Mommy for a Minute
Judy Christenberry

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MILLS & BOON

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Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter One

Damn! This wasn’t going to go well. Jack Mason shifted his almost-four-year-old against his shoulder as he rang the bell at the Yellow Rose Lane fourplex.

“Ally, I need you to be really quiet and stay next to Daddy this morning, okay?”

“Okay, Daddy.” Her voice didn’t show any concern. She probably had no idea what he was asking, but he’d keep her out of the way. He certainly didn’t want her running into The Shark’s sharp bite.

The apartment door swung open and Jack was suddenly face-to-face with the dreaded Shark. At least he thought he was. He sure hadn’t expected her to open the door with a smile. “I’m looking for Miss McNabb.”

Dark eyes flashed at him, darting from his face to Ally’s and back again. “I’m she.”

“I’m Jack Mason. Judge Robinson recommended I contact you about some cabinetry work you wanted done.”

“Yes, come in, Mr. Mason and…” She paused, staring at his child.

“Um, this is my daughter, Allison. Her child-care facility closed suddenly this morning and I couldn’t find a sitter. But she’ll stay by my side and she won’t cause any problems.”

“All right,” the woman said calmly, swinging the door wide, as if bringing a child to work was normal. She indicated that he should be seated, so he settled on a white couch that made him a little nervous. He perched Ally on his knee, whispering for her to be still.

“I’m not sure exactly how you work, Mr. Mason, but Judge Robinson raved about the quality of your work.”

“That’s very kind of him. I’d like to start by asking some questions about what you have in mind, the kind of wood, the length of time available, things like that.”

“Of course.” She watched him juggle the child while taking out pen and paper. “Isn’t it going to be difficult to hold her and write?”

Jack glared at her. He didn’t care how pretty she was. She had no business telling him how to do his job. “I’ll manage.”

She didn’t argue with him, but her gaze remained focused on his child.

“Are we only talking about one room?” he asked.

“Yes. My third bedroom. I have a month off work and I’d like to be settled in at the end of the month.”

“All right. Do you have a particular type of wood that you’d like me to use?”

“I believe you used oak in Judge Robinson’s office. I liked that a lot.”

“I want to draw, Daddy,” Ally said, reaching for the pen.

“No, sweetheart. Daddy has to write now.”

“But, Daddy—”

“No, Ally, not right now.”

Ally frowned but didn’t protest again. He held her a little closer.

“Do you want something similar to Judge Robinson’s home office?” he asked Ms. McNabb in his best professional tone.

“Yes, I do. Except I would like more storage space.”

“What kind of storage space?”

“Some bins with sliding drawers. Nothing fancy. Why don’t I show you the space while we talk. That might make everything more clear.” She stood, assuming he’d agree.

He had to put the pad and pen in one hand and hold Ally in the other, but he eventually was ready to follow the woman. Standing behind her, he realized she was tall. Around five foot nine, he’d guess.

To his surprise, she was wearing a polo shirt and jeans. And well-fitted, too. The denim fit like a second skin, hugging her curves. Very un-lawyer-like, he noted. Of course, his impression of lawyers was tainted by personal experience. The lawyers he’d dated in the past had been picky and difficult, always wanting to win every argument.

After going down a hall, she opened a door and walked inside. Following her, he stepped into an empty room, quite spacious for a home office.

“Very nice.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s good that there aren’t already some built-ins. That will save me the time of ripping them out.”

“You have limited time?” she asked sharply.

“No, but you might. Most of my customers seem to think I can do my work overnight.” He challenged her with a direct look.

“I wouldn’t expect that, especially since you seem determined to hold your daughter at the same time. You did say she is your daughter, didn’t you?”

“Yes, she is. I’ll have child care worked out by tomorrow.” Though there was no sarcasm in her voice, he was perturbed anyway.

“I see.”

He began asking questions about the type of shelving she wanted. He wasn’t surprised to discover she knew exactly what she had in mind. Picturing this woman in a courtroom, he saw a confident, persuasive attorney who could argue any case. Sitting Ally down on the floor with an extra pencil and a piece of paper, he began drawing the room, hoping his interpretation of her ideas would come close to what she envisioned. With a tape measure, he made sure everything would fit.

“Can we do storage bins along the back wall?” she suggested. “They could form a credenza of sorts for my desk.”

He found himself in complete agreement. The office was taking shape in the drawing, becoming a pleasant place to work. There were windows across the back wall that came about four feet from the floor. A credenza under them would be a great utilization of the space.

“Daddy, I need another sheet of paper,” Ally called, distracting him.

“Okay, baby. Here you go.” He ripped off another sheet of paper and handed it to his child. Then he got involved in the picture he was creating.

He asked questions of the lawyer and she provided succinct answers every time. Working for someone who knew exactly what she wanted had its advantages. And lawyers were good at that, he’d admit. It was the personal stuff they had trouble with.

An hour later, he had a finished drawing of the room and showed it to the woman. She agreed that he’d captured exactly what she wanted.

“That’s perfect. You’re a wonderful artist, Mr. Mason. How long will it take to make the room look like that?”

“Three or four weeks. I can’t be sure.”

“Perfect. I have four weeks.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I have four weeks off work. I’ll be around to monitor your work. Then, when I go back to work, I’ll have my office ready.”

“I don’t need my work to be monitored, Miss McNabb. I’m quite capable of turning out good work without supervision.” He’d clenched his teeth, knowing he was facing a battle.

“Nevertheless, Mr. Mason, I’ll be here for the entire four weeks to keep an eye on the progress of your work.”

“You mean you’ll look at it each evening?”

“I mean I’ll look at it whenever I feel like looking at it. I won’t be working during those four weeks.”

“Why not?” he demanded.

Affronted, she straightened, and her chin rose a notice. “That’s none of your business!”

“Well, I think it is my business. It’s ridiculous to take your vacation to be sure the room turns out all right. Ask Judge Robinson!”

“What I do with my time has nothing to do with you!” She put her hands on her hips, her arms akimbo, and met his eyes with a challenge. “Will you do the job or won’t you?”

Jack accepted the challenge. “I’ll do the job, but I won’t have you peeking over my shoulder all the time!”

“Fine. When can you start?”

“Today. I’ll take the measurements I need and get the lumber right away.”

