Caution

by Tara Mills

  They were close, no doubt about that. Even when he was directing their cleanup the kids were eager to do what he asked. Her eyes followed him again when he got up to take their napkins to the garbage can.

  • • •

  Five minutes later Piper dismissed the class and stood by the door slipping recipes into open hands and chatting briefly with those inclined to chat. Then she turned and her heart dropped into her stomach. Damn, that guy was hanging back with his kids, waiting for everyone else to leave. This did not bode well.

  The little girl skipped and jumped around him. “Can we do this again Daddy?”

  “We’ll see.”

  Caught watching them, Piper looked away self-consciously. Studying her for a moment he sent the kids out with a quick word then walked over and faced her.

  To call what she felt discomfort would be a gross understatement. Piper felt ashamed and embarrassed by her lack of self-control. She’d acted like a complete witch from the very beginning and tonight was merely a delightful continuation on that theme. There could only be one reason he wanted to send his kids out of hearing. She steeled herself for the verbal abuse she knew she deserved.

  “Do you have a class tomorrow?”

  His question surprised her.

  Piper looked up in confusion. “No.”

  He cocked an eyebrow at her and smiled. “Then can we take you out?”

  “What?” Okay, that sounded a little rude but this was the last thing she expected.

  “We’d like to take you out,” he said, pantomiming to help the slow-witted.

  Piper fought hard not to smile and failed. “I’m sorry, we?”

  “Afraid so. We’re kind of a unit but guess what, you’ll be perfectly safe with two undersized chaperones. What do you say?”

  “Who are you?” It was probably time she asked.

  He laughed and offered his hand. “Chad Thomas. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

  Still holding her hand he stretched his head out the doorway and called, “Hey, you two, get in here a second.”

  They must have been just outside because they were quick. They looked at her with interest.

  Chad released her hand and explained to his munchkins, “I just asked Ms. Frost to hang out with us tomorrow night. What do you think?”

  The girl sized Piper up and down slowly. “Do you watch Sex and the City?”

  Chad’s eyes bulged and he clamped a hand over the child’s mouth.

  Piper laughed. “I’m afraid not. I usually work nights.”

  The boy shook his head at his sister. “I’m Kenny.”

  “Hi, Kenny.” Piper smiled at him.

  He pointed his thumb at his sister apologetically. “That’s Missy.”

  “Hello, Missy.”

  Chad’s eyes were twinkling when he carefully removed his hand from his daughter’s mouth. “So, what do you say?”

  Piper didn’t know who he was addressing since he’d asked everyone a question but when she accepted she was drowned out by the two kids who also answered with a resounding, “Yes!”

  Chad had Piper write down her telephone number on the back of their recipe sheet. Ushering his kids out the door, he called back to her, “Dress casual, very casual.”

  • • •

  Surely this wasn’t a date. Did he think this was a date? Don’t be stupid, Piper, what man would ask a woman out when he had his kids tagging along? Forget it. She was getting paranoid, that’s all. But if, and this was really a big if, he was thinking along those lines she could just nip it in the bud. Hanging out with them did not put her under any obligations. For crying out loud, he made sure she understood that she’d be safe in their company. She had to stop being so suspicious. It didn’t look good on her. Why was she trying so hard to define a simple invitation anyway? The chance to meet new people came at the right time and now she actually had plans for a change. How cool was that? A win-win situation, really. One question though: why did he stress casual clothing?

  Chapter 7

  With the onset of summer, Piper’s schedule switched entirely to day shifts. That’s when the store contracted with local chefs to showcase their specialties by holding courses on and off the premises. This change worked for two reasons: first, because these sessions were wildly popular with the public and second, it freed Piper up to help in the bakery and handle the increase in special orders.

  With three graduation and two wedding cakes on top of the usual birthday cakes to prepare she went in early. Expressly responsible for the specialty orders Piper wasn’t expected to help with regular bakery duties like rolls, breads, and pastries. Those were Joy’s department but now at least she had someone to chat with while she worked. There was less pressure and more camaraderie.

  She worked steadily, sparing only enough time to eat a yogurt so that she’d be done and out of the store by three-thirty. But by the time she stumbled exhausted into her apartment at a quarter to four the only thing she wanted to do was take a long hot shower and sack out on the couch for the rest of the night. She could see herself nodding off early because she wasn’t used to setting her alarm, especially not at that ungodly hour.

  Still dragging afterwards she seriously considered calling Chad and canceling. She was drying her hair when his call came and she got an unpleasant surprise. It was his voice on the line that revived her and not the shower.

  “We can pick you up or you can meet us at our house, your choice,” he said.

  “Why don’t I come over there?” It would be easier to call it a night if she drove herself.

  He gave her directions.

  They lived in a newer high-end development with graceful curving streets and intimate cul-de-sacs branching off in every direction. It would be easy to get lost in here because, though the styles of the individual houses varied from one to the next, they were all understated and tasteful. Every single yard looked professionally landscaped and obsessively maintained. The neighborhood was, for lack of a better description, a suburban utopia. Even the dogs she saw on leashes walked regally in front of their power-walking owners. It was kind of eerie. She should have just met them somewhere. Forget it, she should have cancelled. Who lives like this?

