Twelfth Night Proposal
Twelfth Night Proposal
Karen Rose Smith
To love, or not to love?That is the question for widower Leo Montgomery, a boat designer who'd do anything to make his little .girl happy–except let himself fall for her sweet-faced nanny. Even if that nanny is staying in the bedroom riext door. And even if he can't keep khis mind off Verity Sumpter. Because beneath her drab clothes and plain-Jane glasses he senses there is a beautiful woman who could fill his heart with joy. And a woman who seems as wary of embracing love as he is. Still, can Leo find the courage to put a new spin on this beloved old play…?
“I’m exactly where I want to
be right now,”
Verity murmured softly, and he felt himself leaning toward her. Leo imagined she had slightly leaned toward him. The urge to reach out and run his thumb along her cheek was so strong, he balled his hand into a fist. He didn’t know what was going on today, but he didn’t like it.
Leo was twelve years older than this young woman who’d begun to fascinate him. He’d never given a glance to younger women before. Not only was she younger, but Leo saw vulnerability and innocence in Verity’s eyes. He could be wrong, but he doubted it. No matter what her life story, it was safest for him to keep his distance.
That was exactly what he was going to do.
Dear Reader,
What is the best gift you ever received? Chances are it came from a loved one and reflects to some degree the love you share. Or maybe the gift was something like a cruise or a trip to an exotic locale that raised the hope of finding romance and lasting love. Well, it’s no different for this month’s heroes and heroines, who will all receive special gifts that extend beyond the holiday season to provide a lifetime of happiness.
Karen Rose Smith starts off this month’s offerings with Twelfth Night Proposal (#1794)—the final installment in the SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE continuity. Set during the holidays, the hero’s love enables the plain-Jane heroine to become the glowing beauty she was always meant to be. In The Dating Game (#1795) by Shirley Jump, a package delivered to the wrong address lands the heroine on a reality dating show. Julianna Morris writes a memorable romance with Meet Me under the Mistletoe (#1796), in which the heroine ends up giving a widower the son he “lost” when his mother died. Finally, in Donna Clayton’s stirring romance Bound by Honor (#1797), the heroine receives a “life present” when she saves the Native American hero’s life.
When you’re drawing up your New Year’s resolutions, be sure to put reading Silhouette Romance right at the top. After all, it’s the love these heroines discover that reminds us all of what truly matters most in life.
With all best wishes for the holidays and a happy and healthy 2006.
Ann Leslie Tuttle
Associate Senior Editor
Twelfth Night Proposal
Karen Rose Smith
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
To Jeanne Smith—Appreciation for the Bard was one of our first connections. Thanks for your friendship and support. With thanks to Stella Bagwell, my Texas Gulf authority.
Books by Karen Rose Smith
Silhouette Romance
* (#litres_trial_promo)Adam’s Vow #1075
* (#litres_trial_promo)Always Daddy#1102
* (#litres_trial_promo)Shane’s Bride#1128
† (#litres_trial_promo)Cowboy at the Wedding#1171
† (#litres_trial_promo)Most Eligible Dad #1174
† (#litres_trial_promo)A Groom and a Promise #1181
The Dad Who Saved Christmas #1267
‡ (#litres_trial_promo)Wealth, Power and a Proper Wife #1320
‡ (#litres_trial_promo)Love, Honor and a Pregnant Bride #1326
‡ (#litres_trial_promo)Promises, Pumpkins and Prince Charming #1332
The Night Before Baby #1348
‡ (#litres_trial_promo)Wishes, Waltzes and a Storybook Wedding #1407
Just the Man She Needed #1434
Just the Husband She Chose #1455
Her Honor-Bound Lawman #1480
Be My Bride? #1492
Tall, Dark & True #1506
Her Tycoon Boss #1523
Doctor in Demand #1536
A Husband in Her Eyes #1577
The Marriage Clause #1591
Searching for Her Prince #1612
With One Touch #1638
The Most Eligible Doctor #1692
Once Upon a Baby…#1737
Twelfth Night Proposal #1794
Silhouette Special Edition
Abigail and Mistletoe #930
The Sheriff’s Proposal #1074
His Little Girl’s Laughter #1426
Expecting the CEO’s Baby #1535
Their Baby Bond #1588
Take a Chance on Me #1599
Which Child Is Mine? #1655
Cabin Fever#1682
Silhouette Books
The Fortunes of Texas
Marry in Haste…
Logan’s Legacy
A Precious Gift
KAREN ROSE SMITH
award-winning author of over fifty published novels, enjoyed Shakespeare’s works when she studied them in college. As an English teacher, she particularly liked sharing them with her ninth and tenth graders, encouraging appreciation for the Bard’s plot lines, language and grasp of universal emotions. Then she never suspected crafting emotional and romantic stories would become her life’s work! Married for thirty-four years, she and her husband reside in Pennsylvania with their two cats, Ebbie and London. Readers can e-mail Karen through her Web site at www.karenrosesmith.com (http://www.karenrosesmith.com) or write to her at P.O. Box 1545, Hanover, PA 17331.
Cast of Characters
Leo Montgomery (Lead Character)—This angst-ridden dad thought he’d lost the only love of his life. Until he hired a nanny for his daughter and found her taking up residence in his home…and heart!
Verity Sumpter (Lead Character)—Ever since her twin brother’s death, this plain Jane had kept her true self hidden behind shapeless clothes and wire-rimmed glasses. But the widower and his adorable daughter suddenly had her wanting to shed her drab attire and embrace life.…
Heather Montgomery (Supporting Character)—This bubbly three-year-old longed for a mother. And she’d found the perfect candidate in her new nanny. But how could she convince her stubborn dad that sometimes children really do know best?
Contents
Prologue (#u25406131-657b-5b59-b9d3-5644ddf2d247)
Chapter One (#u516d7301-7aae-59df-8490-872ed78cb638)
Chapter Two (#u64a79d32-9fff-5483-96ac-790edc71c16c)
Chapter Three (#u553a2c17-b619-5c9b-92d4-4650eda93d89)
Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Prologue
Montgomery Boat Company
Avon Lake, Texas
Glancing at the TV in his office, Leo Montgomery saw paradise. Well, a spot that was supposed to be paradise. There was a lake and grass and trees and a guy dressed in a tuxedo. But it wasn’t the guy who captured Leo’s attention.
There was a woman. The perfect fantasy woman.
Leo glimpsed her face for a moment—maybe half a moment—less time than it took to take a breath. He caught the sparkling, huge brown eyes. Then she was turning…away from him. When she turned, his palms tingled to touch her long, curly brown hair with its red highlights reflecting the sun. The dress she wore was some wispy material. It was short and bared most of her back, the fabric molding to her long legs as she walked away from the camera and away from him. She handed the guy in the tuxedo a can of soda. Large red letters proclaimed its name—ZING. Leo’s gaze was still on the woman’s back and those curls. When she lifted a parasol, tilted it over her shoulder and walked away, the letters on the parasol spelled ZING, The Fantasy Soda. As the jingle for ZING filled the airwaves, she disappeared into the trees.
To Leo’s amazement, he found himself aroused…stirred in a way he hadn’t been stirred for a very long time. Since well before Carolyn’s death two years ago, for sure.
Giving himself a mental shake, willing his libido to calm down, Leo flicked off the TV with the remote. That fantasy woman on the screen was just that—a fantasy. He knew better than most men that fantasies don’t become reality. On the other hand, however, maybe he should think about getting involved with someone from his country club. As his sister, Jolene, told him often, Heather needed a mother. His daughter needed more than the nanny-housekeeper Jolene had just hired.
Heather needed a mother, and he didn’t want to sleep alone for the rest of his life.
Although the cursor on the computer screen blinked before him, Leo couldn’t forget the fantasy woman’s mass of reddish-brown curls, those long legs, that bare back.
He couldn’t remember a feature on the model’s face, but he supposed that was the whole idea—to charge a man’s fantasy. Nevertheless, Leo wasn’t the type of man to dwell on fantasies when reality was sitting right in front of him.
He checked the information on the computer with the boatyard orders on his desk. The dream woman forgotten, work filled his head. That’s the way he wanted it for now. Jolene’s advice might be sound, but he wasn’t ready for it. He wasn’t ready for involvement or commitment.
That’s just the way it was.
Chapter One
“Montgomery here,” Leo said as he flipped open his silver cell phone and stepped away from the boat trailer into the hot December sun.
“This is Verity. Heather’s nanny.”
The fact that he had to be reminded of her job position spoke of how little he’d paid attention to the new nanny. Maybe that was because he expected her to come and go as the rest had. Maybe it was because of her glasses, tied-back hair and oversize T-shirts. For almost a month she’d moved around like a ghost in his house, seemingly quite capable, as Jolene had predicted she would be, yet definitely always in the background.
Now he was on the alert because this call most probably concerned his daughter. “Verity, what is it?”
“It’s Heather. I didn’t want to bother you, but I thought you should know that she fell against the coffee table in the great room and cut her forehead.”
Leo’s heart pounded and he felt panic grip him. “Is she all right? Did you take her to the emergency room?”
“I applied pressure and used a butterfly bandage, but you might want to have her checked. Just tell me what you’d like me to do.”
Merely three, with her light-brown, wavy hair and her blue, blue eyes, all Heather had to do was look at him and his heart melted. The thought of her hurt—
“I’ll be right there. Fifteen minutes tops. Is she crying? Is she upset?”
Verity’s voice was helpfully patient. “She’s sitting in my lap, sucking her thumb with her head on my shoulder.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I tell my foreman where I’m going. Keep her calm and call me if you see any change.”
“Yes, Mr. Montgomery.”
Leo headed for the production plant.
Fifteen minutes later he arrived at his house in a select section of Avon Lake, Texas, where the houses in his development were quietly luxurious. His ranch house sat back from the curb with a curved drive leading to it. He left the car in the driveway and hurried to the front door.
Usually when he came home, he was filled with the same sense of well-being he felt at the boatyard. Today dread clouded his thoughts as it had when he’d learned about Carolyn’s brain tumor. What if Heather had seriously injured herself? What if she had a concussion?
His boots sounded on the ceramic tile floor in the entrance foyer as he headed straight ahead for the great room. The fireplace, cathedral ceiling and skylights made it his favorite room in the house. He barely noticed any of that now as he hurried to the denim sofa where Verity was seated with Heather. His daughter was dressed in red overalls with a little white sweater underneath. Her cheeks were pink and tear-stained, and her eyes were wide, as she kept her head on Verity’s shoulder and stared up at him.
“Hello, baby,” he said as he went to take her into his arms. To his surprise she hung on to Verity.
Verity whispered to her, “Go with Daddy.”
But Heather shook her head, held on even tighter and mumbled around her thumb, “I wanna stay wif you.”
Leo felt a stab to his heart.
With understanding eyes, Verity looked up at him, and Leo saw her, really saw her, for the first time since she’d been hired. There was a quiet equanimity about her that had calmed him from the first moment he’d met her. She was young—twenty-two. Her major in college had been early childhood education, and in the short time she’d been with him, she handled Heather as if she knew exactly what she was doing. He had a feeling that had more to do with natural ability than any schooling. Her blue wire-rim glasses had always distracted him from looking at her eyes before now. They were a beautiful brown, the color of teak. Her hair, tied back in a low ponytail, looked silky and soft. Her face was a classic oval, and her nose turned up just a bit at the tip. Although here on the Gulf most residents were suntanned, he noticed Verity’s skin was creamy white.
“She’s still upset,” Verity said.
“Instead of the E.R., we’ll take her to the pediatrician. I called him on the drive here. He said to bring her right in.”
With utmost gentleness, Verity stroked Heather’s hair. “Do you want me to go along?”
“I don’t think I can pry her away from you,” he responded wryly, realizing how that bothered him. Apparently, Heather had connected with this nanny. He was grateful for that, yet—
“Let’s go,” he directed gruffly, and would have turned to leave, but then he realized he’d been doing everything in a hurry lately. He’d also been working long hours. How many nights had he put Heather to bed since Verity had arrived and started caring for her?
Apparently not enough.
“Let’s go with Daddy,” Verity murmured to the little girl.
Leo looked at Verity again and found himself thinking how pretty she was, even though she was sloppily dressed. He found himself liking the sound of her voice. He found himself…getting stirred up in a way a man shouldn’t around a nanny.
Their gazes connected and, in a flash, he saw the same man-woman awareness in her eyes that he was feeling. Then she glanced away, and he was glad. He certainly didn’t want to delve further into that.
In his SUV, driving toward the doctor’s office, an awkward silence surrounded them.
Leo headed north on Lonestar Way, Avon Lake’s main thoroughfare, leading toward the college side of town. The college housed about 10,000 students, and the town itself had a growing population of more than 7,000 now. But Leo knew Avon Lake would always keep that small-town flavor. At least, he hoped it would.
Heather’s pediatrician was located in one of the old houses near the college. Leo knew Verity took a course at the campus once a week, though he didn’t know much else about her, except what she’d given on her résumé. She’d attended college at the University of Texas and had been born and bred in Galveston.
