“Chill out, Mom.” Dani stood and grabbed her lunch bag off the counter. I have no intention of putting my mouth anywhere near some guy’s privates. It’s gross.”
With any luck, the child would feel that way for many years to come—like until she was married.
“I gotta go. Bye, Dad!” Dani called into the study and laid a peck on Sam’s cheek.
Only a moment after her daughter ran out the front of the house, Justin knocked on the back door and strolled into the kitchen.
Sam shook her head. Speak of the devil.
“Hey, gorgeous, I hoped I’d catch you alone before you left for work.” He leaned down and kissed Sam’s cheek.
“Why?” Nick asked from the study’s doorway. “Were you planning to say something my daughter or I shouldn’t hear?”
“Nick!” Justin smiled. “Sam mentioned you were moving back east soon. I stopped by to ask when you’d be getting here.”
“I arrived yesterday afternoon,” Nick explained as he crossed the family room into the kitchen. “I was planning to call you today. I appreciate you looking after the house while I was gone.”
“No problem. Sammy’s still family. I couldn’t leave her to fend for herself.”
“Justin mows the lawn and comes twice a week to take the trash to the road,” Sam explained, clearing the table.
“His chivalry is touching.” Nick turned to his brother. “You don’t need to do that any longer. I hired Keith next door to cut the grass—” The shrill ring of the phone cut him off.
She snatched the handset from the wall. Marc Simmons’s voice echoed in her ear. “Hey, Sam.”
Great. It hadn’t taken him long to summon up the courage to call her. “Marc, how have you been?”
Hearing Marc’s name, both Justin’s and Nick’s gazes snapped to her.
“I was wondering if you’d like to have dinner with me some evening—maybe tonight?”
She had no desire to get involved with her late friend’s husband. However, rather than give him the brush-off, it would be easier and kinder to agree to a meal—as friends—and let Marc down gently in person. “Dinner sounds wonderful. The girls don’t have school tomorrow, so why don’t you let Haley have supper here with Dani and stay overnight?”
“Great. My daughter and I will see you about six.”
As she hung up the phone, Justin said, “That was what I wanted to give you a heads-up about. Marc told me he’d be calling you this morning.” He turned back to Nick and asked, “¿Se queda usted aquí en la casa?”
The only words Sam caught were you and house.
“That’s right.” Nick’s tone turned defensive. “Is there a problem with me living in my own home?”
“No, of course not. But Sam spoke as if you’d be getting an apartment. I was planning to offer you my guest room in the meantime.”
“Oh, that would be great!” Sam accepted Justin’s offer on Nick’s behalf before he had a chance to refuse.
“No, it wouldn’t,” Nick objected. “I saw how Dani resisted obeying you this morning. How can I help keep her line if I’m not here?”
“It’s natural for a girl her age to rebel against her mother. She wants to be viewed as a woman in her own right.” Sam remembered like it was yesterday how much she’d resented her Aunt Caroline’s strict rules.
“Exactly.” Nick stabbed the air. “I’m no threat to her female ego. She needs me to be the voice of authority right now.”
The previous day, Casey had quoted something similar from her developmental psychology classes. She’d mentioned that Sam’s loss of her father as a young girl probably had had a lot to do with her adolescent attraction to Nick and his protective, take-charge personality. Loving him had filled the gaping void in her heart.
There was no question Dani needed Nick now more than ever.
“Fine!” Sam tossed her hands up. “Since you’ve proven yourself capable of providing a healthy diet for our daughter, maybe I should stay with your brother,” she suggested, knowing full well the idea of her living with Justin would cause Nick’s jealousy meter to go TILT. Predictably, his hands clenched into tight fists and his jaw tensed, betraying his waning composure.
Another woman might interpret his attack by the little green monster as a sign he was in love with her, but Sam knew it had more to do with his Latin possessiveness, sibling rivalry, and territorial nature.