“Good.”

She seemed prepared to stalk out of the room until a little voice asked, “Isn’t my picture pretty?”

Jack felt a sense of disorientation when he looked at Ally, holding up a multicolored picture. How had she done that with the pencil he’d given her?

LAUREN LOOKED DOWN at the little girl. “Why, Ally, that’s beautiful. What a nice job you did.”

“Thank you. I drew a picture like Daddy, didn’t I?”

“Yes, you did. Let’s go put it on the refrigerator,” she suggested, reaching out a hand to the child.

“No!” Jack shouted.

Lauren turned around to stare at the man. Then she realized what she’d done. She’d treated Ally like one of her brothers and sisters, pretending to be the mother, as she had ever since she was twelve.

Jack took the picture from his child. “We’ll put it on our fridge at home, Ally. That’s where it belongs. Uh, where did you get the markers?”

Ally tucked the box of colored markers behind her and looked at Lauren.

“I gave them to her. I thought she would enjoy using them.” Lauren raised her chin again. Surely the man wouldn’t object to such kindness to his child.

“She’ll get the ink on herself. Ally, just use Daddy’s pen, okay?”

“But, Daddy—”

“Ally, do as I say, please.”

The child grudgingly took the markers from behind her back and gave them to Lauren. “Thank you,” she said politely.

“You’re welcome,” Lauren replied.

The man took out his tape measure to begin measuring and marking down numbers on his pad of paper. He obviously hadn’t realized Lauren had also given his daughter a pad of paper.

With her gaze on her father, Ally carefully moved the pad of paper behind her. A quick look at Lauren invited her silence.

Lauren just stood there, thinking how cute the little girl was. She had sandy blond hair like her father and his brown eyes, but while his features were masculine and handsome, hers were delicate and beautiful.

“Daddy, I’m hungry,” the little girl said, flashing a look at Lauren.

“Yeah, baby, I’ll get us some lunch in a little while,” he said, obviously distracted by his work.

“I’ll feed her,” Lauren said quietly, hoping not to disturb him. She didn’t think he’d agree to such a plan if he realized it. She held out her hand to Ally and the two left the room very quietly.

When they reached the kitchen, Lauren whispered, “Do you like grilled cheese sandwiches?”

Ally nodded, her brown eyes big.

“Good. I’ll fix you one for lunch. We’ll cut it into soldiers. And if you eat a soldier, you get a cookie for dessert. Okay?”

The child nodded enthusiastically. Lauren sat her at the table and began preparations for lunch. In no time, she’d made a grilled cheese sandwich and cut it into three long strips, calling each one a soldier. Then she poured her a glass of milk to go with the sandwich.

While Ally ate, Lauren made three more sandwiches, two for Mr. Mason and one for herself. She also heated some tomato soup.

About that time, they both heard Jack’s voice, calling for his daughter. He came running down the hall.

“We’re in here,” Lauren called. She almost broke into laughter when he burst through the open door. One would’ve thought he’d come slashing through the jungle to rescue the princess.

“Ally! You weren’t supposed to leave my side!”

“But, Daddy—”

“I told you I was fixing her lunch,” Lauren interrupted.

“I didn’t hear you! And I don’t need you to fix us lunch. I’ll take us out to lunch. Come on, Ally.”

“But, Daddy, I’ve almost finished my soldiers and I get a cookie for each one.”

“Ally, we have to—”

“Mr. Mason, she has almost eaten all her lunch. It would be a waste of time to take her to lunch now. Besides, I’ve already made your lunch, too.” She put a plate with two grilled cheese sandwiches and a bowl of tomato soup on the table.

He stared at the food. “I didn’t ask for this!”

“No, but I thought it might save you some time.”

He didn’t move, staring at the food.

“Look, eat, don’t eat. It makes no difference to me.” She sat down to eat her own lunch.

Ally looked at Lauren’s plate. “You don’t have soldiers?”

“No, sweetie, only children get soldiers.”

Ally leaned toward her father. “Daddy, do you want my last soldier?”

Her generosity broke through Jack Mason’s stupor. “No, angel, you eat your last soldier,” he told the little girl. “I have plenty of food, thanks to Miss McNabb.”

He sat down at the table, saying stiffly, “I appreciate the lunch.”

Lauren didn’t believe him, but they ate silently and she was satisfied that he ate all the food she’d provided. Ally ate her three cookies, but she was almost half asleep by the time she finished.

“I have a bed she can sleep on,” Lauren said.

“No! She stays with me.” He stood and removed the corduroy jacket he was wearing and wrapped Ally in it.

Lauren watched as, carrying his child, he walked out of the kitchen toward the office. She wasn’t sure what was behind his watchfulness, but she wanted the little girl to be comfortable. She went to the other bedroom and pushed a big chair into her future office with two pillows and a blanket to cover the child.

He had already put Ally on the floor with the jacket bunched up at one end to form a rough pillow. She patted the chair and he nodded, transferring his daughter into the chair.

“Thank you. She’ll be more comfortable.”

Lauren nodded and left the room. Whatever the man’s hang-ups, he appeared to love his child, and that counted for something in Lauren’s book.

THE PHONE RANG and Lauren answered it, pleased to hear her youngest brother’s voice. “James, how are you?”

“I’m fine, sis. I, uh, thought I’d see if we were still on for dinner on Friday night?”

“Yes, of course, unless something’s come up for you.”

“No, I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

Lauren wondered what was going on. They’d been having dinner on Friday nights ever since he’d moved out of the house and gotten his own place. He’d finished school in June and started work immediately with a software company. Next, he’d found an apartment he could afford and left home. He’d said he needed to be independent. And besides, it was time Lauren had some time to herself.

“Good,” Lauren said, waiting for him to tell her the purpose of his call. Something was going on.

“Uh, what have you been doing today?”

Okay, stall tactics. “I’ve been interviewing a man to turn my third bedroom into a home office. He’s going to put in shelving.”

“Do you need me to come check him out?”

Lauren couldn’t hold back a grin. At the office, everyone would’ve been surprised that her brothers would think she needed their help for such a simple thing. “No, thanks, James, but I’m okay with him.”

“It might be good for him to know you’ve got brothers who can protect you.”

“I’ll let him know. I have lots of pictures around the place, you know.”

