She sat on the floor and rolled a ball to Jamie. “He’s going to be spoiled.”
Ray laughed. “You should see Mr. Carlin play with him. Did you know he also comes Sunday mornings?”
“You’re joking.”
“Not a bit.”
“You mean he drives back and forth twice a week?”
Ray shook his mead. I think he stays at a motel. Did you know he used to live around here?”
This news surprised her. What about his social schedule? Though his attitude toward his nephew had changed she couldn’t believe he would give up his weekends at the love nest. Ray must have misunderstood.
“Has he said anything about the nanny search?”
“He says he has an idea that would solve the problem.” Ray turned away. “I’m going home for Thanksgiving break. Hope that doesn’t mess your schedule.”
“No classes from Wednesday until Tuesday. Hope you have a good visit.”
“Should be especially since I haven’t asked them for money since all this babysitting began.” He sauntered to the door.
Lauren’s thoughts focused on Tony. What was he doing for the holiday? Should she call and ask? She dragged her attention from him and reached for her notes. Just Tuesday’s classes before the break.
When Grace returned from the bakery Lauren told her about Tony’s frequent visits. “What do you think he’s planning?”
Grace shrugged. “He came to the bakery on Saturday and ordered four of each of the Thanksgiving flavors and some of the other specials I’ve kept on the shelves. Seems he’s planning some kind of dinner.”
“That’s nice.” Lauren moved to the kitchen. “I guess he’s making a special trip for them.”
“I didn’t ask.”
“What are you doing for Thanksgiving? Should we cook? I’ll shop.”
“Can’t. I’m spending the day at the group home. You and Jamie could come.”
Lauren’s laughter barked. “You’ve a great imagination. The Patons would have heart attacks if I appeared at their house. You have no idea how nasty they were when I stopped and asked for your phone number.”
“That was several years ago. I’ll ask them.”
“Don’t bother. I’ll order a meal from the grocery store.”
Grace made a face. “I’ll bring a plate for you.”
“Thanks.” Lauren grabbed her book and finished planning for class. Being alone didn’t bother her. During her years on the road she had spent many special days alone.
The next afternoon she sat at the bar feeding Jamie his dinner. Her phone buzzed. She connected.
“Lauren.”
Tony’s deep voice jolted her memories. She almost dropped the phone. “Want to speak to Jamie?”
“In a bit. On Thanksgiving I want you to bring him to see me?”
She popped another bite into her nephew’s mouth. “You want me to come to the city and be snarled in the parade traffic?”
“Not to the apartment. Here’s the address.”
She put the spoon in the jar and grabbed a pencil. She frowned. The place wasn’t far. Was it a motel? At least she didn’t have to drive to the city. “What time?”
“Say around three thirty.”
“He’ll be there Jamie, talk to your uncle.” She held the phone to his ear.
“Cool. Cool.” Jamie chattered on. Some of the words made sense.
When he turned his head and tried to chew on the phone she pulled it away. “Sorry to cut this short but he’s trying to chew the cell.”
“See you Thursday.”
Lauren hung up and fed Jamie. She would stay for long enough to hand the child over and learn when to return for him. She sighed. Time to call the store and order Thanksgiving dinner for one. The thought brought a smatter of tears.
He hadn’t asked her to stay. For some reason anger joined her sadness.
Stop it.
She’d been the one to demand no more meetings. She had no reason to feel anything for him.
Liar.
* * *
On Thursday Tony laughed and stowed the boxes of condoms he had brought from the city. One shelf in the master bedroom of the house he’d recently purchased would hold enough boxes to last a year. Could he convince Lauren to share the house? Amazing how the offer of cash for the house had expedited the upgrades and the sale.
Jamie’s fault. The morning after Lauren had ended their affair he’d decided something had to change. Tony Carlin’s life needed a new direction, one that had scared him to the core. He’d done the impossible, grabbed the luge and slid down the mountain into love. There had been no women, no flirtations, since Lauren had driven away. Though he had honored her decision he had sought a way to show her there was a chance for them and for Jamie to live in a warm and loving house. Sometimes the decision troubled him but he had to try.
He shoved the last box on the shelf and clattered down the rear steps into the kitchen. He inhaled the savory aromas of Thanksgiving. A glance at the clock told him Lauren and Jamie should arrive. Would she stay? Perhaps she and her housemate had plans. Was there a way to convince her to remain?
He basted the turkey and removed some of the broth to be used for gravy. He made the sauce for the sweet potatoes and peeled white ones. Once she arrived he would show her the house. Then he would finish dinner.
The clock chimed three thirty. Where? His anxiety grew as the minute hand swept around the face. At quarter to four she hadn’t arrived. Just as he reached for his keys the doorbell rant. He hurried to the foyer and opened the door. “Welcome to my home.”
“Cool. Cool,” Jamie shouted.
“Sorry we’re late. He overslept.” Lauren handed him the baby. “I’ll bring his things. What time do you want me to return for him?”
He shifted his nephew to one arm and grasped her hand. “Stay.”
“Why?”
“So I won’t have to eat dinner with just Jamie for company. I sold the city apartment and bought this.”