Maybe because of his reaction to her for those few moments, maybe because her silence made him wonder what she was thinking, he asked her, “What course are you taking this semester?”
As she shifted in her seat, he felt her gaze fall upon him. “I’m not taking a class officially. When I accepted the position with you in November, I was too late to register for the term. But I’m auditing a class on children’s play techniques.”
“You’re working on your master’s?”
“Yes, I hope to. I have an advisor now. I’ll be meeting with him soon to choose courses for next term.”
“It’s hard to believe Christmas is less than a month away. Did you have an enjoyable Thanksgiving?”
They hadn’t talked since then, and Leo didn’t even know where she’d gone. She’d left early in the morning and come back late that evening after he and Heather had returned from dinner at Jolene’s.
Quiet for a few moments, Verity finally answered, “It was fine.”
Casting a sideways glance at her, his interest was piqued, maybe because of everything she wasn’t saying. “Did you spend it with family?”
“No. I went to Freeport for the day.”
“And met friends?”
Again, that little silence, and then she shook her head. “No, I had dinner, then I drove to the beach for a while.”
Now he was even more intrigued. Didn’t she have family? Why would she spend the holiday alone? If he asked those questions, he’d become more involved than he wanted to be.
Heather suddenly called from the back in her superfast baby voice. “Vewitee. Vewitee. I wanna feed duckee and go for ice cweam.”
Verity gave her full attention to Heather as she turned. “Not today, honey. We have to go to the doctor’s so he can look at your head.”
“No doctor. I wanna feed duckees.”
Peering into the rearview mirror to see his daughter, Leo caught sight of her lower lip pouting out. He hated to see her cry. “What if we go feed the ducks after the doctor looks at your head?”
After thinking about that for a few moments, she returned, “Ice cweam, too?”
“It’s going to be close to supper. Maybe we could stop at the Wagon Wheel and get that chicken you like so much. They have ice cream for dessert.”
“Chicken and ice cweam!” Heather said gleefully.
Verity laughed, a pure, free sound that entranced Leo, as she commented, “Ducks, chicken and ice cream all in one day. She’s going to hold you to every one of those.”
“Like an elephant never forgets?” he asked with a chuckle.
“Something like that. I can’t believe how her vocabulary is growing, just in the few weeks I’ve been here. Each day she’s becoming more coordinated, too. I’ve seen it before, of course, with the children I’ve worked with, but just caring for one child, and seeing her change almost daily, is absolutely amazing.”
“I know Jolene probably mentioned it, but I don’t remember how you heard about the position with me,” he prompted.
“I have a friend in the career counseling office at UT. She knew I was looking for a change, called me and told me about it.”
“A change from what you were doing or where you were living?”
“Both.”
That concise word was the end of the conversation unless Leo wanted to pursue it. He didn’t.
Sitting beside Verity, smelling the floral scent of her shampoo or lotion, very much liking the sound of her laughter, he felt as if he were awakening from a long sleep. It was disconcerting. He’d gotten used to his life, and although Jolene often told him he was in a rut, ruts were damned comfortable.
Activities in the town of Avon Lake often revolved around the small lake. After Leo unfastened Heather from her car seat and lifted her to the ground, she took Verity’s hand and ran toward the black and gray ducks on the grassy shoreline.
In a few quick strides, Leo caught up to them, the bag of crackers he’d bought at a convenience store in his hand. “Wait a minute. You forgot something. You can’t feed them if you don’t have the food.”
When Heather stopped short, let go of Verity’s hand and ran back to him, he crouched down. “Do you want me to open the bag or do you want to try it?”
“Me try.”
He handed it to her. But after jabs and pulls and a few squishes, she shook her head, curling tendrils along her cheek bobbing all over the place. “Can’t do it. You open, please.”
Leo knew his daughter’s face was as close to an angel’s as he’d ever see. Taking the bag between his two large hands, he pulled and a corner popped open. “There you go. Break up each one so they have lots of little pieces.”
After Heather nodded vigorously, she took the bag and ran for the lake.
“Wait,” he and Verity called at the same time and ran after her.
As he caught one of Heather’s hands, Verity held her elbow. “Don’t spill the crackers,” she warned with a smile.
The sun’s brilliance was fading into long shadows, though the air was warm and the day was still above 70. Standing by a tall pecan tree, Leo watched Verity as she and Heather sat on the grass and two ducks waddled closer. Heather crushed a cracker in her hand and opened her little fingers, waving her arm in the air. The crumbs blew this way and that. One of the ducks quacked and ran after a piece and she laughed like only a three-year-old could.
The doctor’s exam had gone smoothly and quickly, mostly thanks to Verity. She seemed to be able to read his daughter’s mind…seemed to know what to say to coax her into acquiescence. He didn’t have that knack. He was learning negotiation was the highest skill a parent could master.
As he watched his daughter, he felt removed and didn’t like it. After taking a few steps closer, he sat with Verity and Heather.
Heather offered him the bag. “You feed duckees, too.”
How long had it been since he’d taken time to do just that? Taking one of the crackers from the bag, he broke it into a few pieces and tossed them so Heather could watch the ducks waddle after them.
“I should bring her here more often,” he decided reflectively.
“You could use it as a treat so it doesn’t become old hat.”
Staring into Verity’s brown eyes, feeling that stirring again, he said, “You’re very good with her.”
“Thank you. I’ve been waiting for some kind of sign from you—” She stopped and looked embarrassed.
“Sign?”
“Yes. To know if I’m doing a good job…to know if I’m doing what you want me to do with Heather. She’s a wonderful little girl and I love being with her. But you’re her parent, and I want to make sure she’s learning what you want her to learn.”
What he wanted her to learn.
He knew Verity wasn’t talking about colors and numbers. “Jolene hired you and gave you a seal of approval, so I guess I thought that was enough. As she probably told you, I’ve tried nannies before. After two days, I know whether they’re going to last or not…whether they fit with Heather or not. I fired one because she just wanted to watch TV and read all day and left Heather on her own. Another quit because she said she didn’t have enough free time. You might decide that’s true for you, too.”
“I don’t need much free time.”
Curious, he asked, “Why not?”
“I’m new in town. I really don’t know anyone. So when I’m free, I study for the course I’m auditing, read or knit. I’m not very exciting,” she admitted, her cheeks pinkening a little.
The blush looked good on her. In fact, he was having trouble unlocking his gaze from hers. “You’ll have friends once you start taking more courses. That is, if you stay.”
“I’m exactly where I want to be right now,” she murmured softly, and he felt himself almost leaning toward her. He imagined she had slightly leaned toward him. The urge to reach out and run his thumb along her cheek was so strong he balled his hand into a fist. He didn’t know what was going on today, but he didn’t like it.
After he picked up the bag of crackers, he motioned to Heather. “Come on, let’s feed more ducks. Those over there didn’t get any yet.”
He was twelve years older than this young woman who’d begun to fascinate him. He’d never given a glance to younger women before. Not only was she younger, but he saw vulnerability and innocence in those eyes. He could be wrong, but he doubted it. No matter what her life story, it was safest for him to keep his distance.
That was exactly what he was going to do.
Each stroke of Verity Sumpter’s hairbrush through her hair was meant to be monotonous and soothing, but it wasn’t. All too easily she could imagine Mr. Montgomery’s hands stroking her hair. The thoughts were making her hot, bothered and agitated. From the moment she’d set eyes on Leo Montgomery her heart had tripped a little. If she had to admit it, her heart had tripped a lot. Today was the first he’d noticed her…really noticed her.
He’d probably have noticed her from day one if she’d applied makeup, highlighted her hair, spent the time on spiral curls and dolled herself up, as the casting agent had for that commercial she’d made.
That commercial.
Her twin brother, Sean, had encouraged her to do it and teased her saying, maybe if she did, she’d forget her tomboy days forever. Dear Sean.
When tears came to her eyes, she let them well up this time as she pulled her hair into a ponytail. He’d been gone for eleven months now, and the missing still overwhelmed her sometimes. She and Sean had been as close as any twins could have been. They’d shared secrets and jokes and sports and even attended the same college. He’d screened her dates and she’d always looked over the girls he’d brought home.
When a casting agent had approached her in the library on campus, he’d explained he was looking for college girls to make a series of commercials for a new soda—the company was targeting the college crowd. Verity hadn’t given much thought to the idea until Sean had heard about it. He’d teased, cajoled and coaxed, insisting the experience would be good for her.
Her straight-as-a-ruler hair had become a mass of curls. She’d traded her glasses for contact lenses, and makeup had made her eyes look huge and her lips much fuller. No one knew if the commercial would ever make it to the TV screen, and she hadn’t heard anything from the company other than receiving her payment for the hours she’d worked as a model.
After the shoot, Verity had decided curling her hair for an hour or more, applying makeup and dressing up was all simply too much trouble. The red highlights washed out of her hair, and eventually the curls straightened into looser waves and were caught up in a practical ponytail once more. When one of the soft contact lenses had torn, she’d gone back to using her glasses.
Then, last January, Sean had the skiing accident. When he’d died, her life had fallen apart. She’d gone through the motions to earn her diploma—
Noise in the hall startled Verity. Her bedroom, sitting area and bathroom were located at the opposite end of the house from the master suite and Heather’s bedroom, along with another guest bedroom. Mr. Montgomery took over Heather’s care on the rare nights he was home and, after he’d put Heather to bed, she usually didn’t hear another sound.
Now, however, she heard little feet slapping on the hardwood floor, Leo’s deep baritone calling, “Heather, you come back here,” and the little girl’s giggles as she came closer to Verity’s door.
Verity had crossed into the sitting area when the door burst open and Heather ran through the room, naked, the ends of her hair wet, soapsuds still on her shoulders. The bump on her head hadn’t slowed her down one iota.
Halfway across Verity’s sitting room, Leo stopped. “I shouldn’t have come in here without knocking.”
Verity laughed. “I think Heather took care of announcing you.”
Leo shook his head. “I’ll collect her if she doesn’t squiggle out of my arms again. She is so slippery when she’s wet—”
“And she hates to stand still while you dry her off. I know.”
Her gaze collided with his, and there was that shakingly, fascinating awareness again.
Breaking eye contact, he said, “Since I consider your room to be off-limits to me, do you want me to get her or do you want to do it?”
“I don’t mind if you do,” Verity murmured as she continued to stare at him. Leo was still wearing the black polo shirt and khakis he’d had on that afternoon. He was tanned, and his arm muscles were obvious under the shirtsleeves. His stomach was flat and she suspected hard. His hips were slim.
When he turned, she chastised herself for liking every bit of his backside, too. She couldn’t be attracted to her employer. Besides the fact that she was tired of men letting her down, she was much younger than Leo Montgomery. She’d seen the picture of Heather’s mother in the little girl’s room. Carolyn Montgomery had looked poised with her perfect makeup and blond pageboy. She was absolutely beautiful. Verity imagined any woman would have trouble living up to that. Jolene Connehy, Mr. Montgomery’s sister, had told her honestly that he wasn’t over his wife’s death, even though it had been two years. Verity could understand that. She knew she’d never get over losing Sean.
Leo stepped into Verity’s bedroom, and the very fact that he was so near her double bed disconcerted her. Maybe because ever since this afternoon pictures had been swimming in her head—pictures of Leo kissing her, pictures of her kissing him back.
His gaze had gone to the bed, too, with its white chenille spread, its maple bookcase headboard, where she’d lined up some of her favorite reads. But her mind wasn’t on her books as she said in almost a whisper, “She likes to play hide-and-seek under the bed.”
With a shake of his head, as if he couldn’t believe he was doing this, he got down on his knees and lifted the edge of the spread. His voice was filled with affectionate frustration as he called, “Hey, you. You’ve got to get out from under there and put on some pajamas.”
“I don’t wanna go nighty-night. Wanna play with Vewitee.”
Without hesitation Verity got down on the floor beside Leo. Her shoulder brushed his as she peered under the bed at her little charge. The touch of her shirt against his sent a jolt of adrenaline rushing through her. “If you come out and put on your pj’s, I’ll read you a story.”
“That’s bribery,” Leo murmured very close to her ear, his breath warm on her cheek. Verity shivered.
“Would you rather kneel here and cajole for the next half hour?” she asked him, half joking, half serious.
“I’m too big to fit under the bed, and cajoling isn’t my style.”
“That leaves bribery,” she decided, unable to suppress a grin.
His face was so very close to hers as they focused on Heather. When he turned his head to her, mere inches separated their lips. Leo’s scent was pure male, and his light-brown hair fell over his brow in a rakish way. But it was the gleam of raw hunger in his eyes that kept her immobilized.
Suddenly he cleared his throat, bent lower, and extended his arm under the bed. “Come on, you little hooligan. Verity will read you a story. But don’t think this is going to happen again. Next time I won’t let you out of the bathroom until you have your pj’s on.”
