Wish on the Moon (2 page)

George emitted a low whistle. "Are you
going?"

If her father didn't want to see her, that
made a difference. Her presence could upset him as much as help
him. Could she trust Mitch Riley's judgment? "I don't know."

Her friend's voice was gentle. "You make your
own decision, babe. But think about how you're going to feel if you
don't go and something happens to him."

She leaned her head against the back of the
chair. "I know. But there's Mandy."

"Anne and I will take care of her."

"I won't leave her for more than a few
days."

Mitch sat forward and interrupted, his
posture conveying his urgency to clear any obstacle in her path.
"There's no reason you can't bring her along. There's plenty of
room at the house."

"I'm not concerned about the amount of room.
I'm concerned about Mandy's sense of security."

"Certainly, a week or so--"

She shook her head vehemently, suspecting he
hadn't had much experience with children. "When Mandy's father
died, she withdrew. I won't take the chance that anything like that
will happen again." Laura looked at George. "I'm going to ask
her."

"You're going to consult a four-year-old on a
decision like this?" Mitch's expression said he thought Laura
belonged on another planet.

"I'm going to find out how she feels before I
make any decisions." She called, "Mandy? Come here please."

Her daughter came running, using a step
between a hop and a skip. "He came in!"

Laura turned her daughter away from Mitch and
pulled her up onto her lap. "Your grandfather's sick."

"You mean the man in the picture
upstairs?"

"Um hum. I'm thinking about taking an
airplane to go see him."

"Does he have a cold?"

"It's worse than a cold."

"Is he gonna die like Daddy?"

"I hope not. But I want to know how you feel
about going with me."

"George and Anne can't come?"

"No, poppet. If you don't want to go, you can
stay with them."

Mandy played with the hem of her Princess
tee-shirt. "An airplane flies in the clouds."

George said, "You can tell everybody at
preschool what they look like up close." He added, "If you go with
your mom, she won't have to rush back because she won't be lonely
with you there."

Laura gave him a dirty look. She didn't want
Mandy to know guilt.

Mitch spoke up in a gentle voice and smiled
at her daughter. "Mandy, you and your mom will stay in a big house
with lots of rooms to explore. There's a great big yard with a pond
and a stream."

Laura drew her eyes away from Mitch,
remembering every inch of the backyard--the birdbath where she'd
watched blue jays play, her treehouse, the bench where she and her
mom had had long talks.

"What's 'explore' mean?" Mandy asked.

Mitch was at a loss for a moment. "It means
to...look at, walk through, touch things."

"Do you live there?"

"I stay sometimes."

Mandy looked up at her mom. "Can I take
Puffball?"

Laura exchanged a look with George. When he
shrugged, she responded, "I don't see why not."

The doorbell rang. Mandy said, "I'll get
it."

George took her hand as she hopped off
Laura's lap. "We'll both get it. It's probably the pizza."

Laura said to Mitch, "I hope the cat's not a
problem. She's declawed and doesn't go out."

He stood. "If that's what it takes, you can
bring a zoo."

She stood too and tipped up her face, feeling
a definite disadvantage. Tall men usually gave her the feeling of
protection and well-being. Doug had been a tall man, though he'd
never been protective. After Mandy was born, Laura had often
wished...

She cut off the thought. Maybe Mitch Riley's
height was intimidating because she sensed there was so much
restraint keeping him reasonable, cool, and polite. He was the kind
of man she'd never been attracted to. She supposed it was because
those qualities belonged to her father, too.

Trying to bridge the gap between them, she
explained, "Mandy latched onto Puffball after Doug died. The cat's
her security blanket." The cool look left Mitch's eyes. Impulsively
she took advantage of the softening. She was grateful for Mitch's
concern for her dad and wanted to express her thanks. "Would you
like to stay for supper? Pizza, salad, and butter pecan ice
cream."

"No, thank you. I have some arrangements to
make. If I can get a ticket for Mandy, we'll be leaving on the two
o'clock flight. I'll call you in the morning to confirm it."

