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“He doesn’t need a friend Ms….”
“It’s Braddock, remember? But call me Miss Tina. Everybody does. It simplifies things for the children.”
“All right. My son needs a teacher and a caretaker, Miss Tina. That’s why I brought him here. However, I don’t see how becoming emotionally involved will help you do a better job. Or help Justin adjust to the new routine.”
She blessed the little boy with a smile of encouragement before she straightened to face his father. The smile faded and her chin jutted out. “Everybody needs friends, Mr. Frazier. Even stubborn, hardheaded men like you, whether you choose to admit it or not.”
“Ah, I see. Are you volunteering?”
Tina didn’t like the self-satisfied expression on his face. Her eyes narrowed. “Why do I get the idea that’s a trick question?”
“Because it is. You aren’t the first single woman who’s figured she could get to me by befriending my son,” Zac said flatly. “And I’m sure you won’t be the last. I learned a long time ago that it was best for Justin if I put a stop to that kind of nonsense before it got started.”
“You think I’m pursuing you?”
“It’s pretty obvious.”
“Oh, really?” Righteous indignation rose. “Well, let me tell you something, mister. If I was interested in getting to know you on a personal level, which I am not, I’d have the backbone to come right out and say so, not hide my intentions at the expense of an innocent child.”
Zac was starting to smile for real. “Are you through?”
“No.” She pulled a pout. “But I think I’d better stop talking before I say too much.”
“Undoubtedly. I suspect I may have to rethink my conclusions about you.”
“I certainly hope so.”
“In that case, I apologize, Miss Tina.” He politely offered his hand. “If you want to be buddies with my son and can keep me out of the equation, then I certainly have no objection.”
That’s big of you, she thought cynically. For the boy’s sake she took Zac’s hand, intending to shake it merely to demonstrate harmony. It should have been a simple act. It wasn’t. The moment he grasped her fingers some serious complications arose. Tina felt a jolt of awareness zing up her arm and spread telltale warmth across her cheeks.
A barely coherent “Thanks” squeaked out of her suddenly tight, dry throat as she quickly withdrew from his touch. No wonder he’d had so much trouble with other women! The poor guy was unconsciously sending out the wrong kind of signals. At least, the ones she was picking up were wrong. Very wrong. Especially for her.
Zac cleared his throat. “So, what time can I bring Justin in the morning?”
“We open at eight. I’m usually here by a little after seven, if you want to drop him off early. You’ll need to knock. I keep the door locked when I’m here alone.” The cautious look returning to his eyes reminded her of the conversation they’d concluded a few moments before, so she clarified her statement. “I will not be waiting with baited breath for you to come in with him.”
Chuckling, he nodded and relaxed. “Okay, okay. I’m convinced. You’re not shopping for a husband.”
“You’ve got that right.”
“Mind telling me why not?”
Tina’s stomach tied in a hard knot. She did mind. A lot. But it wouldn’t do to say so and start an unnecessary discourse. She hadn’t even told her brother Craig, back home in California, what had convinced her to stay away from romance no matter what else happened. There was no way she was going to explain that kind of personal trauma to a stranger. Especially since her past history had been the obvious reason for at least one failed relationship.
“It’s not relevant,” Tina said, choking back any sign of emotion. “Let’s just say I’m perfectly happy with my life as it is. I live in a great town, and having these wonderful kids around me all the time blesses my socks off.”
“Ah, so you’re happy with the status quo. Me, too. Too bad the rest of the world doesn’t understand that, isn’t it?”
“Do eligible women really chase you around all the time?” she asked, baiting him on purpose to take his focus off her life and put it back on his.
“Yes.” Zac laughed softly. “Actually, that was one of the reasons I decided I needed to move to this tiny corner of Arkansas. My friends meant well, but they were fixing me up with dates so often they were driving me crazy.”
“My boss, Mavis Martin, is like that.” Tina pointed to an adjoining room. “She takes care of the littlest babies over there in our nursery. She means well, too, but sometimes…”
“Don’t be too hard on her. She probably wants to make sure you’re not lonely.” Zac paused, thoughtful. “In my case, Justin and I are doing fine as we are. We’re a team.” He glanced down at the boy and tousled his hair again. “Aren’t we, buddy? Well, tell Miss Tina goodbye for now. You’ll see her again in the morning.”
Crouching to be on the boy’s level, she touched his free hand and smiled with fondness. “Bye, Justin. I’ll see you soon.”
For an instant the boy leaned her way, and she thought he was going to break down and hug her. Instead, he whispered, “Bye,” and hurried to keep up with his daddy as Zac started for the door.
Tina’s heart went out to the child. Zac Frazier might be a whiz at understanding the older kids he worked with, but he had a long way to go before he met all the emotional needs of his four-year-old son. Somebody was going to have to show him the error of his ways soon, or the boy was likely to carry the scars of the lack of physical closeness all his life.
It was painfully clear to Tina that she’d been placed in a perfect position to enlighten him. The trouble was, she didn’t feel even remotely qualified for such a daunting task.