Quickly recovering from whatever had overcome her when she’d been so close to Leo, Verity teased, “You really shouldn’t tell her your strategy.”
“Good advice,” he admitted as Heather started wriggling toward them from under the bed.
“I’ll go get her pajamas. Try to keep her from hiding anyplace else until I get back.”
Verity laughed. “She likes me to brush her hair. I’ll do that.”
Less than five minutes later, Leo had returned with Heather’s pajamas and Verity had helped him get her into them. She watched him as he fastened two small buttons at the three-year-old’s neck, and his fingers fumbled with them. He was such a big man, but he was gentle with his daughter.
“Okay.” He scooped her up into his arms. “To your room.” In the middle of Verity’s sitting area, he stopped. “I just realized you don’t even have a TV in here. The last nanny who stayed here had her own.”
“I don’t need a television. I don’t watch it very much.”
He looked surprised.” You don’t watch reality shows?”
She shook her head.
“Or the Discovery Channel?”
Again she shook her head and gave him a little smile. “I can always find so many things I’d rather do. Listening to music, especially.” She pointed to the CD player on her night stand. “Now that I can’t do without.”
“You can use the stereo system in the great room anytime you want.”
“I noticed you have an extensive collection of Beatles music.”
“Sure do. Play it anytime.”
“That’s kind of you, Mr. Montgomery. I just might.”
“It’s Leo,” he said gruffly.
They’d never really addressed that issue. Jolene had introduced her to her employer as Verity the first time they’d met, but she’d always thought of him as Mr. Montgomery…on purpose. Today, however, everything seemed to have changed.
“Leo,” she repeated softly.
“Vewitee wead me a stowy now?” Heather asked, laying her head on her dad’s shoulder.
“One story coming right up,” Verity assured her.
A short time later Leo stood beside the rocking chair as Verity sat with Heather, rocked and read her a favorite Dr. Seuss book. Heather’s eyes were almost closed as they finished, and Leo lifted her from Verity’s lap and placed her in her crib.
Then he leaned down to her, kissed her forehead and said, “Good night, baby.”
The huskiness in his voice tightened Verity’s throat and she didn’t know why. Maybe because Sean was gone. Maybe because her relationship with her father was strained. Maybe because she suddenly felt so alone.
Standing, she took a deep breath and said, “Nighty-night, Heather. I’ll see you in the morning,” and went to the door.
Leo joined her in the hall.
For a few moments they just stared at each other and a hum of attraction seemed to grow louder and stronger between them. They were standing very close, the toes of Leo’s boots almost touching the toes of her sneakers. He towered a good six inches above her. When she looked up into his blue eyes, her tummy fluttered and her pulse raced. In fact, she almost felt as if she couldn’t catch her breath. Leo didn’t touch her, and she so wished he would. He looked as if he wanted to. He looked as if he wanted to kiss her.
With a shake of his head, he blew out a breath. “Do you feel safe here in this house with me?” he asked.
“Yes!”
“I didn’t realize until tonight how this could look. Your staying here, I mean.”
“I’m your nanny and housekeeper. Nannies often live in the residence where they take care of the children.”
“That’s true, but usually there’s a wife. I don’t want to compromise your reputation.”
“I know who I am. I know why I’m here. What other people think really doesn’t matter to me. Does it matter to you?”
“No, what other people think has never bothered me.”
“Then we’re fine,” she said brightly. “There’s nothing to be concerned about.”
But the expression on his face as well as the wild beating of her heart told her that wasn’t true. Besides that, if he knew how terrifically attracted she was to him, he might fire her. She liked this job, and she was beginning to like Avon Lake.
Tomorrow was Saturday, and to steer toward a safer subject, she asked, “Will you be going to the boatyard tomorrow?” He had worked the last three Saturdays she’d been here.
“For a few hours. I realized today I haven’t been spending enough time with my daughter. That’s going to have to change.”
“I usually have breakfast for Heather around eight-thirty. Do you want to join us?”
After a pause he said, “Yes. I’ll go to the boatyard afterward.” There was an intensity in his gaze when he looked at her that excited her more than she wanted to admit. That excitement was as scary as the loneliness she’d felt as she’d watched Leo put his daughter to bed.
“I’ll see you in the morning, then,” she murmured.
When she turned to go, he finally touched her. His hand clasped her arm, and the feel of his hot skin on hers sent tingles through her whole body.
“Thank you for taking care of Heather so well today.”
“It’s my job.”
Releasing her, he nodded. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
Then she was walking down the hall into the great room, bypassing the kitchen and heading to her suite. Today Leo Montgomery had become more than her employer. She wasn’t sure how their relationship had changed, but she knew she had to be careful or she’d get hurt all over again.
Chapter Two
Verity was selecting clothes from her closet when she heard Heather on the baby monitor chattering to her stuffed animals. Smiling, she pulled on indigo jeans and zipped them, then grabbed a T-shirt that had seen many washings. The soft, blue cotton fell practically to her thighs. Comfort had always come first with her, certainly before fashion or trends or what anyone thought a girl should wear. Climbing trees, riding bikes and playing baseball with Sean had always led her to choose practical clothes.
Heather’s babblings were getting louder now, and Verity left her room and headed for the little girl’s. In the past, Leo had gone to work before she was up. Last night she’d had a restless night, reliving those moments when they’d stood so close, when she’d thought she’d seen something in his eyes that had made her heart jump so fast. This morning, though, in the light of day, she just chalked it all up to her imagination.
Heather stood up in her crib when she saw Verity, grinning from ear to ear. She stuffed a pink elephant—her toy of choice this week—under one arm.
“Good morning, honey,” Verity said, scooping the little girl up into her arms. “I’m hoping that big bed your daddy ordered soon arrives. I’m afraid you’re going to crawl out of this one.”
“I cwawl out,” Heather parroted, swinging Nosy by his trunk.
“Let’s brush your teeth. Then you can decide what you want for breakfast.”
“Waffles wif bluebewies,” she said as if she’d been thinking about it all night.
Laughing, Verity shook her head. “You’ve had those every day this week.”
“Waffles wif bluebewies,” Heather repeated.
“Okay. I’m sure you’ll get tired of them eventually.”
Cooking was a pastime Verity enjoyed. She and Sean and her father had always shared the chore. After she’d gotten her own apartment in college, she’d found experimenting could be fun. Now she was glad she had. Heather could be a picky eater, and coming up with fun and playful ways to serve food was always a challenge.
Fifteen minutes later, teeth brushed, dressed in pink overalls and a matching shirt, Heather ran ahead of Verity to the kitchen. The bandage on her forehead was still in place and she wasn’t paying any attention to it.
Verity hadn’t seen any sign of Leo, but he might be working in his office in the pool house. She’d just started a pot of coffee brewing when a deep male voice made her jump. “Good morning.”
Her hand over her heart, she swiveled toward the back door that led to the patio, pool and pool house. “Mr. Montgomery. I was going to call you when breakfast was ready.”
He was carrying a folded sheet of paper in his hand. “It’s Leo, remember?”
Oh, she remembered.
Without waiting for her response, he went on, “I thought I’d spend some time with Heather while you make breakfast. I realized yesterday I need to give her more attention.”
Verity remembered how Heather had clung to her when Leo had arrived home to take her to the doctor. “I imagine it’s difficult being a single parent.”
“Funny,” Leo said almost to himself, “I don’t think of myself as single. But, yes, it is tough. After Heather’s mother died, I guess I took refuge in work because Jolene was around to help me with Heather…or the nanny of the day. But yesterday when you called and said that Heather was hurt, I realized how very little I have to do with her day-to-day care.”
“You’re running a business.”
“Yes, I am. Montgomery Boats will be her future, if she wants it. But in the meantime, I want to make sure I’m in her life.”
Suddenly Heather ran to Verity with her coloring book. “Look what me did.” She held up a page she had colored. Staying within the lines wasn’t a concept she understood yet, but she knew her colors, and she’d used a lot of them on the page.
When Verity glanced at Leo, she saw the expression on his face and she realized he wished Heather had come to him.
“What a wonderful picture!” Verity exclaimed. “Show your daddy.”
Looking puzzled for a moment, Heather tentatively held up the page to him. Verity could see Leo’s uncertainty in exactly what to say or do. Then he crouched down, put his arm around his daughter, and offered, “That’s a great blue dog. I bet he lives in the same place as pink elephants.”
“Like Nosy,” Heather decided.
“Just like Nosy.”
“Heather insists she wants blueberry waffles for breakfast. Is that all right with you? I could scramble some eggs, too.”
“It’s been a long time since I had more than coffee for breakfast. Why don’t I make the eggs?”
“Are you sure you want to help?”
He pulled one of the chairs over to the counter. “Sure. Heather can help, too. Heather, do you want to learn to crack an egg?”
“I wanna cwack lots of eggs,” Heather said so fast, Verity could hardly catch it.
As Leo took the carton from the refrigerator, he replied, “I think we’ll start with one.”
Verity couldn’t help but watch Leo as he made an effort to give Heather the attention he’d mentioned. He even let her stir the eggs with a fork. After a while, though, she tired of the process and told him, “I’m gonna color now.” Leo lifted her down, and she went over to her miniature table and chairs to do just that.
When he frowned, Verity assured him, “Her attention span for most things is about ten minutes, unless it’s something she’s really into. Coloring is one of those things. Playing with blocks is another.”
“Maybe she will grow up to want to design boats and build ships.”
“Or houses or bridges or skyscrapers,” Verity offered.
“I got it. I have to keep an open mind.”
They smiled at each other and Verity felt all quivery inside. Leo’s smile faded as he gazed at her, and the magnetic pull between them almost seemed to tug her toward him.
Then she remembered what he’d said earlier. I don’t think of myself as single. That obviously meant he still thought of himself as married.
The timer beeped, signaling the first waffle was finished. Verity focused all of her attention into lifting the top of the iron, carefully removing the waffle and ladling in the next one.
The silence in the kitchen grew awkward until she finally asked, “When did you begin designing boats?”
“When I was ten.”
She glanced at him. “What inspired you to do that?”
“My father. He didn’t design boats, but he built them from someone else’s plans. I spent every spare moment I could with him at the boatyard. I loved going out on the water with him, too. He had a real respect for the sea and taught me how to read it.”
“Read it?” That idea fascinated her.
“Anyone can learn to pilot a boat. Instruments these days make the experience almost a no-brainer. But there are still times when the color of the sky, the direction of the clouds, the scent of the water can tell a pilot the story as well as instruments can.”
After Leo took a frying pan from the cupboard, he poured the eggs into it. The scent of the sweet waffles with blueberries, the aroma of coffee brewing, the eggs cooking in the skillet filled the kitchen along with the sound of Heather humming as she colored. The scene was so domestic it took Verity aback for a second. It was almost like a dream she’d had a week ago—a dream in which she’d had a home and a place to belong. But she really didn’t belong here with Leo.
Did she?
Whatever she was feeling toward Leo Montgomery was probably all one-sided, and she’d better put the brakes on it. As his nanny, she was convenient right now. When he no longer needed her, he wouldn’t hesitate to say goodbye, just as Matthew had.
Snatching a topic, any topic, she asked Leo, “How about your mother? Did she like boats and the water, too?”
Leo cast her a sideways glance. “Not on your life. Mom’s a high-heels, I-don’t-want-to-get-my-hair-wet kind of person. She’s never wanted anything to do with the boatyard or the business.”
“Your sister told me she lives in Avon Lake, but she’s away now.”
“Lives in Avon Lake,” Leo repeated. “Officially, I guess. She has an apartment, but rarely uses it for more than a few weeks at a time. She’s become a world traveler.”
“You come from such an interesting family.”
He laughed. “That’s one way of putting it. How about you?”
“Me?”
“Yes. Your parents. What do they do?”
Lifting the waffle iron before the timer went off, she saw the pastry was golden brown. Thankful she could stall for a little time to figure out what to say, she transferred it to a plate and decided to give an honest, short version. “My mother died when my brother and I were born. Sean and I were twins. Dad raised us. He’s an accountant.”
“A twin! That’s great. What does your brother do?”
After Verity swallowed hard, she managed to say, “I lost Sean last January to a skiing accident.” She went to pick up the ladle, but a blur of tears made her fumble it and drop it on the floor.
Leo stooped at the same time she did. His fingers brushed hers, and he took the ladle from her hand. When they both straightened, they were standing much too close, and he was looking down at her with so much compassion she couldn’t blink away the tears fast enough.
“I’m sorry, Verity.”
Embarrassed by the emotion she couldn’t quell, she turned away from him toward the counter and took a few deep breaths. When she felt Leo’s hand on her shoulder, she almost stopped breathing altogether.
“I’m okay,” she murmured, feeling foolish.
Gently he nudged her around to face him. “No, you aren’t. And I understand why. I know what loss feels like. Losing a spouse, losing a twin…Those are bonds that aren’t easily broken.”
“I don’t want the bond to be broken,” she admitted. “Not ever.” Suddenly she realized that’s the way Leo probably felt about his wife. “The eggs are going to burn,” she whispered.