He was distancing himself again, making sure
she knew this wasn't a social occasion but a favor he was doing for
Ray Applegate. Fine. That was okay by her. They could remain
strangers if that's what he wanted. She could be as polite as he
could. "Do you think Mandy's ticket will be a problem?"

"I'll get it if I have to trade ours in for
first class."

"I can't afford--"

"I'm paying. This is my idea. I'll take care
of it."

She responded quickly and firmly. "No. I
don't take handouts. We pay our own way."

He took a few steps closer until they were
toe to toe. She smelled leather intertwined with spicy cologne and
a heady more masculine scent that made her want to step even
closer, despite her conclusion he wasn't her type. Then he
spoke.

"Being a rebellious teenager might have
worked when you were sixteen, but the stakes are higher now. Think
about that."

He stepped away as quickly as he'd
approached. "I'll call you in the morning."

Without a backward glance, he walked to the
door, said good-bye to George and Mandy, and left.

***

When Mitch saw Laura and her entourage to the
side of the airline counter, his body tensed. The one-piece
turquoise jump suit fit her curves like it had been sewn on. It
wasn't tight, but it clung to all her dips and bends. And that
hair--loose, fluffy, damnably sexy. What would a handful feel like?
Smell like? It hid her face as she bent to talk to Mandy.

Guilt stabbed Mitch. He'd been unreasonably
sharp with Laura yesterday. He hadn't slept well since Wednesday
because he'd been so damned worried about Ray. But that was no
excuse. He had no right to condemn Laura, despite his reservations
about her character.

Glancing at the group again, he supposed the
dark-haired woman with George was Anne. What was their connection
to Laura? Were they a couple? Or were George and Laura
involved?

Mitch strode toward them, not liking George's
proprietary air with Laura but not taking time to analyze why. He
sighed. Laura. She was going to be difficult all the way. He should
have expected it. When he phoned her this morning to tell her he'd
pick her up, she coolly informed him she'd meet him at the airport.
It would have been more practical for them to drive into Cleveland
together, but at this point he didn't care.

Her history reminded him so much of his
brother Carey's. Listening to the stories Ray had told, Mitch had
assumed Carey and Laura were two of a kind. If she was as
unreliable and headstrong, he just wanted to get her to York for
Ray's sake, then send her back to Independence before she caused
trouble.

Ray had said she'd been spoiled and wild.
Mitch couldn't understand the idea of any child throwing away a
father's love, wealth, and a stable future. Laura had been foolish
and irrational. Mitch hoped she cared about Ray enough to put him
first this time.

Mitch reached the group and Laura introduced
Anne.

Mitch nodded. "I'm glad you're on time."

Laura took her poncho in multi shades of rose
from George's arm. "Punctuality's one of my virtues."

Mitch stifled the urge to ask if she had any
others and directed his attention to Mandy. A streak on her cheek
looked like the path of tears. His insides tightened. He hated the
thought of a child feeling sad or hurt.

He crouched down to meet her at eye level.
"Are you ready to fly?"

"Puffball's lonely. She can't ride with me.
We had to give her to a lady."

He addressed Laura. "Do you want me to see
what I can do? It's a short flight. Maybe they'd let her--"

With a warning look, Laura shook her head.
"This flight is too booked for Puffball to stay with us. I showed
Mandy the hands on my watch and she understands when she'll see
Puffball again."

"Mommy says people ride with people and cats
ride with cats."

Evidently Laura had settled the matter with
Mandy. Mitch didn't want to upset the balance. He stood.

Anne said to Mandy, "Let's visit the ladies'
room one last time." She took the child's hand and led her
away.

George mumbled, "I'll get her a candy bar to
take along," and headed toward a group of vending machines.

Laura smiled. "I guess they thought we might
want to talk. I hope I prepared Mandy for everything on the drive
here. She asks so many questions. Is there anything I should know
that she shouldn't hear?"

He wondered if the reason Laura hadn't wanted
to ride with him was really to allow her to answer her daughter's
questions in private. "It's hard to believe she was ever withdrawn.
She's such a bubbly child."

