“You really like them, don’t you? AJ and Shelby?”
“I do. They make me feel really welcome.”
“What about the little monsters?”
“You shouldn’t call them that. They’re adorable girls.” She pointed to a towel and handed him a dish. “They sure are fond of you.”
“Don’t tell anybody, but I’m kinda fond of them too.” A shadow momentarily darkened his eyes, but he quickly flashed his dimples and dried the dish.
Dani didn’t need to read his mind to know he was thinking of Jonah. She wished she could do something to alleviate his pain. He must have hurt Meghan very much for her to be so cruel to keep him from his son. Or perhaps she enjoyed the power she wielded over him.
Dani’s conscience twinged. What if she were in Meghan’s shoes? Dating one man, pregnant with his cousin’s child. Would she have told the same lie? Stood up to the powerful grandfather? Confronted Brett?
She frowned.
“What are you thinking?”
“Nothing much.”
“For a moment there, you looked a little upset. Something bothering you?”
“I was just wishing something.”
“You may not know this, but I’m a master at making dreams come true.”
“Not this one.”
“Give me a try.”
She scrubbed a nonexistent spot on the brownie baking pan. “I was wishing I could make your wish come true.”
“My wish?” His puzzled look changed to understanding. “You mean Jonah.”
“Yeah.” She handed him the pan, then pulled the plug from the sink.
“I’d like that too. But for now, all I can do is stare up at his window.”
“I’m sorry that’s the way it is, Brett.”
“You and me both.” His voice caught, then he grinned and reached into his backpack. “I’ve got a surprise.”
The subject of Jonah had closed shut. Dani didn’t have the heart to pursue it further. “What kind of surprise?”
He held up a DVD. “Bringing Up Baby. Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn.”
Dani took the box from him. The cover showed the two actors but also included an inset of them, almost like a still from the movie, holding the pet leopard. “I haven’t seen this one in ages.”
“I thought we could watch it this evening. Unless you’re tired of me.”
“You sure you’re not tired of me?”
“Nope. So are you up for this zaniness?” He flicked the DVD cover with his finger.
“You bet. Can I get you something to drink first?”
“What do you have?”
In the tiny kitchen, he was closer to the refrigerator than she was. “Check it out.”
Brett opened the door and peered inside. “Juice. Lemonade. Root beer.” He turned to look at Dani. “Nothing stronger?”
“Not in my house.” She grimaced. “Well, at least not in AJ’s house while I’m living here. Even that sounds pompous, doesn’t it?”
“Your place, your rules.” He grabbed a couple bottles of root beer. “Want one?”
“Sure.”
He unscrewed the caps and handed her a bottle.
She took a sip, then waved the DVD. “I’m surprised you own this movie.”
“I own the entire Cary Grant collection. All seventy-six of his movies.”
“You’re kidding.”
“I told you, I used to watch them with my grandmother.”
“I guess I figured she was the one who had them.”
“She had videotapes of her favorites.” He paused a moment, swiveling the root beer bottle before meeting her gaze. “In the past few years, watching movies with Gran wasn’t exactly a priority for me. It became something she and AJ did together on Sunday afternoons after church. Not quite my thing.” He smiled uncertainly, the dimples disappearing almost as quickly as they appeared. “I’d give anything to watch this with her again.”
Compassion filled Dani’s spirit at the sadness in his eyes. “When did she die?”
“Just a few months ago. In April.”
“I am sorry.”
He pressed his lips together and nodded. “Me too,” he said, then he cleared his throat. “Anyway, after that I bought every single movie we had ever watched together and a lot more that we never got around to. Trying to alleviate my guilt, I guess.”
“I’m sure she understood.”
“I hadn’t told anyone that.” He sounded surprised. “Until now.”
“I’m glad you told me.”
“Me too.” He reached for her hand. “What is it about you, Dani Prescott, that makes me spill all my secrets?”
“Have you told me all your secrets?”
“Well, maybe not all of them. But you do seem to inspire my confidence.”
“Believe me, it’s unintentional.”
“What about you?”
She averted her gaze, intently focused on hanging the dishtowel just so. He shifted his position and lifted her chin. “Come on. You’ve got to tell me at least one of your secrets.”
“Okay.” She leaned against the counter and crossed her arms. His closeness in the tiny kitchen was making her light-headed. “I’m craving another one of those pizzas we had the other day. Do they deliver out here?”
“You’re hungry?”
“Kind of.”
“Lucky for you, I have their number. I’ll give them a call and find out.”
“Great. I’ll set up the DVD.” She grabbed the movie and headed for the TV. Relief at having successfully distracted him bubbled inside her and was quickly followed by a gush of happiness. He had confided in her. Shared his deepest hurts.
And she wasn’t tripping over her own feet, and she no longer blushed every time he said something to her. She could even carry on a conversation without embarrassing herself.
A breakthrough of gigantic proportions.
She pushed buttons on the remote, then placed the DVD in the player.
“You’re in luck,” Brett said as he joined her. “Pizza will be here in about forty-five minutes.”
