by Diana Tobin
Not to be out done, Ethan held a chair for Charley and took his seat at the opposite end from Michaela. He frowned at Dawson sitting so close to her, but got a warm feeling seeing her at the other end of the table with the “children” between them.
“Dig in,” Michaela urged.
Dawson reached for the tongs on the platter in front of him. “May I serve you, Micki?”
Ethan ground his teeth together. “She’s Mrs. Sparks, Dawson. Mind your manners.”
“It’s all right. My mother calls me Micki. Usually, I’m just called Mike.” She held the platter toward Dani, but Billy reached around for it.
“Let me take that, Miss Mike. Here, Dani. I’ll hold it while you get a piece.”
Bowls and platters made the rounds of the table and soon everyone was busy eating.
“Now, I know I’ve died and gone to heaven,” stated Dawson, licking his lips as he looked at Michaela.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying the meal, Ed.” A chorus of appreciation followed from the others at the table. “You won’t mind having clean up duty, will you?”
“Sure,” he said with a wink. “I’ll be glad to give you a hand.”
“Michaela doesn’t do the cleaning,” Ethan stated. Cliff Menzies, seated next to Billy Stone, chuckled and smirked at Dawson. “And, Menzies, you’ll help Dawson.”
“Aww, Coach,” Cliff whined. Then, he lifted his head and sniffed at the air. “Do I smell chocolate?’
Just then, a timer sounded in the kitchen, and Michaela rose from her seat. When she returned to the table, she calmly placed her napkin back in her lap and finished her meal. No one said a word, just stared at her, except for Charley and Dani who each had little smiles on their faces.
“Are you girls going to let us in on the joke?” asked Ethan.
Michaela met his gaze down the length of the table. “No joke. When Cliff and Ed have the kitchen put to rights we’ll have dessert.” She gave Ethan a smile so sweet he knew what he wanted for dessert couldn’t be shared with the others.
To take his mind off the wants of his body, Ethan asked, “Billy, did you get your schoolwork done?”
“No, sir. Not yet.”
“How about you, Dani?” Michaela asked. “Do you still have homework?”
“Yeah, a bit.” She glanced at the young man seated next to her.
“Would you like to study together?” Billy asked Dani.
“You can use my office area,” Ethan volunteered. The space was a very small room off the living room. “If that’s okay with Michaela.”
“It’s your house we’ve invaded. Charley, what about you?”
“I finished my homework at Grammie’s. Can we play a game?”
“You know how to play cribbage?” asked Dave Wells.
“A little.” She looked to her mother for confirmation.
“We’ve played a few times, it’s been a while,” Michaela said.
“I’ll get the board and cards,” Dave volunteered.
“Ethan, will you and Mama play?”
“Only if you’ll be my partner.”
Charley’s eyes got round. “We never played partners before. Oh, boy.”
“You didn’t play as a family?” Ethan asked Michaela.
Before she could answer, Charley said, “Daddy never played games with us. Sometimes, Brucie would. Mostly, it was Mama and me.”
“Now I’m really glad I claimed you for my partner,” he told the little girl.
“We doing partners?” asked Dave as he came back with the game. “Good. I get Miss Mike. Anyone cooks that good must know her way around a cribbage board.”
Michaela laughed. “I don’t think one has anything to do with the other, but I’m honored.”
Lars Jorgenson went off to his room to Skype with a family member, leaving the four at the table with their game. Cliff and Ed came to watch once they’d finished their kitchen chores, but soon drifted to the living room and the television.
Amidst good natured bantering and some squeals of delight Michaela and Dave beat Charley and Ethan by two points. “Sorry, kiddo. I was no help to you.”
“That’s okay,” Charley assured Ethan. “It’s hard to beat Mama. Do we get brownies now?”
“You bet.”
“I’ll get Billy and Dani,” Ethan offered. He didn’t make an effort to be quiet, but when he heard Billy’s question, he stopped in the doorway without making his presence known.