During their marriage, she believed he’d developed an affection for her as the mother of his child and as his wife, and she’d been mostly happy. But there was a big difference between him loving her and being in love with her. When it came to making any big decisions in their marriage, she’d always felt more like a possession than Nick’s partner in life.
From the day he invited her to join that first game of Manhunt, he’d insisted she play on his team—and only his team. Even while she’d been dating his brother, Nick always called dibs on her as his partner whenever they played cards or computer games, and he made sure she ended up seated next to him at any shared meal or movie.
For years she’d deluded herself that he cared for her as more than just the woman who’d borne his child and warmed his bed, but his inability to compromise or give her the one and only thing she really wanted—or rather, needed—destroyed the illusion he felt any deep tenderness or devotion to her beyond loyalty and duty.
“Just because our daughter respects my authority more right now doesn’t mean you’re dispensable,” he said, pulling Sam’s attention back to him. “She needs two parents.” He held his fingers up in a V to stress his point and then flashed a sarcastic smile at his brother. “Thanks for offering your hospitality, but no thank you.”
Justin backed away, his hands raised in surrender. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to cause a major argument.”
“No problem. How’s business?” Nick asked, completely dismissing their disagreement as if it had never happened. “I imagine, with the state of the economy, new construction is down a bit.”
“Actually, things are great. New construction has fallen off, but with the lower interest rates, a lot of people are adding on and renovating instead of moving. Marc and I have been slanting our advertising in that direction, so we’ve been able to keep our crews busy.”
“That’s smart. I know a few guys in town who’re out of work. Could you use some temporary help?”
“If they’re experienced carpenters or masons, sure. But I have enough laborers right now.”
“No.” Nick sighed. “These guys all have business degrees. They can handle a hammer, but none of them could be called skilled.”
“Sorry.” Justin glanced at his watch. “I’d better get to the office.” He opened the door and glanced over at Sam. “Are we still on for the play next month or would you prefer to go with my brother since he’s back?”
“No. I absolutely still want to go with you.”
Nick’s jaw dropped.
“Good.” Justin turned and saluted him. “How about we plan a round of golf soon?”
“Sure.” Nick shrugged. “I’m on vacation for the next month.”
“Great.” Justin winked at her and left.
“You’re dating him again, too?” Nick glared at her, releasing a disgusted snort. “Why don’t you install a revolving door on the bedroom?”
Ouch. “Thank you very much.” She snatched her tote bag off the family room’s end table. “I’m flattered you have such a high opinion of me and my conduct around our child.” She headed down the hallway, and halfway to the front door, she turned back to him. “For your information, your brother surprised me with Broadway show tickets for my birthday. Dani is going with us.”
“I’m sorry.” He followed her to the foyer and lifted his shoulders in a sheepish shrug. “I guess the revolving door crack was uncalled for.”
“You’re darn straight it was.” In all fairness, Nick had every reason to lash out at her. She’d been pushing his buttons ever since he’d returned.
“Still
, you have to admit, Sammy, you were always eager.”
Only with him. Nick never understood she had absolutely no desire to sleep with any other man. His smug smile suggested his mind had taken a detour to memory lane, recalling how desperate he’d made her in the past.
“You never failed to voice your appreciation to me. And the Almighty,” he added, wiggling his eyebrows.
Her cheeks flamed at his reference to her uninhibited cries of ecstasy. Did he think she was proud that, no matter how hard she tried to restrain herself, he could make her shriek her pleasure like some common street trollop? She despised her lack of self-control almost as much as she hated the cocky way he crowed like a rooster over his never-ending success seducing her with the slightest touch.
She snatched her purse off the coat tree and yanked open the front door, anticipating the joy of having the last word for a change. “Well, you can relax. I’ll make sure my dates take me to a hotel so I don’t disturb you or Dani when I express my appreciation.”
Before she could slam the door in his face, the big jerk laughed and shouted back, “Good. When you go, bring home a few of those little shampoos. The bottle in the shower is nearly empty.”
