Tempting Mr. Wrong (Wrong Man) (5 page)

With one last glare at Lance, Carly finally acquiesced. “Okay, fine.” She walked to Lance and placed her hands on his arms. Oh, hello biceps! She shook her head. Not the time for that. “But we’re going to spend the next couple of hours going over everything you could possibly need to know.”

“What can go wrong?” he asked.

She gave him an I-can’t-believe-you-just-said-that look and began spouting off options. But Lance just grinned and leaned over to high-five Mya.

…

Lance now realized that high five with Mya may have been premature.

The finality of the door closing behind Carly had fear and anxiety rising in his throat. Few things made him nervous. Tornadoes, snakes, political unrest… Who knew he’d have to add kids to that short list. What in the hell was he supposed to do with a four-year-old? What was he supposed to say? Did he ask her questions, or did she need a nap or something?

Turned out Mya was ready to take the lead.

“You have big boots.” She pointed her little finger toward his feet.

“Uh,” he stumbled.

“I have boots, too. They have Hello Kitty on them. Why don’t your boots have Hello Kitty on them?”

“Well…”

“I’m four years old. How old are you?”

He cocked his head. “Thirty.”

“That’s pretty old.”

“I guess, but four is pretty young,” he countered. Vaguely, he wondered if they should go into the living room, but Mya seemed content to stand in the hallway.

“Nuh-uh. I go to preschool. My best friend is Penny. She has blonde hair and her family got a new puppy.”

“That’s cool.” He put his hands on his hips as he studied Mya. Her mind jumped from one thing to the next without warning. It was fascinating to him. She peered at him now, and he could sense more questions coming.

“Aunt Carly said you’re Korean.”

“I’m actually only half-Korean.” He leaned back on his heels.

“What does that mean?”

“It means that my dad is American, but my mom’s family is from a country called Korea.”

“Where’s Korea?”

“It’s all the way across the world. Do you have a map? I can show you.”

“Does she have to live there now?”

He shook his head. “Nope.” He took a breath. “She died a couple years ago.”

“Uncle Lance, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.” He crouched down so he was closer to her eye level.

Her smile faded. “You and my daddy were friends?”

“Yep. He was my best friend.”

She pulled on one of her pigtails, and Lance could tell she was considering something. But nothing prepared him for what came out of her mouth next.

“When are my mommy and daddy coming home?”

Lance had been screamed at and berated by one scary S.O.B. lieutenant colonel. He’d spent a night in a Mexican jail. Hell, he’d been held at gunpoint. Twice. But there had been no training on how to answer the question he’d just been asked. Panic. Pure unadulterated terror coated his veins as he remained unmoving, crouched in front of Mya as she patiently waited for him to answer.

When were her mommy and daddy coming back? Oh God. He stopped breathing. He’d assured Carly that everything would be fine. And he thought they would be. They’d watch some cartoons and he’d give the kid a sandwich.

He was not prepared for this scenario. What in the hell was he supposed to say? He didn’t want to emotionally scar her. Then he remembered something he’d heard somewhere. Something about telling kids the truth. He scratched his head as he tried to recall if he was supposed to tell kids the truth or hide it from them. Shit. He couldn’t remember. Making a snap decision, Lance went with the truth.

“Well, Mya, your parents aren’t going to come back.”

Her green eyes, so much like Chris’s—and Carly’s, come to think of it—widened. “Why not?”

Truth. He took a breath. “Because your mommy and daddy were in a car accident, and they died. That means they can’t come back.”

Mya dropped her head. Lance could see her lower lip starting to tremble.
Shit. Fuck. Shit.
Quietly, she whispered, “I know.”

You’re doing this all wrong.

But what the hell else was he supposed to do? If he said they were coming back, that would obviously be a lie. Wouldn’t that confuse her or something? When they never showed up again, Mya would be devastated. Or would she? At what age did kids stop believing everything you said?

He sneaked a peek at the console table by the door. His cell was right there. Maybe he should call Carly? Then he realized he couldn’t call Carly. What would she think? Time for plan B. “You know what I think?”

Mya raised her eyes, but her lip continued to shake. “What?”

“I think your mommy and daddy would want you to have some fun.”

She shrugged and then kicked at an imaginary spot on the floor.

“I think they would want you to play with your toys. I mean, unless you don’t have any favorite toys.”

Her head snapped up. “I do, I do. I have lots of favorites.”

“Okay. That’s good. Do you want to show me?”