“Are you really fifteen? Mike looks too young to be your mother.”
Dani moved one shoulder in a shrug. “She’s not really our mother. She married our dad.”
“Did your parents get divorced?”
“No.” Dani sat quietly for a bit.
“I’m sorry, Dani. I didn’t mean to upset you.” Awkwardly, Billy patted her back.
“It’s okay. My mom died five years ago.” Briefly, she met Billy’s gaze. “It was an accident. Charley got a broken arm, so were my legs, and my mom…didn’t make it.”
“Oh, man.” Billy moved his hand across her back in an open armed hug. “Then your dad met Mike?”
Dani was shaking her head as she looked down at her lap. “She and my mom had been friends for years. My dad married her last year, and she adopted us.”
“Oh. Well. That makes her your real mom.”
Dani lifted her head to stare straight into Billy’s eyes. “No, it doesn’t.”
Ethan took two steps back then called out as he appeared at the doorway. “Hey, you two. Ready for dessert?”
“Sure,” agreed Billy instantly. “C’mon, Dani. You need a break.” Dani let the young man help her from her chair and guide her from the room. “You coming, Coach?”
“Yeah, be right there.” Billy’s comments barely registered, all he could think was Michaela hadn’t given birth at a much too young age. It shouldn’t matter to him, but it did. Charlotte and Danielle were orphans, yet Michaela had taken on the task of raising them. Because she’d always been in love with their father even though he’d married her friend? She must have loved him. She’d waited four years to become his legal wife after he’d become a widower.
What was so great about Denny Sparks to make a woman like Michaela want him? Other than being a whole man?
Then Ethan remembered hearing Michaela tell Dani she’d married her father for her and her sister. Was she truly that selfless? Was any woman?
This might explain why Dani resented her mother—step-mother—so much.
Michaela never referred to the girls as her step-daughters. Why?
Shaking his thoughts aside, Ethan went out to join the others, seeing the three females in a new light.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Mike sat in the blue faux velvet recliner, tipped up the footrest, took a sip of her wine, and leaned back into the cushy softness with a nearly inaudible sigh.
“You tired, Mama?”
“Yeah, honey, but I’m not complaining. Business has been picking up at the shop.” She smiled over at Charley. “With the Wolves away this weekend I only have to worry about meals for us.”
“I miss Ethan when he’s gone.”
“You do? We see him nearly every day.” He was driving her crazy. He found reasons to be in the kitchen with her, always touching her. A hand on her back, more of a caress, when he stepped past her. Letting his fingers linger over hers when she handed him something. The few times they were in his home alone he would nuzzle the back of her neck, wrap his arms around her waist, and pull her back against the long lean length of his body. Once, when he was sitting on a stool at the counter, he’d pulled her to stand between his spread legs, clamping her fingers at his hips. Then, he proceeded to make love to her mouth with his. Thank God she didn’t have to chop anything. She’d still been trembling with want and need halfway through their meal.
At least three times a week, after they’d eaten, he’d whisk Dani off for a skate lesson, bringing her home later. He’d walk Dani inside and find Mike, offering a progress repo
rt on the lessons and, better yet, long sweet kisses goodnight. Ethan left her in such a constant state of arousal she thought she might burst into flames at any moment.
“Mike? Can I talk to you?” Dani stood at the doorway frowning.
“Of course you can. Come sit down.” Mike patted the arm of the couch next to her. “Is something wrong?”
“No. Maybe.” She flopped back against the cushions. “Why bother? You’ll just say no.”
Lowering the footrest, Mike curled one leg under her in the chair so she was facing Dani. “I can’t say no if you don’t ask me.”
She bit her lip. “The Homecoming Dance is next Saturday.” Dani looked at Mike quickly before glancing away.
“And you want to go?”
Dani rolled her shoulder in a shrug. “Billy said he’d go with me if I wanted.”
“Billy. Billy Stone?”
“You don’t have to say it like that!”
“I didn’t…” Mike drew in a breath to speak calmly. “I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m just surprised. I had no idea you felt that way about Billy.”
