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“It’s his choice to make, Sadie. Only he can say what he wants his quality of life to be.”
“I know.”
The words were weak and wavering. She did know. But she felt like a child in her fear. Lito was going to leave her. Just like everyone else. She shook her head. You are being selfish and childish. Stop it. Her brain knew this. Her heart would accept it eventually.
CHAPTER FIVE (#ulink_b369d0ec-9a35-5c11-b25a-4399ce411c7e)
SADIE TRIED TO keep on the shady side of the path, but Jack had other ideas. He pulled on the harness with such strength she had no doubt that if she fell, he’d drag her along behind him. He’d been a rampaging whirl of doggie ecstasy ever since she’d put his halter on. Dog park day. Oh boy oh boy oh boy. The little park wasn’t really a dog park, but no one had complained about her tossing tennis balls to Jack along a grassy stretch off the bike path, so she kept going there.
She’d slathered herself with eighty SPF and wore lightweight cotton pants to cover her legs, but a long-sleeve shirt was impossible in Charleston’s May weather. Today the humidity was relatively low, so the temperature in the mideighties was pleasant. Her fair skin burnt to a crisp with ease and she’d long ago given up trying to get any sort of tan.
“Hold up, Jack. You’re going to pull my arm out of its socket.”
Of course he didn’t listen. If Molly were here, he would trot obediently at her side. All he knew was they were approaching the stretch of grass where he could run until he collapsed or Sadie’s throwing arm gave out, whichever came first. It was their Saturday ritual. A late-morning run in the park, then a bath. She’d discovered bathing an exhausted dog was much easier.
They reached the edge of the grass and Jack sat panting over his shoulder at her, his silly tongue lolling out. He let out a happy bark and tried to wag his tail through the grass. She took his head between her hands and squatted to look him in the eye. “You’re such a goofball, Jack. Do you know this? Do you know you’re a goofball?”
He barked again and quivered in anticipation. She led him to the shade of a large oak tree and undid the leash. As she shook a tennis ball out of the tube, he began to run in circles at her feet, making her laugh. Adopting him had been the best idea she’d ever had.
“Okay, you ready?”
She threw the ball as hard as she could, but honestly, not very far. Jack didn’t care. He took off like a bullet, outpacing her throw and catching it neatly. He ran back to her and pretended to tussle over the ball. She threw the next one almost straight up. This allowed Jack to jump a fairly impressive distance into the air. As he did, she heard a little girl call out.
“Did you see that doggie jump?”
Sadie smiled at the little girl who had stopped her bike and was straddling it, pointing at Jack while looking back over her shoulder. Her hair was a shining wave of pure black falling halfway down her back. A man approached the girl. Her heart tripped over itself. Oh, great. It was Wyatt Anderson. He watched Jack run back and his gaze met hers the same instant Jack dropped the ball at her feet.
Oh, Jesus. Maybe he wouldn’t recognize her. Maybe he’d keep on going. Please, because dear God. Because he was wearing shorts and a sleeveless T-shirt and he’d been running and was all muscle and sweat and devilish goodness. He raised his hand in a wave and smiled and even from this distance, she could see those dimples. Jack yipped impatiently at the delay. She waved back. Perfect. Here he comes. Without business matters to hide behind, she was going to make a fool of herself. Because those hazel eyes made every brain cell she had melt into a useless pile of goop. And she wanted to press her lips to one—or both—of those dimples.
“Hey,” he said as they approached. The little girl left the bike on the side of the path and trailed behind him shyly. Must be the niece he’d mentioned.
“Oh, hi.” Going for casual, coming across as stupid. Brilliant. Jack was having his own meltdown and gave her an excuse to look away for a moment so she could throw the tennis ball. The little girl stopped to watch him run.
“Wow,” Wyatt said. “He’s fast.”
He turned his attention back to Sadie. She smiled up at him. He seemed taller. Wider. Her gaze slid along the curves and dips of the muscles of his arm. The man was cut. She eyed the front of his shirt. Wonder what’s under there.
Come on! Stop staring.
She looked back at him, and the faint smile on his lips made her cheeks burn. Jack ran back, dropping the ball and letting out a yip. She threw it again.
“It’s his favorite thing to do. He’d chase it until he collapsed if my arm could hold out long enough.”
The girl inched closer and he reached around to put a hand on her shoulder, pulling her forward. She pressed close to Wyatt and peeked up at Sadie with solemn dark brown eyes. She didn’t smile. A ping of sorrow ran through Sadie. She recognized that expression. It was the look of a child who has learned that the world isn’t always a safe place. Who was always waiting to see what was going to happen next. Wyatt had said he recently got custody, so something had happened to her. To her world. She squatted to be eye to eye with the girl.
