Jamie gave him a confused look. “What do you mean?”
He looked over at her again as he pulled up to a red light. “Isn’t she dating someone?”
Jamie shook his head. “No. There is a guy named Jonah that she goes out with from time to time, but they are friends that go way back. Nothing more than that.”
James frowned. He should have known that his daughter would do her research.
“So you think that I have a chance?”
A slow smile spread across her face. “I think that you have more than a chance.”
Turning his attention back to the road, he sighed. “What do you think your sisters are going to say?”
Jamie laughed. “Congratulations.”
He chuckled. Jana and Jenna would have a little more to say than that. He was certain of it. Sure his children wanted him to be happy, and they wouldn’t complain if he found a good woman in the process. She would have to pass his daughters’ intense scrutiny.
He pulled up into the parking lot of Kristen’s childcare center. “I will be right back.”
After getting out of the car, he went inside and picked up Jenna and Josh. It was not too late, and a few other children were still present, but he normally picked the children up prior to five, no later than five thirty. He bid Zebbie and Gerri a good evening before heading back to the sports utility vehicle that he’d bought on a whim after Nicole had died. He didn’t want another minivan, so he’d taken the kids to the car dealership and let them pick out the tan SUV that he now drove. The kids had chosen well.
He opened the back door and buckled Josh into his car seat. Once he was certain that Jenna was situated, he pulled out of the driveway and headed for the house. He asked Jenna how her day was on the way to the house. Her day didn’t seem to be as interesting as Jamie’s, but it had been fun for her, and she’d learned something new, so that is what was important to him.
“What’s for dinner?” she asked after telling him about her day at school.
“Shrimp and French fries.”
“Fried?” she asked, her voice full of hope.
“Jumbo?” Jamie asked, with her own optimism.
James laughed at his daughters. Everyone loved Friday and Saturday nights because they were junk-food nights. They were also movie nights. To him, the weekends were for them to sit down and spend quality time which each other. It was time used to find out how everyone’s week had gone.
A short while later, he pulled up into the driveway of his father’s home. The home that he’d spent the first ten years of his life in. His father hadn’t made many changes to the house at all. Pictures of him at all ages still lined the wall. He got out of the SUV, undid the buckle on the child seat, and picked Josh up out of his car seat. They entered into the house.
“Will we be doing homework tonight or Sunday night?”
“Sunday night,” all his daughters replied unanimously.
James chuckled and carried Josh into his father’s room. His dad was starting to look a lot better.
The mild heart attack that his father had suffered had been a big scare. After the unclogging and repairing of several arteries, the doctor had placed his father on a strict diet with moderate exercise. So far, his father was doing very well. Then again, with four other people watching his every move, he had no choice. Everyone was happy and, at this point, healthy.
His father smiled when he saw them. “How was the meeting?”
James set Josh down and watched him run over to his grandfather. “It went pretty well. Jamie isn’t really in trouble, but she is going to have her hands full for the rest of the school year.”
Dennis nodded and lifted Josh into his lap. James sat down next to his father.
“How was your day, Dad?”
His father shrugged. “It was okay. I moved around quite a bit and managed not to drop into exhaustion.”
James’s eyebrows rose at the statement. “What all did you do?”
His father rolled his eyes skyward at his concern. “Nothing much. I just took a slow stroll around the block.”
James shook his head. His father could be so stubborn. Yet, the doctor had recommended light exercise, so he couldn’t fault him for following instructions. “Just don’t over do it when I am away from the house.”
His father set Josh on his own feet and stood slowly. He was getting his strength back but gradually, and he was nowhere near as strong as he used to be.
“Jana went with me and wouldn’t let me go beyond three blocks. She also made me take the cell phone and kept an eye on me the entire way.”
James nodded with some satisfaction. His children were smart and knew what to do when it came to most situations. “Are you going to help with dinner?”
“Only if I can eat it,” his father stated with a note of longing.
James chuckled. “You can’t eat exactly what we are eating, but what you will have is close enough.”
His father frowned. “You all ought to be ashamed of yourselves.”
Jenna came bouncing around the corner into his father’s arms, but as carefully as she could. “Why should we be ashamed, Grandpa?”
They all went into the kitchen. Jamie and Jenna were already at the counter cleaning the shrimp.
James’s father’s eyebrows rose skeptically. “How do you plan on preparing my shrimp?”
James began to nudge him from the kitchen. “It is going to be a surprise. Now why don’t you take Josh into the living room and keep him busy while we prepare dinner.”
His father grumbled something under his breath about relentless children and grandchildren before taking Josh’s hand and leading him into the living room.
James turned to look at his three daughters while rubbing his hands together. “Let’s get this show on the road so we can eat and watch some movies.”
Within minutes, they all had their heads and their hands together, and they were busy making dinner. It was times like these that he didn’t mind being a single father. It was also times like this that he wouldn’t mind having that special woman to share it with. Either way, he was going to make the best of the situation and keep moving forward. His life could be fulfilling with just his children in his life.