“Can’t let that happen,” he said, and stepped away from her to tend to his part of the breakfast while she picked up a paper towel to wipe waffle batter from the floor.
Putting the breakfast on the table took little effort, but Verity busied herself with it as Leo helped Heather get settled on her booster seat.
Heather pointed to her waffle and looked up at Verity. “Please make a face.”
The first day Verity had made the waffles for Heather, she wasn’t sure if she was going to eat them. But after Verity had used syrup and a dab of butter to make a face on the waffle, Heather had eaten the whole thing. Now Verity fashioned a face again as Heather giggled and Leo looked on, making her feel self-conscious.
Suddenly there was a beep-beep-beep, and Verity realized it came from Leo’s pocket.
After he answered his cell phone, he said, “Jolene. Hi. What’s up? No, I’m not at the boatyard yet. I’m still at home having breakfast.”
His sister must have made some comment about that because he explained, “I just needed some time with Heather. She hurt herself yesterday, and I realized I haven’t been around very much.” Then he explained what had happened.
After a long pause he responded, “I’m going to the boatyard as soon as I’m finished. I’m sure Heather would love it if you would pick her up and take her to the arts festival at the lake.”
Today artists would have their work displayed all around Avon Lake. There would be vendors with various foods, activities for kids and wandering musicians. Verity had thought about taking Heather there herself.
Now she said to Leo, “I’d be glad to take Heather and meet Jolene there. I want to go, too.”
After Leo relayed what Verity had said to his sister, he asked Verity, “Around ten at the Shakespeare statue?”
Verity nodded. “Sounds good.”
Leo closed the phone, reattached it to his belt and asked, “Are you sure you don’t mind driving Heather there?”
“I don’t mind. Really. I was planning to go after you got home.”
“Will you buy a painting?” he asked jokingly.
“Actually, I might, if I see something I like. If that’s okay with you. I mean, hanging it.”
“I’m not a landlord who’s going to keep your security deposit if you put too many holes in the walls.” His blue eyes were amused.
“I’ve just never been in this kind of position before,” she said truthfully. “I don’t know the rules.”
“No rules, Verity. As long as you put Heather first, that’s all that matters.”
He was absolutely right on that score. She would put Heather first, of course, and try to block Leo Montgomery from her dreams.
Leo parked in a lot near the lake. As he’d sat in his office, studying each page of the new sales brochure, he hadn’t been able to keep his mind on it. He hadn’t been able to keep his mind off Verity. So he’d put in two hours, then driven to the festival.
His life had become a treadmill of work, putting Heather to bed now and then, sleep and more work. Even before Carolyn died, he’d started putting in longer hours. Had it been because of her remoteness? Had it been because he’d sensed she was keeping something from him?
She’d been keeping something from him all right…for three months—her brain tumor.
No point in thinking about that now. No point in thinking about how her lack of trust had seemed like a betrayal, how her independence might have cost her her life sooner than was necessary.
The day couldn’t have been any sunnier, sometimes unusual in this part of Texas where cloudy skies and rain could prevail in December. The lake was blue and the scents on the breeze from food vendors were enticing.
His boots cut a path through the grass as he observed everything going on. Avon Lake was a Texas town through and through. Yet the college, and the influence of the bard who had written sonnets and plays, brought a uniqueness to the community that wasn’t easy to describe. The statue of Shakespeare himself on the shores of the lake was a roost for birds, true. But it was also a reminder there was an aspect of life that had to do with poetry, artistry and creation that humans couldn’t do without.
When had he even thought about that statue?
Around the lake, artists displayed their paintings on easels, pegboards and some on more elaborate contraptions. Some of the displays were adorned with Christmas wreaths or signs of the season. The past two years Jolene had bought Heather Christmas presents when she’d gone shopping for her boys. This year, Leo decided, he would find presents for Heather himself.
He’d gone a quarter of the way around the lake when he spotted Verity. She wore an oversize green sweater over her jeans. Although the outfit seemed to be an attempt to hide womanly attributes, he found it only enhanced them. The cable knit lay softly over her breasts, the breeze blowing it against her body, delineating her slim waist. With her hair tied back in a ponytail, her face tilted curiously to one side as she studied a painting, the sun glinting on her glasses, Leo found himself eager to talk to her again. There was something about Verity Sumpter that was strangely appealing.
Coming up to stand beside her, he nonchalantly slid his hands into his jeans pockets. “Interpretable?” he asked wryly, as he gazed with her at the swirls of color and motion.
After a quick glance at him, she laughed. “I’m not sure. I do think it would clash with everything else you’d put with it, though.”
Leo chuckled, too, then looked at her. When their gazes met, Leo felt a tightening in his chest, and he didn’t understand it at all. “Are you an art connoisseur?”
“Hardly. I like Victorian cottages, landscapes and paintings that take me away to someplace I want to be.”
“Have you found any here today?” Blood was rushing through him faster now, and he chalked that up to his almost jog around the lake.
“A few. Have you seen Heather?”
“Not yet.”
“The last time I spotted her she was at a stand making huge bubbles in the air. The wand was almost as big as she was.”
“Did you eat lunch yet? We can grab a hot dog while we’re looking.” Then he stopped. “Unless you want to do this on your own.”
She shrugged as if it didn’t matter one way or the other. “I’ve made the rounds and I’m trying to decide between two paintings. A hot dog might help me make the decision.”
For whatever reason, Verity Sumpter made him smile. She did more than that, he realized, as his gaze settled on her lips and he felt a pang of desire so strong he didn’t think he’d ever felt anything quite like it before.
“Come on,” he said evenly, nodding toward a concession truck that sold cold drinks, soft pretzels and hot dogs.
Strumming his guitar and dressed in purple velvet, a wandering minstrel serenaded them with a rendition of “Greensleeves” as they stood in line. Minutes later they each held hot dogs and sodas and went to stand under a pecan tree. When Verity took a one-handed bite of her hot dog, mustard caught on her upper lip. With her hands full and a napkin tucked under the bun, she couldn’t wipe it away.
Not sure what possessed him, Leo set his soda between branches on the tree and caught the dab of mustard with his thumb. The touch of his skin on hers was electric, and her brown eyes widened with the jolt of it. What was it about Verity that stirred him up so?
She didn’t look away, and he couldn’t seem to, either. When he leaned toward her, she tipped up her chin.
All he had to do was bend his head—
“Verity. Hey, Verity,” a male voice called.
A good-looking young man who appeared to be in his late twenties approached them. He had long, russet hair that curled over his collar and was brushed to one side. His green eyes targeted Verity and his smile was all for her.
As if she couldn’t quite tear her gaze from Leo’s, she blinked, breaking the spell. Her cheeks reddened slightly.
The man was approaching them then, and she was smiling at him. “Hi.”
The guy’s smile widened as he came up to them and stood very close to Verity. Much too close, Leo thought.
“Have you seen Charley’s work? It’s the style you said you liked—mountains and trees that make you feel as if you’re right there.”
Leo suddenly wondered if Verity had been dating this man. She could be, and he’d never know. He had no right to know.
“I’ve seen it,” she offered with some excitement.
After another look at Leo and their half-eaten hot dogs, the young man gave Verity a slow smile. “I don’t want to intrude.” He rested his hand lightly on Verity’s shoulder. “I’ll see you Tuesday night. You can tell me then whether you bought the painting or not.”
After the young man walked away, the silence that fell over Leo and Verity was louder than any of the noises around them. As they finished their hot dogs, Leo was very aware, again, that he was twelve years older than Verity and he had no business thinking about kissing her.
Yet questions rolled in his head, and he asked one of them. “Are you dating him?”
Her gaze flew to Leo’s. “What made you think I was?”
Leo shrugged. “Maybe it was more his attitude than yours. If he hasn’t asked you out, it won’t be long until he does.” He didn’t like the idea of that—the idea of Verity and that guy in a dark movie theater, in a car or somewhere more intimate.
“I haven’t dated much since…” She stopped and looked out over the lake. “Sean was protective of me. He screened my dates,” she confided with a small smile.
Leo liked the idea of her having a protective brother who’d looked out for her. “Did you always go along with his advice?”
“I should have. Sean didn’t like the man I was dating last fall, but I wouldn’t listen. When you have a twin, a twin as close as Sean and I were, sometimes it’s hard to distinguish your ideas from theirs, where you leave off and they begin. Being a twin is a constant battle to be yourself yet hold strong the bonds that bind you together. So I didn’t listen to his advice about Matthew.”
“What happened?”
“We’d been dating a few months when Sean was in the skiing accident. Afterward, I…I sort of withdrew. I just couldn’t wrap my mind around the fact that Sean wasn’t here anymore.”
“That’s not unusual,” Leo offered, seeing her sadness, knowing what he had felt after he’d lost Carolyn.
“Matthew didn’t understand that I just wasn’t in the mood to go to parties or even the movies. Whenever I was with him, he didn’t want to hear about Sean or how much I missed him. After a few weeks he told me that he needed to date somebody who was a lot more fun, and I realized my brother had been right about him all along.”
Angry for her, Leo could have called this Matthew a few choice names, but he refrained because he could see how hurt Verity had been that someone she’d loved had deserted her at a low time in her life.
Verity had finished her hot dog and now took a sip of her soda. “How did you meet your wife?”
“I built a customized boat for her father. She came along to see the design, and that was that.”
“So…you believe in love at first sight?” Verity asked curiously.
“I don’t know if it was love at first sight. Carolyn was a beautiful, sophisticated, poised woman who could turn a man’s head. She turned mine.”
It wasn’t until later that Leo had realized there was an aloofness about Carolyn that he could never really break through. Maybe that was the poise he had seen at first. That aloofness had never completely crumbled and had kept a barrier of sorts between them.
“Let’s walk,” Leo said gruffly.
When Verity glanced at him, there were questions in her eyes, but he didn’t want her to ask them.
They hadn’t gone very far when a little whirlwind came barreling toward Verity. It was Heather, all smiles and giggles and excitement.
Wrapping her arms around Verity’s legs, she looked up at her with the exuberance of a three-year-old. “Looky. Looky. I got painted.”
Without hesitation, Verity sank down onto one knee before Heather who had a cluster of daisies painted on her cheek.
“You look beautiful,” Verity exclaimed, and Leo’s chest tightened at the sight of this nanny and his daughter bonding. It was evident Heather absolutely adored Verity.
Heather grabbed Verity’s hand. “You get painted, too.”
Rising to her feet, Verity began, “Oh, I don’t know…”
“Let yourself go today,” Leo advised her, guessing that wasn’t something Verity did often.
Jolene and her two boys had come up behind Heather. Jolene’s hair was blonder than his. At five-four, she was about twenty pounds overweight, but she was his sister, so Leo simply didn’t care. Jolene liked to cook and bake. Everything she did, she did with gusto.
Now she told Verity, “They’ll paint whatever you want—from flowers to kittens to parrots. And it washes off.”
“Are you going to do it, too?” Verity asked with a twinkle in her eye.
“I could be talked into it. But my boys won’t stand still long enough for me to have it done.”
“I can take the boys and Heather over to the clown with the balloons if you really want to,” Verity offered.
Jolene’s two boys, Randy and Joe, seemed to like the idea. Randy, the eight-year-old who was three years older than his brother, Joey, added, “And if Mom’s not done until we get the balloons made we can play croquet. Kids are doing it over there.” He pointed to an open area at the southern end of the lake.
“You’re going to have your hands full,” Leo warned her.
“They’ll be fine as long as we keep busy.”
Leo cupped Verity’s elbow. Again, he felt a longing inside. But he realized it wasn’t only desire.
Trying to ignore whatever it was, he decided, “First, you get your turn getting painted, then I’ll help you look after the kids.”
When Verity gazed up at him, everyone else around the lake seemed to disappear. The overwhelming desire to kiss her overtook him once more.
Releasing her elbow, he decided to keep his distance and concentrate on the kids.
Something had happened to him since Verity’s call yesterday. He felt as if he was reacting and responding and living again.
All of it had something to do with this nanny. He just had to figure out where she fit into his life…if she fit in at all.
Chapter Three
Before Verity turned in for the night, she decided to make herself a cup of cocoa. Her mind was racing and she knew sleep wouldn’t come quickly…not tonight. She’d enjoyed the afternoon with Leo and Heather so much she couldn’t get it out of her mind.
She was stirring the mixture of chocolate and milk in the saucepan on the stove when she heard the sliding glass doors in the dining room open and close. Her heart rate sped up, and when Leo came into the kitchen, she told herself to calm down. This afternoon had meant the world to her. She’d had fun for the first time in a long time. However, she’d also realized her attraction to Leo wasn’t something she could ignore easily.
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Karen Rose Smith
To love, or not to love?That is the question for widower Leo Montgomery, a boat designer who'd do anything to make his little .girl happy–except let himself fall for her sweet-faced nanny. Even if that nanny is staying in the bedroom riext door. And even if he can't keep khis mind off Verity Sumpter. Because beneath her drab clothes and plain-Jane glasses he senses there is a beautiful woman who could fill his heart with joy. And a woman who seems as wary of embracing love as he is. Still, can Leo find the courage to put a new spin on this beloved old play…?
