Must Like Kids. Jackie Braun
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balanced meal.
In the rearview mirror, she watched his face scrunch up. “Can’t it be cheeseburgers? Please, please, please!”
Danielle sighed, and in a superior tone, said, “He only wants the toy that comes with the children’s meal.”
She was nine, going on nineteen. It scared Julia sometimes, how serious and mature her daughter could be.
“You’ve got that line between your eyebrows, Mommy,” Colin observed. “Does that mean you’re thinking about it?”
To ward off further argument, Julia said, “Maybe.”
A snort sounded from the backseat. “When parents say they’re thinking about something or use the word maybe, it means no,” Danielle said. “Mom has been thinking about letting me go to art camp for a month now.”
Julia caught a glimpse of her daughter’s mutinous expression. “I am thinking about it. I haven’t ruled it out, Danielle.”
Where the camp was located and how much it cost weren’t what caused Julia’s stomach to drop. A full week away? Could Danielle handle that? Could Julia?
“I really want to go,” her daughter said quietly.
“I want to go, too!” Colin shouted. “Can I go, too, Mommy?”
“You can’t,” Danielle insisted. “It’s not for babies. Besides, you can’t even color inside the lines!”
Colin sent up a wail that rivaled a fire truck’s siren. By the time they reached the baseball diamond fifty-five minutes and one stop at the deli later, Julia had a raging headache. She barely had a chance to shift the car into Park before Colin was unbuckled and out the door.
“Hey! Come back and get your bag!” she called after him before he could get too far.
Julia had enough to tote, what with lawn chairs and a portable canopy that she kept on hand to shield them from the blazing afternoon sun. Danielle was of little help since she was carrying the bottles of water they’d picked up at the deli.
As Julia slammed the trunk closed, a slick, black sports coupe with tinted windows pulled into the parking space next to hers. It came as no surprise when Alec unfolded himself from the driver’s side of the
foreign-made two-seater. If a car could scream “no kids,” this one would.
He was still dressed in a suit, although he’d thought to loosen his tie. Mirrored, designer lenses shaded his eyes. His appearance said important. It said, I wield power. He looked like anything but a fun-loving family man.
“I’ve got my work cut out for me,” Julia muttered and forced a smile.
It didn’t help that the first words out of his mouth were a complaint. “It’s broiling out here.”
“Be thankful we’re the home team today. Fans of the visiting team will be looking straight into the sun for the entire game.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
She shrugged. “I told you to change your clothes.”
She had, happily trading in heels and a skirt for shorts and flat sandals when they’d grabbed dinner at the deli. “This is T-ball.”
“I didn’t have time to stop off at my apartment if I wanted make it here on time. Our meeting earlier aside, I do try to be punctual.”
She nodded her acceptance of what she figured he intended as an apology. “You might want to lose the suit coat.”
“No need to say that twice.”
As Alec shrugged out of it, she tried not to stare, but her gaze was pulled to the firm upper body showcased in the tailored cotton dress shirt. Genetics alone weren’t responsible for those shoulders or that chest. He might spend a lot of hours behind a desk, but he made time for exercise. When her gaze returned to his face, she realized he was watching her. One side of his mouth was lifted in amusement. Heat that had nothing to do with the soaring mercury suffused her face.
She cleared her throat. “The tie, too,” she added after he carefully laid the jacket over his car’s seat.
“You’re the expert.”
He freed the tie with a gentle tug. Even though they were out in public, the gesture came across as intimate.
What was she thinking?
This time, the question Julia posed to herself had nothing to do with her spontaneous invitation to the T-ball game and everything to do with feminine awareness. Hormones she’d forgotten she had, started to sizzle and snap to life. It was ridiculous. It was a relief, a small voice whispered. Flustered, Julia glanced away, only to have her gaze land on Danielle, who was watching her, too.
“Who is this?” her daughter demanded bluntly.
Julia would have a word with her later about her manners. For now she said, “This is Mr. McAvoy. He’s a client. Alec, these are my children, Danielle and Colin.”
Danielle was undeterred. “Why is he here?”
“Isn’t that obvious?” Colin said. “He wants to watch my game.”
“That’s right, champ.” Alec touched the brim of her son’s cap. The gesture came off as choreographed and his words sounded overly enthusiastic. While Julia gave him points for trying, his awkwardness around kids came through loud and clear.
Danielle rolled her eyes.
“We’re not champs.” Colin lowered his squeaky voice to a confidential whisper. “Just so you know, for T-ball, they don’t even keep score.”
“Oh.” Alec glanced over at Julia, his expression not so much sheepish as unnerved. No doubt about it. He was operating outside his comfort zone.
“Why is he here, Mom?” Danielle demanded again.
“Danielle,” Julia replied in a tone that was stern despite being soft. She sent an apologetic smile in Alec’s direction.
“It’s all right.”
It wasn’t, but Julia told her daughter, “Mr. McAvoy
doesn’t have children, but he needs to know a little bit more about them for his job. So, I have agreed to help him.”
“You’re not dating, though. Right?”
“No!”
“Good.” What was that supposed to mean? Danielle didn’t give Julia much of a chance to wonder, before adding, “So, we’re guinea pigs?”
“Actually, I think I’m the guinea pig,” Alec replied.
Danielle’s brows drew together in consideration. “Kids are a lot of work, you know.”
“So I’ve been told.”
“Think you’re up to it?” she asked baldly. “Most single men aren’t.”
He glanced over at Julia, who smiled weakly. She’d never said as much out loud, but she was left to wonder if that was the message she’d been telegraphing.
“I hope so,” he answered. “My job is sort of depending on it.”
“You came to the right person,” Colin assured him with a gap-toothed grin. “Our mom knows everything.”
Alec wasn’t much for know-it-alls, but when they looked like Julia Stillwell, he was willing to make an exception, especially if her efforts succeeded in turning around his public image and professional future.
He had to admit, her kids seemed bright and well-adjusted...if a little outspoken in the daughter’s case. The apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree apparently. It was clear Julia loved them and, just as importantly, put them first. That was something his ex-girlfriend hadn’t done. Something his parents