“Oh, yeah.”

There was a prolonged silence. Lauren asked, “Is there anything in particular you want me to make for Friday night?”

“For dinner, you mean? Well, I think I’d like your chicken spaghetti. I haven’t had it in a while.”

“Sure. I’ll be glad to make it.”

“And maybe your carrot cake.”

“All right.”

“And, um, I thought I might bring a friend, too. Would that be all right?”

Aha! Finally they’d gotten to the point of the conversation. “Of course. I’d love to have some of your friends. Are you bringing Ronny or Doug?” she asked, keeping the smile from her voice.

“Uh, no, I thought I’d bring, uh, Cheryl.”

“Who is that? A new friend?”

“Yeah. She has an apartment near me. I, uh, I’m afraid she doesn’t eat enough. I thought your cooking would be good for her.”

“That sounds like a good idea. I’ll see you Friday evening.”

Lauren hung up the phone, a smile on her lips. She’d played the role of mother for her six brothers and sisters since she was twelve. None of them had married, however. Had she done something wrong, that none of her siblings had found anyone to marry? And what about yourself? asked an inner voice. Where’s your special someone?

JACK SERVED his daughter her dinner, putting macaroni and cheese on her plate, peas and carrots, and some chicken cut into tiny pieces. “There. Your dinner is ready, Ally. I expect you to eat your vegetables,” he said as he helped her into her chair.

“I will, Daddy. I’m hungry.”

“Good.”

He sat down beside her, his plate filled with the same food. He’d learned how to cook properly when he’d found himself with a small child who needed good nutrition.

“I liked that mommy today,” Ally said as she worked at scooping up the peas and carrots.

Jack had just taken a bite of his own vegetables, but her words had him spitting out food in all directions.

He hurriedly wiped his mouth and cleaned up the mess he’d made. “Uh, who are you talking about, Ally?”

“That mommy. The one who made me lunch.”

“She’s not a mommy.”

“I know she’s not my mommy.” They had had this discussion several times over the past year. His daughter wanted to know what had happened to her mommy since everyone else at child care had a mommy. “But I think she’s someone’s mommy.”

“No, Ally, she’s not someone’s mommy. She lives alone.”

Ally frowned and stared at her father. “But she cut my sandwich into soldiers, and she gave me cookies.”

“Yes, she did, but she’s not someone’s mommy, and it’s important not to call her a mommy.”

“Would it make her cry?”

Jack couldn’t imagine Lauren McNabb crying. She was supposed to be tough as nails. In the office, where she was known as The Shark, they would laugh at even the suggestion that she would cry about anything. “No, she wouldn’t cry, but it might make her mad.”

“Oh. Am I going to work with you tomorrow?”

“No, I’m calling Mrs. Smith after dinner. I think she’ll keep you tomorrow.”

“I want to go with you.”

“No. Eat your dinner. It’s almost time for your bath.”

“I think she’ll miss me tomorrow.”

“Doesn’t matter. You’re going to Mrs. Smith’s tomorrow. We’re not having a discussion about it.”

He hurriedly cleaned the dishes before he took his child to the bathroom for a quick bath. Then, looking like an angel in her nightgown, she hugged his neck and got under the covers. After she said her prayers, she whispered, “Please let me go with you tomorrow?”

“No, honey. You need to play with other children and color pictures. You’ll have fun tomorrow at Mrs. Smith’s.”

Once he had her settled, he went to the phone. He’d tried several daycare centers before they came home, but they were all full. So he was going to call Mrs. Smith, who’d taken care of Ally when she was a baby.

“Mrs. Smith? It’s Jack Mason. I’ve run into a problem with child care and I wondered if you could—”

“Mr. Mason, I can’t take care of children anymore. I was in a car accident and I can barely get around.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Uh, could you recommend some place where I could leave Ally?”

“No, not really. None of my friends keep children. What happened to the place you were taking her?”

“They left a child on that little bus and he died. The city shut it down.”

“That’s terrible. Don’t take Ally back there.”

“No, I won’t.”

“Well, sorry I can’t help.”

“Yeah, me, too.”

Jack hung up the phone, at a loss. He had no more ideas of what to do with Ally except take her back to work with him for one more day.

He feared Miss McNabb would be pleased.

Chapter Two

Lauren had cleaned the house twice, redone her grocery list three times and thought about redecorating her living room. What else was she supposed to do with her time?

She’d even spent some time with her neighbor across the hall last night. Sherry was a nice woman, but they had little in common other than living across the hall from each other in the fourplex on Yellow Rose Lane. Sherry had seen Jack Mason come in yesterday morning, however, and she had questions.

“Who was that hunk who came over yesterday?”

“You must mean Jack Mason. He’s going to build some shelves in my new study.”

“My husband wouldn’t let him in the front door, looking the way he does. Good thing you’re not married.”

“He’s a handsome man, but he’s supposed to be quite talented as a carpenter.”

“Yeah, but he’s as handsome as sin. Of course, he brought a little girl with him. Do you take care of her?”

“No. He’s going to take her to child care today.”

“So it will just be the two of you? Let me know if you need company, you know, to break the sexual tension.”

“Thanks, but I’m sure we’ll be fine. He focuses on his work and hardly notices anything else.”

“Too bad. Well, keep me up-to-date!”

Lauren had promised she would, but knew she wouldn’t. There’d be nothing with which to update Sherry. Jack Mason was an attractive man, but she had no intention of getting involved with him.

His attractiveness assailed her when she opened the door to him at nine o’clock. It took a few seconds for her to realize Ally once again was in her handsome daddy’s arms.

“Ally, I’m so glad you came back to see me. Come in.”

After a moment, the man holding Ally said, “Do you mind if I come in, too?”

“Of course, Mr. Mason. I was expecting you.”

Lauren was a little embarrassed about her reaction to the little girl. She obviously had irritated Jack with her enthusiasm, too.

“I apologize for bringing Ally again. I couldn’t find anyone to take her.” He stood there stiffly, not moving past the front door, as if he thought she would deny him entrance.

“Are you a mommy?” the little girl asked suddenly.

“Ally, hush,” Jack Mason urged.

“Yes, sweetie, I’m a mommy,” Lauren said readily. She thought of herself as a mother; after all, she’d raised her siblings after their parents’ deaths.

