скачать книгу бесплатно
Ethan was nothing if not responsible.
* * *
Because Keely was standing at her kitchen sink, looking out the window while she washed vegetables, she noticed the exact moment Ethan exited his house with a rambunctious Baloo.
Against her better judgment, she allowed herself to observe man and dog. Halfway between their yards, Baloo bounded into a snowdrift, then popped up with a ball in his mouth and white flakes clinging to his black fur. Keely could hear Ethan’s uninhibited laughter as he brushed off his snow-covered dog.
She never saw this side of him. She couldn’t help wondering why. She sensed something tragic had happened to him before he returned to Village Green. There were times when they weren’t sniping at each other that she saw the grief in his eyes. Thanks to Cutter, she knew that look of loss well.
Though Keely didn’t know any details, she sensed Ethan’s heart had been shattered by the loss of a woman.
Had it been a death or a bad breakup?
Either scenario indicated a man unwilling to let go of something, possibly someone, from his past. A good reminder, she told herself, that Ethan wasn’t the man for her.
That didn’t mean Keely couldn’t enjoy watching him now. Riveted by the sight of all that masculine energy unleashed in a game of fetch, she continued to stare.
As if sensing her eyes on him, Ethan paused in the middle of his windup. The smile he shot in her direction reached deep inside her heart and squeezed.
Gasping softly, she moved away from the window and that heart-tugging grin. No doubt about it, she was in serious trouble.
What was it about the man? He was good-looking, and sure, she liked good-looking men. What woman didn’t? He was also single, financially stable and a successful doctor.
But she also knew he could be arrogant, bossy and treat a woman—Keely—like a twelve-year-old girl instead of the adult she’d become. Added to her suspicions as to why he didn’t date, she knew to keep up her guard.
Minutes later, even prepared for the resounding knock, Keely still had to lock her knees and gulp for air.
Felicity rushed into the kitchen. “I heard a knock at the back door. Do you think it’s Dr. Ethan?”
The kid had excellent hearing. Keely filed away that piece of information with everything else she’d discovered about the little girl today. Turned out, Felicity enjoyed dance classes and ice-skating as much as Keely had at her age.
She also disliked playing soccer, tennis and other organized sports. Again, just like Keely.
There was still so much to discover about her cousin. At least she’d made considerable headway today. Unfortunately, whenever the subject of school came up, or Keely broached the possibility of meeting new friends, Felicity’s face turned gray and the complaints of not feeling well began.
Keely was concerned there might be a larger problem brewing than the child’s simple reluctance to attend a new school and meet other girls her age. Please, Lord, let this be a normal part of the transition into my home and not a symptom of something bigger.
A second knock sounded. Felicity gave Keely a look of impatience. “Can I see if it’s Dr. Ethan at the door?”
“Go ahead.”
The door squeaked on its hinges mere seconds before Ethan’s low chuckle rumbled in response to the child’s excited hello. Clearly, Felicity wasn’t shy around their handsome neighbor. The thought gave Keely hope for the girl’s future.
“I brought my dog over to meet you,” she heard Ethan say to Felicity. “His name is Baloo.”
A series of happy barks mingled with delighted little-girl squeals. “He’s so pretty.”
“Don’t let him hear you say that.” Ethan spoke the words in an amused stage whisper. “Baloo’s sensitive about his gender.”
“Oh, sorry. He’s so handsome,” Felicity cooed. “You’re a handsome boy, aren’t you?”
It wasn’t long before the child invited their visitors to come inside the house.
Baloo bounded into the kitchen first, tail wagging fast as a whip. Keely smiled at the handsome black Lab. “Hey, big boy.”
All but quivering with excitement, the dog leaped at her. Ethan caught hold of his collar just in time.
“Sit,” he ordered.
Baloo whined pitifully but immediately obeyed, then politely offered a paw to Keely.
Charmed, she obliged the dog by giving him a hearty handshake.
“That’s so cool,” Felicity announced, moving in for a better look. “Can I try?”
“Go for it.” Keely stepped aside so the little girl could take her place in front of Baloo.
With the same patience he’d displayed the previous evening, Ethan showed Felicity a series of tricks that Baloo could do. Sit. Shake. Lie down. “Now you try.”
“Okay.”
Only after Felicity took over issuing the commands did Ethan shift his attention to Keely. Oh boy. She blamed the stutter in her pulse on those piercing blue eyes. When Ethan zeroed in on a woman, she knew it, all the way down to her toes.
He’d changed clothes since this morning. The five o’clock shadow provided a dangerous, appealing edge. He wore a different T-shirt, but the slogan was similar to last night’s: Here I Am. What Are Your Other Two Wishes?
The man really was annoying. Snorting in exasperation, she lifted her head, found herself caught once again in his gaze. She really wished he’d quit staring at her with...thoseeyes.
“Hey,” he said with a knowing smirk.
Unable to speak, she hummed out a quick response.
His smile turned into a muffled chuckle. The slightly condescending sound increased her unease. Then came the familiar frustration. Antagonism was one step away. But giving in to the emotion would be childish.
“I, uh...” Keely grabbed the remaining scraps of her dignity. “I wasn’t expecting you to stop over again tonight.”
“Came to check on my patient.” He broke eye contact—finally—and focused on Felicity.
The little girl was running Baloo through his repertoire of tricks a second time around.
“How you feeling this evening, Flicka?”