Chapter Four
James took a deep, calming breath as he watched Jamie, Jana, and Jenna head up Kayla’s walkway. He was starting to regret what he’d reluctantly agree to earlier this morning. Over breakfast, his three daughters convinced him that he needed to ask Kayla out but only after she passed their last test. On top of that, the trio thought that it would be best if this happened quicker than he would have liked it to. He hadn’t known soon would mean when they cleaned up the mess they made in the kitchen while making breakfast. He was starting to wonder if he truly wanted another woman in his life, along with the three he had. He grimaced as the door open and Kayla appeared. Her eyebrows rose before she stepped back and allowed the three girls into her house.
A grin appeared on her face, and he thought that she couldn’t be any more beautiful than she was in that moment. His wife had been beautiful as well. He had quickly fallen head over heels in love with Nicole and had asked her to marry him six months into their relationship. Other people had thought that they should take it slow and wait until they were finished with school, but he had known what he wanted at the time, and so had Nicole.
Even now he didn’t regret that decision because marriage to Nicole had been good in the early years. That was the reason why he was able to determine something had been wrong immediately when Nicole changed. He could understand how his father had felt like a failure in his own marriage to his mother. He’d loved Nicole with everything in him, and yet, it hadn’t been enough. She still chose to go outside of their relationship instead of coming to him and telling him what the issues were. When he looked back, he wasn’t sure that there were any. The best things that had come out of his marriage were his four children. He hoped Kayla knew what she was getting herself into.
Inside the house, Kayla was looking at three determined young ladies. She had no idea why they were there yet, but she had a feeling that whatever it was it was serious. Studying the girls carefully, she waited for one to speak up and tell her why they were there. When they remained silent, she spoke.
“Good morning, ladies. If you don’t mind me asking, what brings you to my home?”
Jenna was the first to speak, and she was straight to the point. “We are here to ask you to go out on a date with our dad.”
If the looks on their faces hadn’t been so serious, she would have laughed at the nine-year-old’s statement. Instead, she shook her head. She couldn’t entertain this horrible matchmaking scheme. “No.”
Jamie spoke next. “Ms. Smith, our father is a good man.”
Kayla held her hands up in a non-threatening manner. “I don’t doubt that at all, but we have to be reasonable here. My dating your father would put all of us in an uncomfortable situation.”
Jenna smiled. “No more than we already are.”
She was speechless for just a moment. How in the world did James survive these three? “Does your father know that you are here?”
Jamie nodded in the direction of her front door. “He is outside waiting for us.”
Kayla went to the window and pulled the curtains aside. Her eyes met James head on. The man had the nerve to wink at her, and the simple gesture sent her heart rate soaring.
Letting the curtain fall back in place, she shook her head again. She’d been so shocked by the three of them being on her porch that she hadn’t noticed the SUV sitting in the driveway next to hers.
“Excuse me, ladies.” She crossed to the front door and walked out to the vehicle that James was sitting comfortably in. His eyes followed her all the way to the SUV. The window was rolled down, and she leaned into the car with more confidence than she really felt. “Now you didn’t really think that I was going to let you sit out here and relax while your daughters have me in the hot seat did you?”
He grinned, and time ceased. His smile was lethal. “Well, they seemed so determined I didn’t think that it would take long, so I wasn’t sure that I needed to come in.”
She tried to keep a straight face at his lousy excuse as she stepped back and opened the driver’s side door. “Well, let me make it clear.”
He chuckled as he slid out of the vehicle. She tilted her head back to look at him. Lord, he was tall. Unfortunately, the man was gorgeous as well, and that was going to make this situation tough.
“Ladies first.”
She led the way back up to the house. When they returned to the living room, Jamie, Jana, and Jenna hadn’t moved. James walked over to the recliner and took a seat while Kayla continued standing, facing the girls. “Now you were saying?”
“That you should go out with our dad,” Jamie responded quickly, picking up right where she’d left off.
Kayla sighed. If she didn’t know any better she would say that the three sisters had taken lessons from Kristen, Keirra, and herself.
“We trust you.”
Kayla looked over at Jana. These three had put their heads together. Either they loved their dad a lot and wanted to see him happy or they needed someone to distract him so that they could have a life. Although, it looked like they had too much of one already to come up with a plan as insane as the one that they were trying to sell. Based on what she knew about Jamie, she was going to go with the first idea. As flattering as it was that she was the chosen one, it was also an impossible situation. “So what do you think that people will say about me dating my student’s father?”
Jana grinned. “From the way that Jamie talks about you, I have a feeling that you don’t care what other people say about you.”
Kayla looked over at James who was sitting with a smug look on his face. If she didn’t know any better, she would say that he was enjoying this, especially since he was not on the receiving end of it for a change.
“Are you going to say anything?” Kayla asked, arching an in his direction.