This time, Dani rolled her eyes. “We’re friends. We talk about school all the time. He’s taking online courses, you know, so he can play hockey.” She picked at her chipped nail polish. “He’s always asking about what’s going on at my school and I mentioned the whole homecoming deal and he offered to take me. The Wolves don’t have a game that night.”
“Sweetheart, I think that’s a lovely idea.” Mike reached over to stop Dani from picking at her nails. “You know what this means, don’t you?”
“What?” Dani gave her a wary look.
“We need to go to Portland to find you a dress,” Mike declared with a huge grin.
“Really?” She spoke softly, as if not ready to believe she had permission.
Mike set down her wine glass to grip Dani’s hands. “This is your first formal dance. You’ve got to have a dress and shoes. We’ll get Rose to do your nails. Maybe a pedi, too.” Mike had to stop and swallow, but wouldn’t let the fear of rejection keep her from offering. “Will you let me do your hair?”
“My hair?” She stared at Mike. “You want to do my hair?”
“Only if you want me to.” Mike nodded her head enthusiastically. “Shall we ask Grammie to go shopping with us? I know you don’t trust my opinion.”
“I trust—”
“Where are you taking me?” Nettie came in the door with a rush of cold air. She set down her purse and took off her jacket. “Brrr.”
Mike looked at her mother across the room with misty eyes. “Danielle is going to the Homecoming Dance with Billy Stone and we need to find her a dress. I thought we could drive down to Portland Sunday and shop.”
“A girls’ day out. How lovely,” exclaimed Nettie. “Count me in.”
“I—uh, I’ve been saving my money from working for Grammie. Do you think I have enough for a nice dress?”
“I’m sure you do, sweetie,” said Mike, leaning back in her chair again. “You keep right on saving it. We’ll find you the right one.” She picked up her glass and took a sip. “Did you think I’d make you buy your own dress? That I wouldn’t do that for you?”
Dani stared down at her lap, giving a small roll of her shoulders.
“Honey, that’s what mothers do. I know you’d rather your real mom was here, but I consider it an honor to be able to do these things for you.”
“Thanks.” Dani swiped a hand across her cheek and Mike pretended not to notice. “How are you going to fix my hair?”
“That will depend on your dress. We’ll figure it out.”
Nettie came back in with a glass of wine and settled on the couch next to Dani. “Any good movies on TV?”
“Where’s Wil?”
“He had some work he needed to do and I thought I’d have an evening at home with my girls.” She curled an arm around Charley as the girl sat next to her. “It’s been a long time since I had a fun day of shopping to look forward to.” She looked over at Mike. “I believe your senior prom was the last.”
Mike gave a half-smile. “Surely, you went shopping with Lynn for hers.”
“Oh, that girl,” her mother said dismissively. “She said the only taste I had was in my mouth.” She patted Dani’s knee. “Don’t worry. I haven’t steered you wrong yet, have I?”
Dani leaned her head on Nettie’s shoulder. “Nope.”
****
Sunday morning the four of them were out of the house early and headed south. They stopped at a donut shop for breakfast. Dani insisted she and Nettie made better coffee, but the donuts were a nice change.
Mike was happy to see how well her daughter and mother were getting along. Even if Dani never fully accepted her, the teenager had bonded with the woman who was more grandmother to her than her own blood relation.
Mike hadn’t given birth to her daughters, but they were hers, all the same. She’d fallen in love with the two little girls from the moment she’d met them. Nancy Sparks had become Mike’s friend, but what cemented that friendship was Nancy’s daughters.
Nancy spent more time concerned about the type of wife she was rather than mother, in Mike’s opinion. There was no doubting the love Denny felt for his wife, which was returned in full measure. The problem had been Denny’s unwillingness to grow up and be the adult he should be, needed to be. Sure, he’d done right by Nancy, marrying her when he’d gotten her pregnant at a much-too-young age. Mike had often wondered if their marriage was legal since they’d lied about Nancy’s age. Nancy had a mother more concerned with her own needs than worrying about her teenaged daughter’s.
