“Something came up.”
“Not good enough, Counselor.”
His eyes widened and he set the sandwich on the white plate. He picked up the longneck bottle of beer beside it and took a drink. “It’s all I’ve got. When the judge says, ‘Be in court,’ I show up.”
“No one else in your office could have gone instead?”
A flicker in his eyes said the challenge hit the mark. “I told you up front that my hours are unpredictable. That’s why I’ve got you.”
“You did tell me that,” she agreed. “But my schedule is predictable and you approved the arrangement to be here on specific days. You weren’t here as promised, which means you broke your word.”
“I apologize. Clearly you worked it out.”
She waited, but he didn’t add that it wouldn’t happen again. Folding her arms over her chest, she rested a hip against the island as she stared across the expanse at her boss. He was as extraordinarily stubborn as he was handsome and that was saying a lot about the stubborn part.
“You know, the first rule of parenting is to do what you say,” she said.
“Okay.” He finished half his sandwich and wiped his mouth with a napkin that he’d grabbed from the chrome holder on the counter. “Is there more?”
“If consequences are clearly defined, when a kid decides to break a rule, there should be no surprises when punishment is swift and sure.”
“Is there a point to this parenting protocols lecture?”
The gleam in his blue eyes sent a tsunami-sized tremble rolling through her, and something that big could never be good, but she took a deep breath and dove in. “I took this job on a trial basis.”
“And I have to say that your work is exemplary. Mia is under control and your conscientious attention to detail is clearly getting results.”
“You’re the one on probation, Blake. And I have to tell you, I don’t like what I’m seeing.”
“Excuse me?” He took another sip of beer. “You’re saying that I don’t meet your standards?”
“Pretty much. I’d planned to take time off while getting these classes out of the way, but I agreed to work for you as a favor to Ginger. Now I see it was a mistake.”
“Are you quitting?” he asked.
For a moment he wasn’t a wealthy, confident, high-powered attorney, but a man without a clue about dealing with a preteen girl. She could also see that he didn’t like not being in complete control. It was a characteristic shared by a lot of military men. But this wasn’t the military and she could walk away without consequences.
Considering the way he affected her, that would be the smartest move. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t resign.”
“Mia needs you.”
“She needs a family. That’s you.”
“I’m here.”
“No. Your checkbook is here. You’re in court. Or your office. Or the study here at home. Or wherever else you can find to avoid her.” Casey drew in a deep breath. “She’s asking questions, Blake. And I don’t have the answers for her.”
“What kind of questions?”
“Like where you and your parents were when her mother was in bad shape.”
Casey wouldn’t be human if she wasn’t curious about that, too. But she didn’t ask and he didn’t volunteer.
“It wasn’t the Decker family’s finest hour,” he admitted.
She held up her hands. “I don’t need to know. I’m just saying that Mia does. She’s bitter and angry.”
“Isn’t that a teenager’s stock-in-trade?” One corner of his mouth curved up but the teasing comment did nothing to clear the shadows in his eyes.
“This is more than that.” She traced the circular beige pattern in the granite countertop for a moment. “She’s scared, confused and mad as hell. I say again, on the record, counseling could help with that.”
“Is it a condition for getting you to stay?”
That was a nonanswer if she’d ever heard one. Which made him a good attorney, but it wasn’t especially helpful in figuring out why he was so resistive. One look around his pricey, spacious penthouse made it clear that money wasn’t the problem. And he’d all but admitted screwing up with his sister, but she was the last person to judge anyone’s past. In Iraq people had counted on her and she’d let them down. It felt pretty crappy. She wasn’t about to do that to a kid who’d been let down enough in her very short life.
“No,” she finally said. “It’s not a condition for me to stay.”
Now he did smile, a full-on, take-no-prisoners grin that made the hair at her nape prickle, signaling danger as surely as if she were on patrol in downtown Baghdad. What the hell? She used to be a soldier. Yeah, there were a lot of women in the military now, but she’d spent the majority of her time with men. Not once had she felt this way. Personal relationships had been discouraged and for good reason. They were a distraction none of them could afford in a war zone.
Somehow One Queensridge Place had turned into a theater of conflict, one that had nothing to do with rocket propelled grenades, IEDs, bombs or body armor. If only she could put on a bullet-proof vest to protect herself from whatever it was that she was feeling for Blake Decker, because it smacked of improper. Technically, she couldn’t actually control it, and impropriety would only happen if she acted on it. That wasn’t an option, mainly because she was already carrying around more than her fair share of guilt.
Blake took a sip of his beer, and the act was so incredibly masculine that it violated the spirit of conviction she’d had just moments before.
He looked at her, and the confident, charming gleam in his eyes was turned on full blast. “So, can I take that as a yes? You’ll stick around and extend my period of probation? I promise not to let you down again.”
If only that were true. Mia’s words were still too fresh in her mind. He hung her out to dry. If Casey was smart, she’d retreat right now. But Mia didn’t have anyone else in her corner.
“Yes, I’ll stay.”
