The Role of a Lifetime

by Jennifer Shirk

  As the last child left for the day, she took out a broom and began sweeping the cupcake sprinkles that had made their way out into the hall. When she was done, she carried the broom to her office and was surprised to see Ben and Hannah there. He had taken off his pirate wig and eye patch, and she noticed his sandy-colored hair was now cut short, making him look every square inch the handsome icon he was. They both looked up, shooting glowing smiles at her. Her heart fluttered at the sight of Hannah nestled in his lap with his arm wrapped around her in a loving gesture. She never wanted the picture of the two of them together like that to fade from her mind.

  “What are you guys doing?” she asked.

  Ben waved a book. “Reading. And waiting for you. Which has been a long time, for your information. You still don’t know how to give it a rest, do you?”

  “Yeah, Mommy,” Hannah chimed in. “Don’t you know how to give it a rest?”

  She bit back a laugh and leaned the broom against the wall. “Old habits die hard.”

  “I guess we both need to work on that,” he said, his eyes never leaving hers.

  Hannah patted Ben’s cheek to get his attention. “Are you leaving or are you coming home? Because I like it when you’re home better.”

  Ben’s brows knitted together. “Home? You mean your home?”

  “Yeah. I like it when you’re home with us better,” she said, sliding off his lap. “And you know who else likes it when you’re home?”

  “Who?” he asked.

  “My mommy. She’s not happy when you’re not home.”

  Ben’s eyes flashed with amusement, and, as his gaze shot to Sandra, he let out a slow I-think-I-may-have-just-won-the-lottery grin.

  “See? My mommy’s happy today,” Hannah added.

  Sandra’s cheeks flushed two degrees short of second-degree burns. There was nowhere to run. And thanks to her little stinker of a daughter, her true feelings were just thrown up into the air like a big ball of confetti. She swallowed hard. “Uh, okay, Hannah, that’s enough. Go help your aunt clean up now.”

  “Can I have a cupcake too?” her daughter asked.

  “Fine, but you have to help clean first.”

  “Okay. I’m going to save Big Bens half of my cupcake, because he didn’t have dessert yet,” she said, skipping out.

  Ben wasted no time, cashing in on her daughter’s slip. “So…you like it when I’m home?” Not waiting for a response, he stood and slowly approached her, his eyes taking on a sexy glint that spiked her heart rate. “Because I have to say, I like it when I’m home, too.”

  She held out spread hands in a pathetic attempt to protect her heart. But she was afraid if he touched her, she’d say things she wasn’t sure she was ready to admit. “I…uh… Kids say the darnedest things.”

  Standing before her, he took her hands in his and slowly brought them to her sides. “You know, a few weeks ago, I would have agreed with you and probably had thought nothing of it. But now I know better. Kids are more honest about their feelings than adults are. Something I should’ve been with you since day one.”

  He leaned forward and put his arms around her. With a deliriously happy exhaustion, she collapsed against him. His arms tightened, and she felt his lips in her hair. Giving in to his touch, she closed her eyes, enjoying the beating of his heart against hers. It felt so good not to hold back any longer.

  “I missed you, Sandra.”

  “Oh, I’ve missed you so much, too.” The words flew out of her mouth so fast, she looked up and smiled. Oh well. Her pride was already shot anyway.

  Grinning back, he took her face in his hands and kissed her on the lips with such a deep longing she wanted to melt into a puddle at his feet. “Okay, then.” He half breathed and half laughed the words. “That’s good. We missed each other. That’s very good. That’s a good start.”

  Her brows came together. “A good start?”

  “Yeah, a beginning, for us. I love you, Sandra. This is real, not pretend. Do you hear what I’m saying to you? I love you. I should have told you before, but I held back, thinking I didn’t have it in me to be a real husband and a father. I was wrong about what I wanted out of life, and when I went back to New York, I realized I had no life without you and Hannah. So, before I accept this part, I need to know if you feel the same way. I need to know if we have a real future together or if I’m just kidding myself.”

  He loved her.