“I’d appreciate it if you’d ignore any personal questions,” Jack said hurriedly. “Ally doesn’t know better.”

Lauren thought about explaining her life, but then she closed her lips and said nothing. Jack Mason was her carpenter, not her lover. That established, she directed him to the office.

With Ally staring at her over her father’s shoulder, Jack marched down the hall toward the empty office.

Lauren followed after a minute. He hadn’t brought in any supplies. She was curious about what he was going to do.

He was coming out of her office as she got to the door and they almost collided. “Oh, sorry,” she said.

“My daughter is drawing pictures and I’m bringing in supplies. If you’ll excuse me,” he said with exaggerated politeness.

She stood aside and waited until he was out of sight. Then she entered the office. “How are you this morning, Ally?”

“I’m fine. Daddy said I had to sit right here,” she said softly.

“I know. But I have an idea.” She left the room to go to her second bedroom. She’d stored a lot of things in that room that she just couldn’t part with when they’d sold the family home. One of them was a small child’s desk. James had used it a lot when he was little.

“Look, Ally,” she said as she carried it into the office. “You can sit in the same spot but use this desk. It’ll make it easier for you to draw your pictures.” Lauren looked at the big smile on Ally’s face. “Come on, let’s try it.”

“Do you think Daddy will mind?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Well, okay.” Ally sat down in the desk. “Look! It fits me!”

“Yes, it definitely does.” Lauren couldn’t help but smile.

“What are you doing?” Jack demanded, pausing in the doorway, his arms full of lumber.

“I was just giving Ally a way to be comfortable. She’s still in the room with you.”

“Fine! Ally, stay there. I’m bringing in a lot of material and I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“I won’t, Daddy.” Before he could leave the room, she added, “But I wish I could watch Sesame Street.”

“Ally!” he exclaimed.

“I’m not using the television right now. I’d be glad to put on Sesame Street.” Lauren held her breath. Not that it really mattered to her, but she wanted Ally to be happy. Besides, Sesame Street was educational.

“Well, as long as you’re not watching it, I guess that would be okay.” He turned to his child. “Sit on the floor. I don’t want you messing up that white couch.”

When Lauren held out her hand, Ally took it and slid out of the desk. Together they left the office.

“You did eat breakfast this morning, didn’t you, Ally?” Lauren asked after Jack went outside again.

“Daddy got me a biscuit. We were running late.”

“Oh, my, I’ll fix you some scrambled eggs and toast. You do like scrambled eggs, don’t you?”

“I think so,” Ally said, her eyes wide.

After turning on the television, Lauren hurried to the kitchen to make the child some breakfast. She’d always made sure her siblings had a good meal to start the day. Ally was just as appreciative, eating well.

After Sesame Street was over, Lauren invited Ally to the kitchen to make cookies. They had a great time, chatting and making chocolate-chip cookies. As Lauren had suspected, Ally’s father had forgotten all about her, having gotten so engrossed in his work.

With the cookies cooling on the racks, Lauren made sandwiches for lunch.

“I think Daddy made lunch for us,” Ally said after Lauren had finished preparing the sandwiches.

“He brought lunch for both of you?”

“He bought us some sandwiches from a store.”

“Ah, I see. Well, I think these sandwiches will be better. They’re bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches. Let’s go get Daddy.”

When they reached the office, Jack frowned. “Is Sesame Street over?”

“Yes, Daddy. Lauren made us lunch.”

He looked at his watch. “No. I bought us lunch, remember?”

“But I’ve already made bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches. Can’t you save those for tomorrow?” Lauren waited for his answer.

“No. We’ll go sit in the car and eat.” Jack began putting away his tools.

“But, Daddy—” Ally began.

“You could at least eat in the kitchen so Ally will be able to eat a proper lunch.”

“And, Daddy, we made cookies,” Ally said as part of her plea.

“You what?” Jack asked. “I thought you were just watching Sesame Street?”

Lauren stepped in to protect Ally from her father’s irritation. “Sesame Street ended hours ago. I asked Ally if she would help me make cookies. I didn’t see any harm in that.”

“Ally, sit in the desk and don’t leave it!” Jack ordered.

“She’s to sit there instead of having lunch? I think that’s rather severe punishment for a small child.”

“Who asked you, lady? You’re not a mother. You’re a lawyer! It’s none of your business.”

“I am too a mother! I know about—”

“You are not! You have no kids!”

“Yes, I do. I have six kids!” she yelled back, determined to win this argument.

“You’re lying. Judge Robinson said you didn’t have any kids.”

“Well, he’s wrong!”

“So where are these six kids? The oldest couldn’t be more than twelve, if he’s that old!”

“He’s twenty-eight!” she snapped.

Jack stared at her. Finally, he said, “That’s impossible.”

She looked away. Her voice was lower when she explained. “My children are my brothers and sisters. My mother died when I was twelve. I became the mother. Dad hired someone to come in and do the housework once a week, but I was responsible for cooking meals and overseeing homework. I was the mother.”

“My apologies. I didn’t mean—Obviously, you have the experience of being a mother. But that doesn’t mean you should take over my child. She’s mine, and I make the decisions.”

“I’m not trying to be her mother. I’m offering to help a little. It’s easy to be a mommy for a minute. Being mommy for the long haul is your job.”

“Yes, it is. And we’re having lunch in the car.”

Lauren raised her chin. “My sandwiches are very good.”

“I’m sure they are.”

“They’re much better than sandwiches prepared two days ago.”

“You don’t know when they were prepared.”

“At least let Ally have her choice.”

“Fine.”

“Then bring your sandwiches to the table and she can choose.”

They all went down the hall, Ally holding Lauren’s hand. When they went into the kitchen, Ally asked how many cookies she got if she ate all her sandwich.

“Three, just like yesterday, but I’m not cutting your sandwich into soldiers today. It would fall apart.”

“Okay. Does Daddy get cookies, too?”

“If he wants them. He seems a little out of sorts.”

“Daddy doesn’t usually yell at me. I think he’s been working too hard.”

“I see. Well, I hope he feels better soon.” While she talked, Lauren was serving lunch. She set a plate out for Jack, also, even though she thought he deserved to eat his prepackaged lunch.