Blake hit the down button on the TV remote’s channel selector, wishing desperately for football season to start, but it was only the end of July. In a few more weeks the exhibition games would start, but not today. Today he still felt like a prisoner in his own home. Like he had a guest who would never leave and a second in command who’d deserted a sinking ship. And he was on probation, which meant he was here alone with Mia while Casey had the afternoon off.
Facing twelve jurors was less intimidating than dealing with a disgruntled twelve-year-old. Not that he’d seen her, because his niece had been in her room for hours. Should he go check on her? Was that a breach of privacy? How much privacy did a girl need, anyway? If Casey were here, he could ask her, but she wasn’t.
At least she was coming back—soon he hoped. He’d nearly blown it with her. Calling her bluff on the terms of her time off wasn’t his brightest move, and he wasn’t even sure why he’d pushed the envelope. He could have gotten home in time for her to get to class without taking Mia. Maybe he’d wanted to show her who was in command. It might have been his way of pushing back against her dictating the terms of employment. He was used to coming and going without thinking about anyone but himself—and that was the way he liked it.
What he didn’t like was the curve fate had thrown him. Karma was probably having a good laugh at his expense, what with making him responsible for a kid—a girl, no less. That was bad enough, but he’d gotten a glimpse of what it would be like to raise the kid without backup, a sneak peek of him and Mia without a referee. It hadn’t been pretty.
Blake had hired Casey with every intention of dumping all the responsibility for his niece in her lap. She’d surprised him by pushing back, giving him things to think about, which he didn’t much like. He could probably find another nanny but he wasn’t keen on starting the process again. And no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t manage to forget what Casey had said about Mia needing a family. Although, with his legendary power of selective memory,
he’d managed to put her pitch for counseling out of his mind. It hadn’t worked for him and Debra. It hadn’t prevented her cheating, which doomed their relationship.
This penthouse used to be his sanctuary; now there was a twelve-year-old stranger here. Should he go in and talk to her? Did he really want to bring up the past? Wasn’t it enough that he’d given her a nice place to live and three square meals a day? Didn’t he get sufficient points for taking her in?
“You look deep in thought.” Casey stood in the family room doorway.
Blake was so glad to see her that he felt the most absurd urge to kiss her. Not actually that absurd, since his thoughts went there a lot. At the moment he also felt the burden that had been weighing him down just moments before suddenly lift.
“Hi.” He hit the power button to turn off the TV.
“Hi.” She lifted a hand in greeting. “I just wanted to let you know I’m back. I’ll just go see—”
“Wait,” he said.
“Is everything all right? Mia?”
“She’s fine.”
“Where is she?”
“In her room. Doing homework.” That part was just a guess, but what else would she be doing in there all this time?
Casey tucked a strand of straight blond hair behind her ear. “Was there something you wanted?”
“Just wondering how your afternoon off was,” he said, slipping his fingertips into the pockets of his khaki shorts.
“Fine.”
While waiting for her to say more, he moved across the expansive room, suddenly needing to shrink the distance between them. When she didn’t elaborate, he asked, “What did you do?”
“Does it matter?”
“Not unless you’re moonlighting at a topless gentlemen’s club,” he teased. “I’m quite sure it says something in the parenting handbook about that not being a positive influence on a preteen girl.”
As hoped for, Casey laughed. “No pole dancing for me, you’ll be relieved to know. Just a visit home. Sunday family dinner with my father and three brothers.”
“Three brothers?”
She nodded. “The youngest one is Bradley, named after the fighting vehicle. Middle brother is Colin, which came from General Colin Powell. And Norm—”
“Don’t tell me. General Schwartzkopf?”
“That’s the one.” She laughed.
“I sense a theme. Where did the name Casey come from?”
“I’m not sure.” She shrugged.
“Obviously the inspiration in naming your brothers came from the military. Didn’t you ever ask?”
“I was too busy trying to figure out where I fit in the all male environment.”
“I can’t help noticing you didn’t mention your mother,” Blake said.
“She died when I was about Mia’s age.”
“I’m sorry.” His parents wouldn’t win any awards, but at least he had them. He couldn’t imagine what she, or Mia, for that matter, had gone through.
“It was a long time ago.” Casey shrugged. “I’m all grown up now.”
He’d definitely noticed that. Her denim capris and sleeveless white cotton shirt were not especially sexy, except that she was wearing them. And every time he was this close to her, heat was an issue. It was July and hot enough to cook an egg on the sidewalk, but that didn’t explain his acute reaction to the nanny.
“Obviously you missed your mother,” Blake said.
“Why obviously?”
“Just an impression, I guess. What you said about fitting into an all-male world.”
She pressed her lips together for a moment as shadows flitted through her eyes. “It’s not easy for a girl to grow up without a female around.”
“Did that factor into your decision to accept this job? Or was it completely a favor to Ginger?”
One slender shoulder lifted in a careless movement, but the intensity in her expression was anything but casual. “Mia’s background, the loss of her mother, I’ll admit that had something to do with my decision.”