“I’m exactly where I want to
be right now,”
Verity murmured softly, and he felt himself leaning toward her. Leo imagined she had slightly leaned toward him. The urge to reach out and run his thumb along her cheek was so strong, he balled his hand into a fist. He didn’t know what was going on today, but he didn’t like it.
Leo was twelve years older than this young woman who’d begun to fascinate him. He’d never given a glance to younger women before. Not only was she younger, but Leo saw vulnerability and innocence in Verity’s eyes. He could be wrong, but he doubted it. No matter what her life story, it was safest for him to keep his distance.
That was exactly what he was going to do.
Dear Reader,
What is the best gift you ever received? Chances are it came from a loved one and reflects to some degree the love you share. Or maybe the gift was something like a cruise or a trip to an exotic locale that raised the hope of finding romance and lasting love. Well, it’s no different for this month’s heroes and heroines, who will all receive special gifts that extend beyond the holiday season to provide a lifetime of happiness.
Karen Rose Smith starts off this month’s offerings with Twelfth Night Proposal (#1794)—the final installment in the SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE continuity. Set during the holidays, the hero’s love enables the plain-Jane heroine to become the glowing beauty she was always meant to be. In The Dating Game (#1795) by Shirley Jump, a package delivered to the wrong address lands the heroine on a reality dating show. Julianna Morris writes a memorable romance with Meet Me under the Mistletoe (#1796), in which the heroine ends up giving a widower the son he “lost” when his mother died. Finally, in Donna Clayton’s stirring romance Bound by Honor (#1797), the heroine receives a “life present” when she saves the Native American hero’s life.
When you’re drawing up your New Year’s resolutions, be sure to put reading Silhouette Romance right at the top. After all, it’s the love these heroines discover that reminds us all of what truly matters most in life.
With all best wishes for the holidays and a happy and healthy 2006.
Ann Leslie Tuttle
Associate Senior Editor
Twelfth Night Proposal
Karen Rose Smith
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
To Jeanne Smith—Appreciation for the Bard was one of our first connections. Thanks for your friendship and support. With thanks to Stella Bagwell, my Texas Gulf authority.
Books by Karen Rose Smith
Silhouette Romance
* (#litres_trial_promo)Adam’s Vow #1075
* (#litres_trial_promo)Always Daddy#1102
* (#litres_trial_promo)Shane’s Bride#1128
† (#litres_trial_promo)Cowboy at the Wedding#1171
† (#litres_trial_promo)Most Eligible Dad #1174
† (#litres_trial_promo)A Groom and a Promise #1181
The Dad Who Saved Christmas #1267
‡ (#litres_trial_promo)Wealth, Power and a Proper Wife #1320
‡ (#litres_trial_promo)Love, Honor and a Pregnant Bride #1326
‡ (#litres_trial_promo)Promises, Pumpkins and Prince Charming #1332
The Night Before Baby #1348
‡ (#litres_trial_promo)Wishes, Waltzes and a Storybook Wedding #1407
Just the Man She Needed #1434
Just the Husband She Chose #1455
Her Honor-Bound Lawman #1480
Be My Bride? #1492
Tall, Dark & True #1506
Her Tycoon Boss #1523
Doctor in Demand #1536
A Husband in Her Eyes #1577
The Marriage Clause #1591
Searching for Her Prince #1612
With One Touch #1638
The Most Eligible Doctor #1692
Once Upon a Baby…#1737
Twelfth Night Proposal #1794
Silhouette Special Edition
Abigail and Mistletoe #930
The Sheriff’s Proposal #1074
His Little Girl’s Laughter #1426
Expecting the CEO’s Baby #1535
Their Baby Bond #1588
Take a Chance on Me #1599
Which Child Is Mine? #1655
Cabin Fever#1682
Silhouette Books
The Fortunes of Texas
Marry in Haste…
Logan’s Legacy
A Precious Gift
KAREN ROSE SMITH
award-winning author of over fifty published novels, enjoyed Shakespeare’s works when she studied them in college. As an English teacher, she particularly liked sharing them with her ninth and tenth graders, encouraging appreciation for the Bard’s plot lines, language and grasp of universal emotions. Then she never suspected crafting emotional and romantic stories would become her life’s work! Married for thirty-four years, she and her husband reside in Pennsylvania with their two cats, Ebbie and London. Readers can e-mail Karen through her Web site at www.karenrosesmith.com (http://www.karenrosesmith.com) or write to her at P.O. Box 1545, Hanover, PA 17331.
Cast of Characters
Leo Montgomery (Lead Character)—This angst-ridden dad thought he’d lost the only love of his life. Until he hired a nanny for his daughter and found her taking up residence in his home…and heart!
Verity Sumpter (Lead Character)—Ever since her twin brother’s death, this plain Jane had kept her true self hidden behind shapeless clothes and wire-rimmed glasses. But the widower and his adorable daughter suddenly had her wanting to shed her drab attire and embrace life.…
Heather Montgomery (Supporting Character)—This bubbly three-year-old longed for a mother. And she’d found the perfect candidate in her new nanny. But how could she convince her stubborn dad that sometimes children really do know best?
Contents
Prologue (#u25406131-657b-5b59-b9d3-5644ddf2d247)
Chapter One (#u516d7301-7aae-59df-8490-872ed78cb638)
Chapter Two (#u64a79d32-9fff-5483-96ac-790edc71c16c)
Chapter Three (#u553a2c17-b619-5c9b-92d4-4650eda93d89)
Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Prologue
Montgomery Boat Company
Avon Lake, Texas
Glancing at the TV in his office, Leo Montgomery saw paradise. Well, a spot that was supposed to be paradise. There was a lake and grass and trees and a guy dressed in a tuxedo. But it wasn’t the guy who captured Leo’s attention.
There was a woman. The perfect fantasy woman.
Leo glimpsed her face for a moment—maybe half a moment—less time than it took to take a breath. He caught the sparkling, huge brown eyes. Then she was turning…away from him. When she turned, his palms tingled to touch her long, curly brown hair with its red highlights reflecting the sun. The dress she wore was some wispy material. It was short and bared most of her back, the fabric molding to her long legs as she walked away from the camera and away from him. She handed the guy in the tuxedo a can of soda. Large red letters proclaimed its name—ZING. Leo’s gaze was still on the woman’s back and those curls. When she lifted a parasol, tilted it over her shoulder and walked away, the letters on the parasol spelled ZING, The Fantasy Soda. As the jingle for ZING filled the airwaves, she disappeared into the trees.
To Leo’s amazement, he found himself aroused…stirred in a way he hadn’t been stirred for a very long time. Since well before Carolyn’s death two years ago, for sure.
Giving himself a mental shake, willing his libido to calm down, Leo flicked off the TV with the remote. That fantasy woman on the screen was just that—a fantasy. He knew better than most men that fantasies don’t become reality. On the other hand, however, maybe he should think about getting involved with someone from his country club. As his sister, Jolene, told him often, Heather needed a mother. His daughter needed more than the nanny-housekeeper Jolene had just hired.
Heather needed a mother, and he didn’t want to sleep alone for the rest of his life.
Although the cursor on the computer screen blinked before him, Leo couldn’t forget the fantasy woman’s mass of reddish-brown curls, those long legs, that bare back.
He couldn’t remember a feature on the model’s face, but he supposed that was the whole idea—to charge a man’s fantasy. Nevertheless, Leo wasn’t the type of man to dwell on fantasies when reality was sitting right in front of him.
He checked the information on the computer with the boatyard orders on his desk. The dream woman forgotten, work filled his head. That’s the way he wanted it for now. Jolene’s advice might be sound, but he wasn’t ready for it. He wasn’t ready for involvement or commitment.
That’s just the way it was.
Chapter One
“Montgomery here,” Leo said as he flipped open his silver cell phone and stepped away from the boat trailer into the hot December sun.
“This is Verity. Heather’s nanny.”
The fact that he had to be reminded of her job position spoke of how little he’d paid attention to the new nanny. Maybe that was because he expected her to come and go as the rest had. Maybe it was because of her glasses, tied-back hair and oversize T-shirts. For almost a month she’d moved around like a ghost in his house, seemingly quite capable, as Jolene had predicted she would be, yet definitely always in the background.
Now he was on the alert because this call most probably concerned his daughter. “Verity, what is it?”
“It’s Heather. I didn’t want to bother you, but I thought you should know that she fell against the coffee table in the great room and cut her forehead.”
Leo’s heart pounded and he felt panic grip him. “Is she all right? Did you take her to the emergency room?”
“I applied pressure and used a butterfly bandage, but you might want to have her checked. Just tell me what you’d like me to do.”
Merely three, with her light-brown, wavy hair and her blue, blue eyes, all Heather had to do was look at him and his heart melted. The thought of her hurt—
“I’ll be right there. Fifteen minutes tops. Is she crying? Is she upset?”
Verity’s voice was helpfully patient. “She’s sitting in my lap, sucking her thumb with her head on my shoulder.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I tell my foreman where I’m going. Keep her calm and call me if you see any change.”
“Yes, Mr. Montgomery.”
Leo headed for the production plant.
Fifteen minutes later he arrived at his house in a select section of Avon Lake, Texas, where the houses in his development were quietly luxurious. His ranch house sat back from the curb with a curved drive leading to it. He left the car in the driveway and hurried to the front door.
Usually when he came home, he was filled with the same sense of well-being he felt at the boatyard. Today dread clouded his thoughts as it had when he’d learned about Carolyn’s brain tumor. What if Heather had seriously injured herself? What if she had a concussion?
His boots sounded on the ceramic tile floor in the entrance foyer as he headed straight ahead for the great room. The fireplace, cathedral ceiling and skylights made it his favorite room in the house. He barely noticed any of that now as he hurried to the denim sofa where Verity was seated with Heather. His daughter was dressed in red overalls with a little white sweater underneath. Her cheeks were pink and tear-stained, and her eyes were wide, as she kept her head on Verity’s shoulder and stared up at him.
“Hello, baby,” he said as he went to take her into his arms. To his surprise she hung on to Verity.
Verity whispered to her, “Go with Daddy.”
But Heather shook her head, held on even tighter and mumbled around her thumb, “I wanna stay wif you.”
Leo felt a stab to his heart.
With understanding eyes, Verity looked up at him, and Leo saw her, really saw her, for the first time since she’d been hired. There was a quiet equanimity about her that had calmed him from the first moment he’d met her. She was young—twenty-two. Her major in college had been early childhood education, and in the short time she’d been with him, she handled Heather as if she knew exactly what she was doing. He had a feeling that had more to do with natural ability than any schooling. Her blue wire-rim glasses had always distracted him from looking at her eyes before now. They were a beautiful brown, the color of teak. Her hair, tied back in a low ponytail, looked silky and soft. Her face was a classic oval, and her nose turned up just a bit at the tip. Although here on the Gulf most residents were suntanned, he noticed Verity’s skin was creamy white.
“She’s still upset,” Verity said.
“Instead of the E.R., we’ll take her to the pediatrician. I called him on the drive here. He said to bring her right in.”
With utmost gentleness, Verity stroked Heather’s hair. “Do you want me to go along?”
“I don’t think I can pry her away from you,” he responded wryly, realizing how that bothered him. Apparently, Heather had connected with this nanny. He was grateful for that, yet—
“Let’s go,” he directed gruffly, and would have turned to leave, but then he realized he’d been doing everything in a hurry lately. He’d also been working long hours. How many nights had he put Heather to bed since Verity had arrived and started caring for her?
Apparently not enough.
“Let’s go with Daddy,” Verity murmured to the little girl.
Leo looked at Verity again and found himself thinking how pretty she was, even though she was sloppily dressed. He found himself liking the sound of her voice. He found himself…getting stirred up in a way a man shouldn’t around a nanny.
Their gazes connected and, in a flash, he saw the same man-woman awareness in her eyes that he was feeling. Then she glanced away, and he was glad. He certainly didn’t want to delve further into that.
In his SUV, driving toward the doctor’s office, an awkward silence surrounded them.
Leo headed north on Lonestar Way, Avon Lake’s main thoroughfare, leading toward the college side of town. The college housed about 10,000 students, and the town itself had a growing population of more than 7,000 now. But Leo knew Avon Lake would always keep that small-town flavor. At least, he hoped it would.
Heather’s pediatrician was located in one of the old houses near the college. Leo knew Verity took a course at the campus once a week, though he didn’t know much else about her, except what she’d given on her résumé. She’d attended college at the University of Texas and had been born and bred in Galveston.
Maybe because of his reaction to her for those few moments, maybe because her silence made him wonder what she was thinking, he asked her, “What course are you taking this semester?”
As she shifted in her seat, he felt her gaze fall upon him. “I’m not taking a class officially. When I accepted the position with you in November, I was too late to register for the term. But I’m auditing a class on children’s play techniques.”