“Oh, Father, why me?” she prayed softly. “I couldn’t even straighten out my own brother. How am I ever going to show that man how to love his son the way he should?”
No easy answer came. She didn’t expect it to.
It was over a week before Tina had any news for Zac about available housing. The trouble was, the only house she’d found was the one close to hers. Too close. She wrestled with her conscience all day, knowing she should give him an update about it and hating to because she didn’t want to have to deal with him as a neighbor. Nevertheless, she gave in and presented the address when he came to call for Justin.
“This is the rental I told you about,” Tina said. “If you haven’t found a place yet, this one is going to be vacant soon. The landlord wants to have a chance to clean it up and paint it before he rents it again, so I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a while.” Shrugging, she said, “Sorry. It was the best I could do.”
“How about if I volunteer to do the painting to save time? I really don’t want to keep Justin in that motel any longer than I have to. It’s not enough like a home.”
“I agree. He told me a lot of his toys are in storage and he wants to be able to get the boxes out and play with everything. He rattled off a list of treasures that had the other kids drooling.”
“My son told you all that?”
“In great detail. He has a very good vocabulary for a child his age. I suppose that comes from spending so much time with adults.”
“The only adult he has much to do with is me,” Zac said. “And you, of course. He talks about Miss Tina all the time. I think he has a crush on you.”
She laughed lightly. “That’s pretty normal, too. I can’t help but get attached to these kids and they respond to me the same way. I love ’em all. Even Tommy.”
“The kid I was going to paint purple?” Zac chuckled. “I remember. Is he still acting up?”
“From time to time. He’s a healthy boy. He can’t help some of the things he does, like not sitting still or not remembering to keep his hands to himself. But he’s improving. They all are.”
“Even my son?”
The man looked so concerned, she decided to go into more detail. “Justin has never caused me any trouble. Actually, that much virtue had me worried to begin with, but I’ve been watching him, and he’s beginning to act more normal. I’ve actually seen him getting into a little mischief lately.”
Zac stiffened. “I’ll have a talk with him.”
“No!” Tina was so adamant she forgot herself and grabbed Zac’s forearm, holding tight. “Don’t you dare. That would spoil everything. He’s just starting to loosen up and have fun here.”
Casting a wary glance at her hand where it gripped his bare arm, Zac said, “Looks like he’s not the only one who’s loosening up. Your fingernails are leaving dents. If I promise to behave myself, will you let go of me?”
“Oops. Sorry.” Embarrassed, Tina jumped back. It would be a hot day at the North Pole before she touched that man again! She didn’t have to look in a mirror to know her cheeks were bright pink. So was her neck.
“You’re forgiven. It’s nice to know you care so much. About Justin’s welfare, I mean.” He cleared his throat. “By the way, that’s a great color on you.”
Brushing her hands over her skirt, she said, “This? Thanks. I chose it because the paint spots blend right in.”
Zac was clearly amused. “Actually, I meant the color on your face. Have you always blushed so easily?”
“Only when I forget myself and grab hold of strange men,” Tina responded with a nervous laugh. “Believe me, it doesn’t happen all that often.”
“Let’s hope not.” Looking across the room, he beckoned to his son. “Come on, Justin. We’re going to go look at a house before dinner.”
The little boy raced to his dad. “A real house?”
“Yes. A real house. See?” Zac showed him the paper with the address on it, then looked over at Tina. “I forgot to ask. How do we get there?”
“It’s not hard. You take the main highway west, past the market and up the hill, then veer right at the first road after the vacant lot where Ed Beasley used to keep all those rusty antique cars.” She was waving her hands for emphasis.
“Who?”
Frustrated, Tina realized they had a basic information problem. “Never mind. I forgot. Ed sold out and moved before you came to town. I usually navigate by familiar landmarks, which is a good thing since the dirt roads around here don’t have street signs posted.”
“Could you draw me a map?”
“I have a better idea.” She glanced at the wall clock. “If you can wait another twenty minutes, I can lead you there myself. That way you won’t get lost. When I first moved here I took a wrong turn on one of those unmarked roads and I thought I’d never find my way back to civilization.”
“So, the house is stuck way out in the country? I’m not sure that’s what I’m looking for.”
“Unpaved streets do not mean it’s rustic,” Tina countered. “You’ll see. It’s a lovely house. And the yard is fenced so you won’t have to worry about Justin wandering off when he’s playing outside.”
Zac was shaking his head. “That’s not a problem. My son always stays where he can see me and I can see him, when we’re at home.”
It was his matter-of-fact attitude that gave Tina pause. No normal child of four kept an eye on his or her parent every minute. It wasn’t natural. Or healthy. Zac Frazier was a smart man, an educated man. Why couldn’t he see that?
Or was it just that he didn’t want to?
Zac hung around until the last of the children had been picked up, then he and Justin followed Tina out to the parking lot. He’d pictured her as the convertible or the sports car type. Instead, she floored him by climbing into an old, dusty, blue pickup truck.