“Hi. I’m Sadie. What’s your name?”
“Julietta,” the girl whispered.
“That’s very pretty.”
Jack came back and did something remarkable. Instead of another doggie meltdown because the ball throwing stopped, he sat quietly. Sadie put an arm around him. “This is Jack. Jack, this is Julietta. Can you shake?”
For the first time, Jack did what Sadie asked at once. His paw went up and Julietta turned her serious little face up to Wyatt. He squatted also.
“If you want to.”
Julietta took the offered paw and gently shook it. “Hello, Jack. It is very nice to meet you.”
Sadie smothered a smile. Her eyes met Wyatt’s and saw the same amusement there. She stood. Her knees would only take so much abuse. “Do you want to throw the ball for him, Julietta?”
The girl looked at Sadie in wonder. Her mouth fell open and she drew in a breath of air. “Can I?”
Her little voice, so carefully hopeful, sparked a wave of tenderness. “Of course you can, honey.”
Sadie got a dry ball and showed her how to throw it. Jack joyfully scooped up ground balls and ran them back to her in a black-and-white blur. Sadie sat under the oak tree with Wyatt and watched.
His fingers closed on her forearm in a brief, gentle squeeze. “Thank you.”
“For what? Letting her play? Saves my arm some wear and tear.”
He pointed at Julietta. The game of toss had morphed into a game of toss and tag. “This is the first time she’s played.”
She turned to look at him. He sat with his elbows braced on his knees. His gaze, full of relief, was on Julietta. He turned to her and grinned, shaking his head. “If she laughs, I may kiss you.”
A slow heat boiled up out of her belly and her breath hitched in her throat. Her eyes lingered on his lips. What would they feel like? Taste like?
Stop it, Sadie. He is an employee. Stop it now. She forced a return grin.
“Maybe you should kiss Jack. He’s the reason she’s playing.”
“I’d do it. God, you don’t even know what this means. She’s playing. Playing!”
Sadie watched the two romping figures. Julietta threw the ball and raced with Jack to retrieve it. The heat stirred by his casual remark about kissing cooled while she watched. Yes, she was playing. But she wasn’t laughing or shrieking like little girls did. She was calling out to Jack, but that was all. Her pretty face wasn’t as guarded, but her expression was still serious. Sadie laced her hands together to hide the tremble.
“What happened?”
Wyatt rocked back, his feet leaving the ground as he balanced for a moment, glancing up into the branches of the oak. He settled back, cross-legged. His eyes remained on Julietta.
“Her mother, Maddie, was a nurse in the emergency room. She’d done helicopter flight nursing but stopped when Julietta got older. But she loved it and still filled in from time to time.”
Sadie couldn’t stop the little gasp that tore from her throat. “The crash outside of Asheville a few months back?”
“Yeah. No survivors. Jules’s whole world was taken away. Her mom gone. New home, new school, new everything. It’s amazing, when you think about it, how well she’s coping. She’s not acting out. She’s not having bad dreams. She’s doing well in school. She’s just still...flat.”
Sadie couldn’t answer. Her throat clogged with suppressed tears and memories. Her breath sounded ragged when she drew it in, slowly. She blinked hard. This wasn’t about her.
“Her mother was your sister?”
“Yes.”
“What about her father?”
Wyatt shrugged. “Maddie never said who he was. She went on a postcollege trip with some of her friends. Italy, Spain, Greece. Came home pregnant.” He let out a small laugh. “Maddie was as blonde as I am. I’m suspecting Julietta is half-Italian.”
“She’s lucky to have you.”
“I hope so. I’m trying. My immediate goal is to not make things worse.”
“No. I think you’re doing great.”
He turned to face her. “Based on what?”
She leaned back and braced her hands on the ground behind her. Seeing his serious expression, she paused to consider her words. Single guy suddenly saddled with a grieving child. A girl child, no less. And he was stepping up to the plate. Had to give him credit.
“One, you took her in. Two, you know she needs time, and you are showing her the respect of allowing her to mourn. Three, I saw the way she clung close to you as you walked up to me. She trusts you to protect her. Four, the look on your face when she asked to play with Jack.”
His eyes darkened and he turned away from her. When he turned back, his voice was thick. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.”
Her heart melted a little and she fought against it. Yes, a gut-wrenching Lifetime movie moment. Don’t get sucked in. It’s their life, not yours. Jack trotted up to her and collapsed on the ground. Julietta trailed behind him.
