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Daddy and Daughters
Barbara McMahon
Double trouble!Jared Hunter came back from an overseas trip to discover that he had not one, but two adorable two-year-old daughters he'd known nothing about! Desperate, he begged help from the one employee in his office who knew how to look after children–Cassandra Bowles.It wasn't long before Cassie fell in love with the twins and Jared, but when he asked her to marry him she was furious! She couldn't deny the attraction between them, but how could she make him see that marriage had more to do with love than with baby-sitting skills?DADDY BOOMWho says bachelors and babies don't mix?
“Will you marry me?” (#ub81036e1-da23-589c-a19e-0a75c0047e7e)Welcome to DADDY BOOM! (#u6d1f5e6a-6c0f-5702-b19e-0de94cb83a6e)Title Page (#udbf50856-527e-510f-a403-4090fad48f13)CHAPTER ONE (#u855e2697-e0e4-5abc-b60a-e5413084e012)CHAPTER TWO (#u96986edc-7e23-5b7d-803a-a795498c2b8d)CHAPTER THREE (#litres_trial_promo)CHAPTER FOUR (#litres_trial_promo)CHAPTER FIVE (#litres_trial_promo)CHAPTER SIX (#litres_trial_promo)CHAPTER SEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)CHAPTER EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)CHAPTER NINE (#litres_trial_promo)CHAPTER TEN (#litres_trial_promo)Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
“Will you marry me?”
Pulling free, Cassandra turned and walked briskly back along the path they’d just taken.
“Cassie, wait a minute.” Jared grasped her arm and halted her. “At least discuss it,” he said.
“What’s to discuss? I won’t be a baby-sitter for the rest of my life. All you want is a mother for the girls. A woman doesn’t want to be married unless she’s loved and cherished.”
“Don’t say no tonight, Cassie. Think about it.”
“I don’t need to think about it, I—” Before Cassandra could finish her sentence, Jared covered her mouth with his. It was as if she had been waiting especially for his touch. He forgot the burden of becoming a father, forgot about the demands of the office. The only reality was the petite woman in his arms and the fire her kisses fed.
At last he pulled back and gazed down at her bemused expression. He’d coax her, cajole her and bribe her, if need be. But he wanted her for the mother of his daughters and he’d make sure he got her.
Welcome to DADDY BOOM!
Just look who’s holding the baby now! Following on from our highly popular BABY BOOM series, Harlequin Romance
is proud to introduce a brand-new series, DADDY BOOM, full of babies, bachelors and happy-ever-afters. Meet irresistible heroes who are about to discover that there’s a first time for everything—even fatherhood!
Second in our series is Daddy and Daughters by
Barbara McMahon. We’ll be bringing you one deliciously
cute DADDY BOOM title every other month.
Look out in June for Falling for Jack, by Trisha David.
Who says bachelors and babies don’t mix?
Daddy and Daughters
Barbara McMahon
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
CHAPTER ONE
JARED HUNTER took a deep breath as the elevator doors slid open. Stepping into the large open office filled with workstations and desks, he looked straight ahead, toward his private office in the far corner. For a moment he wished he had postponed this. His briefcase gripped in one hand, he began the long walk, ignoring the heads that turned his way.
“Sorry about Mrs. Hunter,” Jeb called from his station.
Julie Myers stood as he passed her desk, her features serious and sad. “I’m so sorry, Jared,” she said softly.
He nodded grimly and kept walking. Still dazed by the turn of events, he longed for the sanctity of his office. It was hard to believe MaryEllen was dead. He didn’t realize people died from pneumonia these days. With all the fancy medicines in the world, they couldn’t have stopped the devastation of such an old disease?
“Jared, are you all right?” Helen Walter, his secretary, rose from her desk outside his door and moved toward him. Her eyes brimmed with sympathy.
Jared nodded. “It was a bitch of a trip, but at least I’m home now. How are things here?” He clenched his jaw, feeling the strain. It wouldn’t get easier.
“Morale is down. But with the rapid expansion over the last three years, only the old-timers actually knew MaryEllen. Still, many of the employees have talked to her on the phone, and everyone knew she was the other partner.”
Noticing she’d avoided the obvious, that MaryEllen had also been his wife, Jared wearily pushed open the door and entered his office. Mail was stacked in neat piles on the right side of his desk. A small mound of folders sat on the far left side. Pink phone messages were centered with a long cream-colored envelope across them.
