“The rest has done you good,” he commented. “You look more like your old self.”
“I feel much better now, too.” She decided to take the lead when it came to Annabelle and stepped toward her, holding out her hand. “Hi, I’m Kayla Porter, Sienna’s mom.”
Annabelle smiled and shook her hand. “You have a beautiful daughter. I’m Annabelle Sorensen, but please call me Belle. Annabelle is such a mouthful.”
The woman’s smile was warm and friendly and Kayla felt something inside her ease. Apparently she’d been overreacting when she’d looked at them all before. Annabelle’s manner was nothing but professional.
“Belle,” Kayla repeated. “Good to meet you. I’m sorry I wasn’t available earlier.”
“No problem, Ms. Porter. My sister went through exactly the same thing with each of her pregnancies. I fully understand. You just tell me what you prefer for Sienna’s routine and I’ll do my best to ensure she’s disrupted as little as possible during your time here.”
And there it was. The reminder, unintentional or deliberate, that her time here was temporary. Kayla felt her smile stiffen but forced herself to relax. She had to be reading too much into Belle’s statement. It seemed that being around Van was bringing out a defensive side of her that she didn’t like. One that was as prickly as a desert cactus. She didn’t like that person, she decided, and she was the only one who could change it.
Belle was looking at her, obviously awaiting a reply. Kayla summoned her best smile. Forget her antipathy toward Van; forget the obvious connection she’d witnessed between Van and Belle. She was going to play nice. Really nice.
“Thank you. I know it’s just a job for you but I really appreciate it.”
Okay, maybe not so nice, but she hadn’t meant that to come out quite the way it did. Even Van shot her a startled look.
Belle was all grace and charm in response. “I know exactly what you mean. Seriously, though, I’m not here to undermine you—only to help when you need it.”
There was a genuineness in the woman’s voice that made Kayla feel about two feet high. Van’s cell phone chimed in his pocket and he checked the screen.
“Sorry, ladies, something I have to deal with straightaway. I’ll leave you to get better acquainted.”
He gave them each a brief smile and put the phone to his ear. Kayla caught him saying Dani’s name as he strode away toward the house. So, despite what he’d said, they were still an item? Where did that leave the beautiful Belle? More important, where did that leave her? She shifted uncomfortably, not at all happy with where her thoughts were going.
“Are you okay? Would you like me to take Sienna for you?” Belle offered.
“I’m fine, thanks.”
“She has a lovely name. Van tells me it was your sister’s name, is that right?”
Belle was trying hard to make conversation and Kayla forced herself to be polite.
“Yes, Sienna is her child, actually.”
“Van told me. I think it’s a truly wonderful thing you’re doing, having your sister’s children.”
“Van told you? That’s rather personal information to share.” Kayla couldn’t keep the surprise or censure from her voice. They sure must have some boss-nanny relationship if he was getting down to nitty-gritty details like biological parents.
“Oh, Van and I go way back.”
Kayla just stared at the nanny, her brain working overtime. Belle looked taken aback by her expression for a moment, but then she laughed.
“Oh, no. Not like that.” She shook her head and laughed again. “Really nothing like that at all. Van served with my brother. After Nicholas died, Van took it upon himself to keep an eye out for our whole family. When he heard I was taking a break from pediatric nursing, he asked me if I would be interested in taking this job on. I jumped at the chance. I mean, look at this place—who wouldn’t want to live here? Even my partner is jealous. She told me not to get ideas above my station.”
Kayla didn’t miss the reference to Belle’s partner being female. She felt herself loosen up incrementally. Not that it made any difference. She had no say in who Van shared romantic interests with anyway. So why did she feel so stupidly relieved?
* * *
Kayla woke the next morning to a gentle knock at her bedroom door, followed by the sound of a high-pitched squeal and much splashing outside at the pool. She looked at the clock and realized, with a shock, that she’d slept through the night and past Sienna’s usual waking time.
“Who is it?” she called.
“It’s Imelda, dear. I’ve brought you a light breakfast.”
Imelda came in through the door, balancing a tray on one arm.
Kayla sat up in bed feeling embarrassed. “Oh, I don’t expect you to wait on me.”
“Mr. Murphy’s orders. You’re to be coddled and cared for.”
“He said that?”
“Well, not in those words exactly,” Imelda said with a wink. “But he’s insistent that you have nothing to worry about and that you’re to get your rest.”
“I really need to see to Sienna,” Kayla protested as the housekeeper gently steered her back to her bed.
“All taken care of. Belle brought her down for breakfast at six thirty and now she’s got her out by the pool with Mr. Murphy and Alex.”
Alex, Van’s Little Brother. Kayla remembered he was visiting today. She was curious about how the two interacted. While Van seemed intrigued by Sienna, seeing his interaction with the older child might give her some ideas as to what kind of father he planned to be. The news that Sienna was already down there with her father and Belle triggered Kayla’s maternal instinct.
“Sienna’s sunscreen, it was in the side pocket of—”
“Her diaper bag. Don’t worry—Belle is on it. Now, you sit back in bed and enjoy your breakfast and take your time coming down. Today is going to be a good day, yes?”