He secured Justin in his seat in the rear of their minivan and got behind the wheel. Hopefully, he hadn’t looked too surprised at Tina’s mode of transportation. He didn’t want to hurt her feelings when she was trying so hard to do him a favor.
She pulled alongside, windows rolled down. “Ready?”
“Lead the way,” Zac called.
As soon as she drove off, he turned up the van’s air-conditioning. Ahead, he could see Tina’s long, light brown hair blowing in the wind. She might not be driving a fancy new convertible, but he hadn’t been far wrong about her overall attitude. She looked exactly like the free spirit he’d been picturing ever since they’d met.
No wonder she wasn’t interested in settling down and getting married. She wasn’t the sweet, contented homemaker type Kim had been. Thinking of his late wife gave Zac a familiar jolt of guilt. He’d been over and over the boating accident in his mind and had never come up with a clear cause, yet his subconscious kept insisting it was his fault. It had to be. After all, he was the husband and father. Keeping his family safe was his responsibility. And he’d failed. By the time he’d pulled Justin to safety and gone back for Kim, she’d sunk below the surface of the murky water and he hadn’t been able to locate her.
Ahead, Tina signaled for a turn. That snapped Zac out of his contemplative mood. He was glad she wasn’t speeding, because he wouldn’t have compromised Justin’s safety just to keep up with her. His days of risk-taking were over.
The road narrowed beneath a canopy of trees. Scraggly, dead tree branches stuck out here and there on both sides of the road like long, crooked fingers. If it had been dark, the scene might have seemed eerie. As it was, however, the lovely summer day lingered to bathe the countryside with rays from the setting sun. Lush growth on the healthier oaks and cedars softened the angles of their bare counterparts.
Checking Justin in the mirror, Zac saw that the boy had already fallen asleep. Good. The poor kid needed the rest. He sighed. Truth to tell, so did his daddy. Between the two of them, they’d spent many restless, nightmare-filled nights this past year. Maybe a new house, a new town, a new job were what they needed. Zac certainly hoped so. He was running out of fresh ideas.
Tina pulled into a driveway and parked. Zac followed, and couldn’t believe his eyes. He stared. There were flowers everywhere. Hundreds of them. In pots, in planters, coming up in bunches in the lawn. He’d never seen anything so naturally beautiful in his life.
Climbing out of the van, all he said was “Wow.”
Tina joined him in time to hear the comment. “I’m glad you like it. Gardening is a hobby of mine.”
“This is your place? I thought…”
“Sorry,” she said, pointing. “The one you came to see is three doors down. I turned in here by force of habit. Guess I was daydreaming. Come on. We can walk over.”
Zac cast a weary glance at his sleeping son. “I hate to wake him. He has a lot of trouble getting to sleep.”
“Then, leave him alone and move your car over in front of the other house where we can watch him. I’ll meet you there.”
She started off without waiting for him to agree. Watching her go, Zac was struck by her effortless grace and lively step. Always before she’d been inside the classroom when he’d seen her move. Now, she’d shed her shoes and was cutting across the lawn barefoot, like a child who’d just been let out of school.
What a fascinating woman. There was an easy goodness about her that spoke to his soul, made him miss the spiritual aspects of his former life. Maybe it was time to take her up on her invitation and make plans to visit her church. If even half the members were as amiable as Tina Braddock, it was a place he wanted to see for himself.
“The Nortons left their key under the mat so you could get inside,” Tina said, handing it to him. “Here. Go take a peek. I’ll stay out here and watch Justin for you.”
“You’re sure they won’t mind?”
“Nope. They’ve moved most of their furniture already. Doris told me to give you the key and turn you loose.”
“She’s not worried about letting a stranger poke through her home?”
“You’re not a stranger,” Tina told him. “I vouched for you. Besides, the Norton’s oldest boy is in high school, so they’ve already heard plenty about you.”
Zac arched an eyebrow. “Small-town gossip?”
“You’ll get used to it. Everybody means well. They like to keep an eye on newcomers, that’s all.”
“How long does it take to become one of the good ole boys?”
Tina laughed. “A couple of generations, as near as I can tell. A genuine southern accent helps, too. I’m working on mine.”
“I thought I’d noticed a drawl in some of the quaint expressions you use.”
“I’m not adding colloquialisms on purpose,” she explained. “They slip into my conversation because I hear them so much. When I first moved here, I used to always catch the unusual ways people talked. Now, it’s hard to pick up differences even if I’m listening for them.”
“Not for me,” he said, laughing quietly and shaking his head. “The other day one of the teachers I work with said he was ‘fixin’ to take a cold,’ and I had to stop myself from asking him where he was planning on taking it.”
He fitted the key into the lock and turned it till he heard it click. “Keep a close eye on Justin. I had to leave the motor running so the air conditioner would work. If he wakes up and sees I’m gone, he’ll be scared. This shouldn’t take long. I’m not fussy.”
“Don’t you worry one bit. I’m not fixin’ to leave till you’re as happy as a possum in a henhouse,” Tina quipped, grinning widely.
