When Mom Meets Dad (7 page)

Beeping.  She couldn't quite figure out--

Breaking the kiss, Alex swore under his breath.  "It's my cell."

She stepped back, wrapping her arms around herself, suddenly cold now that he wasn't holding her.  Stepping over to one of the dim lights, he checked it.  "It's my home number.  Either Kristy or my babysitter.  I've got to take this."  He stepped a few feet away from her and she didn't try to listen to his conversation.  After all, it had nothing to do with her.

As Alex answered the call, Amanda felt a light breeze brush her.  She gazed up at the sky, wondering what was happening to her, why her good sense hadn't kept her inside.  Making a fool of herself on the dance floor was preferable to making a fool of herself out here.  Why had she kissed Alex again like that as if nothing else mattered?  Alex might be handsome and sexy, but she wasn't interested in an affair, and more than that would be such a risk--

Alex ended the call, stepped toward her with his expression grim.  "It was my babysitter.  Kristy has a temperature of 102.  I've got to get home.  I can drop you off first--"

She didn't even have to think about her answer.  "I'll come with you.  Maybe I can help."

He looked surprised for a moment, then relieved.  "Amanda, she's everything to me.  If anything ever happened to her--"

Whether Alex Woodsides believed in marriage or not, he obviously loved his daughter very much.  She touched his arm in a comforting gesture.  "I understand."

"I know you do," he said, his voice husky.

Then he led her through the crowd of people inside as they both worried about Kristy, as they both realized how different their lives would be without their children.

Chapter Four

Alex hadn't had much experience with an unselfish woman.  Kristy's mother had thought of no one but herself, and that's why she'd given Kristy to him in exchange for a handsome settlement which had included her medical expenses.  Since he'd just opened his new law practice, he'd had to take out a loan to pay her.  But his child had been worth any sacrifice and still was.  Rhonda had given up all rights to a daughter she'd never know so she could pursue her law career.  It was the epitome of selfishness, though he had to be grateful she had gone through with the pregnancy after much convincing on his part.

Amanda, on the other hand, was a caring mother.  And the exceptional aspect about her was that she didn't mind putting herself out for his daughter.

As he drove past Amanda's house, up the incline to the end of the block and turned into his driveway, a thousand and one reasons for Kristy's fever clicked through his mind.  Pressing the garage-door opener, he sped straight into the garage and braked.  Amanda didn't wait for him to come around to her side, but got out and met him at the doorway to the house.  He unlocked the deadbolt and they went inside.

"We're in here," the babysitter called from the living room.

Alex hurried through the kitchen, Amanda close behind him.  When he saw his daughter huddled on the sofa under an afghan on such a warm night, his fear meter went up a few notches.

"I didn't want Terry to call you," Kristy said morosely.   "My stomach's just a little upset."

Fondly, Terry looked down at her charge.  "She was dizzy, too."

After picking up the thermometer from the end table, he scooped Kristy up into his arms, afghan and all, and started toward the stairs.  "I'm putting you to bed.  We'll take your temperature again, and then decide what we're going to do.  Terry did the right thing by calling me."

Kristy's eyes glistened.  "But I didn't want you to leave early.  I wanted you to have fun, and--"

Alex glanced at Amanda.  "We did have some fun, and now I'm going to take care of you."

Mounting the stairs, he didn't stop until he reached Kristy's room and settled her in her bed.  A few minutes later, he saw her temperature was still 102.  Her eyes were glassy.  He was considering taking her to the emergency room when Amanda appeared in the doorway.

Coming over to Kristy, she sat on the bed beside her.  "Honey, does your stomach hurt at all?"

Kristy shook her head.

"Are you sure?" Amanda asked.

"I'm sure.  It just feels icky."

After Amanda took the thermometer from Alex's hand, she saw the reading.  When she looked up at him, she said, "It's probably just a twenty-four hour bug."

"That's what my common sense is telling me, but the other part of me wants to take her to the emergency room."

"Aw, Daddy, not the hospital.  Please."

Amanda patted Kristy's leg.  "Why don't we get you some soda to sip on?"  Her gaze met Alex's.  "If she doesn't feel better in a couple of hours, you can always take her to the emergency room then."

