A Mother for Cindy Read online

  “Thankfully that’s not likely going to happen to you.”

  “Whereas storms will always be around?”

  “Yes.” She shoved her hand through her short brown hair. “I never liked thunderstorms as a child, but when I lost Mark to a lightning strike, my fear multiplied. I’m the reason—” She bit her bottom lip to keep it from trembling. A tear leaked from her eye and ran down her cheek. Turning away, she swiped at her face. “I can finish cleaning up later.”

  “I can stay as long as you need me.” The only person who had really needed him was Cindy, and he felt as if he had let her down on more than one occasion.

  “You don’t have to baby-sit me. I’ve lived with this irrational fear for over thirty years. I’ll manage.”

  The quavering in her voice belied her tough words. He clasped her shoulder. “Why don’t we join Cindy and Nate and play a game of Trouble?”

  Looking back at him, she smiled but the edges of her mouth quivered. “You just want to take advantage of my weakened resolve.”

  “You’ve discovered my strategy.”

  “I must warn you I am very competitive—” she cocked her head and listened “—and I think the storm is moving away from here.”

  “What a nice challenge. You at your peak.”

  Her laughter saturated the air, all traces of the tension of the past hour gone. “I could say the same thing about you.”

  He swept his arm across his body and indicated the door that led to the den. “I thrive on a good challenge.”

  “Let me pick up the broken glass first, then I’ll gladly thrash you at a game of Trouble.” She bent down to begin the task.

  “I’ll help.” He knelt next to her, his arm brushing against hers.

  The casual touch was like a bolt of lightning streaking up his arm. He felt the electricity zip through his body and nearly dropped the piece of glass he had picked up. He steadied himself, drawing in a deep, composing breath. His senses were imbued with her scent of jasmine, and he was right back where he was a few minutes ago—needing and wanting something that would be no good for him.

  When the glass was cleaned up, he put several feet between them. “On second thought, I’d better call it an evening. I forgot I still have some calls to make overseas. Now that the storm is abating we should be able to get home without getting too drenched.”

  Disappointment fretted across her features. “I can loan you a couple of umbrellas. You can bring them back tomorrow.”

  “Sure. I’d better go get Cindy and Boswell.” He backed away, his gaze caught in hers. He felt like a coward, tossing down a challenge then reneging. That wasn’t his usual method of operation. But he was a survivor and he needed his space before he did something foolish. Jesse Bradshaw was the marrying kind, and he would never marry again because he was a survivor.

  * * *

  Nick leaned close to Jesse and whispered, “I can’t believe you talked me into this class.”

  “Don’t tell me you’re one of those people who doesn’t like to get his hands dirty.”

  “I think we’re past that.”

  Spying Nick’s hands covered with paste used in making his papier-mâché animal, Jesse laughed. “I think you’re right. What is that, by the way?”

  “I’m crushed. You can’t tell it’s a cat?”

  She tried to contain her laughter but wasn’t very successful. “Sorry. Where’s its tail?”

  “It’s a tailless cat.” He looked offended, but merriment frolicked in his eyes. He nodded toward her papier-mâché animal. “What’s that?”

  “A dog and this is his tail.” Jesse pointed to a stub at one end of a blob of paper pulp.

  “If you say so.”

  “Daddy, what do you think?”

  “Sweetie, you’ve done a great job with your, er—” he studied his daughter’s art project “—rabbit.”

  “It’s not a rabbit. I decided to do a bird.” Cindy slapped on some more wet paper.

  “Oh, great bird. Now that I look at it closer I can see its wings.” He pointed toward the area sticking out of the side.

  “That’s his beak and that’s his tail.”

  “Yes. Yes. Tail and beak.”

  Jesse pressed her lips together, but her laughter continued to bubble up inside her. She bent toward Nick and whispered, “You need to learn to let your child tell you first what they did before committing yourself.”

  “Committing myself is the optimum phrase here. I’m definitely not projecting an image of an industry leader.”

