by Tara Randel
She shook her head and muttered, “Nealy.”
“Don’t be mad at her. I figured you wouldn’t appreciate my interference.”
“You’re right about the interference. You talked Bridget into the water, so I won’t complain this time.”
“Good to know.”
Her shoulders slackened a bit. As much as he’d tried not to notice how fine she looked in her bathing suit, the movement showed off the graceful sweep of her neck.
“I know this was difficult for you. Thanks for coming anyway.”
He nodded and swallowed hard, breathing deep to decrease the strangling pressure in his chest. Then he changed the subject. “The girls are naturals.”
Abby went under with her nose plugged. Bridget, not quite ready, edged closer to him.
The little girl turned to him. For his approval? Support? He remembered the same expression on Jamie’s face. Removing his sunglasses, he laid them on the cement deck behind him, then plugged his nose before dipping underwater. When he came back up, Bridget followed his lead.
He shook the water from his hair, keeping an attentive eye as Bridget resurfaced, gasping for air, but okay.
“This buddy-buddy thing you have with Bridget is kind of getting to me,” Jenna commented in a light tone.
“Jealous?”
When Jenna’s entire body grew stiff, he knew he’d scored a direct hit. “Don’t take it personally. She’s probably a little attached to me for rescuing her at the beach.”
Jenna’s lips pressed tight.
“Hey,” he said softly. “It’s not a contest.”
“You saved Bridget’s life and you’ve got a dog. How can I compete?”
He thought she was teasing until he glimpsed the dismay in her eyes.
“Hey, I’m not trying to one-up you.”
She blinked furiously. “I know.”
Did she? He ran a hand through his damp hair. What had he gotten himself into?
Before he had a chance to say anything else, she turned to him. Her blond hair seemed lighter in the bright sunlight, setting off her green eyes. He found himself having difficulty following the thread of their conversation when she looked at him, all serious and cute at the same time.
“I’m sorry. If being around you makes Bridget happy, then I shouldn’t complain. Of the two, she’s the most quiet. And the most stubborn. Since her mother died, I don’t like to push her into talking about her feelings or make her participate in anything she’s uncomfortable with. Maybe she’ll open up around you.”
“I’m not sure I have much to offer.”
“Sometimes all you have to do is listen.”
“I can listen, but Jenna, that’s about all I can do. I have to be honest with you, I don’t want to hurt you or the girls.” It was important for her to understand this, before they really became friends or expectations weren’t met.
Jenna shrugged, keeping her attention solely on the girls. “I think you’ve made that pretty clear, Wyatt.”
The tension in his shoulders eased. Good, she got it.
He squinted against the glare coming from the water. After a few more dunks under the surface, Bridget seemed to get past her fear. He felt a smile tug at his lips as he watched her splash around with her sister and instructor, acting as if she’d been born with fins.
Truth be told, he’d missed being around kids. Shutting himself off had been a necessary coping mechanism after the accident. The subsequent downhill spiral had become his life. He did not intend to be emotionally vulnerable again, but time had proven that staying away from people hadn’t sped up the grieving process, either.
Being here today, he sensed that maybe it wouldn’t hurt for him to try a new way of coping. Get out a little more, be around people. While the pain had receded a small degree, he knew he still had a long journey to get back to any sense of normalcy. If there even was such a thing.
Before long, the girls got tired of teasing each other and beckoned the adults to join in their game. Jenna swam to them, her lean arms cutting through the water in good form. Wyatt remained where he was, watching them clown around, until Bridget splashed her way over, asking him for pointers. When she tugged at his arm, he finally gave in and took turns showing the girls how to go underwater without holding their noses. Giggling, the girls gave it a try. Abby succeeded. Bridget snorted water and went back to pinching her nose with her fingers. After a few coughing jags, they began to stay underwater longer on each try. Soon the lesson ended with the twins hanging off his arms, laughing as he carefully swung them around.
He and Jamie horsed around in the pool, just like this. Marcie hadn’t liked it when the two of them took off for the day, leaving her home, but she didn’t like getting wet. Or put in a situation where her hair might get mussed. So unlike Jenna, who joined in the fun.
He shook his head. Wondered for the hundredth time since Marcie left for the glitz and glamour of LA and the movie industry what he’d ever seen in her. Yes, they’d been smitten when they met at the naval base where he was stationed, but he soon found out that falling in love and marrying someone you barely knew could be a disaster waiting to happen. At least it had been for them. And before they could fix their mistake, Marcie had gotten pregnant. They stayed together for the sake of their child, but Marcie had always felt left out, never part of the bond Wyatt immediately established with his son. It explained why it didn’t take long for her to leave him after the accident.
He couldn’t imagine Jenna taking off when times got tough. After all, she’d taken in her friend’s children to raise as her own. His admiration rose steadily, along with the knowledge that she managed to twist him inside out.
Abby wiggled loose and hopped away, calling for him to catch her if he could. As he turned to go after her, he barreled into Jenna. Their legs tangled and their feet slipped on the pool bottom. Just before they both went under, he saw Jenna’s eyes go wide.