“You’re working on your master’s?”
“Yes, I hope to. I have an advisor now. I’ll be meeting with him soon to choose courses for next term.”
“It’s hard to believe Christmas is less than a month away. Did you have an enjoyable Thanksgiving?”
They hadn’t talked since then, and Leo didn’t even know where she’d gone. She’d left early in the morning and come back late that evening after he and Heather had returned from dinner at Jolene’s.
Quiet for a few moments, Verity finally answered, “It was fine.”
Casting a sideways glance at her, his interest was piqued, maybe because of everything she wasn’t saying. “Did you spend it with family?”
“No. I went to Freeport for the day.”
“And met friends?”
Again, that little silence, and then she shook her head. “No, I had dinner, then I drove to the beach for a while.”
Now he was even more intrigued. Didn’t she have family? Why would she spend the holiday alone? If he asked those questions, he’d become more involved than he wanted to be.
Heather suddenly called from the back in her superfast baby voice. “Vewitee. Vewitee. I wanna feed duckee and go for ice cweam.”
Verity gave her full attention to Heather as she turned. “Not today, honey. We have to go to the doctor’s so he can look at your head.”
“No doctor. I wanna feed duckees.”
Peering into the rearview mirror to see his daughter, Leo caught sight of her lower lip pouting out. He hated to see her cry. “What if we go feed the ducks after the doctor looks at your head?”
After thinking about that for a few moments, she returned, “Ice cweam, too?”
“It’s going to be close to supper. Maybe we could stop at the Wagon Wheel and get that chicken you like so much. They have ice cream for dessert.”
“Chicken and ice cweam!” Heather said gleefully.
Verity laughed, a pure, free sound that entranced Leo, as she commented, “Ducks, chicken and ice cream all in one day. She’s going to hold you to every one of those.”
“Like an elephant never forgets?” he asked with a chuckle.
“Something like that. I can’t believe how her vocabulary is growing, just in the few weeks I’ve been here. Each day she’s becoming more coordinated, too. I’ve seen it before, of course, with the children I’ve worked with, but just caring for one child, and seeing her change almost daily, is absolutely amazing.”
“I know Jolene probably mentioned it, but I don’t remember how you heard about the position with me,” he prompted.
“I have a friend in the career counseling office at UT. She knew I was looking for a change, called me and told me about it.”
“A change from what you were doing or where you were living?”
“Both.”
That concise word was the end of the conversation unless Leo wanted to pursue it. He didn’t.
Sitting beside Verity, smelling the floral scent of her shampoo or lotion, very much liking the sound of her laughter, he felt as if he were awakening from a long sleep. It was disconcerting. He’d gotten used to his life, and although Jolene often told him he was in a rut, ruts were damned comfortable.
Activities in the town of Avon Lake often revolved around the small lake. After Leo unfastened Heather from her car seat and lifted her to the ground, she took Verity’s hand and ran toward the black and gray ducks on the grassy shoreline.
In a few quick strides, Leo caught up to them, the bag of crackers he’d bought at a convenience store in his hand. “Wait a minute. You forgot something. You can’t feed them if you don’t have the food.”
When Heather stopped short, let go of Verity’s hand and ran back to him, he crouched down. “Do you want me to open the bag or do you want to try it?”
“Me try.”
He handed it to her. But after jabs and pulls and a few squishes, she shook her head, curling tendrils along her cheek bobbing all over the place. “Can’t do it. You open, please.”
Leo knew his daughter’s face was as close to an angel’s as he’d ever see. Taking the bag between his two large hands, he pulled and a corner popped open. “There you go. Break up each one so they have lots of little pieces.”
After Heather nodded vigorously, she took the bag and ran for the lake.
“Wait,” he and Verity called at the same time and ran after her.
As he caught one of Heather’s hands, Verity held her elbow. “Don’t spill the crackers,” she warned with a smile.
The sun’s brilliance was fading into long shadows, though the air was warm and the day was still above 70. Standing by a tall pecan tree, Leo watched Verity as she and Heather sat on the grass and two ducks waddled closer. Heather crushed a cracker in her hand and opened her little fingers, waving her arm in the air. The crumbs blew this way and that. One of the ducks quacked and ran after a piece and she laughed like only a three-year-old could.
The doctor’s exam had gone smoothly and quickly, mostly thanks to Verity. She seemed to be able to read his daughter’s mind…seemed to know what to say to coax her into acquiescence. He didn’t have that knack. He was learning negotiation was the highest skill a parent could master.
As he watched his daughter, he felt removed and didn’t like it. After taking a few steps closer, he sat with Verity and Heather.
Heather offered him the bag. “You feed duckees, too.”
How long had it been since he’d taken time to do just that? Taking one of the crackers from the bag, he broke it into a few pieces and tossed them so Heather could watch the ducks waddle after them.
“I should bring her here more often,” he decided reflectively.
“You could use it as a treat so it doesn’t become old hat.”
Staring into Verity’s brown eyes, feeling that stirring again, he said, “You’re very good with her.”
“Thank you. I’ve been waiting for some kind of sign from you—” She stopped and looked embarrassed.
“Sign?”
“Yes. To know if I’m doing a good job…to know if I’m doing what you want me to do with Heather. She’s a wonderful little girl and I love being with her. But you’re her parent, and I want to make sure she’s learning what you want her to learn.”
What he wanted her to learn.
He knew Verity wasn’t talking about colors and numbers. “Jolene hired you and gave you a seal of approval, so I guess I thought that was enough. As she probably told you, I’ve tried nannies before. After two days, I know whether they’re going to last or not…whether they fit with Heather or not. I fired one because she just wanted to watch TV and read all day and left Heather on her own. Another quit because she said she didn’t have enough free time. You might decide that’s true for you, too.”
“I don’t need much free time.”
Curious, he asked, “Why not?”
“I’m new in town. I really don’t know anyone. So when I’m free, I study for the course I’m auditing, read or knit. I’m not very exciting,” she admitted, her cheeks pinkening a little.
The blush looked good on her. In fact, he was having trouble unlocking his gaze from hers. “You’ll have friends once you start taking more courses. That is, if you stay.”
“I’m exactly where I want to be right now,” she murmured softly, and he felt himself almost leaning toward her. He imagined she had slightly leaned toward him. The urge to reach out and run his thumb along her cheek was so strong he balled his hand into a fist. He didn’t know what was going on today, but he didn’t like it.
After he picked up the bag of crackers, he motioned to Heather. “Come on, let’s feed more ducks. Those over there didn’t get any yet.”
He was twelve years older than this young woman who’d begun to fascinate him. He’d never given a glance to younger women before. Not only was she younger, but he saw vulnerability and innocence in those eyes. He could be wrong, but he doubted it. No matter what her life story, it was safest for him to keep his distance.
That was exactly what he was going to do.
Each stroke of Verity Sumpter’s hairbrush through her hair was meant to be monotonous and soothing, but it wasn’t. All too easily she could imagine Mr. Montgomery’s hands stroking her hair. The thoughts were making her hot, bothered and agitated. From the moment she’d set eyes on Leo Montgomery her heart had tripped a little. If she had to admit it, her heart had tripped a lot. Today was the first he’d noticed her…really noticed her.
He’d probably have noticed her from day one if she’d applied makeup, highlighted her hair, spent the time on spiral curls and dolled herself up, as the casting agent had for that commercial she’d made.
That commercial.
Her twin brother, Sean, had encouraged her to do it and teased her saying, maybe if she did, she’d forget her tomboy days forever. Dear Sean.
When tears came to her eyes, she let them well up this time as she pulled her hair into a ponytail. He’d been gone for eleven months now, and the missing still overwhelmed her sometimes. She and Sean had been as close as any twins could have been. They’d shared secrets and jokes and sports and even attended the same college. He’d screened her dates and she’d always looked over the girls he’d brought home.
When a casting agent had approached her in the library on campus, he’d explained he was looking for college girls to make a series of commercials for a new soda—the company was targeting the college crowd. Verity hadn’t given much thought to the idea until Sean had heard about it. He’d teased, cajoled and coaxed, insisting the experience would be good for her.
Her straight-as-a-ruler hair had become a mass of curls. She’d traded her glasses for contact lenses, and makeup had made her eyes look huge and her lips much fuller. No one knew if the commercial would ever make it to the TV screen, and she hadn’t heard anything from the company other than receiving her payment for the hours she’d worked as a model.
After the shoot, Verity had decided curling her hair for an hour or more, applying makeup and dressing up was all simply too much trouble. The red highlights washed out of her hair, and eventually the curls straightened into looser waves and were caught up in a practical ponytail once more. When one of the soft contact lenses had torn, she’d gone back to using her glasses.
Then, last January, Sean had the skiing accident. When he’d died, her life had fallen apart. She’d gone through the motions to earn her diploma—
Noise in the hall startled Verity. Her bedroom, sitting area and bathroom were located at the opposite end of the house from the master suite and Heather’s bedroom, along with another guest bedroom. Mr. Montgomery took over Heather’s care on the rare nights he was home and, after he’d put Heather to bed, she usually didn’t hear another sound.
Now, however, she heard little feet slapping on the hardwood floor, Leo’s deep baritone calling, “Heather, you come back here,” and the little girl’s giggles as she came closer to Verity’s door.
Verity had crossed into the sitting area when the door burst open and Heather ran through the room, naked, the ends of her hair wet, soapsuds still on her shoulders. The bump on her head hadn’t slowed her down one iota.
Halfway across Verity’s sitting room, Leo stopped. “I shouldn’t have come in here without knocking.”
Verity laughed. “I think Heather took care of announcing you.”
Leo shook his head. “I’ll collect her if she doesn’t squiggle out of my arms again. She is so slippery when she’s wet—”
“And she hates to stand still while you dry her off. I know.”
Her gaze collided with his, and there was that shakingly, fascinating awareness again.
Breaking eye contact, he said, “Since I consider your room to be off-limits to me, do you want me to get her or do you want to do it?”
“I don’t mind if you do,” Verity murmured as she continued to stare at him. Leo was still wearing the black polo shirt and khakis he’d had on that afternoon. He was tanned, and his arm muscles were obvious under the shirtsleeves. His stomach was flat and she suspected hard. His hips were slim.
When he turned, she chastised herself for liking every bit of his backside, too. She couldn’t be attracted to her employer. Besides the fact that she was tired of men letting her down, she was much younger than Leo Montgomery. She’d seen the picture of Heather’s mother in the little girl’s room. Carolyn Montgomery had looked poised with her perfect makeup and blond pageboy. She was absolutely beautiful. Verity imagined any woman would have trouble living up to that. Jolene Connehy, Mr. Montgomery’s sister, had told her honestly that he wasn’t over his wife’s death, even though it had been two years. Verity could understand that. She knew she’d never get over losing Sean.
Leo stepped into Verity’s bedroom, and the very fact that he was so near her double bed disconcerted her. Maybe because ever since this afternoon pictures had been swimming in her head—pictures of Leo kissing her, pictures of her kissing him back.
His gaze had gone to the bed, too, with its white chenille spread, its maple bookcase headboard, where she’d lined up some of her favorite reads. But her mind wasn’t on her books as she said in almost a whisper, “She likes to play hide-and-seek under the bed.”
With a shake of his head, as if he couldn’t believe he was doing this, he got down on his knees and lifted the edge of the spread. His voice was filled with affectionate frustration as he called, “Hey, you. You’ve got to get out from under there and put on some pajamas.”
“I don’t wanna go nighty-night. Wanna play with Vewitee.”
Without hesitation Verity got down on the floor beside Leo. Her shoulder brushed his as she peered under the bed at her little charge. The touch of her shirt against his sent a jolt of adrenaline rushing through her. “If you come out and put on your pj’s, I’ll read you a story.”
“That’s bribery,” Leo murmured very close to her ear, his breath warm on her cheek. Verity shivered.
“Would you rather kneel here and cajole for the next half hour?” she asked him, half joking, half serious.
“I’m too big to fit under the bed, and cajoling isn’t my style.”
“That leaves bribery,” she decided, unable to suppress a grin.
His face was so very close to hers as they focused on Heather. When he turned his head to her, mere inches separated their lips. Leo’s scent was pure male, and his light-brown hair fell over his brow in a rakish way. But it was the gleam of raw hunger in his eyes that kept her immobilized.
Suddenly he cleared his throat, bent lower, and extended his arm under the bed. “Come on, you little hooligan. Verity will read you a story. But don’t think this is going to happen again. Next time I won’t let you out of the bathroom until you have your pj’s on.”
Quickly recovering from whatever had overcome her when she’d been so close to Leo, Verity teased, “You really shouldn’t tell her your strategy.”
“Good advice,” he admitted as Heather started wriggling toward them from under the bed.
“I’ll go get her pajamas. Try to keep her from hiding anyplace else until I get back.”
Verity laughed. “She likes me to brush her hair. I’ll do that.”
