The Daddy Coach

by Karen Muir

  She heard anguish beneath his words. “Jim always wanted you, Kyle, and he was sure you were his. Not that it mattered. He’d raised you for five years and considered you his, whatever the biology. That’s what he told me over the phone.”

  Kyle leaned toward her now, his first sign of interest.

  “Jim wanted me, too, even though there was no blood tie.” She paused for a moment to steady her voice. Learning Jim had wanted her, even at this late date, had meant the world.

  “He worried there’d be a custody problem with me, but he definitely planned to take you.”

  Kyle snorted. “Does he think he’s going to waltz back into our lives now? That we’d even want him?”

  She shrugged. “That’s up to you. Jim did remarry, and he has other children, but he considers us family, too. He calls us his long-lost son and daughter.”

  “Please, you’re making me cry.”

  She sighed at his sarcasm. “Jim will be out this way on business next spring.” She paused. “He’ll come visit you, if you want.”

  Kyle’s mouth tightened, his only response.

  Too wrapped up in bitterness to let it go?

  Fine. She had more to say. “Jim owns a machine shop, and it’s doing pretty well. When you get out of here, he’ll give you a job. If you want it.”

  Kyle’s face crumpled, and the dam burst abruptly. “It’s too late for him and me.” His voice broke, and his eyes filled with tears. “I needed him years ago, before I messed up my life.”

  Gina reclaimed his hand. Her tough, smart-mouthed brother now looked vulnerable and scared. “You’re young and strong,” she soothed, “and you’ll get through this.”

  He swiped at his eyes, and she felt a tremor run through him, as hope and despair battled within him.

  “You’ve got people who care about you. You’ve got Jim, and you’ve got me.” With fumbling fingers, she pulled a scrap of paper from her jeans pocket. “Here’s Jim’s address. He’s hoping you’ll write.”

  Kyle picked up the scrap. “You don’t get it, Sis. I can’t take this back inside. That photo you left me of Will Sinclair’s boys? One of the guards threw it in the trash.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “They strip search us after each visit. Did you know that?” His face twisted. “That’s how it is in this miserable hellhole. No privacy or respect.”

  She struggled to hide her shock. Sympathy was the last thing he needed right now. “Memorize Jim’s address, then. You’re good with numbers.”

  Still visibly shaken, he made no reply, and a guard called out visiting time was over. Chairs scraped the floor as people stood and said their goodbyes. Gina stood, too, and hugged Kyle. “Call me,” she said. A guard beckoned to her, and there was no time for more.

  Troubled by her brother’s emotional breakdown, she joined the stream of visitors headed for the door. Her news about Jim had stirred up Kyle’s painful past. Had she only made him feel worse?

  She turned back for one last glimpse of him and saw him standing by the window. He held in his hand the piece of paper she’d left him, studying it intently. When she saw his lips move, tears of relief stung her eyes. Kyle was memorizing Jim’s address.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The sky was streaked with pink when Gina reached the frosty walkway leading to Will’s house. Her breath made puffs of steam in the chill morning air, so different from the hot summer day she’d first walked this path. Clad in loose thrift-store wear and armed with internet kid-smarts, she had come to prove Will Sinclair was a thief. Instead, she’d lost her heart to him and his boys and discovered her deeply flawed brother’s guilt.

  Today she wore snug jeans, a lavender turtleneck, and a purple ski jacket and carried a large cloth bag stuffed with kid books and games. Her insides churned with excitement at seeing Will and his boys again, but she paused at the top of the steps for a reality check.

  It was tempting to view her return as a second chance, but she had to remember this was strictly a one-time thing. Will was in a bind and desperate to find a capable childcare provider. Desperate enough to hire a woman he’d sworn never again to believe.

  Those words had cut deep, and he probably still meant them. Her temporary employment didn’t mean he’d forgiven her or wanted her back. Not as his nanny and certainly not as his lover. She was here to tend the boys while Will was on vacation. End of story.