From the doorway Terry said, "Mr. Woodsides, if you don't need me anymore, I'm going to drive home."

Alex took out his wallet and went into the hall.  He paid and thanked Terry for coming to watch Kristy, then said to Amanda, "If you don't mind staying with her for a few minutes, I'll go get some soda and ice."

Amanda smiled at him.  "I don't mind."

After seeing Terry out and making sure she was safely on her way, Alex found decaffeinated soda, poured it over ice and took it upstairs to his daughter.  But in the hallway, he stopped.  Amanda had moved and was sitting beside Kristy.  They were both propped against the pillows.  She'd opened a book and was reading in a low voice.  Kristy looked so content cuddled up beside her that Alex's heart ached.  Did she need a woman's touch more than he thought?  Did she need a mother?  He knew he was a good parent, but was he enough?  Especially when it came to seeing her through the turbulent teen years.  With his mother's help, they'd always managed, but maybe managing wasn't enough.

When he handed Kristy the soda, she took a tentative sip.  "Think you can keep down some acetaminophen?"  He wanted to lower that fever.

"Maybe with a cracker?" Amanda suggested.

He should have thought of that.

"I can try," Kristy answered.  "I didn't throw up or anything.  I just felt like I had to."

Amanda's gentle smile comforted Alex.  "If you can't keep them down, we can try a warm bath.  That can get your fever down, too."

"Does that really work?"  He'd never tried it.

"When all else fails," she answered.

He was glad Amanda was here, and yet felt uncomfortable about being comfortable with it.  It didn't make much sense.  He supposed it had to do with not easily depending on anyone...or trusting anyone, especially with Kristy.  His mother was the exception, though when he had made the decision to keep Kristy, even she had thought he was crazy.  But he'd known he could never give up his child.

After managing to take a pill and eat a cracker without incident, Kristy's eyes grew heavy-lidded, and she leaned against Amanda's shoulder.  "Can you stay for a little bit?" she asked sleepily.

"Amanda has to get home to Heather," Alex told his daughter gently.

"I'm sure Heather wouldn't mind," Kristy argued.  "Please.  Just a little while?"

Bringing her gaze to Alex's, searching for his reaction, Amanda waited a few moments.  But he couldn't tell her he wanted her to stay as much as he wanted her to go.  Confusing as all hell!

Apparently deciding on her own, she turned back to his daughter and said, "I'm sure Heather wouldn't mind.  Why don't we finish this story, and then I'll tuck you in?  Your dad can take over from there.  Okay?"

Kristy nodded.

Alex tugged off his tie and shrugged out of his suit coat, laying both across the corner of Kristy's bed.  Then he sat on her bedroom chair, propped his legs up on the bed, and listened to Amanda's soothing voice as she read Kristy one of her favorite stories.  He didn't read to his daughter aloud much anymore.  He wasn't sure exactly when he'd stopped.  But apparently Kristy wasn't growing up as quickly as he thought.  Sometimes she acted so far beyond her years, and others she seemed like a four-year-old again, needing his hugs.  He hoped she always needed hugs.

As Amanda had suggested, she finished the story, then tucked his daughter in, pulling the sheet up to Kristy's chin.  Alex took his daughter's temperature again and noticed that it had dropped to 101.  Maybe this was just a bug and would be gone by morning.  As he stood by the bed, Amanda leaned down and kissed Kristy on the forehead.  The tender gesture squeezed his chest.

"I'll see you soon," she told Kristy, then left him with his daughter.

After he hugged and kissed Kristy good-night, he joined Amanda in the hall.

"You don't have to come downstairs with me.  I can let myself out," Amanda said, looking as beautiful as she had all evening.

"I should have sent you home with Terry."  He dug in his pocket for his keys.  "Why don't you take my car--"

"Oh, Alex, don't be silly.  I have less than a block to walk.  I'll be fine."

"I don't like the idea of you walking home alone in the dark.

"I'm a big girl, Alex.  And I've even taken a self-defense class."

"Self defense?" he asked, surprised.

She smiled.  "It was my first bid for independence after I got my divorce.  Seemed like a good idea, especially living in Philadelphia."

"Have you ever had to use it?"

"No.  But that doesn't mean I don't remember how," she said with an amused warning look.