Less than five minutes later, Leo had returned with Heather’s pajamas and Verity had helped him get her into them. She watched him as he fastened two small buttons at the three-year-old’s neck, and his fingers fumbled with them. He was such a big man, but he was gentle with his daughter.
“Okay.” He scooped her up into his arms. “To your room.” In the middle of Verity’s sitting area, he stopped. “I just realized you don’t even have a TV in here. The last nanny who stayed here had her own.”
“I don’t need a television. I don’t watch it very much.”
He looked surprised.” You don’t watch reality shows?”
She shook her head.
“Or the Discovery Channel?”
Again she shook her head and gave him a little smile. “I can always find so many things I’d rather do. Listening to music, especially.” She pointed to the CD player on her night stand. “Now that I can’t do without.”
“You can use the stereo system in the great room anytime you want.”
“I noticed you have an extensive collection of Beatles music.”
“Sure do. Play it anytime.”
“That’s kind of you, Mr. Montgomery. I just might.”
“It’s Leo,” he said gruffly.
They’d never really addressed that issue. Jolene had introduced her to her employer as Verity the first time they’d met, but she’d always thought of him as Mr. Montgomery…on purpose. Today, however, everything seemed to have changed.
“Leo,” she repeated softly.
“Vewitee wead me a stowy now?” Heather asked, laying her head on her dad’s shoulder.
“One story coming right up,” Verity assured her.
A short time later Leo stood beside the rocking chair as Verity sat with Heather, rocked and read her a favorite Dr. Seuss book. Heather’s eyes were almost closed as they finished, and Leo lifted her from Verity’s lap and placed her in her crib.
Then he leaned down to her, kissed her forehead and said, “Good night, baby.”
The huskiness in his voice tightened Verity’s throat and she didn’t know why. Maybe because Sean was gone. Maybe because her relationship with her father was strained. Maybe because she suddenly felt so alone.
Standing, she took a deep breath and said, “Nighty-night, Heather. I’ll see you in the morning,” and went to the door.
Leo joined her in the hall.
For a few moments they just stared at each other and a hum of attraction seemed to grow louder and stronger between them. They were standing very close, the toes of Leo’s boots almost touching the toes of her sneakers. He towered a good six inches above her. When she looked up into his blue eyes, her tummy fluttered and her pulse raced. In fact, she almost felt as if she couldn’t catch her breath. Leo didn’t touch her, and she so wished he would. He looked as if he wanted to. He looked as if he wanted to kiss her.
With a shake of his head, he blew out a breath. “Do you feel safe here in this house with me?” he asked.
“Yes!”
“I didn’t realize until tonight how this could look. Your staying here, I mean.”
“I’m your nanny and housekeeper. Nannies often live in the residence where they take care of the children.”
“That’s true, but usually there’s a wife. I don’t want to compromise your reputation.”
“I know who I am. I know why I’m here. What other people think really doesn’t matter to me. Does it matter to you?”
“No, what other people think has never bothered me.”
“Then we’re fine,” she said brightly. “There’s nothing to be concerned about.”
But the expression on his face as well as the wild beating of her heart told her that wasn’t true. Besides that, if he knew how terrifically attracted she was to him, he might fire her. She liked this job, and she was beginning to like Avon Lake.
Tomorrow was Saturday, and to steer toward a safer subject, she asked, “Will you be going to the boatyard tomorrow?” He had worked the last three Saturdays she’d been here.
“For a few hours. I realized today I haven’t been spending enough time with my daughter. That’s going to have to change.”
“I usually have breakfast for Heather around eight-thirty. Do you want to join us?”
After a pause he said, “Yes. I’ll go to the boatyard afterward.” There was an intensity in his gaze when he looked at her that excited her more than she wanted to admit. That excitement was as scary as the loneliness she’d felt as she’d watched Leo put his daughter to bed.
“I’ll see you in the morning, then,” she murmured.
When she turned to go, he finally touched her. His hand clasped her arm, and the feel of his hot skin on hers sent tingles through her whole body.
“Thank you for taking care of Heather so well today.”
“It’s my job.”
Releasing her, he nodded. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
Then she was walking down the hall into the great room, bypassing the kitchen and heading to her suite. Today Leo Montgomery had become more than her employer. She wasn’t sure how their relationship had changed, but she knew she had to be careful or she’d get hurt all over again.
Chapter Two
Verity was selecting clothes from her closet when she heard Heather on the baby monitor chattering to her stuffed animals. Smiling, she pulled on indigo jeans and zipped them, then grabbed a T-shirt that had seen many washings. The soft, blue cotton fell practically to her thighs. Comfort had always come first with her, certainly before fashion or trends or what anyone thought a girl should wear. Climbing trees, riding bikes and playing baseball with Sean had always led her to choose practical clothes.
Heather’s babblings were getting louder now, and Verity left her room and headed for the little girl’s. In the past, Leo had gone to work before she was up. Last night she’d had a restless night, reliving those moments when they’d stood so close, when she’d thought she’d seen something in his eyes that had made her heart jump so fast. This morning, though, in the light of day, she just chalked it all up to her imagination.
Heather stood up in her crib when she saw Verity, grinning from ear to ear. She stuffed a pink elephant—her toy of choice this week—under one arm.
“Good morning, honey,” Verity said, scooping the little girl up into her arms. “I’m hoping that big bed your daddy ordered soon arrives. I’m afraid you’re going to crawl out of this one.”
“I cwawl out,” Heather parroted, swinging Nosy by his trunk.
“Let’s brush your teeth. Then you can decide what you want for breakfast.”
“Waffles wif bluebewies,” she said as if she’d been thinking about it all night.
Laughing, Verity shook her head. “You’ve had those every day this week.”
“Waffles wif bluebewies,” Heather repeated.
“Okay. I’m sure you’ll get tired of them eventually.”
Cooking was a pastime Verity enjoyed. She and Sean and her father had always shared the chore. After she’d gotten her own apartment in college, she’d found experimenting could be fun. Now she was glad she had. Heather could be a picky eater, and coming up with fun and playful ways to serve food was always a challenge.
Fifteen minutes later, teeth brushed, dressed in pink overalls and a matching shirt, Heather ran ahead of Verity to the kitchen. The bandage on her forehead was still in place and she wasn’t paying any attention to it.
Verity hadn’t seen any sign of Leo, but he might be working in his office in the pool house. She’d just started a pot of coffee brewing when a deep male voice made her jump. “Good morning.”
Her hand over her heart, she swiveled toward the back door that led to the patio, pool and pool house. “Mr. Montgomery. I was going to call you when breakfast was ready.”
He was carrying a folded sheet of paper in his hand. “It’s Leo, remember?”
Oh, she remembered.
Without waiting for her response, he went on, “I thought I’d spend some time with Heather while you make breakfast. I realized yesterday I need to give her more attention.”
Verity remembered how Heather had clung to her when Leo had arrived home to take her to the doctor. “I imagine it’s difficult being a single parent.”
“Funny,” Leo said almost to himself, “I don’t think of myself as single. But, yes, it is tough. After Heather’s mother died, I guess I took refuge in work because Jolene was around to help me with Heather…or the nanny of the day. But yesterday when you called and said that Heather was hurt, I realized how very little I have to do with her day-to-day care.”
“You’re running a business.”
“Yes, I am. Montgomery Boats will be her future, if she wants it. But in the meantime, I want to make sure I’m in her life.”
Suddenly Heather ran to Verity with her coloring book. “Look what me did.” She held up a page she had colored. Staying within the lines wasn’t a concept she understood yet, but she knew her colors, and she’d used a lot of them on the page.
When Verity glanced at Leo, she saw the expression on his face and she realized he wished Heather had come to him.
“What a wonderful picture!” Verity exclaimed. “Show your daddy.”
Looking puzzled for a moment, Heather tentatively held up the page to him. Verity could see Leo’s uncertainty in exactly what to say or do. Then he crouched down, put his arm around his daughter, and offered, “That’s a great blue dog. I bet he lives in the same place as pink elephants.”
“Like Nosy,” Heather decided.
“Just like Nosy.”
“Heather insists she wants blueberry waffles for breakfast. Is that all right with you? I could scramble some eggs, too.”
“It’s been a long time since I had more than coffee for breakfast. Why don’t I make the eggs?”
“Are you sure you want to help?”
He pulled one of the chairs over to the counter. “Sure. Heather can help, too. Heather, do you want to learn to crack an egg?”
“I wanna cwack lots of eggs,” Heather said so fast, Verity could hardly catch it.
As Leo took the carton from the refrigerator, he replied, “I think we’ll start with one.”
Verity couldn’t help but watch Leo as he made an effort to give Heather the attention he’d mentioned. He even let her stir the eggs with a fork. After a while, though, she tired of the process and told him, “I’m gonna color now.” Leo lifted her down, and she went over to her miniature table and chairs to do just that.
When he frowned, Verity assured him, “Her attention span for most things is about ten minutes, unless it’s something she’s really into. Coloring is one of those things. Playing with blocks is another.”
“Maybe she will grow up to want to design boats and build ships.”
“Or houses or bridges or skyscrapers,” Verity offered.
“I got it. I have to keep an open mind.”
They smiled at each other and Verity felt all quivery inside. Leo’s smile faded as he gazed at her, and the magnetic pull between them almost seemed to tug her toward him.
Then she remembered what he’d said earlier. I don’t think of myself as single. That obviously meant he still thought of himself as married.
The timer beeped, signaling the first waffle was finished. Verity focused all of her attention into lifting the top of the iron, carefully removing the waffle and ladling in the next one.
The silence in the kitchen grew awkward until she finally asked, “When did you begin designing boats?”
“When I was ten.”
She glanced at him. “What inspired you to do that?”
“My father. He didn’t design boats, but he built them from someone else’s plans. I spent every spare moment I could with him at the boatyard. I loved going out on the water with him, too. He had a real respect for the sea and taught me how to read it.”
“Read it?” That idea fascinated her.
“Anyone can learn to pilot a boat. Instruments these days make the experience almost a no-brainer. But there are still times when the color of the sky, the direction of the clouds, the scent of the water can tell a pilot the story as well as instruments can.”
After Leo took a frying pan from the cupboard, he poured the eggs into it. The scent of the sweet waffles with blueberries, the aroma of coffee brewing, the eggs cooking in the skillet filled the kitchen along with the sound of Heather humming as she colored. The scene was so domestic it took Verity aback for a second. It was almost like a dream she’d had a week ago—a dream in which she’d had a home and a place to belong. But she really didn’t belong here with Leo.
Did she?
Whatever she was feeling toward Leo Montgomery was probably all one-sided, and she’d better put the brakes on it. As his nanny, she was convenient right now. When he no longer needed her, he wouldn’t hesitate to say goodbye, just as Matthew had.
Snatching a topic, any topic, she asked Leo, “How about your mother? Did she like boats and the water, too?”
Leo cast her a sideways glance. “Not on your life. Mom’s a high-heels, I-don’t-want-to-get-my-hair-wet kind of person. She’s never wanted anything to do with the boatyard or the business.”
“Your sister told me she lives in Avon Lake, but she’s away now.”
“Lives in Avon Lake,” Leo repeated. “Officially, I guess. She has an apartment, but rarely uses it for more than a few weeks at a time. She’s become a world traveler.”
“You come from such an interesting family.”
He laughed. “That’s one way of putting it. How about you?”
“Me?”
“Yes. Your parents. What do they do?”
Lifting the waffle iron before the timer went off, she saw the pastry was golden brown. Thankful she could stall for a little time to figure out what to say, she transferred it to a plate and decided to give an honest, short version. “My mother died when my brother and I were born. Sean and I were twins. Dad raised us. He’s an accountant.”
“A twin! That’s great. What does your brother do?”
After Verity swallowed hard, she managed to say, “I lost Sean last January to a skiing accident.” She went to pick up the ladle, but a blur of tears made her fumble it and drop it on the floor.
Leo stooped at the same time she did. His fingers brushed hers, and he took the ladle from her hand. When they both straightened, they were standing much too close, and he was looking down at her with so much compassion she couldn’t blink away the tears fast enough.
“I’m sorry, Verity.”
Embarrassed by the emotion she couldn’t quell, she turned away from him toward the counter and took a few deep breaths. When she felt Leo’s hand on her shoulder, she almost stopped breathing altogether.
“I’m okay,” she murmured, feeling foolish.
Gently he nudged her around to face him. “No, you aren’t. And I understand why. I know what loss feels like. Losing a spouse, losing a twin…Those are bonds that aren’t easily broken.”
“I don’t want the bond to be broken,” she admitted. “Not ever.” Suddenly she realized that’s the way Leo probably felt about his wife. “The eggs are going to burn,” she whispered.
“Can’t let that happen,” he said, and stepped away from her to tend to his part of the breakfast while she picked up a paper towel to wipe waffle batter from the floor.
Putting the breakfast on the table took little effort, but Verity busied herself with it as Leo helped Heather get settled on her booster seat.
Heather pointed to her waffle and looked up at Verity. “Please make a face.”