  Her eagerness reined in, she knocked on the door. It opened immediately, and she stood face-to-face with Will, as ruggedly handsome as ever in jeans and a purple Husky T-shirt. She caught her breath at his nearness. His eyes seemed a deeper blue than she remembered, and his hair was slightly mussed, as though he’d recently raked his fingers through it. Is he nervous, too?

  Meeting his intent gaze and inhaling his familiar scent stirred jarring images of tangled sheets and hoarse whispers and the press of warm flesh. Don’t think about that night.

  She searched his eyes for a trace of warmth but found none. Switching the cloth bag to her other hand, she strove for a casual, “Hello, Will.”

  “Gina.” He nodded then opened the door wider. “Come inside.”

  She stepped past him then turned and hefted the games bag. “I brought a few playthings.”

  He nodded. “The boys will be glad to see you.”

  “I’ve missed them.” And you, too. Did you miss me? She’d give anything for even a hint of their former camaraderie, but his manner seemed that of a wary stranger.

  He looked away. “Come with me.”

  She followed him to his den, where he handed her a printout of his travel information—his flight itinerary, the hotel where he was staying, his cell phone number. “Be sure to call if there’s a problem. Anytime, day or night.”

  He handed her a second sheet. “The boys made a list of things they want to eat.”

  She read it aloud. “Hamburgers, pizza, hot dogs, mac and cheese.” She grinned wryly. “No vegetables or fruit.”

  “No. You’ll have to smuggle them onto the menu.”

  “I’m good at that.”

  He paused. “Yes, you are.”

  At the change in his tone, she glanced up to find him eyeing her closely. For an instant, she thought his expression softened. But the look disappeared so quickly, she couldn’t be sure. He was solemn, once again, and so distant it hurt.

  “Just so you know, I told the boys you had to leave us to take care of your brother.” His mouth tightened. “I guess that’s true, in a sense.”

  She wished she could tell him her brother was sorry for all the trouble he’d caused. But Kyle still saw himself as a victim. She shrugged off her backpack and set it on the floor. It would be so easy to make no response. Her chances of gaining Will’s forgiveness seemed microscopic, yet her feelings for her brother were a part of who she was.

  “You told the boys right. Kyle is very troubled and self-absorbed. But he’s my brother, and I love him—I always will. I just won’t be stupid about it anymore.”

  Will was silent a long moment. “I see.”

  Braced for his disapproval, she heard the patter of quick footsteps on the stairs. Her hand on her heart, she turned to see a sleep-rumpled Ian and Harry appear in the doorway. Pajama-clad, their hair poking out, they eyed her solemnly.

  Her heart danced joyfully at the sight of them. “Hello, Harry. Hello, Ian.”

  They inched toward her, cautious and uncertain, the way they’d been when she’d first met them. Her heart ached at the possibility she’d lost their trust. Had her leaving them felt like another abandonment?

  Harry burst into a run toward her, quickly followed by Ian, and she knelt to catch them as they leaped into her arms. Their momentum bowled her over backward, and the three of them tumbled onto the carpet, laughing. She sat up and was met by two fierce hugs.

  “Careful, guys,” Will warned.

  The boys loosened their hold but stayed perched on her lap. “Gina, you’re here.”

  “We want to make cookies.”


  “And have a water fight.”

  Grinning, she put an arm around each of them. Here was the heartfelt welcome she’d hoped for. Spending five days with the boys was a gift she would treasure. She glanced up to see Will frowning down at them. The stern headmaster again.

  Swallowing her disappointment, she eased her charges off her lap and stood. Couldn’t Will lighten up just a bit? He should know by now how much she loved his children.

  Ian and Harry, on either side of her, took her hands in theirs. Their delight in seeing her helped ease the hurt inflicted by their dad. She smiled. “We’re going to have lots of fun.”

  “We are?” They stared up at her, wide-eyed and hopeful.

  “Oh yes.” Swinging their hands playfully, she watched Will cross the room to look outside. She had probably offended him by saying she would always love Kyle.

  She sighed. As much as she’d warned herself not to expect a warm welcome, a small seed of hope had apparently sprouted in her heart. In her head, she ground it into dust with her heel.