  The Thomas house looked like all the others, not necessarily by design but it certainly met the standards of the neighborhood. It was sandstone neutral, the siding and bricks perfectly coordinated. The landscaping was beautiful and, dare she think it, spotless? Spotless. Who ever heard of spotless shrubbery? Yet, there it was. Very tidy, not a bike or ball left in the wrong place. Didn’t kids make messes and leave their stuff everywhere? She certainly did when she was young. She heard about it constantly.

  She pulled into their driveway, careful not to block the car parked in the open garage in case they were actually going somewhere. For all she knew they’d be hanging out and eating pizza delivery — expensive pizza delivery probably.

  Piper tugged her keys out of the ignition and was just reaching for her door handle when the driver’s door flew open and Kenny barked impatiently, “It’s about time! We’ve been waiting forever.”

  Stunned, she climbed out of the car and stumbled over her apology. “Really? I’m sorry about that.” Okay, maybe this was a huge mistake. She should tell the little brat to piss off and go back home.

  Before she could do anything of the sort Missy flounced out of the house and stared in open admiration at Piper’s purse.

  “You brought your purse? I’m going to bring mine too!”

  Missy spun to go get hers but her father stopped her at the door. “No purses.” He looked over his daughter’s head at Piper and said, “I don’t recommend it. Can you get by with just your I.D. and maybe a few dollars?”

  “I suppose so,” she answered slowly. “Care to tell me what we’re doing?”

  H
e shook his head and gave her a cryptic smile. “It’s a surprise — for all of you.”

  “And it’s driving me crazy,” Kenny groaned.

  “Am I dressed okay?” Piper asked. He certainly was. His worn jeans looked touchable and soft and unfortunately hugged him in all the right places. The simple clean t-shirt was much easier to deal with.

  Chad looked Piper over appreciatively. He grinned when he came to her pastel tennis shoes. “You’re perfect.”

  His warm assessment made her blush.

  “Bathrooms, now or we’re not leaving,” Chad announced, waving the kids back into the house.

  Both kids bolted inside, breaking off in different directions.

  Chad turned back to her. “I strongly recommend you consider visiting the facilities too.”

  Piper’s first impulse was to decline the need but then she thought there was probably a good reason he brought it up. No way did she want to get caught out somewhere and ruin everyone’s fun because she brushed the suggestion aside.

  Piper sighed as she followed him in. “Point the way.”

  “The master’s available,” he said, the single raised eyebrow he gave her implying so much more. “It’s upstairs, the door on the right. You’ll find it.”

  Without even turning, she knew his eyes lingered on her as she climbed.

  • • •

  The plush queen bed dominated the space and drew her eye immediately. She shook her head and snorted softly because it was flawlessly made, the comforter evenly spread over the top so that the overhang was precise on every side. Piper pictured her unmade bed at home and how inviting it was. This one begged to be photographed, not dived into. Pity because it really was a gorgeous bedroom set. She particularly liked the contrasting inlay of darker wood running around the edges of the lighter pieces. The beautiful television cabinet was probably her favorite and the focal point of the room, aside from the massive bed of course. Her eyes swept over the bed again and she wondered which side Chad slept on. Maybe he was like her, taking his half out of the middle. Whoa there, not a train of thought she wanted to follow. Pushing Chad and his bed out of her head, she slowed as she walked past the six-drawer dresser with mirror. Other than some framed pictures of the kids, the top was bare. Piper was sorely tempted to open a drawer or two but, catching her reflection in the glass, knew she couldn’t do it.

  She found the master bathroom was coordinated to seamlessly blend with the bedroom and like the rest, it was immaculate. This guy needed another hobby. Piper chuckled at the thought of him wearing rubber gloves and holding a toilet brush as she tugged down her jeans and sat. Turning her head she found herself admiring the large glassed-in shower for two — with seat. Probably not smart to venture there either.

  Whether she appreciated it or not her curiosity got the better of her in the bathroom. After washing her hands Piper took a quick peek in Chad’s medicine cabinet, relieved to find there was nothing interesting in it. The vanity however, was a different story. There was a faint cosmetic dusting on the bottom of the upper drawer and beneath a forgotten bag of cotton balls she found a compact of birth control pills.

  Holding her breath she picked it up. After an uneasy pause she opened it to find over half the pills were gone. Peering at the expiration date stamped in the plastic she blinked when she realized the prescription was years out of date. Tucking the contraceptives back where she found them she shut the drawer silently. A heavy weight settled on her chest. Never had she felt so ashamed of herself. She had no business poking around and now that she had, she wasn’t sure she wanted to think about what she found.

  • • •

  Everyone was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs when Piper turned the corner and headed down. Chad brought Piper back to the kitchen and showed her a drawer where she could stow her purse while they were gone. Taking his advice, she grabbed just what she needed before they headed out to his car.