Denny was all about rebelling against his strict parents and having a good time. Not the best combination, considering the man had a wife and two children. By the time he’d realized he needed to grow up, it had been too late.
Mike had never been the party girl Nancy was. While she wasn’t a prude, she didn’t see the necessity of getting drunk, or high, to have a good time. Nor did she find dressing like a stripper in good taste. Rather than go out with Nancy and Denny, Mike would volunteer to stay home with the girls. She was happier curling up with the two little sweethearts watching Disney movies and having tea parties.
Of course, that meant she didn’t often meet men, other than the ones who came home with Denny. None of them had interested her, other than Bruce. He was a happy medium between Denny’s other friends. Bruce didn’t mind having a beer and a few laughs, but he was far from irresponsible. Mike thought Danielle and Charlotte were as much a draw for Bruce as they were for her. She knew Bruce would make a good father. Yet, she saw him as only a friend.
She had married Denny Sparks for the sake of his children. She didn’t plan to marry again. But, if she did, it would have to be best for the three of them. Not just for her and not just for Dani and Charley. Bruce would be good for the girls, but not for her.
The only man who’d ever made her heart pound and tempted her to think about indulging her own wants and needs was Ethan Reigh.
No one had ever kissed her the way he did. Made her shake with need the way he did. Good heavens! She’d been nearly ready to have sex with him up against a refrigerator. What had she been thinking?
She hadn’t. For the first time she’d been totally immersed in her feelings.
She thought he felt the same way.
Why hadn’t he asked her out? Granted, they’d had a few stolen moments together, but never any real time for just the two of them. Rarely did they talk about themselves. Instead, they spoke of her daughters, his hockey players, their games, or events around town. When they weren’t talking, when they found a few minutes to themselves, they couldn’t keep their hands, or lips, off each other.
The more she thought about it, the more Mike knew she wanted time alone with Ethan. Hours where there would be no interruptions. No one needing a meal, or a haircut, or help with homework. Time for them to explore what was happening between them.
She shivered as
Nettie’s voice broke into her thoughts. “The exit for the mall is coming up, Micki.”
“Got it.” No more dwelling on thoughts of a naked Ethan, she promised herself. This day was for mothers and daughters.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“You need this Micki.”
Mike looked at the reflection of herself in the shimmery blue dress with longing. “Not very practical for cutting hair.”
“There’s more to life than working,” stated Nettie. “One look at you in this dress and Ethan’s hair will curl…along with his toes.”
Mike turned back and forth in front of the mirror. The color made her eyes a deeper blue, much like the lake surrounding their town in summer. The vee of the dress showed off her long neck and a hint of cleavage. Just enough to be enticing. The fabric hugged her body to the waist before spilling into pleats that floated around her hips to above her knees. She felt feminine and pretty, and wondered what Ethan would think.
Sighing, she headed for the dressing room. “We’re here to find a dress for Dani, not to waste money on something that may hang in my closet forever.”
“Stubborn, foolish girl,” Nettie muttered, following close behind her daughter. “Dani has her dress. So should you. Now, we need shoes for you both.”
“Mom, I don’t need shoes to go with a dress I also don’t need. When would I ever wear them?” Carefully, she pulled off the lovely gown and slipped back into her jeans and sweater.
“You can wear it next time Ethan takes you out.”
“He has never taken me out.” Mike gathered up her purse, jacket, and the blue dress now on its hanger. “He’s never asked me on a date. Am I supposed to have a dress just in case?”
“What’s wrong with that boy? I thought he was smarter than that.” Nettie took the dress from Mike’s fingers. “If you won’t buy it, I will. And, you can ask him out, since he’s being so slow.” With her parting comment, Nettie headed for the cashier to purchase the dress.
“Mom,” Mike protested. “I can buy my own clothes.”
“Indulge me. It’s been a good ten years since I last got you something pretty.”