He came into the kitchen with a brown paper bag. Taking the two sandwiches out, he stared at the sandwich already on a plate in front of him. Then he looked at his purchases. “Look, you can’t keep making lunch for us.”

“It’s not a problem.”

“Yes, it is. I’m doing a job for you, not holding my hand out for charity.”

“So reduce your price. I’ll make lunch for you and Ally every day and you take off the price of lunch. Maybe a whole five dollars per day.”

“Fine. Five dollars a day!” With that, he sat down in the chair and picked up the warm sandwich to eat.

“Wait, Daddy! We have to say our prayer,” Ally said.

“Oh, right, baby. Sorry.” He bowed his head and Ally said a simple prayer.

Lauren was impressed. “That was very nice, Ally.”

“Daddy taught me.”

“Your daddy did a good job.”

“Does that mean Daddy gets cookies, too?”

Lauren shot a look at Jack, who was stolidly chewing his sandwich, not looking at either of the females.

“Your daddy gets cookies…if he wants them.”

She knew he was listening because he shot her a glance that she couldn’t read. But he said nothing.

Ally leaned toward her father. “They taste good, Daddy. You’ll like them.”

“Thank you, baby. I’m sure I will,” he muttered.

Lauren thought his words were encouraging. She ventured another suggestion. “Mr. Rogers starts in a few minutes. Would it be all right for Ally to stretch out on the sofa for her nap and watch that show until she falls asleep?”

“She might get the sofa dirty.”

“I’ll put down a sheet so she’ll be comfortable. I’m afraid your hammering might make it hard for her to sleep in the office.”

“Fine.”

Then she passed him the plate of cookies. After hesitating, he took two.

“I think you might want more than that. The cookies are small.”

He took another four. “I’ll eat these while I’m working. Thank you for lunch.” He stood to leave, then he thought about his daughter. “Ally, go right to sleep, okay?”

“Okay, Daddy.” Her smile was big.

With an irritated look for Lauren, he strode out of the kitchen.

“I think Daddy is still mad.”

“No, sweetie, he’s just frustrated.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means, uh, Daddy wants things to go one way but they’re going the other way.”

“But I think he liked the cookies,” Ally said, a hopeful sound in her voice.

“Yes, I’m sure he did. Now, we’ve got to get you settled for your nap.”

JACK TRIED to concentrate on his work, but Lauren’s confession about her motherhood stayed with him. It took a lot for a person to raise her brothers and sisters.

And here he’d maligned her in his mind. He’d thought she was just being bossy, but instead she was quite experienced. As well as being beautiful. He’d noticed that at once, when she’d first opened the door. So if she was so sweet, why was she called The Shark?

Judge Robinson, who wasn’t really a judge anymore, but had once been one, felt that term was one of admiration. He should know since he was the attorney in charge of the law firm. But Jack had thought it was one of disrespect.

Maybe he needed to visit with the judge. After all, Lauren seemed to be spending a lot of time with his daughter. And what was he going to do for tomorrow? Was he going to have to bring Ally with him again?

He gradually lost himself in his work. Loving the work he did was a big benefit. It made the days fly by. Then he had the evenings with Ally. She was such a sweetheart, making him feel fortunate to have his little girl.

So he was feeling good again when the door opened. He turned to see the woman from his thoughts.

He put down his tools. “Is Ally causing a problem?”

“Of course not,” she told him calmly. “But I want to talk to you, please.”

“About what?” he demanded.

“About Ally. You see, I don’t have enough to do right now, and I thought maybe you could continue to bring your little girl and I could take care of her. It doesn’t require much time, since she watches Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers and takes a nap.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why? Do you have a place you can leave her?”

“No, but I’ll find one.”

“So why choose to leave her with strangers? Why not keep her here where you’ll know what’s going on?”

“I don’t think a lawyer should be spending her time taking care of my child. I can’t afford such expensive help.”

“You’d be doing me a favor.”

“Why?”

“I told you. I don’t have enough to do!”

“Care to explain why you have nothing to do for four weeks, but you’re not taking your vacation?”

Her cheeks turned red, drawing his attention. “I—I—Judge Robinson, the head of our firm, says I’m about to burn out and he wanted me to take some time off so it wouldn’t happen. I couldn’t convince him that wasn’t going to happen, so he’s banned me from the office for four weeks.”

“And you want to entertain yourself with my child? I don’t think so.”

“Are you suggesting I wouldn’t take good care of her? How dare you!”

“I think halfway through the four weeks, you’ll find a way to work your way into Judge Robinson’s good graces again and you’ll abandon Ally. That’d hurt her.”

“How would it hurt her any more than leaving her with a bunch of strangers? And you never said why they closed your child care center. What happened?”

“They left a child on the bus and he died,” he said in a low voice. “He was five years old and he’d fallen asleep.”

She stared at him. Finally, she said, “That’s awful. Was Ally—”

“No. She’s too young to go on field trips.”

“I’m so glad.” After a moment, she said, “So if you bring her here, she’ll be safe.”

“I don’t know that.”

“Yes, you do. I’ll take good care of her and you can see her whenever you want.”

“I don’t want you to teach her things,” Jack insisted.

Lauren stared at him. “You think teaching her how to make cookies will harm her?”

“No, but I won’t have you teaching her to—to argue or talk back.”

“You mean to act like a lawyer? Don’t you think she’s a little young to start her career just yet?”

“I just don’t want you to fill her head with—with stuff.”

“I’m not going to harm Ally in any way. I’ll make sure she’s happy. That’s all.”

“Fine,” he agreed, using his favorite response.

“Fine,” she replied. She left the office, closing the door behind her.

Jack stood there, his hands on his hips, staring at the space she’d occupied. This was a bad idea. He couldn’t keep his distance from her if she was taking care of Ally. And he didn’t want to get any closer to her.

Ever since his former girlfriend had told him she didn’t want their baby and given the infant to him, he’d avoided female companionship. He didn’t want Ally to become close to a woman who wouldn’t stay.

Their relationship would only last four weeks. He’d have to prepare Ally for that parting. The more he thought about it, the more he thought it was a huge mistake. Maybe he should go back and tell Lauren he’d reconsidered.

