Winning Over Skylar

by Julianna Morris

  “Karin, the pizza is on the counter by the stove,” she said hoarsely. “There’s also a garden salad in the fridge. And, uh, Melanie’s brother brought ice cream and chips and soda.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  “Yes, thank you, Mrs. Gibson.” Melanie smiled shyly.

  “You’re welcome. Have a good time. Call my cell phone if there’s a problem and keep—”

  “The doors locked,” Karin finished for her. “I know, ’cept I want to show Mellie the backyard first.”

  “All right, lock up after that.”

  Skylar grabbed her purse and a shawl and practically ran back to the kitchen. Aaron looked mildly startled as she bolted in, and she tried to smile naturally.

  “Shall we go?”

  “Sure.”

  He was a perfect gentleman, helping her into the Mercedes and closing the door for her...old-fashioned courtesies he’d obviously learned since they were teenagers. Or else he hadn’t thought it was necessary to be a gentleman toward a girl with her reputation.

  Not that she’d really expected those courtesies, either.

  Skylar frowned at the thought.

  It was an unpleasant pill to swallow, but maybe, deep down, she’d believed she deserved Aaron’s treatment. After all, how could a girl with her background expect better? The same way everyone in town had known about his parents and grandparents, they’d known about her folks—the shabby house with the weeds and broken-down cars, the foul-mouthed exchanges with the neighbors and police...the drunken, violent fights. Her mother and father were probably in jail or had killed each other by now.

  Maybe her cocky teenage defiance had covered even more insecurity than she’d realized.

  But there was one thing Skylar was certain of...she wouldn’t let anyone make her feel worthless again.

  * * *

  MELANIE THOUGHT THERE couldn’t be anything better than lying on the big, comfy couch in the Gibsons’ family room, eating pizza and watching Star Trek.

  “I’m stuffed,” Karin said, dropping a pizza crust on her plate.

  “Me, too. But I want to have some more of your mom’s salad. Did she really grow it all herself?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Melanie had seen the vegetable garden, along with the pond in the backyard, but it still seemed like magic that you could grow something yourself and eat it. Most of the places she’d lived didn’t have gardens. Maybe they had grass or something, and flowers in window boxes, but nothing like the Gibsons’ house. The place Aaron was renting had an awfully big yard, only it was just grass and trees, too. Living with Karin would be awesome. Of course, she’d thought so before she’d seen their house, but it was even better now.

  She’d expected Aaron to be pissed when he found out about the lawyer, but he’d been pretty nice about it and had tried to listen when she explained. Not that he’d understood. He just kept telling her it wasn’t possible, and that he was sure things would get better if she talked to her mother. She noticed he didn’t bother saying she should talk to their father.

  “Don’t you think it’s weird that my mom and your brother are going out to dinner?” Karin asked.

  Melanie ate another bite of pizza. Aaron had gotten half Hawaiian with extra pineapple, the way she liked it best. Nobody ever got extra pineapple for her, and she loooved it that way.

  “I bet they’re talking about Aaron’s company,” she said. “He’s been having meetings with her, and according to my uncle Jackson who’s a stockbroker, more gets done over dinner than in regular meetings. He says cocktails grease a lot of deals.”

  “It won’t work with Mom—she doesn’t drink. She didn’t mind if my dad had a beer, only she wouldn’t have any herself.”

  “When we were in Paris this summer my mother gave me a glass of wine. Yuck.”

  “But Paris sounds great.”

  Melanie shrugged. “Much better than the trip two years ago. We went to an ashram in India.” She made a face.

  “What’s that?”

  “Kind of a monastery, I think. They were nice and all, but all they do is yoga and meditating. You have to be quiet and they tell you to clear your mind and focus and stuff. For hours. They wouldn’t even let me have my MP3 player.”

  “Borrrring.”

  “Yeah. I wanted to see the Taj Mahal, only there wasn’t time.”