“Great. How much will it be?”
“Why are you asking?”
“My treat.”
“I don’t think so.”
“My house, my rules.”
“My rule is I pay.”
“This isn’t a date.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“It matters to me,” Dani said. “I wouldn’t have suggested it if I expected you to pay for it.”
“Which is one reason you’re so adorable.” He plopped onto the sofa, removed his shoes, and put his feet on the trunk that served as a coffee table.
The offhanded remark settled into Dani’s heart. She didn’t want it to go so deep, but it couldn’t be stopped.
He thinks I’m adorable? Me?
She settled in the chair next to the sofa, and they clanked their bottles together when the movie started. There had never been a more perfect evening.
– 26 –
Brett scanned the document on his computer screen, trying to focus on the important clauses while ignoring the legal mumbo jumbo. He’d met with his attorney a few days after Labor Day, and she’d emailed him the final document that morning. Once signed and executed, the trust fund for Jonah would be in place. The attorney only needed Brett’s final approval to make it happen.
Which left only one question. Did Brett tell Meghan before or after he signed the papers?
He looked away from the computer screen when his assistant rapped on the doorframe. Kimberly O’Neil, an organized and efficient former Realtor, had immediately proven herself capable of more than answering phones and serving coffee to clients. She filled a void in the office Brett didn’t know existed.
“You have a moment?” she asked.
“Sure.” He leaned back in his seat and gestured at the folder she cradled in her arm. “What do you have there?”
She sat in the chair opposite his desk and rested her hands on top of th
e folder. “I contacted the references Ms. Prescott emailed me. Each one had great things to say about her.”
“But?”
“I may have dug a little deeper than she wanted me to. Than perhaps you wanted me to.”
“Why’s that? Is she a corporate spy? In witness protection?”
“Nothing so exciting.” Kimberly glanced at the folder, then back at Brett. “Her references included a professor, her boss at a retail store where she worked part-time while in college, and a producer she worked with who now lives in Cleveland.”
Brett immediately intuited the same lapse Kimberly had. He rotated his cell phone against the desk. “She didn’t list a reference from her last employer?”
“No.”
“But you contacted him? Her?”
“Him. A Mr. Gerald Greene, who’s the station manager. He also had positive things to say.”
“Then I don’t understand the problem.”
“I thought you said she lost her job at the station because of budget cuts.”
“That’s right.”
“Mr. Greene said she resigned. That he was sorry to see her go, and he’d work with her again given the chance.”
“No budget cuts?” Rotate, tap. Rotate, tap.
Kimberly opened the folder and placed her finger on the page inside. “He said she showed great promise and potential. That she was creative and imaginative.”
“Maybe I misunderstood her.”
“He also said—”
Brett held up his hand to stop her. He’d heard enough. Kimberly closed the folder and placed it on the desk. “I typed my notes. They’re all in there.”
Brett nodded his thanks, and she returned to her desk. He swiveled to face the wall of windows, barely registering the familiar skyline as he focused on one fact. He hadn’t misunderstood Dani.
She’d told him she left the TV station due to budget cuts. Why the lie?
Rotate, tap. Rotate, tap.
Dani grabbed her phone a second before the call went to voicemail and answered without looking at the screen.
“Hello?”
“Hey, sunshine. What are you up to?”
Brett.
“Research.”
“Are you with Shelby?”
“No, I’m at the OSU library.”
“You’re kidding. On a Friday afternoon?”
“I met with Professor Kessler earlier at his office, so it seemed a good time to check out the library’s resources.”
“Does all that research make you hungry?”
“I suppose so.”
“Then how about I treat you to supper.”
“I think it’s my turn to treat you.”
“Well, I decided to play chef. Show you I’m more than just a handsome face. Think you can find your way to my place?”
The opportunity she’d been hoping for. “Sure. Sounds fun.”
“When can you get here?”
“About half an hour or so.”
“Great. See you soon.”
She ended the call and cradled the phone to her chest. This could be her chance. She removed the ring from the inner pocket of her bag. Beneath the fluorescent lighting, the diamonds and the amethyst sparkled. Such a lovely ring.
She’d return it, and Brett would never know it had been missing.
She shoved the ring deep into her pocket, then gathered her belongings and left campus.
Brett opened the door after her knock, looking as handsome as ever in pressed khakis and a polo. He flashed a dimpled smile. “You’re late.”
“Came as soon as I could.” She put her hand in her pocket to ensure the ring was still there. Not the safest place for it, perhaps, but at least it was accessible.
He invited her in, then closed the door. “Couldn’t pull yourself away from the research?”
“Just takes time to put things away. And I wasn’t parked that close to the library.”
“Parking on campus is never easy.”
“How’s your day been?”
“I’ve had better.”
“Something wrong?”
“Nothing that won’t work itself out. May I offer you a drink?”
“Tea if you have it.”
“I do.” He filled two glasses with ice and pulled a pitcher from the fridge.
“Something smells good. What are we having?”
“Bruschetta. Lasagna. And cannoli for dessert.”
