The Daddy Secret

by Judy Duarte

  The question took him aback, especially with the new honesty-at-all-costs policy. But this one was going to be pretty easy to skate around. “Your mother has a boyfriend.”

  “Doesn’t that bother you?”

  Yeah, it bothered him. But what was he supposed to do about it?

  “As long as she’s involved with another man, dating her isn’t an option.”

  “What if she broke up with Brian? Would you take her to dinner or something?”

  Would he? That would mean he’d have to consider being a full-time husband and father. Could he do that?

  Could he at least try?

  Hank and Marie had shown him a side of family life he’d never seen before, the kind of home and marital relationship a husband and wife ought to have, the kind of love parents should have for their child.

  But how much did he dare tell his son, especially if honesty came first and foremost?

  “Yes, Lucas. I’d ask her out if she wasn’t involved with Brian. But I’m not going to chase after a woman who’s in love with another man.”

  Or a woman who didn’t want to be caught.

  Chapter Nine

  Rick had just finished treating his last patient of the day, a three-year-old cocker spaniel with an ear infection, when Kara informed him that Mallory was on the telephone.

  He wondered why she would call. Lucas had left on his bike at least twenty minutes ago, so he should have gotten home already.

  “Thanks, Kara. Tell her I’ll be with her in a minute.”

  Ever since Mallory had moved back to town, Rick was finding it harder and harder to get through the day without one interruption or another. And while he didn’t mind, he wasn’t used to having his receptionist being privy to his personal life, although Kara was discreet. Luckily, she’d also been pretty cool about the whole thing.

  He supposed he’d better get used to the interruptions. Something told him he’d be getting more calls when their son hit his teen years.

  Rick made his way to the phone in the hallway, just outside the exam rooms. “Hi, Mal. What’s up?”

  “Buddy’s loose again. He must have followed Lucas home.”

  Rick didn’t know how that could have happened. He’d hired a guy to rebuild Buddy’s pen so that the energetic pup couldn’t jump over it. He’d even had the bottom reinforced so he couldn’t dig his way out.

  “He ran into the house as soon as Lucas opened the front door,” Mallory said. “Can you come and get him?”

  “I’m just about finished here, so I can be there in about ten minutes.”

  After Rick hung up the phone, he continued to rest his hand on the receiver. How had the dog escaped? Had Lucas gone around to the back of the clinic and visited Buddy without Rick’s knowledge or permission? Had he opened the gate for some reason?

  That was the only logical explanation Rick could come up with. Lucas must have accidentally let the dog out.

  Surely he wouldn’t have done it intentionally.

  Either way, Rick would have to talk to him about it when he got to Mallory’s. He couldn’t risk having his rescue animals get loose. No telling what could happen to them, especially to Buddy, who didn’t have any street smarts.

  After he reviewed a lab test, he called the worried owner of a six-year-old Siamese and let her know the infection had cleared up completely. Next he took care of a couple of other things that needed his attention before asking Kara to close the clinic and lock up for the day. Then he went to Mallory’s, arriving at her house shortly after he told her he would.

  When she answered the door wearing a low-cut pair of stylish black slacks that hugged her curves and a fitted white blouse, she nearly took his breath away. But then again, hadn’t that always been the case?

  Today she’d swept her hair into a stylish twist, a silver clip holding it in place. She’d carefully applied her makeup, the mascara enhancing those pretty green eyes, the lipstick a kissable shade of pink.

  As he studied her, he inhaled her soft floral scent. Before he knew it, he became so caught up in her essence, in how great she looked, in how glad he was to be near her again, that it took him a moment to remember why he was even here.

  “Come on in.” She stepped aside.

  “You look nice,” he said. “Did you start work already?”

  “Thanks. I don’t start until a week from Monday, but I had a meeting with my supervisor earlier this afternoon.”

  He followed her through the living room, watching the sway of her hips, listening to the click of her heels on the hardwood floor.

  “Buddy and Lucas are in the backyard,” she said, pointing out the sliding door. “Did you bring a leash?”

  “I have it right here.” He pulled it out of his back hip pocket.

  When he dangled it from his hand, she tossed him a dazzling smile that reached her eyes. He could have gazed at the teenage Mallory all day long, but the grown-up version?

  It made a guy wish he could live the past ten years all over again.

  “At least Buddy stops here when he gets loose,” Mallory said. “And he’s not roaming the streets and the neighborhood.”

  “Apparently, he prefers your house over his pen at the clinic.”

  “You may be right, but I told you before. A smaller pet would fit my lifestyle much better. I do have to admit, though, Lucas sure loves that dog. And Buddy is crazy about him.”

  “Speaking of Lucas,” Rick said, “how’s he doing? He was pretty upset with you last night.”

  “Things seem to be better today. He’s not as talkative, but at least I’m not getting the full silent treatment. Hopefully, we’ll be able to put it all behind us soon.”