  “No, but you are projecting an image of a wonderful, devoted father.”

  “I am? Well, in that case, it’s all worth it.” He studied Cindy’s papier-mâché animal, his brow wrinkled in a thoughtful look. “She told me earlier she was doing a rabbit.”

  “Sometimes they change their minds. Be vague and let them talk about their artwork.”

  “Mom, I’m finished. Do you like it?”

  “Nate, I love your animal. What a neat choice of colors.”

  “I know horses aren’t blue, but it’s my favorite color.”

  After properly admiring her son’s work, she mouthed the word, “see,” to Nick. He inclined his head.

  Beth Coleman stood at the front of the room. “Class, when you’re through making your animals, we’re going to let them dry and you can take them home next Saturday. If you haven’t finished painting your project, we’ll have some time next week to complete it. It’s time to clean up.”

  “Painting! I haven’t finished making my animal.” Nick picked up his project and one of the legs fell off. “This is why I didn’t put a tail on my cat. I’m having a hard enough time with the four legs.”

  “Daddy, your cat looks funny.”

  “You think?”

  Cindy giggled. “I’ll help you next week.”

  “I think I’m a lost cause.” He took his three-legged cat to the shelf to store it.

  Jesse hung back, letting him talk to Beth who was supervising the storing of the projects. They spoke a brief moment—not nearly long enough to make a proper connection—then he headed back to the table.

  As Cindy and Nate left to put their projects on the shelf, Jesse said, “Don’t you think Beth is wonderful with the children?”

  Nick stopped cleaning up the mess he’d made and looked at Jesse. “Sure.”

  “She has the patience of Job.”

  “I’m sure she does.”

  “I’m surprised she isn’t married with a horde of children of her own. She would make a great mother.”

  Nick’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you telling me this?”

  “I don’t want you to worry about Cindy if you can’t come. She’ll be in good hands.”

  “You mean I don’t have to come and do the art projects each week?”

  This conversation wasn’t going the way she wanted, Jesse thought. In fact, the whole class hadn’t gone as she had wanted. Beth had hardly paid much attention to Nick. Of course, with Jimmy throwing up at the beginning of class then Cal trying to eat the paste she hadn’t had much time to pay attention to anyone. “Beth encourages the parents to participate, but you don’t have to.”

  “That’s a relief.” He wiped his hand across his forehead before he realized it was still covered with partially wet papier-mâché paste.

  Jesse knew the second he remembered his hands weren’t clean. His eyes widened as he rolled them skyward as though he could see the white trail he’d left on his forehead.

  “I’m definitely more comfortable in a boardroom than a classroom.” He snatched up a paper towel and cleaned his forehead. Then he looked down at his jeans and T-shirt and grimaced. “Boswell won’t be too happy with me. I think I have more paste on my clothes than the project.”

  “Believe me, it washes out.”

  “I suppose with kids it would have to.”

  “Definitely.” Jesse saw Beth hurrying by and said, “Beth, can I help with anything?”

  Her friend stopped
, took a deep breath and pushed her hair back behind her ear. “Class usually isn’t this hectic.”

  “You remember Nick Blackburn from the other day at the café.”

  Beth started to offer her hand, then remembered it was covered with paint and just smiled instead. “Yes. You have an adorable little girl.”

  “Yes, isn’t Cindy cute?” Jesse shifted to allow another parent by, which caused Nick to have to move closer to Beth. Things were looking up. Maybe she would be able to stop searching for someone for Nick.

  “Thank you. I think she’ll enjoy this class, but I may not always be able to come. Will it be okay if someone else brings her?”

  “Sure, whatever works best for you. The important thing is that Cindy enjoys herself. I’ve got to go and catch Cal’s mother before she leaves. I’m glad Cindy will be joining the class.”

  As soon as Beth left, Nick busied himself cleaning up his work area, then washing his hands, his glance not once straying toward Beth. Disappointment sagged Jesse’s shoulders as she stood back and tried to decide what had gone wrong. Why couldn’t she find someone for Nick? Beth would be perfect. Why couldn’t either one of them see that?