“Is your father a military man?”
“What was your first clue?”
“You mean besides naming your youngest brother after a tank?”
“Yeah.”
Her mouth curved up at the corners and amusement made her eyes sparkle. It would be so easy to forget she was the nanny, but if he did, he’d be at the mercy of his testosterone. That would make him ready, willing and able to act on the impulse to explore his fascination for her contradictions. She was, after all, the most feminine soldier he could imagine.
“My dad was a career army man,” she admitted. “He is retired now and works in engineering and maintenance at the Bellagio hotel.”
“Did your brothers all serve in the military?”
She shook her head. “None of them joined up.”
That was a surprise. “And you did? The only girl in the group?”
“Go figure.”
“It’s hard for me to imagine you in camouflage, carrying a rifle.” He shrugged. “Call me a sexist pig—”
“You’re a sexist pig.”
The words were teasing, but the shadows were back in her eyes, and he kicked himself for putting them there. She had peddled the benefits of counseling to him more than once, but a shrink would have a field day with her.
“Seriously, Casey, what made you join the army?”
“What made you want to be a lawyer?” she shot back.
Whoa. That had touched a nerve. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry. Military men and women sacrifice a lot to keep this country safe, and I’d never belittle that. You’re a natural with Mia and it seems a contradiction—”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
Her tension was visible and he wondered what was troubling her. She hadn’t reacted this way when she’d mentioned the family dinner, and she’d seemed sincere when she said her mother’s passing wasn’t a current tragedy. By a process of elimination, he realized it was his inquiries about the military that had triggered this reaction.
“I didn’t mean to offend you. But now that I have, maybe talking about whatever’s bothering you might help. You’re the counseling queen—”
“Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.”
“Have you?”
“What if I have?”
Not an answer, he noticed. At best it was an evasive maneuver.
Your Honor, permission to treat this witness as hostile. That wasn’t exactly the right word. Wounded was the one that popped into his mind when he stared into her big hazel eyes. He remembered thinking after knowing her for less than an hour that she had the sexiest mouth this side of heaven and the saddest eyes he’d ever seen. Something had happened to her when she was in the army. He’d bet his very successful law practice on it.
“If you have had counseling,” he said, “I mean, I’d advise you to get your money back, because there are clearly some unresolved issues that need dealing with. I’m not especially insightful, but I am pretty fluent in body language, and yours says that you’d rather have dental implants without Novocain than talk about this.”
Full-blown distress was apparent in her expression, and she looked ready to cut and run. It was his fault. In his own defense, he wasn’t used to a woman’s wounded looks. His ex had looked alternately angry and frustrated when he didn’t drop everything in the universe for a broken fingernail. Just before everything hit the fan, she’d simply looked bored.
And then she’d taken up with his best friend. Also an ex. One ex plus one ex equals two exes, algebraically speaking.
But this wasn’t about him. He was trying to help Casey and he had the most insane desire to pull her into his arms. He reached out his hand and curved his fingers around her upper arm, simply to touch her and offer comfort for the as yet un-talked-about something making her look as if she’d lost her only friend.
Her skin was soft and silky and warm. She felt delicate, so very vulnerable, and again he had trouble seeing her as a combat
soldier. She was a woman, a desirable woman. A really desirable woman who looked in desperate need of a hug.
Blake stared into her eyes as his pulse rate continued to head upward, and in the next moment he was pulling her against him. “Casey—”
Her eyes widened and she backed away from him as surprise pushed the sadness from her eyes. “I have to go check on Mia.”
“Of course. Yeah. Right.” He curled his fingers into his palm. “That’s a good idea.”
In a nanosecond she was gone, and he walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows and a spectacular view of the setting sun. The gold, orange, pink and purple in the sky were Mother Nature’s palette and a fitting backdrop against which to kick himself for what he’d almost done.
Casey was his employee and he owed her nothing but a paycheck. If she had personal problems, she had a support system to lean on. Ginger. Her father and brothers. Probably girlfriends. Even if it was about man trouble, something that didn’t set well with him, it was still none of his business. In the reflection in the windows, he saw Casey walk back into the room.
“Where’s Mia?” she asked.
He turned. “I already told you she’s in her room.”
“I just looked. She’s not there. When did you last see her?”
He’d seen her at breakfast and when Casey had said goodbye. “After you left, I was in the study working for a few hours.”
“What about after that?”
“I’ve been in here watching TV ever since,” he hedged.
“So you didn’t check on her at all?”
When she put it like that, he felt like the biggest jerk on the planet. Especially because he’d been relieved that his niece hadn’t demanded his time. “I figured she was studying.”
“For six hours?” She shook her head, and the pitying expression was back, laced with worry. “Obviously she sneaked out and there’s no telling how long ago. We have to look for her.”
“There’s a mall not too far away,” he offered. “Boca Park is pretty upscale. She might have gone there.”
“We have to start somewhere. She told me she’s not bothering to make friends at school, because it’s a waste of time since you’re only going to dump her.”
The Nanny and Me Page 4