Afraid he might have hurt her, Wyatt grabbed her arm and yanked her to the surface.
She came up sputtering. “What on earth...?”
“Sorry.” His chest rose and fell rapidly. “The girls and I got a little carried away.”
Steady on her feet now, Jenna rubbed the water from her face and ran her hands through her hair to slick it back. His gaze took in her pretty features, the wide green eyes, the sprinkle of freckles over her high cheekbones, the curve of her kissable lips. Kissable? As if singed by the thought, he loosened the fingers still wrapped around her arm. “Sorry.”
She laughed. “Remind me to stay out of the way when you three are playing.”
The lilting sound washed over him. He yearned to brush his fingers over her satin skin again. Instead he took a step back. “I didn’t...”
She glanced up at him. Their eyes met and held for longer than was comfortable. He glimpsed questions there, along with an interest.
He let out a shaky breath. Tried to control his skyrocketing heart rate.
“Are you guys okay?” Abby called from the side of the pool.
The question shattered the intense...whatever...going on here. Jenna shot one last glance at Wyatt and the tension between them was gone. “Yes,” she called back. “No thanks to the boat captain over here.”
He glimpsed the sparkle in her eye and relaxed. Right. Humor. He’d been out of it far too long if he couldn’t pick up on a joke.
“Usually I keep life vests handy, just in case.”
“Good to know, but I won’t be chartering your boat anytime soon.”
He chuckled, a rusty sound he almost didn’t recognize.
“Maybe Mr. Wyatt should give Jenna lessons.” Bridget giggled as she climbed out of the water.
His eyes met Jenna’s again, and he caught a flash of surprise before she looked away. No doubt about it, that was indeed interest he glimpse
d. Not as the twins’ mother. Not as the woman who wanted to engage him in their lives. No, this interest was purely personal. Unexpected.
And, he realized, welcome. To him, at least.
CHAPTER FIVE
“WHAT’S UP WITH YOU?” Nealy asked Jenna as the excited twins dragged a laughing Lilli into the toy store. The girls had regaled the three adult friends with a steady commentary on the upcoming school year, Wyatt’s dog and their swimming lesson since arriving at the shopping mall. “You’ve been quiet since you picked me up.”
“Have I?”
Nealy raised an eyebrow. “You can’t tell if you’re quiet or not?”
“Of course, I just didn’t realize it was noticeable.”
“Abby asked you about a new outfit three times.” Nealy dropped onto a nearby bench, depositing the large bags emblazoned with store logos by her feet. “And every time they mention swimming lessons, you zone out. Too much sun?”
No, more like too much Wyatt.
And there it was, the reason she’d been so quiet. She couldn’t stop thinking about Wyatt showing up earlier for the girls’ lesson. Just when she’d decided he wasn’t going to pull himself out of the self-imposed solitary life, he did the exact opposite, much to the twins’ delight.
“Judging by Bridget’s hero worship of Wyatt, I’d say you have a certain man on your mind.”
Jenna lowered herself to the bench beside her friend. Loud conversation, shouts of laughter and a crying baby echoed under the high, vaulted ceiling of the shopping center. Teenage girls scoped out the best buys for back-to-school bargains while flirting with the packs of boys roaming the two-story structure. At one end of the mall, the scent of popcorn wafted from the cinema. From the other came delectable scents from the food court.
Once Jenna had gotten the girls home from their swim class, they all took quick showers and dressed in T-shirts and shorts for a few hours of retail therapy. They’d picked up Nealy and her friend Lilli, scouting for last-minute sales before the new school year began. Abby, a natural born bargain hunter, led the way. Bridget bent Nealy’s ear about their swimming lessons and how she wasn’t nearly as afraid of the water as she originally thought. Jenna had lagged behind, her mind dwelling on the events of the day.
In the short time they’d been in Cypress Pointe, Jenna and the girls had found themselves surrounded by new friends. Though Jenna worked with many people on her television show, she’d never formed any lasting connections. Even before the twins came to live with her, she’d put in long hours and went home to her quiet apartment. Granted, François’s shabby treatment of her had made her gun shy when it came to dating again, but to be honest, she hadn’t really put herself out there.
Now she had resumed her friendship with Nealy and made friends with Lilli, Max and Dane, feeling comfortable with the circle of people she would allow in the girls’ lives. If she had to give this part of her life a name, it would probably be relief. As much as she liked to be independent, at least they weren’t alone in this place they called home for now.
“So,” Nealy asked. “What’s up?”
Of course, having close friends meant she was required to reveal her innermost thoughts. “I just have a lot on my mind. With school starting next week, I have a million things to do.”
Nealy leaned back, a grin curving her lips. “Why don’t I believe you?”
“Why would I lie?”
“I’m not saying you’re keeping something from me, but c’mon, you are distracted.”
Jenna blew out a breath. “Promise you won’t blow this out of proportion.”
Nealy’s hand flew to her chest and she decreed in her best Southern drawl, “Little ol’ me? Why I don’t know what you’re referring to.”
“How about the fact that since I’ve been in Cypress Pointe, you’ve called me every day to check on us.”
