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“Dear,” Vivian said, “aren’t you asking a little too much of Rick to react as if he knows his sister? He’s scarcely seen her in nine years.”
“And whose fault is that?” Vanessa demanded.
Jeff stood and joined Rick. “Maybe you should cut him some slack, Vanessa. He may have been careless, but he had no choice about leaving her with her mother, unless he knew of any abuse. Any court would agree with that.”
Vanessa wasn’t satisfied with legal obligations. “That still doesn’t—”
At that moment Betty stepped into the room. “Dinner is served.”
And that ended their conversation…for the time being.
Chapter Three
Vanessa had asked her mother to seat Lindy next to her, in case the girl continued to be nervous about her half brother. Vivian had done as Vanessa had asked, but she’d put Rick Austin across the table from Lindy.
However, much to Vanessa’s surprise, Lindy seemed eager to talk to her brother.
“Rick, do you still live in Dad’s house?” Lindy asked in a quiet moment.
He frowned. “Yes, of course.”
“It’s a wonderful house,” Lindy said. “I remember thinking it was like a castle.”
Rick gave her a surprised look. “A castle? It doesn’t look anything like a castle.”
Lindy withdrew immediately, and Vanessa intervened, telling Rick, “You’ll have to remember she was only six years old. Is it here in Highland Park?”
“Yes, of course. I didn’t think,” Rick said, apologizing at once. “Would you like to visit the house?” he asked Lindy. “I’ll be out of town next week, but I’ll let my housekeeper know you’d like to drop by, if you want.”
“Is it still Mrs. Abby?” Lindy asked, but her enthusiasm seemed to have disappeared.
“Yes, it is.”
Lindy turned to Vanessa. “She’s a lot like Betty, Vanessa. You’ll like her if you meet her.”
“Of course, honey, I’m sure I will. Maybe your brother will tell us a convenient time. We wouldn’t want to show up at an inappropriate moment.” She sent a pointed look to Rick to let him know she’d understood his parameters…and didn’t like them.
He squared his jaw but said nothing. Fortunately, Rebecca asked him a question that caused him to turn away.
Vanessa felt Lindy withdraw beside her, but she couldn’t follow suit. She sensed that she had to be on alert whenever the man was near. He was dangerous, in so many ways. He was way too handsome. His good looks could make a susceptible woman believe anything he said. She wasn’t susceptible, of course.
After they left the table, she whispered to Lindy, “Have you changed your mind about visiting the house?”
Lindy shrugged. “He doesn’t want me there. I’ll manage without seeing it.” Her voice showed the hurt she was feeling.
When they settled for coffee in the morning room, Vivian invited the children to join them, saying she seldom saw Rebecca’s two anymore. After the children arrived, Vanessa noticed Lindy relax for the first time that evening, losing her self-consciousness with Jamie, Rebecca and Jeff’s youngest.
A glance across the room told her she wasn’t the only one who had noticed the change. Rick Austin had his eye on his sister, too. Good. She intended to have a word with Mr. Austin before he went home tonight!
Rick leaned close to Vivian and asked a question, then Rick, Jeff and Bill stood and left the room.
She asked, “Where are they going?”
Vivian said, “Rick asked if I minded if he talked to Bill and Jeff in private.”
“Is he coming back in here?” Vanessa demanded.
Will said, “Why wouldn’t he?”
Vanessa didn’t say anything. Since her parents had supported Rick several times, she didn’t want to tell them that she intended to chastise him in private. All the clothes she’d bought Lindy were worth nothing if her brother didn’t show some acceptance. He was like an absentee father figure for Lindy. Vanessa didn’t think it would be easy to make up for all the years of emotional neglect without some assistance from Rick.
She breathed a sigh of relief when the men returned half an hour later. All three looked pleased with themselves, so Vanessa guessed Rick had hired Jeff and his partner to handle his private affairs.
But he had better not think he could pass off Lindy to his lawyers. She wouldn’t allow that. Besides, that plan had already failed.
Bill and Chelsea left first, Chelsea explaining apologetically that she had to go to bed early these days because of her pregnancy. Vivian immediately told her she had done the same. Rick stood to take his leave, too.
After a cautious glance at Lindy, Vanessa stood and moved to his side, asking for a private moment in the library.
“Why?” he asked.
“Because I would like to talk to you about your half sister.”
“Look, I arranged with Jeff and Bill to handle everything. They’ll give you the money for whatever you need to buy her. I don’t think you’ll be unhappy.”
“This is not about the money!” she protested in a low voice. “Can we go to the library, please?”
“Fine!” He turned around, holding the door open for her.
After another quick look at Lindy, still playing with Jamie, Vanessa walked past him to the library across the hall.
She waited by the door until he entered and then shut it. “Please sit down.” It was an order, even though she said please.
“Look, Vanessa, I’ve taken care of everything. If you’ll talk to Jeff, you’ll see.”
“Jeff can’t handle this problem.”
“Why not?”
“Because he’s not Lindy’s big brother! For some reason, she craves approval from you.”
“Fine. I approve of her. Will that do?”
