“Of course, they don’t need to be worried about you. Is there anything I can do to help?” Sunny reached over and touched his hand soothingly.
“My attorney and I had a long phone conversation today about this. There may be something you can do, Sunny, but it’s a huge thing for me to ask of you. I’d rather wait until I go back to Des Moines next week and discuss it with him further before I bring you in on this. I just wanted to let you know the situation.”
“I appreciate your trust in me, Chase. I won’t say anything to anyone.”
“I’d trust you with my life, Sunny. You’ve more than proven, in the short time I’ve known you, what a genuinely good person you are.”
“Why…thank you, Chase. I’m just being me.”
“And that’s what makes you so special.” He stood up then and walked over to where she sat. Bending down, he gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and continued, “I’m going to bed now. If you’re coming up, I’ll walk you.”
Stunned by the conversation and the kiss, she allowed him to help her up. Once again, he walked her to her door, only tonight was different. When they reached her room, he hesitantly pulled her into his arms, as if he were afraid she would reject him. He looked into her eyes, before he leaned down and kissed her soundly on the lips. When he released her, he said, “I’m sorry, Sunny, I don’t mean to offend you. It’s just been a hard day and having you to talk to about it helped me more than you know. I couldn’t stop myself.”
“I’m not offended, Chase, maybe a bit confused.”
“We’ll have a long talk after I return from Des Moines next week. You’ll know all there is to know then. For the rest of this week, I’m officially on vacation. Everything is under control for now.”
“I’ll see you in the morning, Chase. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Sunny. Sleep well.”
She ran to the bed and collapsed on it as soon as she shut her door, puzzled about what he’d said.
Chapter Seven
Sunny and Chase walked with the children between them down to the beach. It was a lovely stretch of beach not far from the house. The afternoon sun was past its hottest time of the day, but Sunny rubbed both the kids down with sunscreen before beginning to apply it to herself. Chase had spread two large blankets on the sand. After the kids were occupied with sand castles, he took the tube of lotion from Sunny’s hand.
“Let me help you.” He poured some of the lotion into the palm of his hand and began to rub her back as she sat in front of him on the blanket.
“Thank you.” Currents of electricity coursed throughout her body as his hands expertly massaged her back with the cool lotion. She turned and took the tube from his hands. “That’s good. Do you want me to put some on your back?”
He gave her an odd look, before turning around. She began rubbing the lotion into his skin, her hands scorched by the touch. This won’t do at all. She hurriedly finished and said, “Okay, all done.”
When he turned back around, he smiled at her, and looked over at the kids happily playing in the sand. An older couple walked by and remarked about what a lovely family they were. Sunny and Chase looked at each other and both burst out laughing. “Well, you have to admit, we do look the part, Sunny.” He teased her with one of his sexy grins.
“Daddy…come and see my castle,” Brice yelled excitedly.
“You’d better go. Your son needs you...and you’re getting a little carried away over here.”
“Oh, you think so?” He laughed again as he got up to join his children.
Sunny lay enjoying the sun for a few minutes before she went to help Allison with her sand castle. As she walked over to join the others, two teenage boys walked by and they both gave her a loud wolf whistle.
“See what you’re doing, you’re disrupting the whole beach,” Chase whispered in her ear as she knelt down in the sand. “Maybe I should have said no to the bikini.” He grinned when he saw the shocked look on her face. “I’m joking, Sunny.”
“Sunny, look, my castle is falling down,” Allison said nearly in tears.
“Oh, sweetie, we can fix that. Let me help you.”
The next few hours were spent playing with Allison and Brice, the four of them laughing together and having a wonderful time. Sunny realized she loved the time she spent with the Dupont children.
Soon it was time to get washed up for dinner. The tired but happy foursome gathered their belongings and trudged back to the beach house. When they arrived in the garden, Chase sprayed the sand off both children with the garden hose, while Sunny toweled them dry.
“Your turn, Sunny,” Chase said as he pointed the hose at her. She shivered as the freezing cold water stung her body.
“Turnabout’s fair play, hand over the hose.” She sprayed the sand off him and after everyone was reasonably dry enough not to drip water on Alice’s floors, they went into the house giggling and laughing together happily, just like a family.
Alice grinned when she saw them. “Dinner will be ready by the time you all get changed and back down here. We’re having Allison’s favorite.”
“Pasgetti, yippee.” Allison jumped up and down, clapping her hands.
They all walked up the stairs to dress. Chase helped Brice, while Sunny helped Allison. Sunny sent Allison down to see how the spaghetti was coming along, while she dressed for dinner.
“That was a great afternoon,” Chase said as he walked into the hallway from Brice’s room.
“Yes, I enjoyed it. They’re great kids,” she replied as she went back into her room. And Daddy’s not bad either, she thought, as she remembered how his touch has burned her skin earlier.
When Sunny got to the dining room, the children were already seated. Chase walked in right behind her. A large bowl of steaming spaghetti and meatballs sat in the middle of the table along with individual salads and breadsticks. No wonder it was Allison’s favorite meal. It looked and smelled delicious.