He put down his tools and turned toward the door. But he hadn’t taken more than a step when he stopped, changing his mind. Ally was happy. And in four weeks, he could get her in one of the schools he’d talked to. They’d have an opening then.

Picking up his drill, he began work again. But his mind remained fixed on the lawyer who wanted to take care of his child.

LAUREN STARED at the child sleeping peacefully on her sofa. She’d wanted to take care of Ally and now she could. Jack had agreed.

How strange that she’d reached out to this little girl. After raising her brothers and sisters, she’d decided she didn’t want to have children. But she’d taken the first opportunity to care for this child. She thought it had something to do with her having buried the memories of raising her family. It had been difficult, with years of self-denial, especially in her teens. Dates she couldn’t go on, parties she couldn’t attend. But raising her siblings had also been joyful. And it was the joy that she had forgotten.

Till now.

Ally was such a sweetheart. Lauren enjoyed the child, her open and honest responses. And taking care of her would give Lauren something to focus on during her imposed hiatus.

She sat down at the kitchen table and worked out activities for Ally. She wanted the little girl to enjoy the time she spent with her. Maybe she should buy some art supplies, some books with cutouts, or storybooks.

Her excitement faded when Jack appeared in the doorway and said, “Look, I’ve been thinking about this and maybe it’s not a good idea.”

She stared at him. Then she gestured to the chair opposite her. “Let’s talk about it.”

“That’s the last thing I want to do with a lawyer. You always think you can outtalk everyone. I’m a carpenter!”

“A carpenter who had a large business before he sold it,” she pointed out. “Judge Robinson told me you were a major player in the real estate market here in Dallas, so don’t play the innocent with me!”

“I’m not trying to mislead you. You’re known for your ability to argue your case. But I’m talking about my daughter. She’s not open for discussion.”

“Why?”

His eyebrows soared. “Because I have the final say about my child. And I think, one-on-one, you’re going to get too close to her. She’ll think—She’s going to see you as—I don’t want to risk it.”

“She’ll see me as what?”

“Damn it, she’ll see you as a mother. As her possible mother!”

“I’m sure she won’t. All I’m offering is to take care of her for four weeks, while you make my office for me. I don’t see that as a problem.”

“You may not, but I do! So, I’ll find a place for her to go to school. That’s all.”

She continued to plead her case. “What if you don’t?”

“I will. Don’t concern yourself.”

“Of course I’m concerned! And there’s no need to enlist a group of strangers to take care of Ally when I’m right here and willing to care for her.”

He held his ground. “I’ll find a place for her.”

“But she likes it here!”

His voice rose as his patience unraveled. “I don’t care!”

“But—”

“Daddy? Why are you yelling at Lolly?” Ally asked from the doorway.

Chapter Three

Jack turned to stare at his daughter. “Who the hell—I mean, who is Lolly, sweetheart?”

Lauren cleared her throat. “My little brother used to call me that because it’s easier to say than Lauren. It’s about the only L word children learn quickly. I told Ally she could call me Lolly.”

Jack glared at her. “I guess that’s better than calling you—Never mind. I still don’t think her staying here is a good idea.”

“Suppose we try it for a few days. If it’s not working out, you can find another place.”

And suddenly Jack could no longer argue. He didn’t have the stamina. Maybe that was why they called her The Shark. The woman was relentless. “I’m going to keep looking. When I find a place, I’m putting her in it. So be prepared.”

He spun around to leave and found himself facing his daughter. “Sweetheart, you’re going to stay with—with Lolly until I can find a place for you to go to school.”

Ally’s face broke into a big smile. “I like that.”

Muttering about women, Jack stalked down the hall.

LAUREN’S SMILE matched Ally’s. “I hope you’re happy staying here, Ally. I am.”

“I love it, Lolly. Maybe Daddy won’t ever be able to find a place for me!”

“Well, it will only be for four weeks, sweetheart. Then I’ll have to go back to work.”

“Where do you work?”

“Downtown. Maybe I can take you down there one day, and we could have lunch.”

“Will Daddy go with us?”

“No. He’ll be working here. But we’d be back before he finished work. We’ll talk to him about it.”

That was one conversation she dreaded.

THE WEEK PROGRESSED quietly. Lauren did her grocery shopping and made her trip to the art supply store at night, not testing Jack’s patience about taking Ally out in the car.

On Friday, her day was spent in the kitchen, with Ally beside her, supposedly helping, getting ready for dinner that night.

“Who is coming?” Ally asked again.

“My baby brother, the one who used to use the desk.”

“Is he my age?”

“No, he’s almost twenty-two.”

Ally’s eyes got large. “That’s lots older, isn’t it?”

“Yes. He lives in his own apartment, and he’s bringing a friend who lives there, too.”

“Aren’t you making a lot of food?”

“Yes, I decided I’d freeze some for later.”

Ally gave her a confused look.

“You know, like ice cream. It stays good until you thaw it out.”

“Oh.”

It was just before noon when Lauren finally slid two large casserole dishes into the oven. “Now we need to fix lunch. Your daddy will be hungry.”

“Me, too.”

Lauren made roast beef sandwiches and sent Ally to call her father. The child came running back down the hall.

“Daddy said in a little while.”

Lauren took Ally’s hand and went back down the hall. As she suspected, Jack was working away, with no knowledge that he’d said no to lunch.

“Jack?”

“Uh-huh?”

“I want you to come to lunch. It’s all ready.”

“Just a minute,” he muttered.

“Do you need some help?”

“Yeah, can you come hold this in place while I nail it?” he asked, still focused on his work.

Lauren did as he asked. She didn’t realize quite how close she would have to get to him. But as she held the wood, his arms went completely around her to nail it in place. His rock-hard chest pressed against her, leaving her no avenue of escape.

She couldn’t help wonder what it would be like to have his arms around her for real, pulling her into a kiss.

“Okay, now we can go.”

His words cut into her heated reverie. “Go where?”

“To lunch. You said it’s ready now.”

“Right.” That was why she’d come into the office in the first place. Somehow she’d gotten sidetracked.

Ally took his hand. “I’ll show you, Daddy. Lolly’s been cooking all morning.”

He looked at Lauren. “We don’t need anything complicated for lunch.”

“No, I’ve been cooking for this evening. My brother and his friend are coming over for dinner.”

He stared at her. “You can cook?”