He rounded the desk and dropped his briefcase on the credenza behind his chair. The view of San Francisco Bay sparkling in the afternoon sunshine went unnoticed as he surveyed the work waiting. God, he was tired!
“You just get in?” Helen asked, hovering in the doorway.
“Flight finally landed about an hour ago. I came straight here.”
“Are you really okay? I know you and MaryEllen lived three thousand miles apart these last three years, but she was your wife.”
He glanced at her. “Helen. you know that was a legal technicality.” He paused. “Is the gossip mill humming?”
“No more than usual. Those of us who have been here since the beginning made sure the others knew you and MaryEllen had been married purely to facilitate the start-up of Hunter Associates. I think some of the new employees didn’t realize she was your wife. They never met her. She stayed in New York, you know.”
He nodded. He skimmed the top message, then flicked the envelope. “What’s this?” The rest of his mail had been opened and lay in one of his folders.
“I separated those messages. They’ve been calling every day for the last two weeks. Yesterday we received the registered letter. I tried to explain why we couldn’t reach you in Bangkok. Obviously they weren’t monitoring the news or they would have heard about the typhoon.”
Jared shrugged. He slipped out of his suit jacket, draped it across the back of his chair and slowly sat. “Anyone from here attend the funeral?” he asked.
“No. But most of the New York office went. Bob Mason sent a report. I put it in the folder with the rest of your mail. Don’t blame yourself for not being there, Jared. You would have been there had it been possible. MaryEllen would have understood.”
“Why are these lawyers calling?” Jared didn’t want to discuss the reasons he had not been able to get to New York in time. He’d tried his best, but fate had decreed otherwise. It was over and done with, time to move on. His anger at fate had abated, and a philosophical calm replaced it. If anyone had understood business , problems, it had been MaryEllen. She had thrived on them.
“They didn’t tell me, just insisted they had to reach you. I gave them the Bangkok telephone number, so they could see for themselves why we couldn’t get through. You know lawyers—not very trusting. Why they’d think we were trying to hinder communications, I don’t know.”
“Thanks, Helen.”
“Let me know if you need anything.”
“Right”
She eased the door almost shut as Jared picked up the envelope. He was dead tired. Flying through more than half a dozen time zones did that—especially after two weeks of hell. If he were a superstitious man, he’d be convinced the deal he was working on was jinxed.
The trip had started off wrong, with mechanical difficulties on the outbound airliner forcing an emergency stop on Wake Island. Then there had been the wildly bumpy flight into Bangkok, followed by a customs mixup. Bad weather plagued him from the moment he left the airport. The hotel where he had reservations had burned the night before his arrival, and he’d had to locate new lodgings before the predicted typhoon hit. He’d barely informed his office of the change in location before the high winds and torrential rains of Typhoon Initi let loose.
Severe storms did major damage in the United States, but recovery time was usually rapid. In Bangkok, it seemed interminable. He’d received word of MaryEllen’s death only hours before the full force of the typhoon hit Airplanes had been grounded, communications and electricity cut off. The streets flooded. Accidents abounded. It had been days before a semblance of normal activities could be resumed. Days before he could contact his office to notify them he would return on the first available flight.
Jared tapped the edge of the envelope on the desk, wishing he could quantify his feelings about MaryEllen’s death. He shook his head, feeling vaguely impatient. They had been married for more than six years. Even though their marriage had been primarily a business arrangement she’d been a friend and one-time lover. Maybe fatigue numbed his reactions, dulled his emotions. Shock had been replaced with disbelief. She had been twenty-nine—too young to die. Especially with all she had wanted to accomplish so close to being achieved.
He hadn’t seen her in over a year—and that had been when they’d met in Washington, D.C., with the congressmen from California for the discussion of Pacific Rim trade regulations. But they talked on the phone frequently, kept in touch by e-mail and fax.
Married six years, separated by a continent for the last three of those years, it had not been much of a relationship. Except in business—MaryEllen shone in that arena. It had been her idea to expand into the European market. She’d insisted she be the one to move to New York to set up that office. From the initial discussion to her transfer things had moved like a whirlwind. Once she left San Francisco, she never looked back—never came back, even for a flying visit. And he had not missed her. Now he would, if only in business.
Jared sighed and slit open the envelope. Slowly he began to read.