  Another plan popped into her mind as the members of the class began to leave. Slowly Jesse straightened her area, cleaned the table off and washed her hands, too. Cindy and Nate danced about, trying to contain their energy but not doing a very good job. Even Nick finished and watched Jesse with a furrowed brow.

  “Do you need help?” he asked, picking up her art project to take over to the shelf.

  There was only one more student in the class. Jesse purposefully moved in slow motion as she gathered up her purse. Beth said goodbye to Cheryl and her mother.

  Jesse checked her watch. “It’s nearly lunchtime. Why don’t we get something to eat at the hamburger joint across the street?”

  As she knew they would, both Cindy and Nate said, “Yes!”

  “How can I say no?”

  “You can’t. Let’s see if Beth would like to join us.” Before Nick could reply, Jesse rushed toward her friend. “We’re going to get some hamburgers at Joe’s Diner. Want to come?”

  “Sorry, Jesse. I’ve got to meet with Reverend Collins about the Fourth of July auction before I meet you at Darcy’s. Some other time.”

  Beth grabbed her purse and headed toward the door to the classroom before Jesse could form a reply. Lord, are You telling me to pass on this one? Nothing seems to work with Nick. I need some help here. I’m not doing a very good job with this man.

  “Our teacher has other plans?”

  Nick’s deep husky voice sent a shiver down her spine. She wheeled around. “Yes.” Her voice came out breathless as though she had run in a marathon. Her chest barely seemed able to contain the beating of her heart.

  “Then can we leave now?”

  “Sure.”

  With Nate and Cindy leading the way, Jesse and Nick walked from the school building and across the street to Joe’s Diner. The aromas of grilled meat and French fries drew Jesse like a magnet. She loved all the wrong foods for a woman who should watch her weight.

  Nick paused at the door. “Do you think I look okay to eat out in public?” He gestured toward his less than clean clothes.

  “No better than I.” Jesse waved her hand down the length of her attire of knee-length blue shorts and white T-shirt with splashes of paste and paint. “I don’t think Joe will mind.” Glancing through the picture window, Jesse added, “Besides, I see several other class participants inside so we won’t be the only ones.”

  “Thank goodness none of my acquaintances in Chicago can see me now. They would be shocked.”

  “Because of your clothes or because of the place you are eating lunch at?” Jesse entered the diner in front of Nick and weaved her way toward the table in the back where the children had already camped out. Joe’s Diner had simple fare and was plainly decorated with wooden tables and chairs that had seen many years of customers, and few objects adorning the white walls.

  “Both. I actually had to go buy some more casual clothes after being here for several days and realizing my wardrobe wasn’t small-town America.”

  “I suppose three-piece suits are a little out of place in Sweetwater. Mind you, we do occasionally wear our good clothes but mostly overalls and jeans are the mainstay of our wardrobe,” Jesse said with a straight face.

  Nick stared at her for a long moment, then chuckled. “I deserved that. And for the record, I don’t wear three-piece suits. Too stuffy for me.” He slid a chair out for Jesse and waited until she sat before he took the seat next to her.

  “Daddy, can I order anything I want?” Cindy opened the menu and tilted her head to the side as though she was enthralled with what was written on the paper before her.

  “Maybe.”

  Peering around the side of her menu, Cindy screwed up her face into a frown. “Maybe?”

  “I’m not saying yes until I hear what it is you want. The last time I said yes without knowing the terms I was stuck with a set of books you haven’t even looked at since you got them.”

  “What are you having, Nate?” Cindy asked, going back to studying her menu.

  “The hamburgers are the best in town and you can’t beat Joe’s French fries. But I also like the onion rings, too.”

  “I want all that, Daddy.”

  “French fries and onion rings?” One of Nick’s eyebrows rose.

  Cindy nodded. “And a hamburger with chocolate milk.”

