Pretend Mom (16 page)

"Yes, yes, I did. You and the boys
seemed to know that Bernie was going to ask me last night.
How?"

"He told me, and sorta asked my
permission, which I gave unconditionally. So, are you
nervous?"

"Nervous? I'm terrified, but happy.
Especially that you and the boys understand. I think your father
would have approved, too, don't you?"

"I know he would. We're all very happy
for you, Mom. And I seriously think this will be good for the boys,
too. They need a man around, and I'm sure Mike's not going to be
available for the rest of his life. He's bound to settle down soon,
too."

"I know, you're right. That boy needs a
family of his own. He needs a wife and mother for
Mandy."

"Now, enough of this mush. Why don't
you go freshen up for supper? I can finish up here," Dixie
hastened, knowing Emily had invited Bernie for supper,
too.

"Are you sure? I mean, I hate leaving
you to do everything. I seem to be constantly walking out on you in
the middle of something."

Dixie waved her out of the kitchen with
one hand and laughed. "Nonsense, I enjoy this. I haven't had much
time to dally in a kitchen, lately. I don't want to lose the few
skills I have."

Emily turned at the doorway. "I'll bet
if Mike were coming you'd be nervous."

Dixie reddened. It was the first time
Emily ever mentioned her and Mike. "Maybe," she said and
smiled.

Will strode through the kitchen,
passing his mother and dipping a finger into the chocolate cake
batter that she'd prepared and left waiting for the
oven.

"Stop that, young man," Emily scolded
lightly, from the hallway. "I know what you're up to."

Will frowned and glanced at Dixie.
"She's got eyes in the back of her head."

"I know, but honestly Will, we do have
company coming for dinner, so please."

"I know … I invited him."

Placing the salad in the refrigerator
and setting a few condiments on the table, Dixie whirled around
when what Will had said finally registered. "Him? Him who? You mean
Bernie, or Uncle Paul?"

"No, Dixie. I mean Mike, of course," he
answered matter-of-factly. "Didn't I tell you?" he asked seeing the
distraught look on Dixie's face. "He'll be over in a few
minutes."

He dipped another finger into the
batter.

Dixie swatted him on the head with a
dishtowel. "Tell me you didn't do that."

When he faced her he smiled broadly.
"Sure I did."

"How could you, Will Kincaid? Didn't
you know we were already having company?"

"Big deal. Uncle Paul!" Will shrugged.
"Besides, Mike's going to help me and Tom work on that old jalopy
in the garage. It might come in handy when we move. Anyway, we need
a referee with Uncle Paul coming, don't we?" His explanation wasn't
helping Dixie's heartbeat return to normal.

There was a noise out back, but Dixie
was too angry at the moment to care.

"Mike says we need to learn how to
drive. It would be an asset, living out in the real
country."

"I didn't think Mom would have to worry
about that for another couple of years."

"Well, you know how far outside of town
Bernie lives?" Will defended himself.

Ignoring Dixie's anger, Will dipped his
finger into the batter and then ran as Dixie chased him out the
back door, grazing him once with the damp cloth. Dixie followed him
until she ran into a thick wall of Mike Dalton's bare
chest.

Mike threw out his hands as a barrier
between her and the grease that was smeared all over him. He'd
already tackled the jalopy it seemed. "Hey, what's going on
here?"

"Watch her, Mike, she's dangerous,"
Will called over his shoulder as he escaped out the back
door.

Dixie's fingertips came in solid
contact with the smooth, sweaty surface of chest, sending a shock
wave of awareness through her. His skin was warm, and silky to the
touch, and her mind wandered for a fraction of a moment, wondering
what it might be like to run her fingers over more of him. She
seemed glued to the spot, the heat rising in her cheeks, as his
eyes fastened on hers with a gleam.

"Yes," Mike drawled with an
appreciative smile, "I think she is dangerous."

He strode to the sink and washed his
grease-smeared hands and arms, then took the dangling dishtowel
from her hands, and began wiping the grease off her. Mike seemed to
enjoy her unease.