“Of course I can. My mother taught me a lot of recipes before she died, and I’ve learned others. Did you think I ate out every evening?”

“I know professional women who do that.”

They had reached the kitchen and the aroma of roast beef lingered in the air. He noticed it at once, his gaze going to the plate on the table. “We’re having roast beef?”

“Yes, is that a problem?”

“Not at all. I love roast beef.”

“Good. Ally thought you did.”

She finished pouring glasses of iced tea for the two adults and milk for Ally. “Okay, Ally, you can say the prayer for us.”

The child did so and then beamed at her father. “It’s a good lunch, isn’t it, Daddy?”

“You bet, honey,” he agreed after taking his first bite. “It’s wonderful. I think I may owe more than five dollars for this one.”

“It’ll average out. Besides, I froze a lot of it.”

“Like ice cream, Daddy.”

“Yeah, I do that, too. Some days, I don’t feel like cooking, but Ally needs a good meal.”

“Yes, she does.”

“Lolly made something else with chicken in it,” Ally said, frowning as she tried to remember what it was.

“Chicken spaghetti, sweetie.” She looked at Jack. “It’s my brother’s favorite.”

“I’ve never heard of that.”

“It’s a casserole that my mother made. All the kids love it.”

“Ah. Down home food.”

“Yes. When one of them asks for that, I know something’s up.”

“So what’s up tonight?”

“The friend is female. He says she doesn’t eat enough and he wants me to feed her. I think he wants me to meet her, but he doesn’t want to say it’s something important.”

“How old is he?”

“Almost twenty-two. He’s the baby.”

“Have any of your other brothers and sisters married?”

“No, none of them.”

“You know, at twenty-two I fell in and out of love every other month. I wouldn’t attach too much to this visit.”

“Maybe. But James makes good decisions.”

“Are any of your other siblings coming this evening?”

“No, just James. One brother, Steve, is in the army and doing his training. The two oldest, Bill and Barry, don’t expect me to cook for them anymore. My sisters are twins, twenty-five. Regina works for a dress designer. We call her Reggie. And her twin Virginia, who we call Ginny, is working on her master’s in history, hoping to go on for her doctorate.”

“If she can afford that, she’s doing well.”

“She works as a waitress to supplement her share of the insurance money.”

Jack just shrugged his shoulders. “That’s not easy. I know what it’s like to have two jobs.” He nodded at Ally. “Speaking of which, I’d better get back to the paying one.” Thanking her for lunch, he went back down the hall to work.

After Lauren put Ally down for her nap, she set the table for dinner for three, wanting everything perfect. She’d even bought fresh flowers the night before for a centerpiece. Now she did the arrangement and put it in the middle of the table.

She chose some soft music on the stereo to play during dinner. Just as she was moving away, they broke into the music for a weather alert. Bad weather was moving into the metro area that evening. Possible thunderstorms, even the threat of a tornado.

It was late fall in Dallas. They frequently had tornado alerts, but they seldom materialized. And they could use some rain. They hadn’t had much this fall.

Lauren shrugged her shoulders. Not much she could do about it.

She thought of something she’d been planning to do some research on. Now would be a good time while Ally was sleeping. She moved into her bedroom, where her law books were stored temporarily. She got lost in her work, much as Jack did in his, not thinking of Ally until she heard her tiny whisper.

“Lolly?”

“Oh, sorry, baby, is it time for you to be up?”

“I think so. It’s very dark outside. Did Daddy go home without me?”

Lauren looked out her bedroom window, surprised to see dark clouds. She checked her watch. It was four-thirty, later than Ally usually slept, but it shouldn’t be totally dark outside.

She hurried to the television and turned it to the Weather Channel. They were predicting a big storm at any moment, with possible tornadic activity. Lauren wasn’t sure what to do.

Deciding not to bother Jack, since there was nothing he could do, she found a game Ally could play and used it to distract her.

“I love chutes and ladders,” Ally exclaimed as they played a second game.

“Yes, it’s fun, isn’t it? Does Daddy play it with you?”

“Sometimes. But I have to take my bath and get in bed. So we play it on Saturdays.”

“I see.”

“Can we go see if Daddy wants to play now?”

“Well, he’s working. But it’s almost time for him to stop. Maybe we’d better go tell him about the storm.”

About that time, the rain began. It was thundering down hard, and she wasn’t surprised to see Jack at the windows, staring out.

“We came to tell you about the storm,” Lauren announced from the door.

“Yeah, I’ve noticed. It’s coming down pretty hard.”

“Yes.”

“When are your dinner guests arriving?”

“At six. I think I need to go put the casserole in the oven to heat up in case the electricity goes out.”

“Does that happen much here?”

“I don’t know. I just moved in a month ago. We sold the family home and divided up the money between the seven of us. I bought this place then. The owner was selling each unit by itself. I was lucky and got the owner’s place.”

“Go on and put it in the oven. Ally can help me pack up.”

“You can’t leave in this downpour. You’ll need to wait the storm out here. It’s too dangerous to drive in it.”

“We don’t want to get in your way. We’ll be fine.”

“That makes no sense. You’ll probably be doing me a favor. I’ll have a lot of food prepared and they probably won’t come.”

She went to the kitchen to start heating the casserole. Then she looked for candles. Just in case.

She put the candles where she could easily find them.

Just then, the doorbell rang. It was five-fifteen, too early for her guests. She hurried to the door and swung it open. Bill and Barry were standing on the front porch. “Hi. What are you two doing here?”

“We wanted to make sure you were doing okay in your new place. With a storm like this, you might have problems,” Barry said as he moved inside.

“But you shouldn’t have driven in this storm,” Lauren protested.

“We didn’t think it would get this bad,” Bill confessed. “If we hadn’t been over halfway here, we would’ve gone back.”

“Come on in and dry off. There are some towels in the bathroom.”

She went to her bedroom and found some sleep shirts her brothers could wear. “These aren’t good-looking, like your shirts, but they are dry.”

About that time, Jack and Ally came down the hall. “Oh, Jack, these are my brothers, Bill and Barry. They came to check up on me. This is Jack Mason. He’s working on my office.”

They all shook hands. Then the guys asked to see what Jack had done so far in the room.

“You might as well show them, Jack. You can’t possibly take Ally out in this.”