“Really.” Tears shone in her eyes.
He groaned. He was making a mess of his idea. “I was afraid if I asked you, you would say no.”
“Why did you buy so many cupcakes?”
He laughed. “I wanted to try one of each of the special flavors. They were so good I dropped a selection with the editor of Good Eatin’. Her brothers are friends. I thought Allie might be interested in your friend’s shop.”
“That was nice.”
“I have my moments. Let me take your coat. I hope you don’t have plans.”
She shook her head. “Just a dinner from the grocery store.” She stepped inside and removed her coat.
Tony closed the door. He considered turning the lock to keep her from escaping. He let her hold Jamie. He put her coat and his nephew’s in the hall closet and led them to the living room.
Laura strapped Jamie in the play table. Tony lit the logs in the fireplace. “Wine, beer, cocktail?”
“Just water for now.”
“Coming up.” He left the room and went to the refrigerator. One hurdle down. Probably a dozen more to face. He filled a glass with water and lifted the remains of his beer.
“Something smells good,” she said.
“Won’t be ready for an hour. I hope you’ve brought an appetite.”
“I did. Haven’t eaten since breakfast.” She sipped the water.
“Where’s your housemate? Off with family?”
“Sort of. She’s an orphan and she lived at the group home. She was the good girl. She went there to help with dinner and share the day with them.”
Tony met her gaze. “The place you ran away from?”
“Yes.”
“Guess you wouldn’t be welcome there.”
“You’re absolutely right.”
He rose. “Let me show you the house.”
“What about Jamie?”
“He seems content.” He flipped a button. “If he cries we can hear him. The place is wired for that purpose. We can star
t upstairs.”
“Up, up,” Jamie cried.
Lauren laughed. “Guess he’s coming with us.”
“Looks that way.” Tony rescued his bouncing nephew. He revised his tour of the house saving the surprise he planned for Lauren until later. And remembering she’d once turned down sex because Jamie was awake, waiting was the right choice. If Jamie fell asleep after dinner Tony believed his seduction would be back on schedule.
“Tee. Tee.”
As he pushed from Tony’s arms Lauren caught Jamie. She followed Tony up the broad staircase.
Tony pointed to the left. “Master suite is there. Three guest rooms and the nursery down the hall. Baths shared between each pair.” He opened the door at the end of the hall. “Nursery.” He ushered Lauren inside.
She paused. “Jamie, look. The animals from the book.”
Tony watched as she carried their nephew closer to the murals. She pointed to one.
“Cat,” Jamie said.
She turned. “That’s his new trick. All I need to do is point. Have you found a nanny yet?”
“No luck. Maybe moving here will help or I could find other students like Ray.” He caught her hand.
“I have a list.”
Tony drew her to the door. “There’s an apartment on the third floor. Might be a solution.”
“Could be.”
Tony paused at the head of the rear stairs. “We’ll finish the tour later. I need to finish dinner.” As he led the way down he hoped to convince her to spend the night.
* * *
The aroma of spices from the baking turkey reminded Lauren she’d missed lunch. Her entire being had been focused on the meeting with Tony and fearing what she would face when she delivered Jamie. She had worried about meeting the flavor of the day. She had assumed and been wrong. Her stomach gurgled.
Tony pulled a tray from the microwave and set it on the island. The aromas rising from the small pastries made her want to grab a dozen and cram them into her mouth. “What are they?”
He pointed to each section. “Cheese, shrimp and crab puffs. Don’t eat too many. Dinner won’t be much longer. Do you think Jamie can eat any of the food?”
“Some of the turkey if we chop it fine. Mashed white and sweet potatoes. Cranberry sauce. He’s already eating table food.” She selected one of each of the appetizers and tasted them. “These are delicious.”
“Can Jamie eat broccoli?”
“Not sure he’s ready for that. I have a bag in the car with his food and bottles. Let me get them.” She snagged several puffs to eat on the way.
“Don’t be too long.”
Savoring the pastries, Lauren grabbed her coat from the hall closet. As she ran to the car she wondered what Tony planned. Since he had a house would he want full custody of Jamie? No way would she let that happen.
Tony’s presence in the area made maintaining a distance difficult. Why had she accepted his invitation to stay to dinner? Her body thrummed with yearning to experience what she couldn’t afford to accept.
She grasped the insulated bag and returned to the house. Should she reconsider her reasons for the vow she’d made four years ago? No men in her life until she could support herself. Did Tony want more than sex? Doubtful.
In the kitchen she stored the bottles in the large fridge. She set a jar of peas on the large work station. “This kitchen is amazing.” She ate another puff.
Tony turned from the six burner stove. “I like cooking so having every appliance including an ice cream machine is a plus. Makes the kitchen at the apartment seem meager.”
“Meager. What about the condo one?”
He laughed. “Definitely not a cook’s delight.”
“How did you manage to have this installed?”
“The house was under construction when I bought it. I called on some friends for the appliances. While I’m waiting for the potatoes to cook let me show you the rest of this floor.”
She lifted Jamie from the play table and followed Tony into the empty dining room. “You’ve a bit of shopping to do.”
