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The next day was another like the previous one with Caroline watching the clock and being far more wiggly than normal. In the early afternoon after lunch, Ava read a book Caroline had selected. When she finished, she picked up another one.
“Did you like your dog?” Caroline asked.
Startled by Caroline speaking to her, Ava tried to avoid showing her surprise. “Yes, I did. We had a Labrador retriever, Gus. We loved him and he loved us.”
Caroline nodded.
Ava was so pleased that Caroline had asked her a question. It was a very good sign.
Will wanted Ava to go along to get the pup, so once again the three of them climbed into the limo, a travel crate, leash and a toy at the ready.
Ava took a camcorder, wondering whether Will ever took pictures of Caroline.
They drove to a tall two-story house in a north suburban area of Fort Worth. A friendly woman introduced herself and showed them in, taking them to the garage where a mother dog was sprawled on a blanket. Caroline’s eyes were wide as she watched fluffy puppies wandering around her.
“Now, Caroline, you pick out which one of the puppies you would like to take home,” Will said.
Two puppies wandered to Caroline; one chewed on her shoe. Will leaned down to pick up the puppy and hold it so Caroline could see its face. He reached out and scooped up another. Ava watched the two of them and she prayed the puppy would make a difference in Caroline’s life.
After deliberating and looking at each puppy several times, Caroline finally picked one up and held it carefully with Will’s help.
“This one,” she said to him.
He shot a glance at Ava and she smiled, her heart leaping because of the moment that was significant for them.
“You want that puppy? You’re sure?”
“Yes, please,” Caroline answered, nodding her head.
Will settled up with Mrs. Winston, the breeder, then carried the puppy to the car and placed it in the crate. Caroline sat beside it, her arm on the crate while she watched the puppy, Will talking warmly about the dog.
By they time they got home and had the pup and its belongings unloaded, Ava left Will and Caroline while she went to her room to freshen up. After a while, she walked back to the playroom to see what was happening.
Will lay on the floor with his shoes kicked off. His shirt was pulled out of his slacks and his tie was gone, the shirt’s top buttons unfastened. He was stretched out, playing with the pup while Caroline sat facing him, holding a toy sock monkey for the dog. Ava’s heart missed a beat at the sight of Will and his niece. He was laughing, playing with the dog and talking to Caroline, who laughed at the pup’s antics.
In that moment Ava had to face the fact that she was falling in love with Will. Sadness for the loss of Ethan no longer was a solid wall around her, enclosing her feelings and her heart.
She stepped inside, going to sit near them.
“Come join us,” Will said. “This is a great pup. We’re going to have to give it a name so it will come when we call it. And it’s a girl, so it has to be a girl name. I’ve been waiting for you to come to help think up a name.”
“She looks like a snowball,” Ava said. “Snowball? Powder? Puff? My dog was Gus. Gussie for a girl.”
“I thought of Millie, Tiny, Princess. That’s seven names to choose from. Miss Ava, what do you like best?”
He ignored Caroline, an uncustomary occurrence when she was involved. Ava wondered if he was trying to avoid pinning down Caroline when she wouldn’t respond. Or if he had another reason.
“I prefer my names. Maybe Powder.”
“Too much like a cat name,” Will stated. “So is Puff and so is Snowball.”
“No, it’s not,” she argued lightly, thinking he looked more appealing than ever, stretched on the floor, playing with the dog and concerned with Caroline.
“Muffy,” Caroline said.
As if it were the most normal thing for her to suggest a name, Will repeated it, “Muffy. That’s a good name. All right, Caroline. Muffy it is. Muffy is your puppy and if you want to name her Muffy, we will.”
“I think that’s a cute name,” Ava agreed, sitting in a chair, wanting to intrude as little as possible on uncle, niece and puppy.
“We’ll call her Muffy, and in a day or two, she’ll know her name. I have a trainer coming by who will work with her every day. He’ll be here tomorrow and work with her for a week, then come back when she’s a little older because she’s too young now for a lot of the training.”
Caroline picked up the pup to place it in her lap. The white pup stretched out, falling asleep in minutes. “She’s a baby, Caroline,” Will explained. “She’s worn out and she’ll sleep soundly for a little while because that’s what most babies do. When she wakes up she should go outside—I’ll take her—and then she might want some water.”