"I can do that," she said, barely
breathing.

"I know, but it wouldn't be as much
fun."

Forcing herself back to reality, Dixie
grabbed the colander of potatoes in the sink then began peeling
them with trembling hands. She was so absorbed in the situation,
she didn't pay attention to her task and cut her finger.

Her muffled outcry had Mike moving
towards her again. Before she realized his intention, he was
putting his lips to her finger and gently sucking the blood from
the cut.

Dixie couldn't stifle the laughter, his
action was so melodramatic, and she had to laugh. "Does this make
us blood brothers?"

His eyes met hers, a mischievous smile
playing at his lips. "Among other things."

She jerked her hand out of his. "It's
all right now."

"Is it?" He raised a questioning brow.
"I seriously doubt it." Moving to go outside once more he suddenly
stopped by the door, "For either of us . . ."

Without another word Mike was gone.
Dixie stood staring after him for a long moment. She could hear him
talking with Will and Tom for a long while afterwards. Mandy was
out there with them, giggling and laughing as Will and Tom took
turns chasing her around the old jalopy. It all seemed so right for
him to be here, for Mandy to be playing in the yard with her
brothers, and happy. Forever, if they wanted.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Within the next few minutes the dinner
guests began arriving; Uncle Paul, Aunt Lucy, and their two
children, Grace and Joy. As spoiled as ever, the daughters roamed
through the old house curiously, getting into everything. They
instantly balked at the idea of saying hello to their
cousins.

Aunt Lucy was as aloof as usual,
displaying little or no interest in being there. Lucy was a lovely
woman of fifty-two or three, no one knew for sure, because she
didn't discuss age or weight with anyone. With a cluster of red
curls atop her head and an alabaster face, she resembled a china
doll.

Uncle Paul, who owned the local
downtown hardware store, was quite the prominent businessman.
Together, he and his wife had become part of the elite of the small
community. They were a striking couple, but Dixie often wondered if
they were happy together. After all, her uncle seldom smiled, and
her aunt seemed in another world altogether.

Each time Will or Tom came in the house
the girls would pester them until they sneaked out the back door
again.

Mike came inside, a few minutes later,
his shirt draped over his shoulder. He held his daughter's hand.
Ignoring the gasp from Aunt Lucy, he excused himself and Mandy to
the upstairs bathroom to clean up.

Dixie was setting the table when Emily
came into the kitchen garbed in a lovely floral print dress. Dixie
quickly informed her of their newly invited guests.

"Oh, how nice," Emily replied, then she
frowned. "Oh dear! Would you run up and place some clean towels in
the bathroom? I forgot to do it earlier and I can just imagine what
your uncle might say."

"Stop fretting, Mom. Of course I'll
take care of it. Besides, I picked out a little dress for Mandy
when we went to town the other day. I want to see how it looks on
her."

Dixie bumped into Grace on the way up
the stairs. "My goodness," Grace said, "did you know there's a
half-naked man in your bathroom?"

Dixie stiffened. "I wonder who it could
be?"

Ignoring Grace's mumbling, Dixie went
straight to the linen closet at the end of the hallway and took out
some towels and washcloths. The bathroom door was closed so she
knocked.

"Come on in, it's not locked," Mike
called.

Dixie opened the door. Mike was
shaving, while Mandy sat happily on the counter beside
him.

"Mom wanted me to stock the bathroom,"
Dixie said. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all. I found a razor in the
cabinet, so I helped myself. Do you mind?" he countered with a
charming smile.

"No, no, of course not. Mom left them
for the boys to use eventually," she said, moving away from his
disturbing presence.

Mandy watched them quietly, and then
burst out, "Can I use the razor, Daddy?"

"No, pumpkin, you won't need it for a
few years yet."

"Mandy, why don't we go in my room?"
Dixie said. "I've got something I'd like you to see. I bought a
dress for you, and I'd like you to try it on, okay? That is … if
your dad doesn't mind."