  “We go camping for vacation. You should have seen Grandpa Joe when a raccoon stole his wristwatch a few months ago. He chased it in his pajamas, but it went up a tree and peed on his head.” She giggled, and Melanie giggled with her. “And we go to Disneyland a couple times a year.”

  Melanie sighed enviously. “I’ve always wanted to go there.”

  “You’ve never been to Disneyland? Even though you stayed in Los Angeles for a whole spring?” Karin sounded horrified. “It’s the best place in the world. We’ll have to tell Mr. Newman.” She scribbled something on a pad of paper. “Let’s see, he wanted to know where you’ve lived. I’ve written down Boston, New York, Los Angeles...and where else?”

  “I’ve lost count—it’s too depressing. Everybody keeps saying how lucky I am to travel so much, but how would they like to move every few months? And I usually don’t get to see much of a place when I stay there. I was in Brisbane with one of my mother’s friends for four months, and we never left the city. Worst of all, they have a different school year in Australia, and I had to start in the middle of a term when they sent me back to the States.”

  “I know, but Mr. Newman still wants a list.”

  Melanie sighed and began telling her the different towns. It really was depressing. Staying with Aaron was turning out okay, but it was only until June, which left another whole year and two months after that before she turned eighteen.

  She just had to do something to change things.

  CHAPTER TEN

  “I DIDN’T KNOW there was another restored riverboat in Old Sacramento,” Skylar commented after dinner as they strolled along the river. The brightly lit Delta King riverboat was ahead of them, and the hotel and restaurant added ambiance to the historic district.

  The breeze off the water was pleasantly crisp compared to the warm restaurant, and she adjusted her wrap over her shoulders.

  “The Dixie Damsel is small compared to the Delta King,” Aaron said. “But the atmosphere is great.”

  He tucked her arm around his elbow. It was another old-fashioned courtesy, reminding Skylar of her thoughts driving into the city. She didn’t enjoy remembering how it had felt as a kid, being cocky and afraid at the same time.

  “I always thought it would be fun to stay at the Delta King, or take a riverboat cruise up the Mississippi. When I dreamed...” Her voice trailed and she pressed her lips together.

  “You dreamed what?”

  “Nothing.”

  Skylar didn’t want to share her childhood dreams with Aaron. It wouldn’t interest him anyhow, and she could imagine what he’d think about the rebellious girl she’d been, secretly wishing for a romantic honeymoon. Talk about conflicted—on one hand she’d defiantly tried to live down to people’s expectations, and on the other, she’d fantasized about ideal families and happily-ever-afters. And until Jimmie’s accident she’d gotten her fantasy...a loving husband and the Gibsons and Karin.

  They strolled past a street musician, and Aaron tossed a ten-dollar bill into his open violin case.

  “I used to wish I had one iota of musical talent,” he said as they walked on.

  Skylar was grateful he hadn’t pushed for an answer. They’d had a pleasant night so far, and she wanted to keep it that way. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had an evening out that didn’t include a pizza and teenagers. Her daughter was a terrific kid, but there was something to be said for adult conversation, and Aaron was an interesting
companion when he forgot to be a pain in the ass. Of course, it helped that they’d agreed not to discuss business or Melanie’s request to move in with her.

  Still, Aaron was more complicated than Skylar had thought. He was intelligent, well-informed, and his rare smiles lit his entire face, the same way her daughter’s frequent grins filled her face. But he also seemed lonely and isolated, despite having a large family.

  As it turned out, neither one of them had warm memories of childhood.

  “I love Old Sacramento,” Skylar murmured. “We used to bring Karin to the railroad museum every year, then we’d eat lunch and get ice cream.”

  “The museum wasn’t my speed, but once I had my Mustang, I started going to the music festival.”

  “Which Mustang?” she asked flippantly, only to wince. Her mouth used to get her into trouble regularly, and seemed determined to start the same pattern over again.

  “Both.”

  “I guess it isn’t that far from Cooperton.”