Later, when dinner was finished, Caroline slid out of her chair and ran to sit with Muffy.
“You’ve handled this just right, Will,” Ava said.
“I never been so at a loss as I am with her,” he said quietly while Caroline ran around and Muffy chased her. Laughing, Caroline climbed in a chair.
“Look at her laugh, Ava. She hasn’t done that since we lost Adam.”
Ava sat back, observing the scene, watching Caroline reach down to pet Muffy.
When it was story time, Ava got up to go, crossing to Caroline to touch her head lightly. “I’m glad you have Muffy. Dogs are fun and they become part of the family. Good night,” she said, brushing Caroline’s cheek with a kiss.
“Good night, Miss Ava,” Caroline said quietly.
Ava smiled at Caroline. “Good night to Muffy, too,” she said, touching the pup’s head as it slept again in Caroline’s lap.
As Ava walked out of the room, Will came after her. “Ava, wait.”
She turned. He had changed clothes after dinner, pulling on jeans and a T-shirt. He caught up with her. “Wait for me downstairs. I missed you last night.”
She could refuse. Instead she nodded and he headed back to Caroline.
She went by her room to take the clips out of her hair and let it fall loosely around her shoulders. With a cursory glance at herself, she went downstairs to wait, taking her cell phone to send texts to her sisters.
It was over an hour before Will came through the door. Closing the door behind him, he crossed the room in long strides just as he had before to pull her up into his arms and hug her. He leaned away. “Thank you! You have to admit today was a big, giant change.”
She smiled at him. “I will agree it was. You’re a good dad, Will. You handled everything well.”
“I’m flying by the seat of my pants with her. I don’t know what’s best, but she talked to us. She named the pup and said she wanted it. She’s even laughed out loud twice. Ava, I can’t tell you how grateful I am.”
“I still say I haven’t done that much, and you would have thought of a puppy before long yourself.”
“I might not have. I haven’t in all the time Caroline has been in my care.”
“It’s a beginning, Will. Maybe she will be happy enough to talk more often.” Ava turned to walk away to sit. Will caught her arm, turning her back to face him.
“Ava, come here,” he said in a husky voice, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her. His kisses were passionate, driven, and she was swept away, unable to resist kissing him in return. She was adding to her problems with him. Night by night, she was binding her heart to Will in a manner that was going to hurt when she broke away.
“I want you,” he whispered.
“Will, don’t mistake your gratitude for something else. There can’t ever be anything much between us.”
“Oh, yes, there can,” he said. “There can be so much. I’m grateful, but I know the difference. You’re a gorgeous, sexy woman and we have an electricity we both feel always.”
Her heart pounded with his words, magic words that were another tie that bound her. He framed her face with his hands and kissed her possessively, his kiss conveying his intent. She resisted for seconds and then kissed him in return, wrapping her arms around his slender waist, holding him tightly while they kissed.
His hands roamed over her, caressing her, unfastening buttons. She should stop him, but it was impossible. Too soon she would be gone, back into her busy working life and her solitary hours on her own.
In minutes he had stripped his shirt and boots, He cupped her breast to caress her while he continued kissing her and then leaned down to kiss each breast while his hands slipped lower, unfastening her slacks and letting them fall.
He stepped back, holding her hips while he looked at her. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered. He picked her up, carrying her to the sofa where he placed her on his lap, kissing her without pause as his hands moved over her.
When he shifted to lie down, holding her close, she slipped away and stood, turning to gather her clothes. “Will, we’re going further and further and I don’t want this. I’ve told you why. We have to work together all summer. I can’t get deeply involved with you and I can’t have a quick, meaningless fling.” She yanked on her shirt and turned to face him. He had walked over to her and slipped his arms around her waist.
“I want you, Ava. You want me, too. You’re fighting something that you also desire.”
“I’m going to keep fighting you on this. I will not get emotionally involved or too physically involved. I just can’t do it. I shouldn’t kiss you. I need a solid commitment—you can’t give me that.”
“Ava, take life as it comes. I’m not looking for a one-night fling. I promise you that. Frankly, I think you’re lecturing yourself. This is something you want. We both want. I still say it’s time you come back into the world and live a full life the way you were meant to. You’re too much a desirable, beautiful woman to shut yourself away and live a solitary, empty life.”
