over the railing and looked down to see Hank and Harper sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table. Her earlier hurt feelings and the irritation she’d harbored toward Hank had already begun to dissipate. How could she stay mad at him when she found him so irresistible?
Blindsided (Fair Catch Series, Book Three) Page 7