She nodded vigorously and then reached up and took his hand. They ascended the stairs and easily found Mya’s room. Hard to miss with the enormous pink and purple letters spelling out
MYA
on the door. Carly had pointed it out the previous night on her tour, but he hadn’t gone in.

Pushing the door open, he stopped as his eyes were assaulted with what could only be described as more pink than he’d ever seen. It was like all the Pepto-Bismol in the world exploded and landed in this bedroom.

“This is my dollhouse,” Mya said, as his eyes adjusted. “And these are my stuffed animals. See, they’re having a party right now.”

“I see that.”

“Do you want to have a princess tea party?”

Lance hadn’t realized sweat had pooled on his palms. He wiped them on his jeans and studied the scene. He didn’t know what exactly a princess tea party consisted of, but he had a pretty good idea that he was not equipped for it.

“I have a better idea,” he said, improvising.

Mya seemed intrigued.

“Ever play army?”

He wiggled his eyebrows, and Mya giggled. Then they set in for an afternoon of fun, military style.

Chapter Four

Carly pushed open the door of her favorite coffee shop and was happily assaulted by the enticing aroma of caffeine and baked goods. She spotted her friend Anna flipping through a magazine at a corner table. Anna spotted her and held up a cup to signal that she’d already ordered Carly’s favorite drink—a caramel macchiato with extra whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate on top.

“Yay,” she said happily as she flopped down in the chair across from one of her former college roommates.

Carly, Anna, and their other friend Piper had been closer than Kelly, Jessie, and Lisa in
Saved by the Bell
when they’d been in college. Not much had changed since graduation, either. They all lived in the area. Anna had really helped her out since the accident.

She might look like your typical gorgeous model, with her jet-black hair and dainty features, but she’d really whipped Carly into shape by aiding her with spreadsheets for the monthly bills and helping out with Mya. Born in China, Anna had lost her parents as a young child before being adopted by an American couple. Carly suspected that Anna felt a kinship with Mya.

Carly took a sip of her coffee. “You are the best.”

“No problem. I’m so glad you were able to find a sitter after all. Although, I would have come over to the house.”

“I know,” Carly said. “I just didn’t want you to drive all the way over there.”

“So who’s with Mya?” Anna asked.

Carly took a deep breath and quickly filled Anna in on Lance’s arrival, water drenching and all.

“Oh man.” Anna couldn’t hold back a laugh. “I would have loved to have seen that go down.”

“It was definitely something,” she said, glancing at the time on her cell phone. She didn’t want to stay away from Mya too long. Just in case Lance couldn’t handle it.

Anna stuck a finger into the air.
“Wait a minute. Lance. Lance?”
She tilted her head in question. “Remind me who Lance is again.”

Carly ran a hand through her hair, her curls bouncing and settling around her face. “Lance was one of my brother’s best friends.”

“The one who lives in Virginia?”

Carly shook her head. “No, that’s John. Lance just got out of the army.”

Anna shot up into an alert sitting position. “I know who he is. Lance is that super-hot guy from Chris’s wedding. Isn’t he?”

“Guilty.”

“Oh Carly, why have you waited an entire day to tell me about this? Is he still as gorgeous as he was back then?”

Carly squirmed in her seat.

“Remember how much you guys danced and flirted and danced some more?” Anna grinned.

“Shut up. That was a million years ago.”

“Sure. That’s why you’re blushing.” Anna laughed.

“Whatever. He’s not here for me. He’s here to check up on Mya and make sure the house is in tip-top shape, which apparently it’s not. Who knew?”

Anna shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Um, everyone? That house was a huge fixer-upper. Of course it needs work.” She paused to sip her drink. “So is Lance under some kind of legal obligation to do this?”

“No, it’s not like that.” Carly told Anna about the letter she’d found for Lance. “Doesn’t surprise me, really. I constantly find things from Chris. Little sticky notes here and there. It’s nice. It’s comforting. Anyway, Anna, let’s talk about something else. What did you have to tell me on the job front?”

Anna’s eyes lit up. “This is good. You’re going to be so excited.”

She scooted forward in her seat, wondering what her friend could be about to say.

“Two words,” Anna said. “Young Heroes.”

Carly sighed. “My most favorite nonprofit in the world.” Young Heroes facilitated programs all over the country for kids of military families. They tried to get them involved in activities as soon as their families were relocated so they would feel less isolated and lonely. Carly had benefited from their services many times as a child.

Anna leaned forward and lowered her voice. “They’re hiring.”

Carly slapped the table hard and loud, causing several nearby patrons to look their way. “Shut the eff up.”