“Heavenly spaghetti, Sunny, we actually use Alice’s recipe at the restaurants.”
“You’re kidding, Chase, that’s great. Do you use Alma’s recipes, too?”
“Yes, a few of them,” he answered with a smile in Alice’s direction.
“Sunny, a little bird told me you are somewhat of a chocoholic.” Alice glanced at Chase as he winked at Sunny.
“Yes, sorry to say, I am.”
“Well, we have chocolate mousse for dessert, just for you. This was ladies night, spaghetti for Allison and chocolate for you. Tomorrow night, I’ll fix the boys of the family their favorites.”
“You’re a sweetheart.” Sunny smiled up at her.
She’d grown fond of Alice and Alma both in the short time she’d known them. And they spoiled her so, always having her coffee ready for her, and now the chocolate. She felt special being around this family.
The meal tasted as delicious as it had looked and smelled. When the coffee and dessert were brought out, Sunny was truly in heaven.
“Alice, you spoil us all so much,” Sunny said as she accepted a cup of coffee.
“I spoil those I care about, Sunny, and that includes you. You’ve charmed your way into this family, and it’s a joy to have you with us.”
“Oh, thank you so much. You all mean so much to me, too. I really don’t have any family, except my mom, now that my dad is gone. I’m an only child.”
“So you’re used to being spoiled, then,” Chase commented with a grin.
“Not really. I mean, I had a great childhood, with two loving parents. But I was never overly spoiled. My mom and I are very close, though.”
“She probably hates it that you’re away all summer, then.”
“Oh, she keeps very busy. She has a group of friends she goes out with, and she’s involved in all kinds of things. She even occasionally has a date now and then, but no one special. She has a widower friend she goes out with sometimes.”
“I think that’s great she stays active.”
“I do, too. She’s a wonde
rful person, even if she is my mother.”
“Daddy, will you read to us again?” Allison asked, looking at Chase beseechingly with her big, baby-blue eyes.
“I sure will, go on in the den. I’ll be in there in a minute. Brice, go with your sister.”
“They adore you, Chase,” Sunny remarked.
“They’re pretty fond of you, too, you know.”
“I’m going to clear the table for Alice while you read to them. I want to give them some time alone with Daddy.”
“Thank you, Sunny. Why don’t you go relax after that?”
“I think I’ll take a bubble bath and read for a while. You’ll be up after you put the kiddos to bed? Will you need my help?”
“You just relax, I can handle it.” He flashed that wonderful smile of his as he left her to join his favorite little boy and girl in the den.
Sunny began carrying plates into the kitchen where Alice was already cleaning up.
“Thank you, Sunny. Did you have a good time at the beach?”
“Yes, we did. We built sand castles with the kids.”
“I heard from Alma. They left on their road trip. They’re driving to a place called the Amana Colonies.”
“Wonderful place, my mom and I went one year. Are they having a good time?”
“They seemed to be. She asked about all of you, of course. She’s very fond of you, Sunny. You know Chase is like a son to her.”
“I know, she told me she and George have no children of their own. How about you? Do you and John have children?”
“Yes, we do, two sons, who both live near Orlando. We see them quite a bit when the Duponts are in Iowa. We devote all our time to Chase, when he and the kids are here. He’s been so good to us.”
“He’s a good man, Alice. I see it more and more every day.”
“You won’t find one any better, Sunny.”
“Thank you for this little chat. I’m going to go upstairs now if you’re okay here.”
“I’m almost finished in here. You go on up.”
“Goodnight, Alice.”
“I’ll see you in the morning, sweetie.”
As she eased herself into the hot, bubbly water, she thought about all that had taken place since she’d come to Florida with Chase and his children. She was growing closer to all of them, she realized as she sank back and relaxed in the water.
She stepped out of the tub a short time later. Wrapping a large towel around herself, she stepped over to the sink to brush her teeth.
That’s how Chase found her a few minutes later. He opened the bathroom door, apparently forgetting to knock first, which had been their habit since they were sharing.
“Whoops, sorry, Sunny.” He seemed slightly embarrassed. His shirt was unbuttoned to the waist and she guessed he’d been planning to take a shower.
“Uh…it’s okay, Chase, I’ll be finished in a minute.” She rinsed her mouth with water, spit it into the sink and clutching the towel tightly around herself, started to walk into her bedroom. “See, I’m all finished.”
“Goodnight, Sunny.”
“Goodnight.”
She ran to the bed as soon as she returned to her room. I should have let my towel drop. After the kiss last night, I wonder what he would have done.
Chapter Eight
The alarm clock went off much too soon the next morning. Sunny would have loved to have lingered in bed a while longer but knew she had to get up and see to her babies. She stretched leisurely before going into the bathroom to get ready for her day.
She pulled on a pair of denim shorts and grabbed a pink tee shirt from the drawer. Then slipping her feet into a pair of pink flip-flops, she headed downstairs.
No one was about yet, except Alice. She poured a cup of coffee for Sunny and set the cream pitcher in front of her.
“The kids not up yet?”
“They’re outside already with John. I got both of them up a little while ago. Chase told me last night he had plans for the day, so I wanted them to be up early. He told me to let you sleep.”