“He won’t play anymore.”
“I think you wore him out, honey. And he’s thirsty.”
Sadie reached into her backpack and pulled out a water bottle and bowl. Julietta knelt beside Jack and petted his back while he noisily slurped up water. She looked at Sadie and her lips turned up at the corners. An almost smile that was gone as quickly as it had appeared.
“I like your hair,” she said.
Sadie touched the tangled mass of black curls. She’d put it up in a ponytail, but some tendrils had escaped. “Thank you. I like yours. I wish mine was so straight.”
Julietta reached out and touched one of the tendrils. Sadie had the sudden and unexpected urge to grab her little hand and kiss it. To tell her it would be okay one day.
Julietta moved her gaze from the curl to Sadie’s eyes. Her mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. “My mom used to curl my hair,” she whispered.
From the corner of her eye, Sadie saw Wyatt’s entire body jerk as if he’d been touched by electricity. Everything else faded away and a buzz filled her ears. She kept her eyes on Julietta’s. This was something. This was important. Tension radiated from Wyatt. Was this the first time Julietta had mentioned her mother? Probably. She was going to completely mess this up. She always said the wrong thing. She took a deep breath.
“Did she curl all of it?”
Julietta looked relieved, which only increased Sadie’s anxiety. It had been a test. She’d mentioned her mother in front of a stranger to see what would happen. She didn’t know whether to acknowledge it or keep talking about curls.
“No.” She touched her temple. “One. Right here. When she was curling her hair in the morning, sometimes she’d give me a curl, too.”
“I bet it was very pretty.”
Julietta’s gaze remained on Sadie’s. The girl wanted her to say something. But what? She was no good at this. What if she said the wrong thing and made her cry? Ruined the progress Wyatt had made? She moved her eyes in a quick glance at him. He dipped his chin in the barest of nods. Keep going, the nod said.
Uh...
“Did you like having the curl?”
Oh, now, what a stupid question. Come on, Sadie. Think.
Julietta nodded. “I miss it sometimes.”
Oh, dear God. She misses her mother. She blinked away the tears stinging her eyes. Think. Her mouth went dry.
“I’ll bet your Uncle Wyatt would be happy to curl it for you if you wanted.”
Jack picked up on her anxiety and leaned against her. His warmth steadied her. Julietta glanced over at Wyatt and back at Sadie as a frown crossed her features. She’d said the wrong thing.
Julietta leaned in closer. “But he’s a boy,” she whispered.
Sadie managed not to laugh, but she couldn’t stop the smile. She caught the girl’s hand in hers. “I know. But you know what I think?”
“What?”
“I think he loves you very much. And I think he’d be willing to learn how to do the curl if it would make you happy. That’s what I think.”
Wyatt took Julietta’s other hand. “This is true, Jujube.”
Julietta glanced between the two of them, her little face serious. “Would you show him how?”
“Sure. Anytime.”
“Then it’s settled. I’ll learn curls.” Wyatt climbed to his feet. “Come on, Jules. It’s way past lunchtime. Tell Ms. Sadie thank-you for letting you play with Jack, and go get your bike.”
“Thank you, Ms. Sadie.” She bent to hug Jack’s neck. “Thank you, Jack.”
As she ran to her bike, Wyatt let out a breath. “Wow. Thank you. That was the first time she’s mentioned her mother.”
“I thought so. Scared the heck out of me. I hope I did all right.”
He took her hand and squeezed. “Perfect. Honestly, thank you.”
A pang of regret plucked at her as he let go of her hand. It had felt good. “Anytime.”
“Come on, Uncle Wyatt. I’m starving!”
“Hold on,” he called back to her. He turned and his gaze met hers. A moment of supercharged heat flared in Sadie. His hand reached out before falling back to his side. A rueful smile turned up one corner of his mouth. “Guess I’ll see you Monday, huh?”
Reality slammed back to her. “Y’all have a great weekend.”
She returned Julietta’s wave and sank back on the ground. She looped an arm around Jack. “Why’s he gotta be so damned nice on top of all that gorgeous, huh, Jackie Boy?”
* * *
NORMALLY, WYATT WOULD pick a spot where he could see the entire room. But the seating had been decided for him. Molly directed him to the same small classroom where he’d taken the personality tests. The building had obviously been a private residence, and Sadie had kept much of the layout intact. Her office and this room had once been bedrooms. There was another room down the same hall and a bathroom between them. A young man sat at the round table in the center of the room, sifting through a folder. There was another folder on the table with his name on the front. The guy looked up as he approached.