“Would I kid about this? One of my contacts told me this morning.”

Anna had contacts everywhere, a good thing considering she worked for an HR firm that helped to place people in jobs.

Under the table, Carly crossed two of her fingers. “Tell me it’s a development job.” If it was, Carly would die. It would be more than her dream job. It would involve raising money for an organization that had given so much to her. This could be her chance to pay it forward.

Anna paused before the smile spread on her face. “Development and fund-raising.”

Carly let out a high-pitched shriek but was silenced when Anna held up a finger.

“I got you an interview for this week.”

For the next thirty minutes, they talked interview, strategy, and all things that had to do with the nonprofit. When they were done, both coffee drinks had been consumed, along with two scones, three biscotti, and one fruit plate.

“Now, let’s get back to the good stuff. Like your homelife.” Anna offered a wink as she wiped the side of her mouth with a napkin and leaned back in her chair. “What’s he like?”

“Lance?”

Anna nodded, waiting patiently.

“He’s…” Carly searched her brain for the right word. “Regimented,” she finally said.

A one-syllable laugh burst from Anna’s lips. “Regimented?”

Carly chuckled. “I don’t know. He’s army so he’s really neat and tidy. Like, freakishly so. He’s kinda judgy about the house. He’s hot. He’s punctual.”

Anna threw her hand up in a stopping motion. “Wait, wait, wait. What did you just say?”

“He’s always on time. Like precisely. He got out of the army like five minutes ago and he’s already in Pine Springs. That must be some kind of military thing. My brother was the same. It’s so annoying.”

“That’s because you are time-challenged and you often drag your heels. But that’s not what I meant. What else did you say about Lance?”

Carly paused and tried to recall what she’d just said. “He’s a neat freak?”

“After that.”

“Oh, he has all these opinions on the house. What it needs, what it’s missing.”

Anna shook her head. “Nope, sorry, sister. You are not getting away with saying that Lance, your new roomie, is hot.”

Had she said that?

“Come on, Carly. You’re holding back the best part.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Anna leaned forward. “I was at your brother’s wedding. I remember the way you and Lance danced together. And I was your roommate at the time, too, so I remember how devastated you were when he just left you on the dance floor.”

“I think ‘devastated’ is a bit of a strong word.”

Carly relented. “Okay, that did suck. And it didn’t make sense. And okay, he’s still completely ripped. I mean, he looks like some kind of military model or something.” Carly grinned. “He’s tall and built and has these really sharp features. His eyes and hair are super-dark and kinda intimidating, but in this really compelling way.”

The earlier amusement faded from Anna’s face. “Oh shit, Carly.”

Carly waved her hands. “No, I’m just reminding you what he looks like because you asked.”

“Just like you would make me pore over his pics on Facebook when we used to cyber-stalk him back in the day?”

“I plead the fifth,” Carly said indignantly.

Anna sighed. “We basically have an attractive Asian military man. What’s he doing right now?”

“He’s with Mya. Lance is Mya’s godfather. They’re fine.” She hoped. Maybe she should just give them a quick call.

“Listen, Car, I love you and I love Mya. Just be careful with Lance. I don’t want you to fall for him again.”

She tried to pin her friend with an exasperated stare but Anna was unmoved. “I’m not going to fall for him. I barely fell for him last time. Besides, he’s not staying here forever.”

Anna’s eyes grew serious. “Even more of a reason to be careful.”

Anna was right. Of course she was. Carly would do anything to ensure that her niece had everything she needed.

And that didn’t include the hot military man waiting at home.

Carly couldn’t get the conversation with Anna out of her head as she drove home. Her friend knew her well. She did have a tendency to leap without looking, especially when it came to guys.

Not that Lance was interested. He’d made that crystal clear all those years ago at the wedding.

Resolved to put Lance Townsend out of her mind, she reminded herself that she had a really important interview coming up. An interview with the place she’d dreamed of working. She still couldn’t believe it.

Carly wasn’t sure what to expect when she pushed open the front door after her time at the coffee shop with Anna. But it certainly wasn’t silence. The Jeep Lance was renting sat next to the curb outside, so they hadn’t gone for a ride, which was a good thing since Mya’s car seat was in her car. She walked back to the kitchen but it, and the family room, were empty and no life was found in the backyard.