  He loved her! She couldn’t believe she heard the words. He honestly loved her. The idea made her feel flushed and giddy. So much so that several moments passed before she realized it wasn’t all he’d said.

  “Wait,” she said, shaking herself out of her daze. “You…you really did get the part? You mean the one for Heaven Sent?”

  “Yeah, but if it’s going to be a problem, then I won’t take it. I’m not going to do anything ever again that might jeopardize our relationship. I was an idiot before. I thought acting—a stupid Oscar—was all I needed, that it was enough to make my life complete. It won’t. You make my life complete. You make me complete. You’re all I need.”

  Her heart was in her throat, and, her lips trembled so badly, she almost couldn’t part them to speak. “You’d give up that role for me?”

  “Honey, I’d give up acting and become a plumber, if that’s what you wanted.”

  She stared at him. “You would?”

  “Uh, you don’t really want me to do that, do you?”

  He looked so worried, she laughed out loud. “No. No, I don’t want the plumber. I want the actor. Oh, Ben, I’m so sorry. I was so wrong about you. I love you too, so much. I didn’t realize it until you’d gone. And then I thought I would just die, because I thought you didn’t feel the same way.”

  He leaned his mouth down again and kissed away any remaining doubt. They loved each other. She realized the answer was always there, but she’d been afraid to see it. Now she was willing to take the chance. She was willing to trust this man with her heart and she couldn’t be happier.

  “How do you feel about allowing me to do more research?” he murmured against her lips.

  She slowly pulled back. “More research?” she asked with a laugh.

  “Yeah, research for a new role.” He cleared his throat, and, to her surprise, seemed almost shy. “See, I’d be playing the part of a husband of a gorgeous preschool teacher who’s raising a precocious young child. Now I realize this script is a bit of a stretch for me, but I’m willing to do as much training with you as necessary. So…what do you think?”

  She pretended to think it over. “How long do you think this training will take?”

  “I’m hoping at least thirty or forty years.”

  She couldn’t hold back her smile any longer. “That’s a big undertaking. I don’t know. There might be some pretty heavy love scenes required.”

  “Now that’s a coincidence,” he said with a wicked grin. “That’s the first thing I was going to make sure was in my contract.”

  With a smile of her own, she drew back her foot and kicked the door closed. She wouldn’t mind doing a little of her own character preparation as well. And as she slid her arms around his neck, they didn’t waste any time with their first rehearsal.

  About the Author

  To learn more about Jennifer Shirk, please visit www.jennifershirk.com or you can send an email to Jennifer at jennifer@jennifershirk.com. Visit Jennifer at her group blog at www.passionatecritters.org.

  Liv is out to prove her high society fiancé is cheating on her. Can she do it without breaking a nail—or falling in love with Mike the mechanic?

  One Love for Liv

  © 2008 Marianne Arkins

  Olivia "Liv" Leigh, wealthy socialite and spa owner, suspects her fiancé of cheating on her. Drastic steps are required to discover whether appearances are deceiving. And if those steps require a bit of stalking, a change of appearance, a hippo-sized dog named Spike, and sacrificing her manicure to clean house for a sexy-but-sloppy man whose neighbor is deter
mined to break several of the strangest Guinness world records, why should that be a problem?

  Mike, a happily single auto mechanic, is more than content sharing his bachelor pad with piles of laundry, dirty dishes, and a sneaky ferret. But when a half-crazed woman in a bad wig shows up on his doorstep, what's a nice guy to do?

  Why, invite her in, unknowingly help her in her search for the truth and, in the process, fall head over heels for a woman who's never been less his type.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for One Love for Liv:

  Liv drove past the VW and parked around the corner. Nervous in these strange surroundings, she stepped out of the car. First one foot cautiously touched the pavement, then the other.

  Litter dotted the sidewalk, and she sidled around a huge wad of pink chewing gum that glistened on the cement to her right, practically pulsating in the sunshine. The wooden fence beside her was covered in graffiti, mostly silly scrawls of people’s names and the objects of their affections.