Stunned, he reread the letter. Unbelievable!
“Helen!” he roared.
He read the words a third time. Was this some kind of joke? How could—“Helen!”
The door opened slightly. Jared looked into the diffident gaze of Cassandra Bowles. His mind occupied with the contents of the letter, it took him a moment to register it wasn’t Helen warily watching him.
“Sorry, Jared, Helen stepped away from her desk. Can I help you?”
“Read this and tell me what it says.” Jared stood and thrust out the letter.
Cassandra entered the office, carrying a thin manila folder in one hand. She had been lurking outside his door on the off chance Jared would have a few minutes in which she could discuss the GlobalNet merger. When she’d heard him call Helen, she’d looked for the secretary. When he’d called again, she felt someone should answer him.
She crossed the expanse of his office and gingerly took the paper. Impatient, Jared ran his fingers through his hair as he studied her. Cassandra dropped her gaze to the typed letter. She had started with Hunter Associates two years ago, immediately after graduating from the MBA program at Berkeley. However, her interaction with the senior partner had been minimal. After all, he was the head of the firm, one of the two partners, and she a mere marketing analyst.
She looked at him, puzzled, unsure why he wanted her to read the letter.
“It seems the attorneys in New York are wondering when you will be coming to get your twin daughters.” Was she supposed to deduce something else from the letter?
“Damn.” Jared sat down, staring at Cassandra. “Twins.”
Uneasily, Cassandra perched on the edge of a chair and gravely studied him. She swallowing visibly, then said, “It, um, almost sounds as if you were unaware of their existence.”
“I had no idea.” How could MaryEllen give birth to his daughters and not tell him?
Cassandra said nothing.
Jared rifled through the pink telephone slips. Each one from the same people—MaryEllen’s attorneys in New York. Slowly he picked up one and punched in the number.
It rang endlessly.
“It’s after five in New York,” Cassandra said softly.
Slipping the receiver on the cradle, Jared nodded. The last thing he expected today was to discover he was a father. Or was he? Why hadn’t MaryEllen told him if he were the father?
“You needed me, boss?” Helen asked from the doorway.
“Are you sure none of these lawyers told you why they were calling?” Jared asked, flicking an impatient finger against the stack of phone messages.
She nodded.
“Read this.” He tossed the letter on the desk.
Helen glanced at Cassandra as she crossed to take the letter. Reading it, her eyes widened with surprise. “Wow, congratulations, Jared. You’re a daddy.”
“You think so?”
She looked puzzled. “It says so.”
“You know that MaryEllen moved east almost three years ago to open the New York office. Unless she was pregnant when she left, those children aren’t mine.”
Helen glanced again at Cassandra. “Maybe you better wait and talk about this later. After you call the attorneys.”
“I tried them, they didn’t answer. It’s late in New York. I’ll call in the morning.”
“Or try one of them at home,” Cassandra offered.
Jared looked at her. “Good idea. See if you can find home numbers for any of the partners,” Jared directed Helen.
When Helen left, Cassandra rose tentatively, holding out the manila folder to Jared. “You probably don’t want to be bothered with this right now, but these are the projections we did for the GlobalNet account. I’m confident they are solid, a bit ambitious but achievable. If anything, we erred on the conservative side.”
Jared took the folder and leaned back in his chair. Petite with glossy black hair, Cassandra represented the epitome of the young executive on the rise. She always wore her dark hair in a conservative French braid, tidy, neat, severe. Dark-framed glasses perched on her nose. Irreverently Jared thought they made her look like an owl, trying unsuccessfully to hide her eyes. Large and dark, fringed with long lashes, they were her best feature. Jared idly let his gaze drift down her neat suit, navy blue with a standard white blouse. The perfect business-woman—all work-oriented with femininity ruthlessly squashed. Just like MaryEllen. Was she as ambitious? As consumed with work?
He took the papers and skimmed the top sheet, but his mind wasn’t on the figures. Twins. He felt stunned. Could it be possible? Had MaryEllen been pregnant when she left San Francisco? If so, why had she kept the news from him? He couldn’t believe it. Yet the attorney’s letter seemed clear on the subject.
“We’re all sorry about Mrs. Hunter’s death,” Cassandra said.
Meeting her eyes, Jared stared at her for a long moment. How was he to answer the sentiment? The employees probably expected a grieving husband. No, Helen had said they understood his marriage. He mourned the loss of a close friend, a strong business associate.