  The sliding door opened, and Lucas poked his head inside. “Hey, Mom. Did Dr. Martinez...” When he spotted Rick, he grinned. “Oh, there you are.”

  Rick returned his smile. “Under the circumstances, I don’t think you need to refer to me as Dr. Martinez anymore.”

  “Then what should I call you?” the boy asked.

  Rick supposed a man probably had to earn the right to be called Dad, which he would have felt weird suggesting anyway. “How about calling me by my name—Rick.”

  Lucas shrugged. “Okay.” Then he turned to his mother. “Can Rick stay for dinner?”

  “I...” Mallory glanced at the boy, who’d remained in the doorway, blocking it so the dog couldn’t come inside. Then she turned to Rick and blessed him with another one of those heart-stopping, brain-stealing smiles. “It’s fine with me. We’re having leftover spaghetti. I made enough to feed an army last night, so there’s plenty.”

  “Why so much?” Rick asked.

  “When I’m stressed or fidgety, I cook. So after you went home, I spent some time in the kitchen. I’d planned to freeze most of it so we can eat it on nights when I don’t feel like fixing dinner. But I didn’t have any suitable plastic containers yesterday. So I picked some up on my way home today.”

  “Are you sure you can spare an extra plate?” Rick asked.

  Mallory laughed, a mesmerizing sound he hadn’t heard in a long, long time, a blood-stirring lilt he’d really missed. “I can spare a lot of plates.”

  A bark sounded behind Lucas.

  “I gotta go,” the boy said. “Buddy’s waiting for me.”

  When they were alone, Mallory said, “It might be best if you eat with us tonight, anyway. Brian, my…boyfriend, is coming for a visit on Monday. So before he does, you and I should probably get some coparenting issues settled. And
it might be a good idea if we spent some time talking more to Lucas, too. He’ll probably have some questions for us, and I think it’s best if we addressed those sooner rather than later.”

  Before Brian’s arrival, she undoubtedly meant.

  There were a few things Rick would like to get squared away before then, too.

  Of course, he’d meant what he’d said to Lucas. He wouldn’t chase after a woman who belonged to another man. But if his instincts were right, Mallory hadn’t forgotten what she’d once felt for Rick. And she was struggling with a few old memories, too.

  That being the case, then maybe she’d reconsider her feelings for and her commitment to Brian.

  Trouble was, there wasn’t much time left. Monday was fast approaching.

  But there was dinner this evening. Maybe, afterward, Rick would suggest that they sit on the back porch and share a glass of wine or a cup of coffee. There was a full moon tonight. A lover’s moon.

  And as long as she stood there looking at him like that, like she wasn’t quite sure what to do with him—and with them—then Rick wasn’t out of the running yet.

  * * *

  For some reason, Mallory couldn’t quite bring herself to head into the kitchen and warm up the spaghetti. Instead, she continued to gaze at Rick. They seemed to be tiptoeing around the newness of their uncharted relationship, trying to put a name on it, she supposed.

  Were they friends? Coparents? Former lovers?

  Yes, all of that, she supposed. But there seemed to be more than that going on, too. But wasn’t that the way it had always been between her and Rick?

  Ever since she could remember, and maybe before that, she’d been drawn to strays, whether they were dogs or cats or kids no one wanted to sit with in the school cafeteria. So it really hadn’t been any wonder she’d been attracted to Rick Martinez, the boy who’d been most likely to end up in jail.

  Of course, his bad-boy reputation had made her a little uneasy, but she’d found it alluring, too. Those amazing blue eyes, that crooked grin and that sexy, James Dean swagger had sent her hormones raging.

  She’d denied the sexual attraction at first, telling herself he was off-limits for a girl who was determined to attend college back east. But the feelings had grown steadily stronger, especially when he appeared to be making some major changes. And in spite of her reservations, their romance had soared.

  But then it had crashed and burned, she reminded herself. And she’d been leery of getting involved with strays and rebels ever since.

  “I’m going to warm up dinner and set the table,” she said.

  Rick nodded toward the sliding door. “Unless you need some help in the kitchen, I think I’ll go out and talk to Lucas.”

  “Go ahead. I’ll let you know when everything is ready.”

  He nodded, then let himself outside.

  She watched him go. To be honest, she was still drawn to Rick. And that was a problem, especially if she was considering marriage to another man. But each day she spent in Brighton Valley, each time she and Rick crossed paths, it became more and more evident that she couldn’t continue to plan a future with Brian until she resolved a few issues left over from the past.

  So how did she go about telling Brian that he shouldn’t make such a big move, at least not yet? And maybe not ever?

  He was going to assume her hesitation had something to do with Rick, although that wasn’t entirely true. It’s not as though she’d chosen one man over the other.

  Rick had a questionable past. And his family history had always been a bit worrisome to her grandparents.

  It ought to worry you, too, Grandpa had often said back then.