  With a glance over her shoulder at the beat-up sedan, she gave thanks she wasn’t driving the Miata after all. This neighborhood made her terribly uneasy, and her sweet car probably wouldn’t last an hour parked on this street.

  She hurried up the sidewalk to the corner, grateful for the first time she was wearing sneakers instead of her usual pumps, and peered around to make sure Daisy wasn’t looking. Of course, she probably wouldn’t recognize Liv, but it was still good to be careful.

  She trailed Daisy until the redhead turned up the walk toward the complex and moved behind some thick evergreen bushes. Liv broke into a trot, not wanting to lose her.

  As Liv turned the corner, she nearly ran Daisy over. The woman had stopped to check her mail at the wall of mailboxes just outside the complex.

  Liv leaped back and slipped between two parked cars, squatting down to hide for a moment until she realized she couldn’t see anything. She duck-walked up a few cars until she could lean down to peek underneath and watch Daisy’s feet to note when she moved on.

  Utterly focused on the sight before her, she had no warning before the driver’s door beside her swung open, clipping her sharply on the head. She flew backward, sprawling into the street and thumping her skull on the pavement. Tires squealed nearby as a moving car whipped around her flattened body.

  “What the—?” From a million miles away, a man shouted in surprise. She heard the thump of footsteps but couldn’t seem to open her eyes. “Hey, lady.” A huge, heavy hand shook her shoulder. “Are you okay?”

  Something warm and wet swiped her face, both reviving and disgusting her. She kept her eyes closed and limply swatted at it. Her hand hit fur. “Ugh.”

  “Spike, back off.”

  Spike? What was going on? She gave a low moan and tried again to force her eyelids to obey her will, finally succeeding after a Herculean effort. A tanned face covered in five o’clock shadow and smears of black grease swam in front of her. Next to him, its neck surrounded by a studded black leather collar, sat the biggest brown dog she’d ever seen. The creature had drool suspended from its mouth and it looked as if it had swallowed a sneaker with the laces hanging out. Dear heavens, was that what had licked her?

  The voice spoke again, and this time she saw the man’s lips move, though they seemed oddly out of sync with his words. The last time that had happened was when she’d seen Shoot the Piano Player in French with English subtitles.

  “You don’t look so good. Maybe I should call for an ambulance or something. I whacked you pretty hard.” He touched her forehead and she tried to move away from those greasy hands. Did she have a smear on her skin?

  “No, don’t call an ambulance.” Liv was dismayed at how feeble she sounded, but the last thing she needed was to draw more attention to herself. How would she explain that to Geoff or her father? “I’ll be okay. Just help me up.”

  “If you’re sure.” Strong, firm hands slipped under her arms and pulled her easily to her feet. The dog leaned against her and shoved its head under her hand. She flinched at the feel of its bony, fur-covered skull even though she appreciated the support. It wasn’t enough, though, and her legs wobbled beneath her.

  “Whoa there, Nelly.” The man tightened his hold and steadied her. “Maybe you should come inside and sit down for a couple of minutes. I could give you an ice pack for your head.”

  Liv drew herself up to her full height, all five feet, two inches of it—damn, now she missed her three-inch heels—and declared, “I would no more go into a strange man’s house than…than…” She hated that the man only grinned and watched her sputter. She lost the little bit of strength she’d summoned and sank down onto the sidewalk. “I’ll sit on the curb. Just get your ugly dog away from me.”

  “Spike? C’mon, he’s gorgeous.” He gave the monster a vigorous scratch all up and down its body. “And he’s not my dog, but don’t worry, he’s a marshmallow.”

  “I don’t like dogs.” She dropped her aching head into her hands and peeked through her fingers to watch as the man dragged the dog a few feet away. Spike stared at Liv with droopy brown eyes for a couple moments before he turned and trotted into the apartment complex. Thank heavens.

  “Look, you can’t sit out here by yourself. What if you have a concussion and pass out?” The man squatted beside her. “Do you live nearby? I could take you home.”