  “Especially when you drive a hundred miles an hour. And can you believe it—my father wants to give Melanie a car?” Aaron told her indignantly. “After everything he’s seen with the rest of his kids. I realize it’s hypocritical of me to object, but I don’t want Melanie driving, much less having her own car.”

  The corner of Skylar’s mouth twitched, though she didn’t think it was funny. “I’m not letting Karin drive until she’s thirty.”

  “Good decision. It was strange, but my father didn’t insist. I just told him that Melanie doesn’t have her driver’s license yet and needs more experience before getting her own ride.”

  “Maybe it’s because she’s a girl.”

  Aaron snorted. “Sexual bias? You could be right. He thought I’d get laid easier driving a Mustang—the glove compartment was stuffed with condoms when the first one arrived.”

  Skylar turned her gaze forward. Getting laid wasn’t a subject she wanted to discuss. Or condoms. Especially condoms that failed. It wasn’t Aaron’s Mustang that had appealed to her; it had been the allure of a normal family that looked so much cleaner and nicer than her own.

  “If your grandparents were as strict as you say, I’m amazed they let you have a car.” Feeling unaccountably colder, Skylar tucked her wrap closer.

  “Now that you mention it, that was odd.”

  “Maybe they felt bad, wishing they’d been less demanding, and didn’t know how to show it.”

  He shrugged. “Who knows?”

  * * *

  AARON LOOKED AT the city lights reflecting on the broad river. Earlier that afternoon, he’d regretted telling Skylar about his childhood with the Coopers, yet it didn’t seem to matter now. She must hear gossip about her neighbors, but for all of her wild background, he doubted she ran around revealing information about other people—maybe because of that background. Her parents had regularly caused scandals in Cooperton, and she’d told their classmates to take a flying leap whenever they tormented her over it.

  A faint frown creased his brow.

  While he’d resented his grandparents as a kid, what would it have been like for Skylar, growing up with her mother and father? He recalled the times she’d come to school with a bruised cheek or a split lip. The teachers had sometimes asked about it, and she’d given them a sassy reply that didn’t invite further questions—just a trip to the principal’s office for using inappropriate language.

  A sick sensation went through his stomach.

  Things were a lot less complicated when he’d seen Skylar only as a bad influence for his sister.

  Shrugging off his coat he laid it over Skylar’s shoulders. It was a belated bit of chivalry...fifteen years late.

  “That’s not necessary,” she said, looking startled.

  “You’re shivering, and I’m the one who suggested taking a walk.”

  “I agreed.”

  She started to take it off, and Aaron caught the lapels between his fingers, trapping her. He looked down, and the breath caught in his throat.

  God, she was beautiful.

  She’d joked about her daughter calling her outfit a “mom dress,” yet it was anything but motherly. While it didn’t reveal much skin, the soft fabric clung sensuously, showing every curve and hollow of her body, and the dark green was a delicious contrast to her rich auburn hair.

  “You never had freckles,” he said absentmindedly. “Even when we were kids.”

  “Some redheads don’t.”

  “No.” And he knew she was a genuine redhead. They’d only dated for a few weeks, but he’d reveled in the sight of Skylar, naked against the leather seats of his Mustang, her body seeming practically perfect. While it hadn’t been his first time with a girl, it was the first time the girl had looked like that.

  Without thinking, Aaron leaned closer and kissed Skylar’s mouth. There was a hint of sweetness on her lips from the cheesecake she’d eaten for dessert, and he deepened the caress, his senses reeling. For a brief moment she kissed him back, then with a quick intake of breath, she stepped backward, breaking free.

  Aaron swallowed and hoped his arousal wasn’t visible in the low light. How in hell could such a chaste kiss turn him inside out so quickly? He wasn’t a hormone-crazed teenager any longer; he’d kissed plenty of women, and had made love to his share of them, as well.

  Skylar pulled off the coat and handed it to him. “Was that part of your apology?”