“Well, so far, so good,” Kayla admitted.
She sat back on the bed and Imelda positioned the tray over her thighs before removing the cover. Neat sections of dry toast were arranged on a plate along with a small bowl of sliced fruit. Imelda poured from a small teapot into a delicate china cup.
“The tea is lemon and ginger. Please tell me if it’s not to your taste and we’ll find something that is.”
Kayla lifted the cup to her face and cautiously inhaled. “That smells good.”
Imelda smiled. “Excellent. I’ll be sure to tell Mr. Murphy that his research paid off. Now, he said you’re to have small meals every two hours and we’re going to work to keep your fluids up, as well.”
“Goodness. That makes me feel so indulged,” Kayla said with a laugh that failed to conceal her irritation.
“I know it seems a bit over the top, but Mr. Murphy was deeply concerned for you when you arrived yesterday. He really only wants what’s best for you and the baby.”
And that was where his care began and ended, Kayla was certain—with the baby. She was just the carrier. She felt like little more than a commodity. She took a wary sip of the tea and waited for the familiar surge of nausea that usually accompanied anything by mouth at this time of day, but thankfully, her stomach decided to accept the new introduction.
“Everything okay?” Imelda asked, hovering at the edge of the bed.
“Thank you—that really is lovely.”
Imelda gave her a satisfied smile. “Good. We’ll see you downstairs in a bit, then?”
“Definitely.”
* * *
Van knew the instant that Kayla arrived downstairs. That all-too-familiar awareness stroked the back of his neck even as Alex did his best to dunk him.
“Hold on a minute, Alex. We have a visitor.”
He swam to the edge of the pool and pulled himself out of the w
ater. Kayla approached from the house and made a beeline for Belle and Sienna, who were playing in a sheltered spot on the edge of the lawn. He searched her face for signs of the illness that had left her so run-down yesterday. He was relieved to see that Imelda’s assessment of her health today had been correct. There was a faint blush of color in her cheeks and the shadows that had scored under her eyes yesterday were far less noticeable. Her skin still held a translucent quality, though—a fragility that he’d never associated with Kayla in the past. It spoke to him on a level that he was unaccustomed to these days, and the urge to protect her, and the child she carried, came stronger than he’d expected.
“Kayla,” he said to acknowledge her approach. “I trust you slept well.”
Her eyes flicked over his wet torso before settling back on his face, as if she was uncomfortable with his near nakedness.
“Very well, thank you. Is this Alex?” she asked, looking beyond him to the boy who’d just come from the pool to join him.
“Yes, hi,” the twelve-year-old said, offering his hand as Van had taught him. “I’m Van’s Little Brother.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Kayla said, taking the boy’s dripping-wet hand and shaking it. “I remember Van from when he was younger than you.”
“Really? That’s cool,” the boy said exuberantly. “And you’re still friends?”
Alex blushed as he realized the implication of what he’d just said.
“I’m sorry—” he started.
Kayla laughed and the sound was sweet and light and fresh. Everything he generally was not, Van thought. She always had been lightness to his dark. Sienna had fallen somewhere in between. The balancing rod that held them apart but kept them on an even keel at the same time.
“Nothing to be sorry about. I ask myself the same question,” she said with a sharp look in Van’s direction. “He was actually best friends with my sister, but, yeah, I guess we’re still friends now.”
“Best friends with a girl?” Alex gave Van a playful punch on the arm.
“A real guy can have girls for friends,” Van retaliated.
“So where’s your sister now?” Alex asked, giving Kayla his full attention again.
Van felt his gut clench and waited for Kayla’s reply. She kept it brief.
“She died about five years back.”
The boy looked uncomfortable, as if he’d just opened a can of worms he had no idea of how to deal with.
“Man, I’m sorry,” he said with all the awkwardness of youth.
“Thank you,” Kayla answered simply before smoothly changing the subject. “So, how long have you and Van been Brothers?”
Van watched as she captivated the boy—asking him questions, sharing a little of herself. She was natural with kids, he realized. She was already forming a friendship with Alex that had come a lot more quickly than his.
“And you’re Sienna’s mom?” Alex asked, his natural curiosity ignorant of the undercurrent that ran between Kayla and Van.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“How come she has a nanny, too?”
“Alex, remember we talked about this,” Van interrupted. “Kayla hasn’t been well and Belle is helping out.”
“But Sienna is your baby, too, right? How does that work? Are you two together?”
Van thought about it carefully and settled on the clearest explanation he could come up with. “It’s complicated.”
“Why?”
He stifled a groan. He’d always encouraged Alex to ask questions—to delve deeper than the surface—in whatever he tackled. But this? How did you explain the situation to a twelve-year-old who was increasingly inquisitive about life? More important, how would he explain it in terms that wouldn’t result in a call from Alex’s mom tonight demanding to know what he was exposing her boy to? To his great relief, Kayla took over.
“Like Van said, it’s complicated. Sienna always wanted kids, but she got sick and couldn’t have them anymore. So I’m having them for her.”
“Even though she’s not alive anymore?”
“That’s right.”