As they went past the dining room, the guys noticed the dinner table set for three. “You two were invited to dinner?” Barry asked.

“No, I think your brother James and a friend were having dinner with Lauren,” Jack said evenly, showing no resentment at Barry’s tone.

“Are they still doing that?” Bill asked. “I thought he would’ve gotten over that after a few weeks.”

“I believe he’s bringing someone to meet your sister.”

“A girl? Is he bringing a girl? What’s wrong with the boy?” Barry demanded. “You don’t do that unless you’re planning on doing something permanent. He’s not even twenty-two yet. Has he lost his mind?”

By that time, they’d reached the office and Jack showed them his drawing of what the room should look like when he’d finished.

“Hey, this will be nice,” Bill exclaimed.

Before anything else could be said, they all heard the doorbell ring again.

“Damn, he shouldn’t be bringing a girl here,” Barry protested again.

“Maybe we should wait a minute and give Lauren a chance to meet her without any protests from you two,” Jack said with a grin. “It might make it hard on James.”

“You know James?” Bill asked.

“No, Lauren told me about him at lunch.”

“You ate lunch with Lauren?”

“She insists on making lunch every day for us. I’m deducting a certain amount from my bill. She’s also taking care of Ally, too, until I can find someone to take her.”

“Cute kid, but did Lauren volunteer for that? I mean, she works long hours. I don’t see—”

“You didn’t know she’s not working for four weeks?”

The two men stared at Jack, their mouths open. Then they whirled around as one and started back to the front of the house.

“Uh-oh. Looks like I spilled the beans. We’d better go apologize to Lauren,” he muttered, taking Ally’s hand.

“I didn’t see any beans, Daddy.”

“I know, honey, but I should’ve.”

They reached the kitchen just as the two older brothers were greeting the other two guests. Lauren introduced Jack and Ally to James and a beautiful young woman named Cheryl.

Before Jack could say anything, Barry demanded to know why his sister wasn’t working for four weeks. Lauren shot Jack a look, obviously understanding how that information had gotten out.

“I’m taking some time off. Why? Is that a problem?”

All three brothers stared at her. Finally, Bill said, “No, not if that’s what you want to do.”

“Yes, it is. I’m getting settled in my new place. And I’m taking care of Ally while Jack works.”

“Oh, sure. We didn’t realize Jack was a friend.” Bill shot a look at Jack, obviously reevaluating his status as friend—or maybe more than friend.

Jack looked at Lauren, but he said nothing.

“Yes, well, I’ll need to add a few places to the table,” Lauren said, not bothering to explain, as she had to Jack earlier that day.

“May I help?” Cheryl asked, and Lauren immediately gave her something to do, making her feel welcome.

Within minutes, Lauren had expanded her dinner for three to dinner for seven. She added more broccoli to the pot and cut up more salad. She put Bill and Barry to peeling more potatoes, and suggested to James that he entertain Jack and Ally.

Just as they sat down to dinner the electricity went out. Lauren found the candles and matches and they ate their dinner by candlelight. Outside, the storm raged.

“I like this dinner, Lauren. What did you call the casserole?” Jack asked.

“Chicken spaghetti. It was one of Mom’s favorites.”

“Yeah, I love it,” James said, smiling at Cheryl.

“I’d love the recipe,” Cheryl said softly, looking at Lauren.

“Of course. Mom got it out of a church cookbook, so it didn’t originate with her. But it’s very filling and has a lot of good things in it,” Lauren explained.

“It’s a good thing you fixed a lot of it,” James said, “since Bill and Barry arrived.”

“You think we shouldn’t check on Lauren?” Barry demanded.

“You know I always come on Friday,” James pointed out.

“Yeah, but this is a bad storm. We were afraid she might find she had a leak or something like that,” Bill said. “You never know in a new place until it’s tested.”

A crack of thunder emphasized his words.

“Ooh, that was close,” Lauren said, staring out the window.

Ally whimpered, and her father comforted her. “We’re okay, baby. Don’t worry.”

Cheryl said, “I haven’t seen a storm like this before.”

“I remember a bad one when we were little,” Bill said. “We were frightened, but Mom and Dad calmed us down.”

“Yes, they were good at that,” Lauren said. “It’s different when you’re the adult. It’s easier to convince a child.”

“Yeah,” James agreed. “You used to tell me everything was all right.”

“But I was right, wasn’t I?” Lauren asked.

“Yeah, but—” Just then a booming crack of thunder resounded. “Do you want to tell me again?”

“I don’t think it works as well when you’re an adult.”

Lauren almost ducked at another loud boom of thunder. “Maybe we should just pretend it isn’t storming.”

Jack gave her a skeptical look.

She squared her jaw and got up from the table. “How about dessert? I made carrot cake.”

Her brothers showed enthusiasm, but Cheryl and Jack looked a little unsure.

James leaned over to Cheryl. “You’ll love it, honey. It’s one of Lauren’s specialties.”

“I’m willing to try it, but I’ve never had it before.” Cheryl gave Lauren a smile.

“Don’t worry. I won’t be upset if you don’t like it. James, will you get some saucers, and Bill, some clean forks, please?”

She took one of the candles from the table into the kitchen. The cake was heavy and she realized she couldn’t carry it and the candle at the same time. “Barry? I need some help here.”

She heard footsteps and assumed Barry had come to assist her. “Thanks. The cake is too heavy and—”

Turning around, she almost dropped the cake when she realized it was Jack who had followed her to the kitchen. “What happened to Barry?”

“He was still eating chicken so I volunteered. You needed help?”

Help was just what she needed. Help from her brother, not Jack. Somehow just being alone with him in the kitchen was making her nervous. She could feel her heart pick up the pace, and her voice was breathless when she finally responded, “You can take the cake.”

Jack reached out for it and, underestimating the heft, nearly dropped it. Acting on instinct, she flung out her arms and they met his hands as he got a tighter grip on the plate.

From the mere contact she felt a sizzle course from her hands up her arms, jolting her with its intensity. Pulling back as if burned, she grabbed the candle and spun toward the door, trying not to let Jack know she was running away.

The quick motion extinguished the flame on the candle, plunging the kitchen into darkness.

In her haste to escape, she ran into something hard, warm and…all male.

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