Mike watched her through the mirror,
his gaze searching her. "I guess that will be all right. Go ahead,
try it on, pumpkin, and let me see it."

"Okay, Daddy." Mandy brightened and
jumped into Dixie's arms.

When they reached Dixie's room, she
presented Mandy with a light blue ruffled dress.

Mandy's eyes widened. "For
me?"

"Yes, do you like it?"

"Uh-huh. Can I wear it now?"

"Yes, if it fits."

Dixie helped her change clothes then
took her to the big mirror on the other side of her closet so she
could see herself.

"I knew there was a little girl under
there," Dixie said through a bright smile.

"Can I wear it to church this
Sunday?"

"If your father doesn't
mind."

"Oh, boy!" She ran and kissed Dixie on
the cheek.

Minutes later, she paraded through the
small bathroom for her dad.

Dixie waited for his
reaction.

"You look beautiful," Mike said,
picking his daughter up for a big hug and kissing her on the cheek.
"But you shouldn't have, Dixie."

Dixie blushed, knowing she'd been a
little presumptuous in making the purchase for Mike's daughter.
"When I saw it in the window, I just knew it was her," Dixie said
with a big smile on her face. "Blue is definitely her
color."

"Can I go show Grandma Emily,
Daddy?"

"All right, but be careful, and don't
get dirty."

Amanda turned and gave Dixie a big hug.
"Thank you. Can I call you mommy, now? My mommy died, but I love
you, too."

Mike started to say something, but
Dixie smiled understandingly at Mandy as she hugged the little
girl. "Tell you what, why don't you call me Aunt Dixie."

Frowning, Mandy glanced at her father.
"Can't she be my mommy?"

"We'll talk about this later, pumpkin.
Now go show Grandma Emily the dress."

"Okay, Daddy. I love you, Aunt Dixie,"
she cried, and scampered down the stairs.

Dixie was choked with emotion. No other
child had stolen her heart so quickly or completely. A foot
suddenly closed the bathroom door, encasing them in the small
confines of the room, as Mike's glance devoured her.

"That was a nice gesture, on your
part."

"Why'd you do that?" Dixie asked,
nodding to the door.

"It's crowded enough with you trying
your best to get out of here. We don't need more distractions, do
we?"

He grinned, wiped his face, then
slipped an arm into his shirt as he turned to look at her again. As
she tried to make a fast retreat, his hand gently forestalled her
departure. "Are you deliberately dodging me?"

"No," she denied too quickly. "But we
have guests."

He nodded. "Yes, I know. I happen to be
one of them, remember?"

She pinked. "Will said you weren't a
guest, you were family."

He smiled and pulled her closer, too
close for Dixie's comfort.

"Will makes a lot of interesting
comments, sweetheart." Mike looked deeply into her eyes, the gold
motes of his eyes turning dark again.

The air swished out of the room, and
her heart seemed to stop.

"Yes, Will does …"

"He said he thought you were in love
with me."

Dixie panicked. "That … that's
obviously just the silly ramblings of a child, Mike."

"The truth through a child's eyes, huh?
Well, are you?"

"I really need to get downstairs, Mike.
Mom needs—"

"As soon as I get an answer, I'll let
you go," he said, flashing a wicked smile.

"Of course n …" She couldn't lie. Darn
that Will—why did he have to go and complicate things like this?
She licked her suddenly dry lips. "I s…suppose there's a certain
amount of physical attraction."

"Oh, I'd say there is a great deal of
physical attraction, on both sides, sweetheart. But that's not
exactly what we are talking about, is it?" Mike held firm as Dixie
squirmed to get away. "No love is a little harder to explain." he
continued. "It can be painful, wonderful, and frightening all in
the same breath. It can be exciting, cozy, and gut wrenching. It's
more than wanting a person physically. It's wanting them in every
way, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. It's the
attraction of not just the body, but the mind and soul,
sweetheart."