  …

  Will stared out the front window at the grass, white with frost. The runway at SeaTac was probably icy, but that wasn’t why he felt so uneasy. Gina and the boys talked softly behind him, as though they sensed the turmoil brewing within him.

  From the moment he’d opened his front door and their eyes had met, his insides had tightened like stretched wire. Her sun-streaked hair was swept into a ponytail, and she had never looked lovelier. He’d clenched his hands to fight the urge to pull her into his arms. She was the only woman he wanted and loved, and he longed to reclaim the brief intimacy they’d shared.

  Swiping his fingertips on the cool glass, he hardened his heart. Gina didn’t deserve his forgiveness. She’d betrayed him with her lies and shamelessly used his sons to get at him. For the boys’ sake and his own, he couldn’t risk letting that happen again.

  When he turned from the window, her wistful expression tugged at his heart, urging him to relent. But he fought it. Stone-faced, he moved toward Ian and Harry, who stood watching him closely. “The shuttle from the airport should be here any minute.”

  They rushed toward him, and he knelt to give them hugs. Harry locked his arms around his neck and refused to let go. Ian swiped tears from his eyes. “You said you were going to take us.”

  Will closed his eyes, his heart torn by their distress. The boys had been traumatized by their mother’s plane crash, and now he—their newly found dad who’d won their love—planned to board a plane, too. Small wonder they feared he would never come back.

  He gently pried free of Harry’s tight grip and held the two of them loosely in his arms. “I’m sorry guys. It didn’t work out this time. But we’ll go on a trip together soon. I promise.”

  Gina moved nearer and knelt to rub the boys’ backs, the anguish in her eyes reflecting his own. He was grateful she understood, but now more than ever, she needed to be the child expert she’d once claimed to be. C’mon, Gina. Help me reassure these scared little guys.

  Her hands stilled on the boys’ backs, as though she’d heard his silent plea. “Will, is there something you want the boys to keep for you? Something they’ll need to watch carefully until you come back.”

  Her suggestion was a lifeline he quickly grasped. “Yes, there is.”

  He stood and strode quickly to the desk to pull open a drawer and reach inside. The objects he retrieved jangled in his hand as he walked back to her and the boys. Kneeling once more, he held out a walnut-sized ring with three silver keys.

  “Ian, these are the keys to the house. Will you take good care of them for me?”

  Ian stared openmouthed at the keys then wrapped his small hands around them. “Yeah.”

  He held out another set to Harry. “These are the keys to my car. I’ll need them on Monday, the day I get back. Okay?”

  Harry straightened to stand taller and nodded. “Okay.”

  He rose to his feet, and Gina did, too. “Take good care of my boys,” he said.

  “Absolutely. Give us a call when you land.”

  He nodded. “Will do. Thanks, Gina.”

  A strong bond surged between them, just like before when they’d partnered in parenting and been united by their concern for Ian and Harry. The tension within him eased. Gina would take loving care of his sons.

  A white airport van pulled into the driveway. He hugged each boy one last time. “I love you guys, and I’ll be back soon. I promise.”

  Facing Gina, he was hit by warring emotions. He missed her and wanted her, but couldn’t forget what she’d done. Which left him nothing to say. He gave her a curt nod, picked up his suitcase, and walked out the front door.

  He sensed the three of them watching him from the doorway as he greeted the shuttle driver and climbed aboard to stow his suitcase and take a seat. As the van drove off, he waved through the window at the threesome on his porch, struck by how comfortable and right they all looked together. Long after they were out of sight, the image stayed with him.

  …

  Gina and the boys decided the safest place for Will’s keys would be under their bedroom pillows.

  “I’ll wait here,” she called after them as they bounded upstairs. The keys were a welcome distraction from the gloom threatening to follow Will’s departure, and she planned to keep her little guys busy.

  When they came back downstairs, she said, “Let’s make pancakes.”

  Harry’s eyes widened. “Yeah. With chocolate chips.”

  “And peanut butter on top,” Ian added.

  An acquired taste? “Why not?”