~*~
Rain from the night before had left the road’s surface wet and slippery. During his morning workout with Chewie, Nick’s feet nearly slid from beneath him several times. As he rounded the corner on the way home, he almost tripped over another runner who hadn’t been as fortunate and had fallen.
“You okay?” Nick asked, motioning for the dog to sit.
The athletic fellow glanced down at his bleeding knee and scraped palms. “Not really. But I don’t think anything is broken, so I guess I’ll live.”
“Yeah, but abrasions hurt like a bitch.” Nick extended his hand to help the guy up. “Especially when you have to soak them to get the dirt and gravel out.”
“Thanks.” The man clasped Nick’s wrist and pulled himself to his feet. “It sounds as if you’ve kissed the pavement a few times yourself.”
“And I came close again several times today. By the way, I’m Nick.”
“Steve Miller.” Steve reached down and patted Chewie’s head. “I haven’t seen you jogging in the area before.”
“I haven’t in over a year.” He yanked his pet’s leash to restrain the dog from licking the man’s bloody knee.
Steve limped in the direction of Nick’s house. “My partner isn’t going to be happy that I screwed up my knee again.”
Nick fell into step beside him with the dog. “What sort of business are you in?”
Steve glanced at him sideways and chuckled. “Tim’s not that kind of partner.”
It took a second for the man’s implication to sink into Nick’s thick skull. “Oh. Sorry, I just assumed—”
“It’s okay. It’s a natural assumption.”
“You didn’t by any chance just finish building the huge Tudor next door to me, did you?”
“Not unless you’re a single mother with a teenage daughter.” Steve winced as he increased his pace.
“You’re referring to Samantha?”
“Yeah. She’s a sweetheart, isn’t she?”
“I’ve always thought so. I’m her husband. Or, rather, I was.”
“Aaah, the ex.” Steve’s head bobbed in a slow nod of recognition. “You’re that Nick. Sam talks about you all the time.”
That was good to hear.
“She was a huge help to Tim and me while we were building the house. I wish I could find a way to repay her. She didn’t tell me the two of you were patching things up.”
“That’s because she hasn’t agreed....yet.” Nick grinned.
“So I guess you’ve finished your project in L.A.”
“Yup. Swann’s grand opening was last week. What do you do for a living that gives you weekday mornings off?”
“Tim and I both work mostly at home. He’s a web designer, and I’m a freelance computer animation artist. You’ve probably seen a few of the commercials I’ve done. My most notable is the series I did for Come ‘n Get It Canine Snacks.”
“Seriously?” No wonder the guys could afford the McMansion they’d built. “That’s one of the few TV ads I don’t fast forward through. The dog in it is hilarious. I’m in marketing, so believe me, that’s not empty praise.”
“Thanks. I can get you a free supply of snacks for your pal if you’d like.”
“That’d be great. Chewie loves ‘em. So what other projects have you done?”
“I’ve worked on a bunch of video games and cell phone apps, too.” The creative genius rattled off the names of some of the most popular ones on the market.
As they approached the end of Steve’s driveway, a crazy idea took shape in Nick’s mind. Steve’s talent could be a huge help to Sam. “That’s quite an impressive résumé.”
“I guess.” Steve lifted one shoulder in a modest half-shrug. “I’m at loose ends right now since I’m between projects—something Tim hates. My OCD goes a little haywire when I’m not working,” he explained. “I start cleaning like a maniac to keep busy. Would you believe I washed the car three times last week? I never realized it until Tim pointed it out.”
“Boredom must be contagious. Keith Hanson told me he’s driving his wife nuts. I would suggest holding a Warcraft tournament some afternoon, but with all of your experience, you’d probably kick our asses.”
“Hey, just because I animate video games, doesn’t mean I’m any good at them. Tim would probably love to play, too. I say game on.”
