Doorstep daddy (23 page)

_{"I forgot we had to put a costume together tonight," Richard said. "The play's tomorrow."}

_{"You've been a little busy," Callie said, excusing him on his own behalf. "But a squirrel rolling around in the mud isn't a bad idea. It shows he's playing, instead of working hard like he should be."}

_{"You mean I have the body of it solved?" Richard asked, his tone excited.}

_{"I think we could get away with it." She set Mark on the table and said, "Now don't fall off, big guy,"
before turning to Jay. She pursed her lips. "The mouse ears have to go."}

_{Jay flung the hat across the room. "Yippee!"}

_{"We'll make whiskers, instead, from a brown paper bag, and he can tape them on his upper Up."}

_{"I'll get the bag," Amanda said, going into the utility room where they were stored.}

_{"He still needs a tail," Richard said. "And this one hurts."}

_{"He does... Mark, no." CalUe snatched the toddler up as he tried to get down from the table.}

_{"I knew he'd do that," Richard said, shaking his head. "That's why I didn't let him up there in the first place."}

_{"Oh, I knew he'd get bored and want to get down," Callie said, then planted a kiss on the toddler's belly. Mark squealed with laughter. "I was waiting for it. This way he's discovered it isn't as much fun as he thought and he won't be trying to get on the table all the time like before."}

_{Richard bowed. "The master at work once again." "The lording-it-over-everyone-else at work again," Callie said.}

_{Richard frowned. "Where did that come from?" "An w/rwise woman." She waved her hand in dismissal.}

_{At least she knew Gerri was an unwise woman, even if what she said hung on like the last tree leaf. She turned her attention to Jason.}

_{Within twenty minutes they had whiskers on the boy and a tail that didn't hurt. Callie reminded Jay to tell his teacher he was Ding-Dong, the squirrel who played in the mud, rather than gathered nuts. Jason actually liked the notion.}

_{After Amanda went to her room, Jason hit the shower and Mark was put to bed. All the kids were content with having solved a family crisis together. Richard looked very happy. Callie felt a satisfaction she didn't find anywhere else.}

_{That gave her pause.}

_{Richard ushered her into the living room, where they could be alone. "I know you didn't come over to help with a squirrel costume."}

_{"I came to apologize for what I said the other night on the phone." She knew she'd been too harsh in her assessment of his interest in her - even if, deep inside, she believed it.}

_{"But you still think it's true," he guessed shrewdly.}

_{Callie sighed. "Yes, but you don't. That's what matters."}

_{"Callie, why do you think everything will be taken from you if you find yourself involved with someone? Someone like me with a ready-made family?'' His voice was earnest, his gaze even more so.}

_{Callie glanced away, unable to look at him directly. "Because it would. Because I would allow it."}

_{"Then why can't you look me in the eye when you say it?"}

_{She glanced back involuntarily, startled by his words.}

_{"Maybe it's something you don't truly believe, either," Richard said. He cupped her cheek. "I'm not after you for the kids. I promise you that. I'll muddle through like I would have tonight."}

_{"Jason would have been a dirty squirrel with a bad butt," she replied, chuckling, although his words about what she believed bothered her.}

_{"So he would have muddled through, too." Richard
kissed her mouth lightly. "I should be annoyed with you for what you're thinking. But I understand it."}

_{"I don't." Her sister's disapproval flitted through her mind. Instead of weakening her resolve, it strengthened it. "Maybe we could try a dinner together."}

_{He smiled and kissed her again. She melted against him, the hard wall of his chest crushing her breasts. Her nipples grew hard in response. Desire flowed through her veins, heating her body.}

_{He raised his head. "Dinner would be great."}

_{"Just don't use my sister as a baby-sitter. Ever."}

_{"Why? Did she complain?"}

_{Callie snorted. "She always complains."}

_{"No problem." He traced his finger down her cheek, sending shivers of delight along her nerve endings. "Stay awhile."}

_{"The neighbors will talk," she murmured, stretching up to kiss his cheek, his forehead, then his mouth.}

_{"I don't give a rat's behind about the neighbors."}

_{"That's wonderful to know," she murmured happily.}

_{He pulled her closer. She knew she should stop things, but she didn't care. She felt as though a door long closed had been opened finally. A door she needed to have opened by Richard.}

_{R
ichard was contemplating
suicide when his telephone rang.}

_{It was an idle thought, he admitted to himself. He had no clue where to get a baby-sitter now that Gerri was off the A list. He'd find one before he turned eighty. The trick was, would Callie wait that long? He finally picked up the receiver. "Hello?"}

_{"Richard? It's Jared - your cousin Jared Holiday. We ran into each other at the ball - "}

_{"Of course." Richard grinned. "Hey, it's great to hear from you."}

_{"I'll bet you didn't think it would be this soon. I want to keep in touch, believe me. This family has ties so loose the bow falls right out of it."}