  The chocolate chip pancakes were a hit—crunchy in spots, gooey in others. The boys ate several. After breakfast, they made Play-Doh for cookie-cutter animals and then played Gina’s new Animal Sounds Lotto game. Hide-and-seek came next, followed by lunch, then Gina’s storybooks and finally a nap. It surprised her how quickly they fell into the old routine.

  While the boys slept, she flopped into a comfy recliner to work a Sudoku and tried not to think about Will. He’d called earlier from his hotel to let the boys know his plane had landed safely. She wondered what he was doing now. Chatting up old friends? Flirting with a new woman? Maybe he and Bree were back together. Sharing a room. Having sex.

  Quit, already. She threw down the Sudoku she’d botched through inattention. Will’s love life was none of her business. She was only here for the boys.

  An hour later, they sat by her side on the couch. “We want you to come be our nanny again,” Ian said.

  “Yeah,” Harry agreed. “Dad’s going to fire Kristy.”

  She gasped. “Why?”

  Harry picked at a scab on his elbow until she took his hand away. “She’s no fun.”

  Ian placed his hand on her knee. “We don’t mind her.”

  “We make her cry.”

  Guilt swept through her. Will hadn’t had much time to replace her. Was Kristy mean to the boys, or unfair? It didn’t seem likely. He’d be careful never to hire a bad nanny. She winced at the irony. He’d hired her.

  Even careful men could be fooled; still, she had to assume Kristy was kind, but inept. Which meant she had to try to make things right. “Did you guys give Kristy a chance?”

  They looked up at her mutely.

  “Remember the talk we had about Bree?” she prompted.

  “No.”

  “Uh-uh.”

  “Before you met Bree, you had already decided you weren’t going to like her. So we talked about being fair and giving her a chance. Do you remember what happened?”

  “Yeah.” Harry spoke grudgingly. “She was nice.”

  “That’s right.” She nodded. “You liked Bree a lot. And Kristy deserves a chance like that, too.”

  Harry crossed his arms. “This is different.”

  Ian crossed his arms, too. “Yeah.”

  She shook her head. “You’re supposed to treat other people the way you want them to treat you.”

  “You are?”


  “Yes, it’s a rule. It’s so important, they call it the Golden Rule.”

  “Wow,” Ian said.

  Harry scowled. She finger-combed the hair off his brow, seeing herself in this tough little boy who viewed new people and ideas with instinctive distrust. The same way she’d done as a child, until a caring adult—her stepdad, Jim—had opened her eyes to a different world filled with hope and possibilities.

  She wouldn’t be around to show Harry a brighter world, so Will must be the one to lead his skeptical young son to a better path. She hoped he was up to the task. A new and caring woman at his side might help. She’d give anything to be that woman, but since she couldn’t be, she prayed Will would make a wise choice.

  …

  Gina’s second day with the boys was busy with games and crafts, but on the following day Harry seemed listless and ate little. He had a slight temperature, and when she suggested he lie down, he went willingly. Familiar with his pediatrician’s office, she called for advice then tapped in Will’s cell number. His hello was nearly drowned out by loud voices and the strident wails of a rock band. Party time. Her grip tightened on the receiver. “Harry has—”

  “Hang on, while I find a quieter spot.” The music gradually faded. “What’s up?”

  She told him about Harry’s fever and the doctor’s instructions. “I’m giving him acetaminophen and plenty of water. If his fever goes up, I’ll wipe him down with a cool cloth.”

  “Let me talk to him,” Will said.

  “He’s asleep.”

  “How’s Ian?”

  “He seems fine.”

  “Good.” He paused. “Maybe I should come home.”

  His words warmed her heart. Harry was lucky to have such a caring dad. “The doctor said we’ll know more by morning. I’ll watch him closely tonight and let you know if things get worse.”

  “All right. Call me back in a couple of hours.”

  Harry slept through dinner and into the night. Gina called Will with an update and promised to call again in the morning. Once Ian was tucked in for the night, she transferred a drowsing Harry into Will’s king-sized bed then stretched out beside him to keep watch.