“You just don’t get it, do you. Your stepmother didn’t only deprive Lindy of clothes and furniture. She deprived her of love. The child is an emotional wreck, and only someone in her family can make that go away. Since you’re the only one she has, it has to be you!”
“What do you expect me to do? I don’t even know her.”
Vanessa drew a deep breath. She needed to stay calm and focused. “Why do you think your father made you Lindy’s guardian if anything happened to her mother?”
Rick glowered at her.
Good, she thought. He needed to think about what he was doing.
“He didn’t have anyone else to take care of her,” Rick said, his voice low.
“That’s what I would assume. Wouldn’t he expect you to do what you could for her? To heal the hurts her mother inflicted?”
“He married her. Not me!”
The bitterness in his voice told Vanessa she still had some work to do.
“How about I make a suggestion, and we’ll discuss whether or not you can handle it,” she said softly.
“What?” he barked.
“Instead of telling Lindy she can go see the house when you’re not going to be there, why not invite her to dinner and welcome her?”
“She said she wanted to see the house. I said she could.”
“I didn’t know Lindy’s mother or her father. But I know which one she loved the most. Remember your emotions when your father died? Well, Lindy felt at least that bad. You were old enough to take care of yourself. She was left to a mean, hateful woman who gave her no love at all. Would it be so hard to let Lindy into your heart just a little bit?”
“Her mother—”
Vanessa put up a hand to stop him. “I know her mother was impossible. But Lindy’s not. She’s sweet and lovable. And she needs your approval. Please?”
“Fine! I can be home for dinner on Wednesday. I’ll tell Mrs. Abby the two of you will be there.”
“I don’t have to come. You two—”
“No. You’re the expert about all those emotions. You need to be there.”
He’d trapped her, and there was no way out. “All right, I’ll come. Wednesday night at seven?”
“Yes.”
“You won’t forget?”
“No, I won’t. Now, if you have no objection, I’ll be on my way.”
“Wait! You need to invite Lindy yourself. And then tell her goodbye.”
“Damn it! I told you you were invited!”
She stared at him.
“Fine!” He rose and headed for the door.
She’d won the round, so why wasn’t she happy?
Because spending another night with Rick Austin was the last thing she wanted to do. For many reasons she thought it best to keep her distance from him—not least of which was the fact that the man was too attractive for his own good.
Or for hers.
RICK ENTERED THE OTHER ROOM, trying to put a smile on his face. It was what his father would’ve wanted, he told himself. He hated to think that he’d failed the man. He knew his father had loved Lindy, his cute, precocious little girl.
But now she was a child-woman and reminded Rick so much of her mother. A shiver ran through his body at the mere thought of Anita. He controlled himself and walked over to his sister where she played with Vanessa’s niece.
“Lindy, I was thinking, if you don’t mind waiting until Wednesday to come see the house, I’d be free that evening and you and Vanessa could come to dinner. Would that be all right?”
He watched Lindy’s face light up like a spotlight and acknowledged to himself that Vanessa had been right. He hadn’t been sure until then.
“Oh, Rick, that would be wonderful!” Her gaze shifted to Vanessa, who’d come in behind Rick. “Wouldn’t it, Vanessa? Can we go on Wednesday night?”
“Sure, Lindy. I’m free then if you are.”
Lindy giggled, reminding Rick again that she was still maturing. “You know I’m free, Vanessa.”
“Okay, then we’ll plan on Wednesday night. What time, Rick? Will seven be okay?”
Rick turned around to glare at Vanessa while no one else could see him. She was playing him. They’d already agreed on the time. “Yes, seven will be fine.”
“Then we’ll look forward to seeing you Wednesday at seven.”
He nodded and remembered to smile at Lindy one more time. Then he turned to Will and Vivian, who, it appeared, had been watching them all with interest. “I’ve got to go now. I enjoyed the evening and I’m very pleased with Jeff and Bill. Thanks for referring them to me.”
Will stood and shook his hand and Vivian kissed his cheek. Her warm gesture surprised him.
“Come to dinner anytime you please, Rick. We always have plenty of food and we love the company.”
He wouldn’t take her up on it, but the offer was sweet. “Thank you, Vivian.”
After he left the house, he got into his car to drive home. He had a lot to think about. And he couldn’t help feeling a surge of anger toward Vanessa Shaw. He’d forgotten she was studying to be a psychologist. She’d make a good one, he remarked to himself. She’d certainly found the right button to push and he’d done exactly what she wanted.
Normally he wasn’t that easily manipulated. Dinner Wednesday evening wouldn’t be exactly as she’d envisioned it.
He hit a button on his cell phone.
A silky voice answered. “Hello.”
“Sharon, it’s Rick.”
“Oh, hi, lover. I missed you tonight.”
He chuckled. That was her standard greeting, though he seldom saw her because of his travels. “Good. I’m having an intimate dinner party on Wednesday evening at seven. It will just be you, my sister and her guardian. Can you make it?”
“I didn’t know you had a sister. But of course I’ll be glad to come. I’m delighted to finally meet your family.”
“Good. I’ll see you then.”