“I know.” His smile warmed her. He showed her his office and an identical room next door with a bathroom between. “There’s a rec room in the basement. TV’s there… You might want to see the place later.”
What had he been about to say? Later. When? She fastened Jamie into the highchair.
Tony tested the potatoes. “Almost done.” He filled a pan with water. “To heat the peas.” He pointed to a divided dish with four compartments. “You can fill the well with hot water and keep the food warm.”
“What can I do to help you?”
“Set the table.” He pointed to a cabinet. “Dishes there and silverware in the drawer below.” He removed the turkey from the oven and set it on the counter. After scooping stuffing from the bird into a bowl he pressed a button on the far side of the center island. “Warming station.”
Lauren finished setting the table. She filled the divided dish with hot water. Peas went into one compartment. Tony handed her a slice of turkey. After dicing the meat she added this to the dish with some of the gravy. Mashed white and sweet potatoes filled the other compartments.
Jamie banged the highchair tray. “Tee. Eat.”
“Soon.”
She carried the plate to the table and tested the temperature of the various foods before feeding him several bites. Tony filled two plates. Lauren alternated bites for Jamie with ones for herself. Tony filled their glasses with white wine. Lauren sipped and sighed. Smooth. Delicious. She wondered what a bottle cost.
Before long Jamie refused another bite. He made a face when she tried to feed him the cranberry sauce. Lauren sat back and ate resisting the desire to moan with pleasure. “This is great. I wish I could cook.”
“I could give you lessons.”
“I might accept but finding time might be difficult for now. My studies and your long commute.”
“I’m cutting back on my hours and ceding control of every case that comes into the office.”
“Can you?”
“That was my father’s way. I’m going to try.”
Lauren finished the last bite on her plate. Was becoming Jamie’s guardian responsible for the change? “I’m stuffed.”
“Guess you don’t want dessert.”
“Give me an hour.” She laughed.
“You’ve got it.” He winked. “Why don’t you take Jamie to the living room while I finish here?”
She looked at the bowls and plates on the table and the amount of food remaining. “You’ll be eating leftovers for weeks.”
“I have some interesting recipes for using the leftovers that I want to try. I plan to send food home with you.”
“I’d like that.” She rose and lifted Jamie. Not willing to waste a drop she carried the partly filled wine glass with her. In the living room she put her nephew in the play table.
A short time later Tony came for her empty glass. He pressed a button. Music poured from hidden speakers. A second button lit the gas fireplace. “Be back soon.”
Lauren sank on the couch. For a time she watched Jamie explore the toys built into the table. Her eyes closed and she tried to sort her jumbled thoughts. Tony had changed and so had she. What did this mean? She swallowed a lump in her throat. Knowledge flooded her thoughts. She had fallen in love with him. What was she going to do?
Though he cared for Jamie she figured his tryst with domesticity was temporary. Before long he would return to his playboy life.
The clatter of a plate on the coffee table made her jerk. Tony held a carafe and two mugs. A plate with two cupcakes sat on the table. He slid onto the couch beside her.
Lauren picked up one of the cupcakes. “You’re evil. I’ll have some coffee, too.”
He poured a cup, added cream and sugar and handed the beverage to her. He lifted his own cupcake and licked the icing. “How did she find a way to make this taste like whipped cream?”
Lauren shook her head. “How would I know?
I don’t cook.” She looked away and prayed he wouldn’t see what her eyes gave away.
He bit the pastry. “This really does taste like pumpkin pie.”
“Grace is good at what she does.”
He nodded. “What does she plan to do for Christmas?”
“She mentioned gingerbread and candy cane. I really hope her shop succeeds.”
“How long have you known her?” He sipped coffee.
“Met her at the group home. We shared a room and she was my only friend there. I hated the place. She adapted. When I ran away we lost touch. I wrote her several letters. When I returned for college, I looked for her.”
“Up, up,” Jamie called.
Tony lifted him from the play table and set him on the carpet. Jamie crawled to the coffee table and pulled himself to his feel He released his hold on the edge of the table and took a step and a second one before landing on his rump.
Lauren clapped her hands. “He’s walking.” She sat on the rug and lifted him to his feet. “Tony, sit across from us and hold out your hands.”
Tony followed her suggestion. This time the small boy took three steps before sitting down. Tony scooped him up. “Doing great, Tiger.”
“Gr, gr.” Jamie clapped his hands.
For a time they coaxed him to walk from one to the other. The last time he tumbled to the thick carpet he sprawled on his stomach. The clock chimed eight times.
Lauren rose. “Looks like I’d better change him and take him to the condo.”
Tony lifted Jamie and held him against his chest. “Why? There’s a perfectly good nursery upstairs. There are diapers and sleepers.”
Lauren looked away. Had the weaning process begun? Was Tony about to start a fight for single custody? “I should go.”
He caught her hand. “We need to talk about the changes.”
Her hand tightened. So did her gut. She wished she hadn’t eaten so much. Was there more to his relocation than what she’d feared? Was this the time to take a chance and discover if Tony's change had plunged beneath the surface? “All right. To the nursery.”
Seducing the Attorney (At First Sight Book 5) Page 8