Yet now it looked as if he hadn’t even known MaryEllen. What was the story with the twins?
“Thank you,” he said. What he’d like to do was go home, pour himself a large Scotch and sleep for twelve hours. Instead, he’d wait to see if Helen could reach someone from the New York law office so he could find out what the hell was going on.
“Line one,” Helen’s voice came on the intercom. “Mr. Randall.”
“Jared Hunter here,” he said into the phone, motioning Cassandra to sit down again.
“We’ve been trying to reach you for over a week, Hunter.” The speaker had a definite New York twang.
“I believe my secretary explained where I was. The airport just reopened in Bangkok.”
“You back in the States?”
“As of a couple of hours ago. I arrived at the office and found your letter. What kind of scam is this?” As far as Jared was concerned, it was just that unless proved otherwise.
“No scam, Hunter. Ashley and Brittany Hunter are your daughters, twins. Cute as can be, too.”
“I never heard about them.” He glanced at Cassandra, noticing her downcast eyes, as if she were trying to efface her existence. Discreet.
There was a hesitation on the other end of the line. “I am aware of that. Apparently Mrs. Hunter was concerned that you would insist on someone else being in charge of the New York office if you discovered the truth. She, er, enjoyed the business aspect of things—apparently had no inclination to give it up for full-time motherhood. Not that she wasn’t a fine mother.”
Sounded like lawyer talk—covering all bases, Jared thought. He closed his eyes. MaryEllen had been right. He would have moved heaven and earth to keep her in San Francisco if he’d known she was pregnant. And probably demanded she curtail some of her activities at the office. A mother’s place was with her children.
“How old are they?” Jared asked, a sinking feeling in his gut. Could they truly be his? Had MaryEllen hidden that from him just to make sure she could keep forging ahead in the business world? Given her unrelenting determination, he could easily imagine her doing just that.
“Two. A month or so over, maybe. I have the file at the office. I can look up their birth date in the morning, if you like. Mrs. Hunter made it clear that they were yours and she had not told you of their birth. We thought you would be here for the funeral and the reading of the will. Actually, we haven’t read the will yet. Two-year-olds don’t understand much, and she left everything she had to them, with you as trustee. We can go over all that when you get here.”
“And where are the twins now?” Jared asked, the enormity of the situation gradually sinking in. He was a father. He had two daughters he’d never met who now looked to him for everything. God, he knew nothing about being a parent. He focused on Cassandra, feeling like she was the only solid, real thing in a world suddenly spinning out of control. Her calm demeanor soothed him. Her downcast eyes had him wondering what she was thinking.
“We didn’t want them to go into foster care, so one of the receptionists at the office agreed to watch them. She has children of her own and is good with kids. But this has gone on longer than we anticipated.”
“I’ll see if I can get a red-eye out tonight and be in your office first thing in the morning.” Jared hung up the phone.
“I’ll call the airlines right away,” Helen said from the doorway.
“You heard?” he asked.
“Enough to know you have to get back there. Are the twins yours?”
“Apparently. The age fits. MaryEllen told him they were mine. She left everything to them with me as trustee. Damn! What a mess. I can’t believe she didn’t tell me.”
“Well, I can. Would you have gone along with her opening a branch office if you had known?” Helen asked dryly.
Shaking his head, Jared looked at her. “What do I know about twins? About little kids?” He rubbed his eyes, his gut churning.
“For one thing, you’ll need someone to accompany you,” Cassandra said. She knew a lot about children, more than she wanted. “Toddlers are a handful. An inexperienced person would be hard-pressed to manage one on a plane—much less twins. Those little girls will be upset with all the changes, and probably missing their mother, which could make them even more fretful.”
Both Jared and Helen stared at her.
“I assumed you would be bringing them home with you,” Cassandra said, looking from one to the other.
“If they’re mine, I’ll have no choice.”
Cassandra nodded. Twins. She smiled gently. She remembered the little boys she’d cared for when she’d been sixteen. What imps they’d been. Whether from being twins or being normal rambunctious boys, she never knew. But they sure kept her busy.
“Any other words of wisdom?” Jared asked.
She gave a small shrug. “I’ve been around kids. If you haven’t, you might not know what to expect.”