“He didn’t say anything to me about plans.”
“I believe he’s planning to take all of us to Orlando before he goes back north. He invited John and me to go so we could visit our sons and their families. He went to take care of some things first.”
Sunny took her coffee out to the garden and sat relaxing in one of the chaise loungers while she watched the children helping John. It was a wonderful, sunshiny Florida day and Sunny was thoroughly enjoying it. She closed her eyes and lay quietly, soaking up the warm rays and loving her life. This was how Chase found her when he walked onto the garden patio.
“Sunny,” he said softly. “Are you awake?”
She opened her eyes. “Yes, just relaxing. John has the kids helping him so I decided to soak up some rays.”
“I have a surprise for you and the kids. I’ve just come from the airport and I have tickets for all of us to fly to Orlando this afternoon. I thought we could spend the next few days at Disney before I have to go back home.”
Not letting on Alice had spilled the beans earlier, she looked at him and said, “That sounds wonderful. I’ll be just like one of the kids. I’ve never been to Disney.”
“You haven’t? Then you’re in for a real treat. I’ll enjoy showing it to you. The kids went last summer, so it won’t be a new experience for them.”
“What time is our flight?”
“Not until three. Just relax. We’ll get the kiddos cleaned up and ready before lunch. It won’t take long to pack a few things for all of us. I’ll help you.”
“Are you sure? I feel like I’m not earning my keep here.” She laughed as he pulled up a chair and sat beside her.
“Sunny, I don’t expect you to work around the clock. Taking care of kids is a demanding job and any time you can steal some time for yourself is well deserved. I told you when I offered you this position that I would be very flexible. You’re more than an employee. You’re like one of the family, just like Alma, George, Alice and John. I don’t think of any of you as less than that.”
“Thank you, Chase.”
“Let’s take advantage of the fact that John has the kids occupied for a while this morning and just sit here and enjoy it…together.”
“Whatever you say, boss.” She looked over at him and smiled affectionately, but quickly looked away, before he could fully realize how she felt about him. They stayed like that for another hour, sipping hot coffee and talking. When Chase looked at his watch, he decided it was time to get the kids cleaned up. They looked like they had been rolling around in the dirt instead of working in the garden.
“Kids, come here a minute.”
Two very dirty children came running.
“Oh, my goodness, you two are a mess?” he teased them as they looked up at him. “Let’s clean you guys up, and after lunch, I’m going to take us all on an adventure.”
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a big surprise and I’ll tell you after you’ve both had a bath and gotten some lunch in your bellies. Now scoot, because Sunny and I have some work to do.”
“I’ll start packing,” Sunny said.
“I’ll help you, after I make sure those two aren’t destroying their bathroom. See you in a few minutes.” He smiled as he helped her out of her lounge chair.
The next few hours passed by quickly and soon they were in the SUV Chase used for family outings. John was driving them to the airport and everyone was talking at once, excited about the trip.
The trip to Orlando was perfect. John and Alice visited with their family while Chase, Sunny, and the two children enjoyed two wonderful days taking in everything they could fit into the schedule at Disney World. All too soon, it ended and it was time for Chase to be off for Des Moines.
Chapter Nine
On the morning Chase was leaving for Iowa, he knocked softly on Sunny’s door adjoining the bathroom between them. “Sunny, are you awake? I need to talk to you.”
She’d been sitting on the edge of the bed brushing her hair when he knocked. She got up and answered the door, puzzled he wouldn’t use the main door.
“I apologize for coming in this way, but I wanted to talk to you privately before I leave, and I didn’t want to take a chance on anyone seeing me from the hallway.”
“It’s all right. What’s up?”
“While I’m away this week, I’ll be finalizing everything for the solution to my problem I told you about. And while I can’t tell you what it is, yet, I need you to do something. I want you to know this will affect the rest of your life. If you agree to help me, that is. This week, will you please take some time to think about what I’ve just said? I want you to think about any future plans you may have. They’ll play a part in the answer you give me, when I tell you what I need from you.”
“This is all so mysterious, Chase.”
“It won’t be…it will all be crystal clear next week, when I can present it to you properly.”
“Okay, I’ll trust you on that.”
Chase leaned down and kissed her. Sunny was shaken to the core, heat swiftly spreading through her veins. She responded to his kiss in a way that surprised the both of them.
“I’m sorry. It seems I keep kissing you and apologizing afterward. It’s just that when you said you trust me…” he said as he broke away from her.
“Stop apologizing. I don’t think I was exactly fighting that kiss.”
He had a thoughtful look on his face. “Just maybe…” He abruptly brought himself back to reality and told her goodbye.
“I’m going to tell the kids goodbye then I’m off. I’ll call you midweek to check in. Think about what I said.”
“I will, Chase.”
He left her room the same way he’d come in, leaving her standing there touching the lips that he’d just kissed.
She finished her morning routine and went to Ali’s room to see if she was awake. The little girl was already dressed when she entered the room. “Daddy just left. I miss him already.” She looked so sad Sunny went to her and hugged her.
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