  Mallory supposed it had worried her, too. Rick’s father had abandoned the family when he and his brother were young. And his uncle, who’d taken them in after his mom had died, had spent time in prison for domestic violence. His younger brother had even run away from home and had never been heard of since.

  Rick, of course, had made something of his life. But would he snap? Would he ever revert back to the way in which he’d been raised?

  She’d asked herself that when she’d been pregnant with Lucas, although that question didn’t hold much water these days. Not when Rick had made so many changes and had done so much with his life.

  How could she not be proud of him now?

  No, like it or not, she was going to have to tell Brian that she needed some time to get settled into her new life. She would then suggest that he put that job transfer on hold for a while. If he decided to break up with her over it, then so be it. She’d just have to deal with that.

  And if Rick...

  Well, she’d just have to worry about Rick later, too.

  Right now, Rick Martinez was the least of her problems. Because first she had to talk to Brian. And that would have to take place on Monday—in person and face-to-face.

  * * *

  Rick stood on the porch for a while, watching Lucas and Buddy play ball. Finally, he approached his son.

  “Lucas, I need to ask you something. And I want an honest answer. Did you let Buddy out of his pen today?”

  The boy was just about to launch the ball across the yard, but stopped in midthrow. He turned to Rick and said, “Yes, I let him out.”

  Rick raked his hand through his hair. He really ought to scold the boy, especially since Buddy could have been hit by a car. But maybe Lucas hadn’t meant to let him out.

  “How did that happen?”

  “I...” Lucas bit down on his bottom lip. “Well, I hope you don’t get mad about this, but I let him out on purpose.”

  “Without my permission?”

  “I’m sorry, Dr. Martinez. I mean Rick. But I was trying to help. And Buddy stayed right beside me. He didn’t even need a leash because he likes to be with me all the time.”

  Rick wanted to clamp down on the kid, to tell him that he was way out of line. Maybe he should go so far as to prohibit him from coming to the clinic and playing with Buddy for a while—or at least from visiting the rescue yard. But he hated to come down too hard on him. After all, they were just getting to know each other.

  Shouldn’t they become friends before he started to discipline him?

  “What did you mean when you said you were just trying to help?” Rick asked. “Who was in trouble this time?”

  “You and my mom. Remember when Buddy got out that first day we moved here and ran into our house with muddy feet? It brought you guys back together. And I thought, if he came home with me and I let him into the house again, you would have to come and get him. And then she’d invite you to stay for dinner. And she did.”

  “Actually, you invited me. And she just said it was okay.”

  “Well, it worked, didn’t it?” Lucas looked up at him with such a bright, hope-filled expression that it was hard to get angry at him, even though his whole goofy ploy had been stupid at best.

  Nevertheless, it was crazy. And it didn’t make a lick of sense. Rick clicked his tongue and slowly shook his head. “I don’t get it, Lucas. I thought you were mad at your mom—and at me.”

  “I am mad—mostly at her. But that doesn’t mean I don’t love her. Or that she isn’t my mom and you aren’t my dad.”

  Rick had to give his reasoning some thought, especially since he seemed to think that he could be angry at someone yet not yell and scream or run away. Yet beyond that, he’d also been trying to see his family come together again.

  Poor kid.

&n
bsp; Buddy barked, then ran to the sliding door and barked again.

  “What’s the matter, boy?” Rick followed the dog to the glass slider.

  When he saw Mallory walk to the front door, he realized someone must have knocked. He didn’t think anything about it until Lucas said, “Uh-oh. What’s he doing here? He’s going to ruin everything.”

  Rick watched as Mallory welcomed a tall, fair-haired man into the house.

  “Who’s that?” he asked, although he had a pretty damn good idea who it was.

  “It’s Brian. And he’s not supposed to come until Monday.”

  Mallory had told Rick the same thing, but apparently the guy had surprised her. It looked like the surprise was on Brian, though.

  Or on Mallory.

  But maybe the biggest surprise of all was on Rick. Because, as he studied the guy through the glass door, as he noted the stylish slacks and shirt, the broad shoulders, the muscular arms....

  For some reason, Rick had thought that Brian was a nerd—probably because Lucas had led him to believe that. But Brian was every bit as handsome and well-built as Mallory deserved.

  So if the guy wasn’t into sports, as Lucas had said, how’d he get so muscular?

  Well, Rick wasn’t going to find out by hanging around outside with Lucas and the dog.

  “Maybe we ought to go inside and get the introductions over with,” Rick said.

  “I don’t have to. I already met him, so I’m going to just stay out here with Buddy.”

  Rick took another peek inside, watched as Brian brushed a kiss on Mallory’s lips, grimaced as his gut twisted and his fists clenched at his sides.

  Damn. Mallory was just as out of his reach now as she’d ever been.

  He probably ought to forget the dinner invitation. In fact, a nice guy would slip the leash onto Buddy’s collar and take him around the side gate, let himself out and walk home, with no one the wiser.

  But sometimes Rick just couldn’t seem to kick the rebel he’d once been.