“I don’t see a summer fling as any solution.”
He kissed her cheek, her temple and then her mouth, holding her close. She only had on her blouse and a narrow strip of lace panties. The kiss deepened, changed and became passionate. She was sliding right back to where she had been only minutes ago. She wriggled away from him.
“I’m going, Will. You’re too damned appealing, but I do have a shred of willpower.”
He smiled faintly at her as he if knew it was only a matter of time until he seduced her. She stepped into her slacks, buttoned them and walked toward the door.
“Ava,” he said in a commanding tone that stopped her and she looked back at him. “It’s early. Let’s sit and talk. This has been a very special day and it’s too early to end it now. I want to savor the moments.”
She took a deep breath and nodded, caving the minute he asked.
“I agree that it has been a special day. One I think she’ll always remember. I hope Muffy works out to be a great pet.”
“I’m going to try to see to that. The guy who is coming to train Muffy works on our family ranch. He’s excellent with animals. He’s trained dogs for us, and horses.” While Will talked, he walked over to pick up his shirt and pull it on. Muscles in his smooth back rippled, and she inhaled deeply.
She sat in the closest chair, wanting to avoid the sofa where he could pull her into his arms easily.
In spite of her declaration, she was on fire with wanting him. She had fallen in love with him and she ached to walk back into his arms, kiss him and make love.
She had sense enough to know that was the way to disaster. To get tied up with Will invited catastrophe for her heart, calamity for her school plans. Any woman he saw on a regular basis would be on his terms. And those terms would not include marriage. Eventually, he would be through and walk out of her life, another heartbreak. Ava never wanted that to happen.
She tingled and hoped she could keep from showing how much she wanted him.
He faced her. “Would you like something to drink?”
“Actually, iced tea sounds delicious.” She stood to follow him into the kitchen. “Can I help?”
“No. Just sit and talk to me. I feel like shouting for joy. Caroline laughed and talked tonight. It’s been a year, Ava. I knew you would be so good for her.”
“I can’t take credit.”
“You should. It’s wonderful. I don’t think she’ll go back to the way she was. At least, I don’t think she will as long as she doesn’t suffer some other kind of loss.”
Ava watched him fix drinks and then they moved to the living area adjoining the kitchen. She took a chair again and he sat facing her.
“I don’t hear the puppy, which surprises me.”
“These walls are thick, and Rosalyn has the puppy with her. Later, I’ll get it and put it in my room where I can keep up with it tonight.”
“Another surprise,” she stated, smiling at him. “I would never have guessed you would give up your peaceful sleep to babysit a new puppy.”
“One, the trainer isn’t here yet. Buck will care for her tomorrow night. Two, I don’t want Caroline to hear her crying and worry about her.”
Ava smiled.
“I feel so good, as if a huge stone has been lifted off my shoulders. Let’s go out and celebrate Saturday night. Early evening. I’ll get you back when you want.”
“All three of us?”
“No. I don’t want to take Caroline out yet. This is too tenuous a thread for me to risk having her retreat back into her shell. She’ll be more relaxed at home. Will you go with me Saturday?”
“You are a persistent devil,” she teased. With a crooked smile he winked at her.
They sat and talked until two, when she said she had to get to bed. Will walked her to her room and kissed her good-night with one long kiss.
“Are you still going to get Muffy?”
“Yes. Rosalyn reads until all hours. She’ll still be awake. I don’t hear any howls or crying. Rosalyn is probably holding Muffy. I think she likes Muffy as much as Caroline does.”
“It’s been a good day, Will.”
“Thanks to you,” he said, brushing her lips lightly with his before he left to get the dog.
The next morning after breakfast, Ava, Will and Caroline went out on the lawn to see the trainer playing with Muffy, who was on a leash.
“Both of them seem to be having a fun time,” Ava said.
“They are. This afternoon, Caroline, you’ll have Muffy with you part of the time and again tonight. This is just for a short time while he gets her trained.”
The trainer picked up the dog and came over.
“Ava, this is Buck Yarby. Buck, this is Ava Barton and here is Caroline.”
“Glad to meet you both. Caroline, you have a good little dog here. She’s going to be a lot of fun for you. I’ll show you what she can do after I get her trained.”