James smiled and shook his head. “I already lost this battle earlier. I don’t plan on losing another. Besides, I agree with them and would love to take you out.”
His statement confirmed her earlier thought and floored her at the same time. Kayla’s mouth dropped open and almost dragged on the ground. She could see that it was four against one at this point.
“See, there you go. Dad is a good man, and you are a good woman. This is a perfect combination.”
Kayla liked the way Jana made it sound, as if it were completely logical reasoning. If anyone had told her that this was how her Saturday was going to start off, she would have called the person a liar. She had to figure out a way to convince these three crazy people that this was a bad idea. Crazy was being used in a positive way right now, but it could become a negative thing any moment. Facing this trio was worse than battling Kristen and Keirra. The three girls sitting in front of her reminded her so much of her and her sisters that it was slightly humorous. She paced a few times before turning and facing the sexiest man she’d ever come in contact with and his adorable children.
“You guys are really serious about this, aren’t you?”
Jamie nodded. “Since we have moved here, I haven’t seen my dad smile until last night after I asked him if he thought that you were attractive.”
Jamie paused dramatically, and Kayla had to give the teenager credit. She needed to be in the drama club, and Kayla just may recommend that she audition.
“It was genuine. The same one he gives us when we come home in the evening.”
Jenna pitched in. “Yeah, and he works an awful lot. Maybe if you were around, he wouldn’t work so much.”
Kayla felt true sympathy for James. These were three of the most manipulative children that she’d ever met. They put her and her sisters to shame. The man didn’t stand a chance, nor did his daughters when it came to her. She had to show these ladies that she and her sisters had been at this longer than they had. When she stopped in front of them, she was struggling to hold back a grin. “When you ladies came up with this brilliant plan, did it occur to you that I might already be dating someone else?”
Kayla saw him stiffen out the corner of her eye. The idea didn’t seem to sit well with him, which intrigued her even more. Jamie shrugged. “We know that you aren’t dating anyone. The only man that you have been seen around town with is one that you have known since growing up in Baxley.”
Kayla’s eyes narrowed at that comment. Either these girls had done a thorough investigation or her private life was too public. She also realized that she was getting herself in trouble by trying to outwit them by herself.
“Okay, let’s say that I am willing to agree to this outrageous plan of yours. When do you propose that your father and I go out?”
Even though she was as interested in James as he seemed to be in her, she had to make this look good. A woman would be crazy not to want to go out with James. The man was sexier than sin.
All it had taken was one look. Yes, she wanted to go out with him, but she couldn’t just fall into his grasp. A little fight had to be put up, even if it was a small one. The girls looked at each other before looking back at her.
“Tonight,” they responded in unison.
She laughed. She’d known that would be the answer. “Do you have the date planned out?”
Jamie sat back and folded her arms across her chest. “We have given Dad a few ideas.”
Kayla found herself shaking her head. “I tell you what. If your father and I decide to go out on a date, then you three must agree not to get involved. And if your father and I decide that this isn’t going to work, you will accept that with no arguments.”
She could see the girls contemplating the request as they huddled together, but after a few eye, hand, and shoulder gestures, they came to an agreeable decision. Just to make them wonder and worry a little longer, she walked toward the phone and picked up the cordless extension. “
Give me a moment to discuss this with my sisters.”
She could almost hear the girls groan. Turning back around, she stifled a chuckle and dialed Kristen’s number first. Kristen answered on the second ring.
“Hey, Kayla. What’s up?”
“James Feldon.”
She heard Kristen drop the phone, and laughed. When Kristen picked the phone up again, Kayla could tell that she had her sister’s full attention.
“Now what were you saying about James Feldon?”
“That he is sitting here on the living room couch with Jamie, Jana, and Jenna, and they are all trying to convince me that James and I would make a great couple and that we should go out.”
“Are you kidding me?”
The disbelief in Kristen’s voice was obvious. When Kayla thought about it, if she’d been the one receiving such a call, she might have a hard time believing it as well. Kayla held out the phone to the crowd that was sitting in her living room.
“She doesn’t believe me.”
“Hi, Ms. Smith,” Jenna sang out in response. “Tell your sister that she and my dad would be great together.”
By the time Kayla put the phone back to her ear, Kristen was laughing. “You realize that you have your hands completely full, right?”
Kayla smiled. She did have her hands full, but she didn’t mind. James had raised wonderful children. From what she could tell, they were well-behaved, kind, and definitely intelligent. They were also carbon copies of him down to the blue eyes. His children were his through and through.
“Yes, I do. So what is your opinion?”
Kristen laughed again. “As if you have to ask. Of course you should go for it.”
Kayla made a little more small talk before disconnecting the call. She planned to work this as much as she could, and based on the tortured looks that the three girls had, she was doing a good job. Her next call was to Keirra. She answered on the first ring.
“Well, this is a surprise, stranger, and I must say that you are absolutely insane calling me this early in the morning on the weekend.”
Her Every Fantasy Page 3