She made her way upstairs. Finally hearing Mya’s voice, she stopped right outside her bedroom. Peeking around the corner, she stopped cold, shocked at the scene in front of her. Mya’s bed was filled with what appeared to be every single one of her stuffed animals. On the floor across the room, behind a makeshift fortress of pillows, Mya and Lance were huddled together, along with Mya’s baby dolls. The two of them seemed to be in deep cahoots. Lance whispered in Mya’s ear, and she nodded with a determined expression on her face. Then he pointed at one of her dolls.

“Now,” she said. “Head to the west, draw their attention. Is that right?” she asked Lance.

“You got it. And while Princess Sofia goes that way, we’ll send these… What are their names again?”

“Princess Magnolia and Penny Butt.”

“Right,” he said without missing a beat. “Princess Magnolia and Penny Butt are going to cover that entrance where… What’s his name again?”

“Moo-Moo,” Mya said.

“Right. Wait, what? That’s a bear. Why is his name Moo-Moo?”

“That’s just his name,” Mya replied with a bit of annoyance in her voice.

Carly clamped down on a laugh as she watched the scene.

“Fine. The princess and Penny Butt will cover Moo-Moo the bear. And while the stuffed animal army is watching the dolls, we will enter right in the front of the fortress.”

Holy crap.
Lance was teaching her combat strategy. Moreover, Mya really seemed to be into it. Carly backed out of the doorway and pushed back against the wall of the hallway. Chewing a nail, she couldn’t help but think about her brother. Chris would have been all about this game. The thought made her smile.

Chancing a peek in the room, she took in Mya’s behavior. She was huddled with Lance again, no doubt reviewing strategy. Despite the serious nature of this game, there was something in her posture. The little girl appeared more relaxed, more at ease than Carly had seen her over the last couple of weeks. When she wasn’t watching the stuffed animal army, she was actually smiling. Did Lance realize the effect this game had on her?

Watching Lance with Mya filled Carly with such warmth, warmth she hadn’t felt in a long, long time. Despite her earlier reservations, Lance appeared to be a natural with kids. Hell, he was putting Mary Poppins to shame. Then everything seemed to happen at once. The dolls made a definitive push forward, obliterating the barricade sheltering the stuffed animals. Mya looked up at Lance with wide eyes.

“Did we win?” she asked, hands clutched together.

“Yep.” With that, he scooped her up in a big hug to the squealing delight of Mya.

“Give Princess Sofia a hug, too.” Mya shoved her favorite doll into Lance’s arms, and Carly had to stifle another laugh. Still, she waited, curious to see if Lance would play along. To her amazement, he didn’t miss a beat. Not only did he hug Princess Sofia, but he also hugged all of the dolls on the offensive.
Just like the real army
, Carly thought with an amused grin. Hugs all around, she was sure.

“That was fun,” Mya said, jumping up and down in place.

“You bet it was. You were really good at it. And you know what? Your daddy was good at it, too.”

Carly’s heart stopped.

“He was?” Mya asked, her eyes growing large.

Lance nodded. “Your daddy was one of the smartest guys I ever met. And one of the best soldiers, too. But judging by how fast you won this game, you’re even smarter than him.” He reached out and tugged on one of the pigtails that was currently in shambles as it had fallen down the side of her head.

“I’m a good soldier just like Daddy,” Mya said.

“No doubt. Should I be scared that you’ll attack in the middle of the night?” Lance asked.

Mya giggled, and Carly’s heart melted. Seeing the two of them bond like this was amazing.

Clearing her throat, Carly stepped fully into the room as Lance and Mya both looked over. She was surprised to see Lance jump at the sound even as his face turned a shade of light pink. His shyness was nothing short of adorable.

“Aunt Carly, Aunt Carly, we played a game, and I won because I’m the smartest.”

Carly repressed a laugh. She liked Mya’s interpretation of Lance’s earlier words.

“Everything work out at the coffee shop?” Lance asked with a quick glance at his watch. “Wow, I didn’t realize what time it was.”

“See, hanging with a four-year-old is so fun that you lose track of time.”

“It appears I lost track of cleanliness, too.” His gaze swept over the room that looked like a grocery store after the apocalypse. “Check out this mess.”

“I think that means you had a good time.” Carly turned to Mya. “I happen to know someone who bought ice cream and a package of chocolate chip cookies yesterday. You wouldn’t know anyone who would like to help make ice cream sandwiches for dessert later?”

“Me! Me! Me!” Stuffed animal forgotten, she dropped Moo-Moo the bear to the floor and ran to Carly’s side.

“That sounds like fun,” Lance said. “You should go help Aunt Carly.” Mya started to dart to the door but quickly turned back around and looked at the mess in her room. “Don’t worry. I’ll clean up the toys,” he said.