Laughing, he suddenly felt better about Kristy and the evening.  "I wish tonight had turned out differently."

"I had a good time while we were there."

"Dancing with Ted Livingston?" he wanted to know.

"No.  Having dinner with your friends and dancing with you."

Neither of them mentioned the kiss.

He suddenly wanted to make her swear she wouldn't date Ted or anyone else.  But he knew he was being irrational.  Still, he did want to see her again.  "As soon as you get outside, call me on my cell.  And stay on with me until you get home."

Her brows arched.  "I'm used to taking care of myself, Alex."

It was a subtle reminder that he had no right to give her any orders.  Maybe he had no right, but he wanted the right.  And maybe he wanted more.  He knew he wanted her in his bed, but Amanda wouldn't be a one-night stand.  And he wasn't sure he was ready for anything else.

Rationalizing, he said, "You were my date tonight, and you're my responsibility until you're home safely.  He decided to make a concession to keep peace.  Call me when you get to your door, okay?"

When she finally nodded, he wanted to give her a good-night kiss that they'd both remember for a long time.  But if he kissed her, he'd want more than a kiss and he might forget what was most important in his life--his daughter sleeping in the room next to his.

As Amanda turned to walk down the hall, he wanted to call her back.  He wanted to keep her in his house.  He wanted to lock her in his room and not come out until the physical need that had been building for years had been satisfied.  Instead, he listened to her heels on the treads of the steps.  He heard his front door open and close.

Then he went to his room to get ready for bed and to wait for her call.

***

On Monday afternoon Amanda was cleaning her living room when the phone rang.  Stepping down from the stool, window cleaner and paper towels in hand, she hoped it was Alex.  She'd called him after she'd gotten home Saturday night.  They'd both said good-night, and the huskiness in his voice had made her wish the evening hadn't ended so abruptly, though another one of his kisses could lead her into more trouble than she was ready for.

He'd called her again Sunday to tell her Kristy was feeling better and the fever had broken.  But he wasn't sure he should bring Kristy over Monday morning because he didn't want Heather to get sick.  Amanda assured him that if Heather was going to catch the germ, it had already happened.  Then she'd told Alex that she had called Kristy's teacher, and that the woman explained that Kristy had only started having problems with math during the last quarter of the year.  Deciding there was no other apparent reason for Kristy's problems, she agreed with Alex that it must have just been a block with one particular math concept.

When Alex said good bye, assuring her he'd see her the following morning, Amanda was disappointed.  She'd secretly hoped he'd ask her out again.  But chiding herself for behaving like a teenager, she'd occupied herself with other things.  This morning he'd been running late when he'd dropped Kristy off.  It was possible he was calling now to ask about how his daughter was feeling.  As far as Amanda could see, except for eating a little lighter than usual, Kristy seemed to be her old self.

Hurrying into the kitchen, Amanda eagerly picked up the phone.  But Alex's number didn't show up.  Clara Webb's did.  After Amanda answered, Clara said, "Amanda, it's Clara Webb."

Amanda wondered if the woman even knew what Caller ID was!

She hadn't talked to Clara since their last Career Day meeting.  "Hello, Mrs. Webb.  I hope you're enjoying your summer."

"I was enjoying it just fine until the e-mail came in."

Amanda hadn't checked her e-mail yet today.  "What letter is that?"

"The one Mr. Woodsides sent out to prospective speakers for Career Day.  Do you know anything about it?"

"No.  I didn't even know he'd sent one out."

"Yes, well it has that 'cc' down at the bottom, so everybody on the committee is getting one.  But it's what's in the e-mail that's the problem."

"Since I didn't receive mine yet, you'll have to tell me about it," Amanda responded patiently, knowing Clara often made a mountain out of a mole hill.

"Mr. Woodsides promised them a breakfast--a breakfast, mind you.  How are we supposed to afford that?"

"For all the speakers?"  If they expected to have thirty speakers...   

"Yes, for all the speakers.  That's definitely not in our budget.  Last year they came after lunch, and we gave them punch and cookies later, then sent them on their way.  Just what are we going to do about this?" Clara demanded.  "He already sent these e-mails out!"

"I'll be seeing Mr. Woodsides later this afternoon.  I'll talk to him about it."