“You fixed all that?”
“Bruschetta, yes. I put it in the oven right before coming to the door. The lasagna is authentic Italian from a quaint little place near my office—it’s also in the oven. And we’ll have to walk to the bakery down the street for the cannoli.”
Dani perched on a barstool and grinned. “I thought you were playing chef.”
“Hey, it’s in my oven. That’s all that matters.” The timer rang, and he snatched up a potholder. “You’re going to love these.”
A yummy, mouth-watering aroma wafted from the oven as he removed the bruschetta. After placing the baking dish on a trivet, he turned to the cupboards. Dani held her breath when he opened the door where the ring belonged. But he merely took two small plates from a stack on the second shelf.
“So what did you learn today?” he asked as he handed her a plate and a napkin.
“I found a map of a Civil War prisoner-of-war camp that was located right here in Columbus.” Between bites of the tomato, basil, and garlic bruschetta, Dani told him about a few of her other discoveries. “I started making a list of possible photos we could use for displays. Some may be copyrighted, though, which means getting permission and maybe buying rights. That’ll cost money.”
“Remind me to give you Eldon Laine’s phone number. He’s our accountant, so he can help you come up with a budget. But don’t worry too much about cost. We’re not going to skimp on quality.” A dimple flashed, and he picked up a napkin. Leaning across the counter, he dabbed the corner of Dani’s mouth. “You missed a bit of tomato.”
She momentarily closed her eyes as her cheeks warmed beneath his touch.
“I love when you do that.”
“Do what?”
“Turn all pink. It’s cute.”
“No, it’s not. It’s embarrassing.”
“Trust me. Cute.”
Definitely time to change the subject. “So what did you do today?”
“The usual. Bribed a city councilman, green-lighted a toxic waste dump, embezzled money from orphans.”
“Wow. You were busy.”
“All I really did was plow through paperwork.” His face slightly clouded, and he came around the counter to sit on the stool next to her. “Though something odd came up. I need to talk to you about it.”
The hair prickled on the back of her neck at the tone of his voice. “Sounds serious.”
“My assistant talked to the station manager in Cincinnati this afternoon. He said you quit.”
Judging by the heat on her cheeks, Dani’s face was no longer a blushing pink but fiery red. She expected this might happen, though part of her had hoped that Brett’s asking for the references was only a formality. That his assistant would be too busy with other work to thoroughly check her employment history. It was a gamble she had taken and lost.
“Why did you tell me that story about budget cuts?” Brett asked gently.
“It was the story I told my dad.” She raised her eyes to his. “I just thought it best to stay consistent.”
“But why lie to him?”
To avoid a confrontation. So he wouldn’t berate her for being foolish. For being stupid.
She couldn’t tell Brett any of those things. It was too humiliating. Perhaps the time had come to tell him the truth. At least a little bit of it.
“He can be cruel when he’s angry.” Tears stung behind her eyes. She took a deep breath, then blew it out. “Besides, he’s not really my dad.”
“Stepdad?”
“Yeah.”
“Where’s your father?”
“I wouldn’t know him if I passed him on the street.”
“What happened to your mom? I mean, I know she died, but . . .” His hand stroked her arm. “I’m sorry. You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”
Dani focused on her plate, biting her lip.
Tell him now.
She opened her mouth, but the words wouldn’t come. The vengeful turmoil eating at her heart had dissipated, one tiny molecule at a time, beneath the featherweight of Brett’s kindness. His and Shelby’s and AJ’s. Maybe they never needed to know her secret.
“It was an accident.” Dani swiped at a tear as it moistened her cheek.
“My parents died in an accident too. I guess we’re both orphans, huh?” Brett asked with a wry chuckle.
She caught his expression before he looked away. For that brief moment, she hadn’t seen the handsome, confident man who sat in front of her but a grief-stricken boy. The same hurting boy who, tempered by maturity, responded to the insistent questioning of the interviewer. Words of pent-up anger casting blame on the person who’d robbed him of his mom and dad.
His blame was misplaced, but so was Dani’s. She had come to Columbus to punish Brett for slandering her mom. But how could she punish him for experiencing the same loss she had? The same plane crash had devastated both their lives. If only she’d realized that before leaving Cincinnati.
Her stepdad was right. She was foolish. Stupid.
“Let’s talk about something else,” Brett said.
“Good idea.”
“So why did you quit your job?”
Tell him.
She couldn’t. But she didn’t want to lie to him anymore either. “I had a reason. It’s personal.”
“Because of a guy?”
Taken aback by the question, it took her a moment to realize what he meant. She took a deep breath. “Kinda.”
“But you’re not seeing anyone.” His tone was incredulous, then wary. “Are you?”
She shook her head and inwardly smiled at his obvious relief. Though it didn’t mean anything. He needed a distraction while he worked out the other problems in his life. And she was it.
“I’m sorry I lied,” she said. “About the television station. I’ll give Shelby my research notes, and it won’t take me long to get moved out—”
“Wait a minute. What? You’re not leaving.”
When Love Arrives Page 18