Alex shrugged. “Sounds cool.”
Van felt a surge of gratitude toward her for knowing exactly how much to say. No doubt he would have grossed Alex out with a far-too-detailed explanation.
The boy gave Van a cheeky grin and a light shove. “Last one in buys ice-cream sundaes in Carmel on the way home!” he yelled and took off back to the pool.
“Cheat!” Van answered with a laugh. “And no running beside the pool!” He turned to Kayla. “Thanks for that. He’s a good kid, but he asks a lot of questions.”
“No problem. You better go and join him. It’s already going to cost you an ice-cream sundae. Who knows what else he’ll add on if you take any longer?”
She gave him a smile that did strange things to his insides. He clamped down on the sensation. He didn’t want to feel like that about Kayla. Not again. Attraction between them was a bad idea. They were polar opposites, for a start. Recognizing that he was beginning to try to rationalize his reactions, he decided it was a good time to go and join Alex. But as he started toward the pool again, he hesitated and turned toward her.
“You’re welcome to come in, too. Bring Sienna in, if you like.”
Oh, good one, Van, he silently growled. Like seeing her in an almost transparent muslin blouse and jeans wasn’t doing stupid things to him already, he now wanted to see her in a bikini? He was certifiably nuts. She wouldn’t accept. She’d made it pretty clear she wanted to be around him little more than he wanted to be in her vicinity.
Kayla appeared to consider his question. “It’s still a little cold out, isn’t it?”
“I can wait at the edge with a towel to wrap Sienna in the second she’s ready to come out,” Belle suggested from behind Kayla. “Really, the pool is lovely. Van keeps it temperature controlled all year round.”
Kayla gave a brief nod. “Okay. She’d like that. She’s been a water baby right from the start. Just give me about ten minutes to get her ready, okay?”
“And you? Will you be coming in, too?” Van couldn’t help asking. Maybe she’d refuse.
For a second he thought she was going to, but then she gave him another nod. “Sure.”
“Okay. I’ll wear some of the energy off this guy in the meantime,” Van said.
He watched as she walked toward Belle, who was sitting in the shade with Sienna, and felt that uncomfortable pull in his chest again. Damn, why had he done that? He’d invited her here to his home so she could stay well while pregnant with his child. Just at the reminder that Kayla carried his child, the pull intensified and a rush of possessiveness swept through him.
“Damn,” he muttered under his breath. No matter what he said, no matter what he did, he still wanted her. He deliberately turned his back and jogged toward the pool. Wanting her was one thing, he reminded himself. But having her was a complication he wasn’t going near again—ever.
Eight
What on earth had she been thinking? Kayla asked herself as she carried Sienna upstairs to her nursery to change her into swim diapers and her little UV-protection sunsuit. She didn’t want to spend any more time with Van than absolutely necessary and yet she had just agreed to do so—and swimming, no less.
For a moment she remembered how fine he’d looked coming out of the pool. His tanned skin glistening with water. Droplets caressing the contours of his body. Kayla felt her body react to the memory. Felt her heart rate increase and a flush of heat bloom deep inside. Well, at least it wasn’t nausea, she told herself in an attempt to drag her attention away from just how very attractive he’d looked.
She should simply bring Sienna down ready for the water and forego a swim herself. But the lure of the pool with its temperature control was too strong. She loved the wa
ter. Loved the weightless feeling of floating. Besides, how much trouble could she get herself into when chaperoned by an eleven-month-old baby and a boy of twelve?
Even so, as she changed into her bikini, she began to reassess the wisdom of her decision. Her breasts were already fuller than normal and filled the cups of her halter-neck top and then some. This certainly wasn’t appropriate wear in front of a couple of kids, she decided while checking her reflection in the mirror. She grabbed a thin T-shirt and pulled it on over the top. There, that was better. It also hid the slight bump that she was beginning to develop. She’d started to show so much earlier with this pregnancy, particularly with the weight loss she’d endured so far.
On the floor at her feet, Sienna looked a picture in her ruffled pink-and-white sunsuit.
“Aren’t you just the cutest thing,” she said, gathering her daughter up in her arms. “Your mommy would have loved you so much.”
A wave of melancholy washed through her but she fought it back. Darn hormones were sending her emotions all over the place. But it felt good to remember Sienna, to think of how happy her sister would be to see her baby well cared for in such a beautiful place. She had to remember that she was living her dream of honoring her sister’s wish—and not alone. Van was participating, too, albeit in a rather draconian way. She had to believe that things would work out the best for the children, and she had to hold on to that thought no matter what crazy ideas came into her head about Van.
Alex was out of the pool when she returned downstairs but Van remained in the water, now swimming strong laps back and forth. Some sixth sense must have warned him she’d returned because she had only just drawn close to the stairs when he stopped and swam toward her.
“Pass her to me,” he said. “I’ll play with her while you relax.”
She was about to point out that she was perfectly capable of playing with her own daughter in the water but bit back the words that automatically sprang to her lips. She had felt a pang of envy when she’d seen Van swimming. It had been a while since she’d been able to do anything but paddle in the water with Sienna.
One Heir...or Two? Page 8