“After what you went through in LA, do you blame me? You and the girls were so frightened.”
“I appreciate your concern, but we’re fine.”
“Fine, but distracted.”
“I’m...it’s...” Jenna gave in. “It’s about Wyatt.”
Nealy pumped her fist in victory. “I knew it.”
“When I asked him to give the girls lessons at the party the other night, he turned me down flat.”
“Yeah, he still isn’t ready to be around people.”
“And I get that, I do. I found an instructor and made arrangements. On my own.”
“So what’s the problem?”
“He surprised me when he showed up. I accepted his refusal, gave him the space he clearly needs, then he showed up anyway. Does he think I can’t properly take care of the girls? After Bridget’s close call at the beach, he had to oversee me?”
“Wow. You have thought this through.” Nealy blinked. “I have no idea about his intentions. All he said when he called was that he changed his mind and wanted to attend the lessons.”
“It just seems odd to me.”
“So did he help?”
More than he probably knew. After all, he was the one to get Bridget into the water. “He showed the girls how to stay underwater without holding their noses. They goofed around and the girls had a good time.”
“How about Wyatt?”
She shrugged. “It seemed like he still held a part of himself back. Like he wasn’t sure being there was a smart idea but he came anyway. The girls got him to join in on their games, but I’m not sure he enjoyed it.”
“Easing back into life is difficult for him.”
“I know because the girls are going through the same thing. Now I wonder if it’s a bad idea for the girls, especially Bridget, to get too accustomed to Wyatt’s presence. What if he decides it’s too much pressure to be around children because of the memories of his son?” She paused. “I don’t want the girls hurt any more than they already are.”
Not to mention herself. It would be easy to spend time with Wyatt. Despite his reticence around people, once he let a bit of his guard down, he was funny, intense and way too good-looking for Jenna’s peace of mind.
When Wyatt had bumped into her in the pool, he’d caught her off guard. Getting tangled up with him had sent chills over her body, which had nothing to do with the temperature of the water and everything to do with an attractive man’s touch. She didn’t have the time or energy to get all wound up in a guy.
“You’ve just met Wyatt. You’re making this issue bigger than it has to be.”
“You sure?”
“Don’t overthink things. Be glad you’re here, in Cypress Pointe, safe and sound.”
If only it were that easy. Growing up in foster care had shown her that you couldn’t always depend on other people. Yes, they had just met Wyatt, but she could see Bridget’s young heart reaching out to him.
She hadn’t expected the immediate bonding. She’d just thought teaching the girls to swim would help Wyatt’s reticence around people, and the girls would have a teacher they liked. Win-win for both. In retrospect, she should have given the suggestion more thought from the beginning. Recruiting Wyatt might not have been in any of their best interests.
How many times had she formed a temporary attachment with an adult in her childhood, only to be disappointed when something, or someone, got in the way and her life changed yet again? She didn’t want the girls to feel as bereft as she had, especially while they were still dealing with their own loss. It was her job to protect the girls from emotional stress, and that’s just what she intended to do.
“Jenna, please don’t write Wyatt off,” Nealy said. “For the first time since he’s been back home, he’s trying, he’s willing to be around people again. I know I can be pushy, but when he first got here, he refused to go out at all.”
“I agree, you can be pushy, and I get what you’r
e saying, but I’m still going to be cautious.”
“That’s all I can ask for. Wyatt needs people in his life who care about him. Who knows, maybe time spent with the girls will be good for all of them.”
Caring was one thing, this budding attraction another. Okay, so he’d touched her in the pool. Steadied her when her feet slipped out beneath her. No reason to mistake her heated reaction for something it wasn’t. He was being polite, making sure she wasn’t injured. Any decent guy would have done the same.
So why did he bother her so much?
“Look, Nealy, you know I’ve always taken care of myself. Now, with the girls, I have to be more vigilant about who I let into their lives.”
“Yes, but you don’t have to do it all alone.”
“Sure, I do.”
Jenna knew she sounded stubborn. And she was being stubborn. Nealy was only pointing out that she had friends to rely on. Since Nealy came from a close-knit family, she had a built-in support system. She didn’t understand how Jenna had been forced to fend for herself, growing up way too early, taking on too much responsibility when she should have been a kid having fun. Her deeply ingrained need to take care of life on her own terms overshadowed every decision she made. Jenna didn’t see that changing anytime soon.
“Listen,” Nealy said. “Before the girls get back, I have something to discuss with you.”
“Sounds serious.”
“It is. I’ve been tossing this idea around for a while, but after folks raved about your macaroni and cheese at the party the other night, I decided to ask you to join me in my event planning business.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’d like us to work together. I haven’t been able to find a decent caterer since I came back to Cypress Pointe. Every time someone books an event, I worry about the quality of the food. You told me you worked for a caterer once. Think you might want to do it again?”
“Nealy, I have a job.”
“A job in California. What are you going to do when the hiatus is over and you have to return to the cooking show? Move back there? Or hire a live-in sitter here so you can fly to the coast when you need to?”