“Why do I feel like you’re trying to lull me into a false sense of security?” Nick chuckled. “I’ll talk to Keith. Maybe we can get together one day next week.”
“Great. And if you and Chewie ever want company while you’re running, call me.”
“Thanks. I’ll do that.” Not only would working out with Steve be enjoyable, it would give Nick an opportunity to discuss an idea for a business venture that could prove profitable to everyone involved.
~*~
Sam checked each of the children’s lunch boxes, weeding out the ones with orange ribbons tied to the handles. It was a system she had suggested the school institute to easily identify lunches containing peanut butter or snacks with any kind of nuts.
As she placed the six marked boxes aside, her stomach growled, and she cringed. Darn. In her haste to have the last word, she’d forgotten her lunch. On top of that, Justin’s visit and Marc’s phone call had distracted her so much she hadn’t finished her breakfast.
A soft tapping jerked her attention to the classroom door. Nick waved at her through the window.
“I think you’re being summoned,” Andi, the other teacher’s aide, called to her.
As much as her ex-husband was the last person she wanted to see at that moment, the lunch bag he held up to the window was a welcome sight.
“Take your time. I’ll call if I need you,” Andi said.
“Thanks.” Sam stepped out into the hall and closed the door. “I can’t believe I forgot my lunch. It was very sweet of you to bring it to me.”
“No problem. I was driving by the school anyway. You never finished your pancakes, so I figured you’d be hungry.”
Why did he always need to diminish anything nice he did for her—as if he’d do no less for a bum on the street? Was he worried she’d misread his consideration as affection?
“In any case, I appreciate it. I’m starving. I thought I’d have to make do with graham crackers and juice.” She pulled the turkey on rye from the bag. “So where are you off to?” She took a bite of one-half of her sandwich and offered him the rest.
“Uhh, no, thanks.” He shook his head. “I’m having lunch with Ethan at one to discuss my new position.”
“Oh. I thought you might actually be out looking for an apartment.”
“No. After talking to Justin this morning, I gave some thought to our situation. I decided, rather than renting, it makes more sense to have my brother draw up plans to co
nvert the storage area above the garage into an efficiency apartment.”
She did a double take. “You want to do what?”
“We once talked about finishing off the attic to add a fourth bedroom and another bath, so I figured we could renovate the third floor at the same time we’re working on the garage. That way you can have a guest room again.”
Her mouth dropped open as she stared at him, amazed by his audacity. Once again, he’d decided without any discussion.
“I have the next month off, and Keith, Bill, and Rick are all out of work right now. Since they’re strapped for cash, I figured I could hire them to help.”
“Absolutely not.”
“What’re you saying no to? The project or hiring my friends?”
“Both.”
“Why? It’s the perfect solution. I’d have my own place, and at the same time, I could be there for Dani.”
“But it would be only slightly better than you living in the house.” His behavior that morning left no doubt in her mind he would be peeking out the window every time she went on a date. “You’d still be invading my privacy.”
“No more than you would invade mine.”
“Except I couldn’t care less what you do or who you date,” she lied. “Can you say the same about me?”
“Look.”He spread his arms in a beseeching pose. “I’m tired of living in a dump. That’s all I can afford to rent if I continue paying the mortgage.”
“Then stop. No one asked you to do it in the first place.” Of course, if he quit covering the house payment, she really would have to consider taking her clothes off to pay the bills.
“Fine.” Nick shrugged. “I can use that money to buy the Hanson’s place. Keith mentioned they may be forced to move. Or maybe he and Jenny would be interested in taking in a boarder to make ends meet until Keith finds another job.”
“And how would having you live right next door be any better than over my garage?”
“It wouldn’t. But you’re the one who says I’m an absentee father. I can’t spend time with my daughter unless she’s accessible.” He tipped his head and flashed a victorious smile at Sam. “Now, will you have enough to pay the mortgage at the end of the month?”
The Great Bedroom War Page 11