  “That’s an awful lot to eat.”

  Cindy closed her menu and straightened in her chair. “I’m mighty hungry after all that work this morning.”

  Nate slapped his menu down. “I’ll have the same, too.”

  “Are you gonna eat it this time? The last time you didn’t finish half your burger.” Jesse collected the menus and waved to Lila to let her know they were ready to order.

  “I’m hungry, too. Gramps says I’m a growing boy who needs fuel to grow.”

  “That’s an interesting way to put it,” Nick said, unwrapping his silverware and placing his paper napkin in his lap.

  “So you’re gonna eat every bit of it this time?”

  Nate bobbed his head up and down.

  When Lila came to take their orders, Nick told her what they wanted—hamburgers and French fries for everyone with two extra side dishes of onion rings.

  After she left, Jesse took a drink of her water. “I hope Dr. Wilson doesn’t see us eating this. This goes against every diet I’ve heard of.”

  “Don’t tell me you watch your weight?” Nick said with a laugh.

  “Yes. If I don’t, who will?”

  His gaze roamed down the length of her. “I can think of a few who might.”

  Heat flamed her cheeks at the amused look—with a hint of something she didn’t dare put a name to—in his eyes. She needed to champion Beth before she forgot her mission to find Nick a suitable wife. “What did you think of the art class today?”

  “Do I have to go back?”

  “Daddy, I want to go next Saturday.”

  Nick turned his attention to his daughter. “You can, princess. It’s me we’re talking about.”

  “You don’t wanna go?” Cindy squirmed in her chair, a pout forming.

  “Yes, Nick, you don’t want to go?”

  Nick threw Jesse a narrowed look before addressing his daughter. “I’m not very good at creating art.”

  “Daddy, you don’t have to be.” She dropped her head and stared at the table.

  “Cindy, if you want to go, I’ll take you, but I’m not promising you that I’ll participate.”

  “That’s okay, Daddy. Jesse will be there to help me if I need it. Maybe she can help you.”

  “Sure, Nick. I’d be glad to.” Jesse contained her laughter that threatened. Nick probably wouldn’t appreciate it. She doubted he was put in the hot seat much, and the man definitely looked as though he wanted to squirm in his chair.

  “I thin
k I can manage but thanks for the offer,” Nick said, relief on his face as the waitress placed the plates of food in front of everyone, effectively ending the conversation.

  Jesse leaned toward Nick and whispered, “Beth is a wonderful teacher. Cindy and you will learn a lot.”

  “I’m sure Beth is, but papier-mâché isn’t my idea of art.”

  “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

  Nick took a bite of his hamburger. “Mmm. This is delicious.”

  Jesse noted the surprise in his voice and couldn’t help responding, “There’s nothing fancy about Joe’s food, but it is great tasting.”

  “I can appreciate a hamburger with the best of them.” Nick bit down again and chewed slowly as though savoring it.

  “Daddy, can I go to church with Nate tomorrow?”

  Lifting his hamburger toward his mouth, Nick stopped in mid motion. He peered at Jesse.

  “It’s okay with me. I would love for Cindy to come with us. You can, too, if you want.”

  Nick shifted in his chair, putting his hamburger down on his plate. “Sweetie, if you want to go that’s fine with me.”

  “Will you come?” Cindy picked up her milk and took a long drink.

  “I can’t, princess.”

  “Why can’t you come?”

  “I have some business that I need to take care of.”

  Cindy cocked her head and stared at him. “On Sunday?”

  “Some overseas calls. Maybe some other time.” Nick shifted again in his chair.

  Jesse wondered about the uncomfortable expression on Nick’s face. Did he believe in God? He was allowing Cindy to go to church and yet he wouldn’t go himself. She had the feeling there was more to the story than overseas calls.

  “Don’t forget later on this afternoon Boswell said we could finish that Trouble game we started the other night. I’ll bring it over to your house.” Nate wiped his mouth then wadded his paper napkin and put it by his empty plate.