  “I don’t live anywhere around here.” Heaven forbid. Liv waved off his offer with a flip of her hand. “I just need a few minutes to gather my wits.”

  “I don’t feel right just leaving you here. Maybe you could go to my neighbor’s? Daisy is a pretty harmless woman—at least if you’re not a man—and from where I’m sitting, it’s obvious you’re no man.”

  “Daisy?” That was impossible. What were the odds?

  “Yeah.” He grasped her elbow and helped her stand again. Despite the grease and calluses, his hand was oddly gentle and comforting. “I bet you’re seeing double, and you can’t drive in that condition.”

  Annoyed he was right, and interested in checking out where the competition lived, she reluctantly agreed. They walked side-by-side into the complex, each step making her head throb more.

  “I’m Mike, by the way. Mike Peck.”

  She looked up at him, really seeing him for the first time. He was unbelievably tall, well over six feet, and wore some kind of gray coverall that had his name embroidered on the patch affixed to the front.

  She squinted at the smaller lettering above his name. Doug’s Import Auto Shop. Saved by a grease monkey. How exactly right for her day.

  Will Kate still want Chris when she finds out his secret?

  Crazy for Kate

  © 2008 Kelly McDonough

  Chris is the man of every woman’s dreams. Not only is he a hot-looking construction worker who looks good in ripped jeans and a white T-shirt, he’s also got a big heart he’d like to share with a wife and kids. But because of a childhood illness, he can never have the family he hoped for.

  Fate has its way with Chris and he winds up working at a church picnic with Kate McKaye, an old classmate. She’s more beautiful than he remembered, and is divorced with two young daughters. For the first time in years, Chris asks a woman on a date.

  Chris falls deeply in love with sexy, sweet Kate. His only fear is how she’ll react when she finds out she can’t have all the babies she’s told him she wants. Will she be like his ex-fiancé, whose maternal instincts lead her straight into the arms of another man? Or, can she be happy with him and her two daughters?

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Crazy for Kate:

  Kate put her hand out to Chris who had been sitting on the floor playing the game with the girls. As she helped him up, she said, “I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

  Chris simply ran his free hand up and down Kate’s arm. Boy, did it feel good to touch her. He knew he was going to have to control himself tonight. It would be the first time they’d be alone. He had to focus on helping her deal with her feelings toward Scott.


  Ten minutes later, Kate walked down the stairs. “Espresso?”

  “Sure.”

  “I’ll bring it in here.”

  Kate brought two steaming shots of espresso into the living room. Even though it was a warm summer night, the heat felt good to her. Warm. Reassuring. That’s what she needed now more than anything. Reassurance that everything was going to turn out just right.

  “Anything you need to get off your chest?” Chris broke the silence.

  “I hate him, Chris. I honest to God hate him. Am I a bad person for hating him for everything he’s done to me?”

  Chris took her mug and set it on a coaster on the table. He moved closer to her and put his arm around her and pulled her head to his chest. Kate could hear the steady rhythm of his heart. He was real. He was a man with needs, and she now realized she was a woman with needs. He stroked her hair and murmured into her ear. “You’re gonna do fine, baby. You’re going to do fine.”

  Kate tilted her head and looked into his eyes. Eyes that were filled with compassion and understanding. “I hope your attorney’s a good one because I’m gonna fight Scott with everything I’ve got. I want sole custody of Megan and Molly, and I don’t want them knowing what’s going on. I don’t want their lives ruined because of the whim of some woman Scott’s marrying. I hope she knows he’s going to cheat on her. He’s going to, Chris. I can guarantee it. The marriage won’t last, and I don’t want to put Megan and Molly through that again.” A tear trickled down her cheek, and Chris wiped it away.

  “Would you mind if I kissed you?” he asked softly. “I just have this overwhelming need to hold you and kiss you.”

  “Kiss me, Chris. Kiss me.” She closed her eyes and felt his lips against hers. They were warm and soft and it felt good to feel like a woman loved. She knew it was too early for it to be love, but she needed this. She needed this contact more than she’d ever needed anything before.