The first day Verity had made the waffles for Heather, she wasn’t sure if she was going to eat them. But after Verity had used syrup and a dab of butter to make a face on the waffle, Heather had eaten the whole thing. Now Verity fashioned a face again as Heather giggled and Leo looked on, making her feel self-conscious.
Suddenly there was a beep-beep-beep, and Verity realized it came from Leo’s pocket.
After he answered his cell phone, he said, “Jolene. Hi. What’s up? No, I’m not at the boatyard yet. I’m still at home having breakfast.”
His sister must have made some comment about that because he explained, “I just needed some time with Heather. She hurt herself yesterday, and I realized I haven’t been around very much.” Then he explained what had happened.
After a long pause he responded, “I’m going to the boatyard as soon as I’m finished. I’m sure Heather would love it if you would pick her up and take her to the arts festival at the lake.”
Today artists would have their work displayed all around Avon Lake. There would be vendors with various foods, activities for kids and wandering musicians. Verity had thought about taking Heather there herself.
Now she said to Leo, “I’d be glad to take Heather and meet Jolene there. I want to go, too.”
After Leo relayed what Verity had said to his sister, he asked Verity, “Around ten at the Shakespeare statue?”
Verity nodded. “Sounds good.”
Leo closed the phone, reattached it to his belt and asked, “Are you sure you don’t mind driving Heather there?”
“I don’t mind. Really. I was planning to go after you got home.”
“Will you buy a painting?” he asked jokingly.
“Actually, I might, if I see something I like. If that’s okay with you. I mean, hanging it.”
“I’m not a landlord who’s going to keep your security deposit if you put too many holes in the walls.” His blue eyes were amused.
“I’ve just never been in this kind of position before,” she said truthfully. “I don’t know the rules.”
“No rules, Verity. As long as you put Heather first, that’s all that matters.”
He was absolutely right on that score. She would put Heather first, of course, and try to block Leo Montgomery from her dreams.
Leo parked in a lot near the lake. As he’d sat in his office, studying each page of the new sales brochure, he hadn’t been able to keep his mind on it. He hadn’t been able to keep his mind off Verity. So he’d put in two hours, then driven to the festival.
His life had become a treadmill of work, putting Heather to bed now and then, sleep and more work. Even before Carolyn died, he’d started putting in longer hours. Had it been because of her remoteness? Had it been because he’d sensed she was keeping something from him?
She’d been keeping something from him all right…for three months—her brain tumor.
No point in thinking about that now. No point in thinking about how her lack of trust had seemed like a betrayal, how her independence might have cost her her life sooner than was necessary.
The day couldn’t have been any sunnier, sometimes unusual in this part of Texas where cloudy skies and rain could prevail in December. The lake was blue and the scents on the breeze from food vendors were enticing.
His boots cut a path through the grass as he observed everything going on. Avon Lake was a Texas town through and through. Yet the college, and the influence of the bard who had written sonnets and plays, brought a uniqueness to the community that wasn’t easy to describe. The statue of Shakespeare himself on the shores of the lake was a roost for birds, true. But it was also a reminder there was an aspect of life that had to do with poetry, artistry and creation that humans couldn’t do without.
When had he even thought about that statue?
Around the lake, artists displayed their paintings on easels, pegboards and some on more elaborate contraptions. Some of the displays were adorned with Christmas wreaths or signs of the season. The past two years Jolene had bought Heather Christmas presents when she’d gone shopping for her boys. This year, Leo decided, he would find presents for Heather himself.
He’d gone a quarter of the way around the lake when he spotted Verity. She wore an oversize green sweater over her jeans. Although the outfit seemed to be an attempt to hide womanly attributes, he found it only enhanced them. The cable knit lay softly over her breasts, the breeze blowing it against her body, delineating her slim waist. With her hair tied back in a ponytail, her face tilted curiously to one side as she studied a painting, the sun glinting on her glasses, Leo found himself eager to talk to her again. There was something about Verity Sumpter that was strangely appealing.
Coming up to stand beside her, he nonchalantly slid his hands into his jeans pockets. “Interpretable?” he asked wryly, as he gazed with her at the swirls of color and motion.
After a quick glance at him, she laughed. “I’m not sure. I do think it would clash with everything else you’d put with it, though.”
Leo chuckled, too, then looked at her. When their gazes met, Leo felt a tightening in his chest, and he didn’t understand it at all. “Are you an art connoisseur?”
“Hardly. I like Victorian cottages, landscapes and paintings that take me away to someplace I want to be.”
“Have you found any here today?” Blood was rushing through him faster now, and he chalked that up to his almost jog around the lake.
“A few. Have you seen Heather?”
“Not yet.”
“The last time I spotted her she was at a stand making huge bubbles in the air. The wand was almost as big as she was.”
“Did you eat lunch yet? We can grab a hot dog while we’re looking.” Then he stopped. “Unless you want to do this on your own.”
She shrugged as if it didn’t matter one way or the other. “I’ve made the rounds and I’m trying to decide between two paintings. A hot dog might help me make the decision.”
For whatever reason, Verity Sumpter made him smile. She did more than that, he realized, as his gaze settled on her lips and he felt a pang of desire so strong he didn’t think he’d ever felt anything quite like it before.
“Come on,” he said evenly, nodding toward a concession truck that sold cold drinks, soft pretzels and hot dogs.
Strumming his guitar and dressed in purple velvet, a wandering minstrel serenaded them with a rendition of “Greensleeves” as they stood in line. Minutes later they each held hot dogs and sodas and went to stand under a pecan tree. When Verity took a one-handed bite of her hot dog, mustard caught on her upper lip. With her hands full and a napkin tucked under the bun, she couldn’t wipe it away.
Not sure what possessed him, Leo set his soda between branches on the tree and caught the dab of mustard with his thumb. The touch of his skin on hers was electric, and her brown eyes widened with the jolt of it. What was it about Verity that stirred him up so?
She didn’t look away, and he couldn’t seem to, either. When he leaned toward her, she tipped up her chin.
All he had to do was bend his head—
“Verity. Hey, Verity,” a male voice called.
A good-looking young man who appeared to be in his late twenties approached them. He had long, russet hair that curled over his collar and was brushed to one side. His green eyes targeted Verity and his smile was all for her.
As if she couldn’t quite tear her gaze from Leo’s, she blinked, breaking the spell. Her cheeks reddened slightly.
The man was approaching them then, and she was smiling at him. “Hi.”
The guy’s smile widened as he came up to them and stood very close to Verity. Much too close, Leo thought.
“Have you seen Charley’s work? It’s the style you said you liked—mountains and trees that make you feel as if you’re right there.”
Leo suddenly wondered if Verity had been dating this man. She could be, and he’d never know. He had no right to know.
“I’ve seen it,” she offered with some excitement.
After another look at Leo and their half-eaten hot dogs, the young man gave Verity a slow smile. “I don’t want to intrude.” He rested his hand lightly on Verity’s shoulder. “I’ll see you Tuesday night. You can tell me then whether you bought the painting or not.”
After the young man walked away, the silence that fell over Leo and Verity was louder than any of the noises around them. As they finished their hot dogs, Leo was very aware, again, that he was twelve years older than Verity and he had no business thinking about kissing her.
Yet questions rolled in his head, and he asked one of them. “Are you dating him?”
Her gaze flew to Leo’s. “What made you think I was?”
Leo shrugged. “Maybe it was more his attitude than yours. If he hasn’t asked you out, it won’t be long until he does.” He didn’t like the idea of that—the idea of Verity and that guy in a dark movie theater, in a car or somewhere more intimate.
“I haven’t dated much since…” She stopped and looked out over the lake. “Sean was protective of me. He screened my dates,” she confided with a small smile.
Leo liked the idea of her having a protective brother who’d looked out for her. “Did you always go along with his advice?”
“I should have. Sean didn’t like the man I was dating last fall, but I wouldn’t listen. When you have a twin, a twin as close as Sean and I were, sometimes it’s hard to distinguish your ideas from theirs, where you leave off and they begin. Being a twin is a constant battle to be yourself yet hold strong the bonds that bind you together. So I didn’t listen to his advice about Matthew.”
“What happened?”
“We’d been dating a few months when Sean was in the skiing accident. Afterward, I…I sort of withdrew. I just couldn’t wrap my mind around the fact that Sean wasn’t here anymore.”
“That’s not unusual,” Leo offered, seeing her sadness, knowing what he had felt after he’d lost Carolyn.
“Matthew didn’t understand that I just wasn’t in the mood to go to parties or even the movies. Whenever I was with him, he didn’t want to hear about Sean or how much I missed him. After a few weeks he told me that he needed to date somebody who was a lot more fun, and I realized my brother had been right about him all along.”
Angry for her, Leo could have called this Matthew a few choice names, but he refrained because he could see how hurt Verity had been that someone she’d loved had deserted her at a low time in her life.
Verity had finished her hot dog and now took a sip of her soda. “How did you meet your wife?”
“I built a customized boat for her father. She came along to see the design, and that was that.”
“So…you believe in love at first sight?” Verity asked curiously.
“I don’t know if it was love at first sight. Carolyn was a beautiful, sophisticated, poised woman who could turn a man’s head. She turned mine.”
It wasn’t until later that Leo had realized there was an aloofness about Carolyn that he could never really break through. Maybe that was the poise he had seen at first. That aloofness had never completely crumbled and had kept a barrier of sorts between them.
“Let’s walk,” Leo said gruffly.
When Verity glanced at him, there were questions in her eyes, but he didn’t want her to ask them.
They hadn’t gone very far when a little whirlwind came barreling toward Verity. It was Heather, all smiles and giggles and excitement.
Wrapping her arms around Verity’s legs, she looked up at her with the exuberance of a three-year-old. “Looky. Looky. I got painted.”
Without hesitation, Verity sank down onto one knee before Heather who had a cluster of daisies painted on her cheek.
“You look beautiful,” Verity exclaimed, and Leo’s chest tightened at the sight of this nanny and his daughter bonding. It was evident Heather absolutely adored Verity.
Heather grabbed Verity’s hand. “You get painted, too.”
Rising to her feet, Verity began, “Oh, I don’t know…”
“Let yourself go today,” Leo advised her, guessing that wasn’t something Verity did often.
Jolene and her two boys had come up behind Heather. Jolene’s hair was blonder than his. At five-four, she was about twenty pounds overweight, but she was his sister, so Leo simply didn’t care. Jolene liked to cook and bake. Everything she did, she did with gusto.
Now she told Verity, “They’ll paint whatever you want—from flowers to kittens to parrots. And it washes off.”
“Are you going to do it, too?” Verity asked with a twinkle in her eye.
“I could be talked into it. But my boys won’t stand still long enough for me to have it done.”
“I can take the boys and Heather over to the clown with the balloons if you really want to,” Verity offered.
Jolene’s two boys, Randy and Joe, seemed to like the idea. Randy, the eight-year-old who was three years older than his brother, Joey, added, “And if Mom’s not done until we get the balloons made we can play croquet. Kids are doing it over there.” He pointed to an open area at the southern end of the lake.
“You’re going to have your hands full,” Leo warned her.
“They’ll be fine as long as we keep busy.”
Leo cupped Verity’s elbow. Again, he felt a longing inside. But he realized it wasn’t only desire.
Trying to ignore whatever it was, he decided, “First, you get your turn getting painted, then I’ll help you look after the kids.”
When Verity gazed up at him, everyone else around the lake seemed to disappear. The overwhelming desire to kiss her overtook him once more.
Releasing her elbow, he decided to keep his distance and concentrate on the kids.
Something had happened to him since Verity’s call yesterday. He felt as if he was reacting and responding and living again.
All of it had something to do with this nanny. He just had to figure out where she fit into his life…if she fit in at all.
Chapter Three
Before Verity turned in for the night, she decided to make herself a cup of cocoa. Her mind was racing and she knew sleep wouldn’t come quickly…not tonight. She’d enjoyed the afternoon with Leo and Heather so much she couldn’t get it out of her mind.
She was stirring the mixture of chocolate and milk in the saucepan on the stove when she heard the sliding glass doors in the dining room open and close. Her heart rate sped up, and when Leo came into the kitchen, she told herself to calm down. This afternoon had meant the world to her. She’d had fun for the first time in a long time. However, she’d also realized her attraction to Leo wasn’t something she could ignore easily.
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Karen Smith
Тип: электронная книга
Жанр: Современные любовные романы
Язык: на английском языке
Издательство: HarperCollins
Дата публикации: 16.04.2024
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О книге: To love, or not to love?That is the question for widower Leo Montgomery, a boat designer who′d do anything to make his little .girl happy–except let himself fall for her sweet-faced nanny. Even if that nanny is staying in the bedroom riext door. And even if he can′t keep khis mind off Verity Sumpter. Because beneath her drab clothes and plain-Jane glasses he senses there is a beautiful woman who could fill his heart with joy. And a woman who seems as wary of embracing love as he is. Still, can Leo find the courage to put a new spin on this beloved old play…?