"When Doug died, she cried constantly. She
stopped talking. She wouldn't eat. I'd lost him. I was afraid I'd
lose her."

Mitch tried to hold himself aloof from the
pain in Laura's eyes. But he couldn't. It touched an empty part of
him, a part his father had damaged long ago. "What did you do?"

"I held her, talked to her about Doug, took
her for walks. George bought Puffball and after that she perked
up."

"You knew George then?"

"He worked with Doug."

Had she been involved with many men since her
husband died? According to her father, in her teens she had gone
through boyfriends like milkshakes. It didn't matter. It wasn't his
business.

Laura touched his arm. "So is there anything
I should know before we arrive in York?"

Her fingers seemed to scorch him through his
suitcoat. "Just that I don't want Ray to get upset. You're there to
reassure him, not to make his blood pressure soar," Mitch said more
tersely than he'd intended.

She looked horrified and snatched her hand
back. "I would never do that."

He could still feel the imprint of her
fingers. "I'm just concerned for Ray's health."

Her chin tilted up mutinously. "Look. I don't
know what kind of person you think I am, but I wouldn't do anything
to hurt my father. I'm making this trip to see him through his
surgery. You and I don't have to be friends, but at least we can
try to have an...amiable relationship."

He'd get along with Laura for Ray's sake.
"Amiability's not a problem."

"I guess you'll have to prove that, won't
you, Mr. Riley? Your amiability hasn't been excessive since you
barged into my life yesterday."

He glanced at her speculatively and wondered
exactly what would happen if they became...amiable. Since
yesterday, erotic thoughts were becoming a habit. He'd just have to
wipe them out of his head.

After hugs all around for Anne and George,
After going through security, Laura helped Mandy put her shoes back
on. Her touch was gentle and caring with her daughter. She seemed
like a good mom. He supposed in the days to follow he'd find
out.

When boarding began, Mandy jumped up and down
with excitement, tugged on Laura's arm, and pointed to a baby, to
the waiting airplane, to the TV running a cable news program. She
was fascinated by every detail of the airplane and asked
innumerable questions, some of which Laura couldn't answer but
Mitch could.

Laura seemed to notice everything about Mitch
Riley. Nothing ruffled him...not waiting...now Mandy's
questions...not other passengers bumping through the aisles. During
his visit to their house, she'd classified him as cultured,
aggressive but reserved. He held onto his opinions and emotions
with tight control. She recognized those qualities because she was
so different--the opposite, really. She said what she thought, she
played with the moment, she let her feelings show much too
easily.

She could understand why her father had
chosen Mitch as a partner. They were very much alike. Except...
Besides Mitch's outward attractiveness, something inside him called
out to her. Was her woman's intuition working overtime? Probably
more like her imagination, she thought with chagrin. Whatever it
was, she shoved it aside. Mitch was simply someone she had to
contend with while she was in York.

York. Where her mother had died, where her
father had shut her out, where love had become an ultimatum. Her
feelings for her father were confused. Part of her still loved him.
But part of her still hurt too, even after six years.

Finally they were seated. Mandy held on to
her hand during the ride down the runway, during the take-off. The
awed expression on her face was priceless. They'd been cruising a
little while when Mitch shifted in his seat to find an easier
position for his long legs. His shoulder bumped hers. She was
entirely too aware of the bulk of him, the cut of his expensive
suit, the aura of pure masculinity that surrounded him.

"Being short has its advantages," she quipped
as he finally settled his right foot under the seat in front of
him.

He grimaced. "They should have short and tall
sections."

She laughed. He smiled back. Ah hah. He could
be friendly. She gestured toward the science fiction novel he'd
taken from his duffel. "Is that any good?"

"It's intriguing." He nodded to Mandy looking
out the window rather than using the crayons and coloring book on
the tray in front of her. "But sometimes I'm more fascinated by the
view. It stirs my imagination."

What did he do with his imagination after it
was stirred? "When I was a little girl, I saw pink castles behind
every cloud."