  Apology?

  It took a moment before his befuddled brain remembered why they’d had dinner together. “Sure, kiss and make up,” he muttered.

  A boisterous group of diners spilled from a nearby restaurant and headed in their direction. They appeared to be tourists, based on the “I love Old Sacramento” and other T-shirts they wore, and he was grateful for the commotion.

  “If the tickets aren’t sold out, there’s a play starting at eight in a theater up the block—Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Aaron said. “The waiter at the Dixie Damsel mentioned that it’s gotten excellent local reviews.”

  “We shouldn’t. It would put us quite late getting back.” Despite her refusal, Skylar seemed tempted.

  “Are you worried about the girls? You called once already during dinner, and everything was all right.”

  “I’m not used to being out of town and having Karin home alone.”

  “She isn’t alone—Melanie is with her. But I know how you feel. How old is old enough? Aren’t teenagers their age doing babysitting?”

  “Yup. But I still worry and have trouble letting go when I should. Especially since my...for the past year or so.”

  He guessed Skylar was referring to the time since her husband’s accident, and the shadowed expression in her eyes was sobering. If anything, he’d assumed her marriage was based on practicality, yet the look on her face wasn’t that of a woman who’d lost her meal ticket—more like someone who’d lost the love of her life. For some reason the thought made his stomach turn over.

  Aaron cleared his throat. “I gather Karin has been taking her father’s death hard.”

  “They were so close. He adored her from the day she was born. I’ve never seen anything like the two of them together, whether it was watching baseball or going bicycle riding. From the moment she could crawl, she followed him around as if he was the Pied Piper.”

  “But you didn’t have any more children.”

  “Oh, well, we considered it.” Skylar’s gaze shifted away from him, and once again Aaron got the feeling she was hiding something.

  “Would it help if you checked on her again? And I can phone Melanie, too.” He was unexpectedly reluctant for the evening to end. “We could also watch part of the play and leave at intermission.”

  “I’ll see how Karin sounds.”

  She stepped a few feet away and Aa
ron pulled out his own cell phone. Melanie answered after three rings and seemed distracted.

  “How is everything?”

  “Fine. We’re watching TV.”

  In the background noise of the television, Aaron heard dramatic music and figured the on-screen action was at a crucial point. He didn’t get it—Melanie had watched Star Trek so much she had to know the episodes by heart, and yet she got swept into the story as if it was entirely new.

  “How would you feel if we stayed later than I first thought?”

  “That would be awesome! Karin and I ate so much pizza that we haven’t had ice cream yet, and we’ll have time to get hungry again. Oh, can I sleep over with Karin? The Gibsons have an extra bedroom, you know.”

  Of course, Aaron thought, resigned. What was that old saying—the problem with cats is that they have kittens? By letting his sister spend the evening with Karin, she just wanted more. She might even think it would actually lead to her moving in with Skylar and her daughter.

  “I’ll think about it.”

  “Aaaaaronnnn.”

  “Mellllannnie.” He mimicked her exasperated tone. “I said I’d think about it, and that’s all you’re getting right now.”

  Her sigh resonated loudly through the cell phone speaker. “Okay.”

  “I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Uh...drive carefully.”

  The caution took Aaron by surprise, and warmth crept through him. “I will. We’ll see you later.”

  Skylar was still talking to Karin when he disconnected. A minute later she was off the phone, as well. “I think they don’t want us to come back.”

  “I got that impression, too.”

  They walked toward the theater and Aaron bought tickets. Inside, the lights were just coming down, and they were finding their seats as the play began.

  It was a small stage, and the director used the same actors to play the king and queen of the fairies as well as the Duke of Athens and his betrothed, with a simple switch in aspects of their costuming to denote their shift to the other character. That, along with a less visually complex set design, allowed the audience to concentrate on the rich humor of Shakespeare’s language. Aaron found he was enjoying the play far more than the elaborately staged production he’d seen elsewhere.