_{Richard chuckled. "No kidding."}

_{"How are the kids?"}

_{"Good." He thought about Jason's turn as a lazy muddy squirrel. The kid had had a ball with the part, despite his complaining the night before. "Very good, as a matter of fact. Two are at school at the moment, and Mr. Mark is down for his nap. It's a great moment in a man's life. How are you doing?"}

_{' 'Not as good as you obviously. Cousin Michael talks a lot about when his kids are off with projects or friends. He lives for those moments, I think, which scares the heck out of me about having children. I suppose I'd be thrilled for a few spare moments if I had six like he does."}

_{Although Richard had only half that amount, he com-}
¹
_{miserated. "I know where he's coming from."}

_{"I bet. Listen, Allison is hosting the family Christmas party this year. We want you and the kids to come, to be part of the newly reorganized Holiday clan. Peter, Michael, Raymond and I have gotten pretty close since we found wives. I know everyone wants to see you again - and especially the kids, under better circumstances than the last time."}

_{"We'd like that." Richard shook his head while thinking of all four cousins giving up bachelorhood in
(
the same year. "This early, I've got every night free, so just tell me when."}

_{"That's why Allison wanted me to call you now. How about December twelfth?"}

_{"Sounds fine to me," Richard said, flipping up the wall calendar near the telephone. He marked off the date. Most of his other days were free, too, as he'd surmised.}

_{"Bring that pretty lady of yours," Jared added. "Allison thought she was terrific. So did I."}

_{Richard smiled, pleased that his long-lost cousin had liked Callie. "I think she's terrific, too." He paused for a moment. "Jared, you're married... Can I ask you something?"}

_"Sure."

_{"Do you understand women?"}

_{Jared roared with laughter. "Hell, no. That's the fun of it. Why? Is Callie confusing you?''}

_{"Does the sun rise every day?" Richard countered.}

_{"Man, have I been there. I can see you need help. Let me make a few phone calls and I'll ring you back."}

_{"Okay." Richard hung up. Jared was a busy man now that he'd launched his own practice. That was good. He thought of his mystery-of-life question regarding women. The creatures
were
confusing. At least he knew he wasn't the only one confused, which was a relief. Maybe he shouldn't question why Callie had reversed herself and was not willing to pursue a relationship. Maybe he ought to just concentrate on convincing her that her fears were unfounded.}

_{But first he had to get a baby-sitter.}

_{When the telephone rang again, Jared was on the other end.}

_{"I talked to the guys," he said. "We'll be over this evening. Early. Raymond's got to get to bed before nine."}

_{"What guys? What bed?" Richard asked, totally confused.}

_{Jared snorted with amusement. "You need help, my
friend, about women. Trust me on this. A little moral support among males keeps us from being total idiots when it comes to the opposite sex. Ray's got a wake-up call for four in the morning because his radio show starts at six. That's the bed part. We'll see you later. We're looking forward to it."}

_{At seven that evening Richard found himself surrounded by moral support in the form of his four cousins, whom he hadn't seen in years, except briefly at his brother's funeral. To say he was confused was an understatement, but he liked the four men seated at his kitchen table. The deep satisfaction he sensed in his cousins - as if each had found the core of himself - intrigued him.}

_{"Jared says you're confused about a woman," Michael began after they were all settled with beers. "We're here to see you through it."}

_'
⁴
_{Jared is kind to do th - '' Richard began.}

_{"Jared's an attorney," Raymond interrupted. "He's never kind."}

_{"Thanks," Jared muttered, shooting his cousin a dark look. "And to think I like you." Raymond just grinned.}

_{"Listen, love is easy," Peter said. "There's no cure for it. I know. I've tried."}

_{"Just keep a little perspective on the situation," Michael said. "But not too much. I think I went into shock when I met my wife, because I went way too far the other way. Thank God, Janice is sensible."}

_{"Callie's sensible, but I don't know about love," Richard replied, pondering the emotion. Maybe Peter was closer to the mark than Richard had ever considered when it came to Callie. Could he be in love with her?}

_{Or could he be in love with the way she'd helped him out? Was there a difference?}

_{"None of us knows about love," Raymond said. "Either you are in love or you aren't. Just don't fight it, whichever way you are."}

_{"Now there he makes a point," Jared observed.}

_{"I think my situation's different," Richard said, confused.}

_{The four cousins laughed.}

_{Now thoroughly confused, he said, "No. Really."}

_{He explained about Callie's having to raise her younger siblings and how she feared falling back into that and being kept from meeting her goals.}

_{"No difference from ours, trust me," Peter said when Richard was finished. The others nodded, knowing expressions on their faces.}

_{Richard gaped at their assuredness.}

_{"Women are...unique," Michael said. "But their concerns are the same as ours."}

_{"I'd love to study women's physiological chemistry," Peter said. "I bet it's all over the place."}

_{"I made a list of my wife's quirks," Jared mused. "She threw it out."}

_{"Don't even get me started about Holly," Raymond said of his bride. "You have no clue how unique she can be."}

_{Richard wanted to dispute that. The man had never met Callie. "Well, it may all be a moot point. I can't even get a baby-sitter so I can take her out to dinner."}