  • • •

  There are times when moods are as easy to perceive in the air as temperatures but it can still take a person by surprise. The shift in energy in the backseat was palpable as they drove to their secret destination, almost as if the kids suddenly sensed where they were going. Their hushed, excitable whispers made no sense to her at all but when she looked surreptitiously at Chad he was smiling, clearly enjoying their reaction. Without a word Chad pulled into the right turn lane and then Piper saw the Ferris wheel glimmering on the edge of the traveling carnival set up in the South Haven Mall parking lot and it all made sense.

  The kids erupted in the back seat at the sight, their excited shrieks shrill and deafening. Piper winced and covered her ears.

  “Hey! Hey!” Chad yelled over the noise. “Settle down.”

  “Thank you, Daddy!” Missy cried.

  “Yeah, thanks, Dad,” Kenny said, almost overcome with emotion.

  Chad pulled into an empty space and shut off the engine. “You’re welcome.” He turned in his seat to look at them. “Now, listen up. We all stick together here. Got it?”

  The kids nodded, absolutely sincere but once out of the car it was apparent he was asking too much. Even with shorter legs they still outdistanced the adults.

  “Hurry!” they yelled back.

  “I’m not sure I can handle a lot of spinning but I’m willing to ride a few things if you’re game,” he said, tucking his keys in his front pocket.

  Piper grinned. “I’ll give it a shot.”

  Okay, she had her answer anyway. This was definitely not a date. Now maybe she could relax and enjoy herself.

  Chad stopped at the ticket booth and bought several long strands then handed them out.

  The kids, poised to run, were startled when Chad clapped his hands on their shoulders and held them in place. He bent down and looked them right in the eyes. “One more time, we stay together or we go home right now.”

  Both kids nodded automatically, fighting desperately to see the action behind him.

  He let them go and handed a string of tickets to Piper. “Keep those handy. I have a feeling we’re gonna need them soon.”

  “So do I.”

  They both turned at Missy’s gasp of delight and saw her take off for a ride called the Picnic Parade. Kenny ran after her and caught her by the hand, jerking her back.

  “Don’t waste your time,” he said in disgust. “That’s a kiddie ride.”

  Clearly conflicted, Missy let her brother drag her back but not without casting one last look of longing over her shoulder at the glossy ladybug, the shiny green inchworm, and the brilliant blue dragonfly before they were lost behind the moving crowd of fairgoers.

  “Now, there!” Kenny stopped unexpectedly and pointed out the giant octopus, its eight arms rising and falling, the cars on the ends of each tentacle spinning rapidly as the entire contraption twirled. “That’s what I’m talking about.”

  There was no way the kids could ride that monster without an adult escort. Chad could see the height restrictions even from here. He turned to Piper and shrugged apologetically.

  She nodded. “Yeah, I figured. This is why you asked me to come along. You didn’t want to ride all these things twice. Admit it.”

  Chad laughed. “Nah, that’s just a side benefit.”

  Piper looked at the kids. “Okay, who’s riding with me?”

  “I am!” announced Missy. They all went to join the line of teenagers.

  It struck Piper while they waited that their little foursome could easily be mistaken for just another family here tonight. Amused at first, Piper’s smile froze when she realized she didn’t exactly know how she felt about that. What a disturbing thought!

  • • •

  Chad had his own worries as he watched the ride. He wasn’t kidding when he admitted that he had issues with spinning. The thought of possibly tossing his
cookies in front of everyone, especially Piper, was too horrifying to contemplate.

  Kenny saw his dad’s grave expression and understood perfectly. He leaned in close and whispered, “Don’t worry, Dad. I never get a good car.”

  Chad turned to consider his son, surprised that his apprehension was so transparent. Chuckling at himself he gave his son a playful elbow. Kenny elbowed him back.

  • • •

  Piper watched their interplay, not understanding what prompted it but charmed just the same. She turned to Missy. “Are you scared?”

  “Are you?”

  “No way. I love rides almost as much as Kenny does.” She bent down and peered at Missy. “So are you scared?”

  Missy blushed. “Maybe a little.”

  “Tell you what, you can hold my hand if you want. How does that sound?”

  “Good.”

  Kenny’s prediction was right of course, much to his disappointment, though he was the only one complaining afterwards that it was too tame. Piper on the other hand, thoroughly enjoyed herself and her unfettered excitement infected Missy too. Piper looked over at Chad and her mouth twitched. The poor guy looked a little peaked.

  “You gonna make it?” she asked, feeling a twinge of sympathy.

  “I’m good,” Chad said calmly, his flu-like pallor beside the point.

  Moving along afterwards with a spring in her step and a bouncing kid on either side, Piper enthusiastically joined their critique of the ride while Chad followed along, shaking his head and smiling at the threesome.

  Being tallest, Chad spotted the Tilt-O-Whirl seconds before Piper did. She caught the look on his face and nodded back, understanding he might need more time to recover from the last ride. Working in tandem they tried to maneuver the kids in a different direction before they saw the ride too but Kenny thwarted them.

  “We gotta!” he said, cutting towards it.

  Piper shrugged at Chad. “I tried.”

  “I know.”

  “Come on!” Kenny waved them over.