“Huh?” Hand wrapped around Baloo’s outstretched paw, the little girl looked up. “Oh... I’m good. I didn’t have to go to school, so Keely and I spent all day baking cookies and making care packages for the Youth Center’s Christmas party.”
“Sounds like fun.”
“It was super fun. In a few days I have to meet Keely’s best friend, Olivia, and her daughters, Megan and Molly.” The child’s eyebrows pulled together in a worried frown. “They’re my age and Keely says they can’t wait to meet me.”
“If Keely said that, then it’s true.”
“I guess so.” She heaved a sigh, the little-girl worry evident in the sound. “Hey, can I take Baloo into the other room and see if he’ll play tug-of-war with a sock?”
Though innocently asked, the question brought a complete change over Ethan. His smile dropped, his shoulders tensed, his gaze went distant. It was as if he’d been transported to another place, at least in his mind, somewhere not altogether pleasant.
He cleared his throat, twice. “It’s one of his favorite games, especially with little girls on the other end of the sock.”
As the two hurried off, an awkward silence fell over the kitchen. Keely couldn’t understand why Ethan’s entire demeanor had changed simply because Felicity wanted to play tug-of-war with Baloo. She remembered a similar change in him last night.
In the days leading up to their broken engagement, Cutter had looked much like Ethan now. The memory made her doubly wary of the man standing in her house.
Nevertheless, she couldn’t stop herself from worrying about Ethan. He needs me. The thought surprised her. Ethan Scott was the most capable man she knew. And the most annoying.
And yet...
She placed her fingertips on his arm. “Are you all right?”
Shrugging away from her touch, he blinked slowly, squared his shoulders and drew in a long breath. Once again he was Mr. Cool, Calm and Casual.
“Something smells good.”
Now that they were back to polite small talk, a surge of complicated emotions spread through her. The sense of relief was easy enough to understand. The agitation, not nearly so much.
“I made chicken à l’Orange and baked sweet potatoes. And a healthy salad.” Don’t ask him to stay for dinner. Do. Not. Ask. “You’re welcome to eat with Felicity and me. There’s plenty.”
He looked about to turn down her offer. But suddenly, inexplicably, Keely very much wanted him to stay.
“Consider it payment for not teasing me over how I overreacted last night.”
“You didn’t overreact.”
She frowned. “I thought Felicity had appendicitis.”
“Given her symptoms, it was a logical concern.”
For the second time in so many days, Keely stared at Ethan as if he were a stranger. In many ways, he was. She felt as if they were meeting for the first time. She decided to pretend the change in their relationship didn’t matter. But it did.
And that scared her far more than she was willing to admit. The man had too many secrets, none of which he seemed willing to share with her. Been there, done that, have the remnants of a broken heart to prove it.
“While we’re on the subject of Flicka.” He pointed a finger at Keely. “I noticed you didn’t make the appointment yet.”
She blinked at him in shock. Ethan was arrogant, and the big, bad, frustrating bane of her existence, but he wasn’t a micromanager. His office staff handled scheduling. “How can you possibly know whether or not I made an appointment for her?”
“I checked.”
Of course he did.
“It’s important, Keely. Flicka needs a primary care physician. Make the appointment.”
“Felicity really took to Baloo tonight. What do you think? Should I get her a dog for Christmas? Would it help ease the transition for her?”
“Changing the subject, are we?”
“You better believe it.”
He laughed. Despite her irritation at his bossy manner, the deep rumble made her smile in return.
Knowing he was right, again, Keely stopped resisting. “I’ll make the appointment tomorrow.”
“I’m going to hold you to it.”
As if she didn’t know that. “You never answered my question. Are you staying for dinner?”
His hesitation returned. But this time it lasted only a few heartbeats. “Yeah, I guess I am.”
He looked mildly surprised by his acceptance.
That made two of them.
Felicity’s laughter rang out. Keely’s throat constricted at the happy sound, so different from the groans of pain last night. In that moment, Keely knew she was in over her head. How was she supposed to parent a child she barely knew?
All the fears she’d held at bay since she’d begun taking over legal guardianship shot to the surface. A gasp of utter panic leaked out of her.
Misinterpreting the sound, Ethan’s gaze narrowed over her face. “I don’t have to stay for dinner. You can take back the invitation and I won’t hold it against you.”
“It’s not that.”
Concern etched across her face. “Then what?”
“I... Oh, Ethan, I want to take good care of Felicity, but what do I know about kids? I spent the last decade working in a world of fashion models.”
“Keely, listen to me.” The epitome of calm confidence, Ethan took hold of her shoulders and gently turned her to face him. “You’re doing a great job so far.”
Instead of calming her fears, his unexpected words of praise had the opposite effect. “What if I fail her?”
Hands still on her shoulders, he tweaked her nose in a big brother sort of way. “You’re exhausted from last night. Once you get some sleep, everything will look better in the morning.”
“You’re probably right.”
“Of course I’m right. I’m always right.”
The arrogant comment did what no kind words could have done. She bristled. Prepared for a fight, she snapped her gaze to his, felt her anger melt at his compassionate smile.
That look had her abandoning her pride and admitting, “I’m really scared.”
“It’s okay to feel scared. It means you care.”
Two nights in a row the man had shown her unspeakable kindness. Defeat settled on her shoulders. Because if history had taught Keely anything, it had taught her that a truce between her and Ethan never lasted.
Chapter Four (#ulink_17f9221f-fbd1-5527-8a3f-4d7b72a0ca76)