Jared couldn’t believe it. This epitome of a career-track businesswoman around kids? She wasn’t married, was she? He tried to remember the interview two years ago. He had been more interested in her credentials than her marital status. But he was certain she was single. “When were you around kids, in another life?”
She nodded. A life she had hoped to leave behind once she graduated from college. The past two years had been great, no children demanding attention or to fall for and then have to give up. She had her way to make in the world and relished her position at Hunter Associates. Children didn’t figure in her plans.
“She’s right, Jared. You will need help. You would with even a single child,” Helen said. “I’ll see if I can find someone to go with you. You’ll need to hire a nanny or housekeeper, though it’s quite late to get anyone on such short notice.”
“Do the best you can. And see what kind of nonstop flight you can get to New York tonight.”
Cassandra rose. “Do you want to hear my recommendations on GlobalNet while you’re waiting? I could get started on some of the ideas while you’re in New York, if you approve.”
Business first, last and always, Jared thought tightly. Just like MaryEllen. “Show me what you have.” He spread out the computer printout and began to read.
Forty-five minutes later Jared leaned back. He rubbed his eyes with forefinger and thumb, then stretched to get rid of the kinks in his back. That Scotch sounded better and better.
The work Cassandra had done was solid, just as she’d said. Interestingly, she gave credit to the entire team she headed, but he knew everyone acted under her direction. She was good at her job—he’d suspected she would be when he hired her two years ago, nearly a year after MaryEllen had moved to New York.
“So we go?” she asked, a tremor of excitement in her voice, a hint of anticipation in her eyes.
“We go. Good job.” He believed in giving praise where it was due.
She smiled. Jared felt the jolt to his toes. Her face seemed to glow with the offhand praise. Her eyes sparkled, and for the first time he wondered what she would look like without her glasses. What would she look like with her hair down, swirling softly around her face? What would she look like wearing something frilly and feminine? Before he could pursue the image, Helen stuck her head in.
“Got you two seats on the eleven-thirty flight tonight. But no help as of yet. Every agency I called said they’d look into it. One called back with a possible for next week. Nothing for today. And they’re closing now, so I don’t expect any answers before tomorrow.”
“So what next?” Jared murmured, his eyes closed. He longed for that Scotch more than ever. Maybe he’d have time to get home, shower and have one before he had to leave for the airport. How much work did he absolutely have to get through before leaving? His employees were competent. He could delegate everything until he returned from New York. The looming problem with the twins overshadowed the normal business routine.
“Maybe Cassandra can go with you. She said she knows kids,” Helen suggested.
“What?” Cassandra shook her head, a look of sheer horror on her face. “No way. I swore once I grew up I would never get involved baby-sitting children again. I don’t want to spend even an hour watching other people’s kids!”
Jared and Helen stared at her vehemence. She took a deep breath, knowing she’d overreacted. But she was adamant—she had watched her last child. She was a businesswoman. Hadn’t Jared just praised her work? Given her the go-ahead on the GlobalNet project? She had better things to do than baby-sit the boss’s children.
“You wouldn’t be watching them, precisely,” Helen said placatingly. “Just helping Jared with them on the return flight. He needs your expertise.”
Cassandra shook her head. The old feeling of helplessness began to rise. Why did everyone expect her to be the nurturer? What about her own needs? When would someone look to see what she wanted, needed, to feel complete? To feel valued? She was more than a competent baby-sitter—and had the degrees to prove it.
Jared narrowed his eyes. “Sounds like the best suggestion I’ve heard so far. It’ll just be a short jaunt to New York. We’ll discuss GlobalNet on the flight over. You can give me pointers on watching twins on the flight back. Consider it part of your job.”
“It’s not part of my job.” Cassandra faced him, her hands fisted in her lap. She dare not cross the line with her boss, but she had to stand up for herself. She didn’t want to be thought of as a baby-sitter just because she was a woman.
For a moment Jared was struck by the sparkle in her dark eyes, the challenging tilt of her rounded chin. Slowly he said, “There’s a clause in your job description that includes other tasks as assigned. I need help, doesn’t look like anyone else is available. As of now, consider this as another task assigned.”
“You’re his secretary, can’t you go?” Cassandra turned to Helen, her plea obvious.
“Afraid not. I have an invalid mother I care for. I can’t leave her alone overnight. Besides, I don’t know any more about children than Jared.”
“I was hired as a marketing analyst, not a nanny,” Cassandra protested, swinging to Jared.
He smiled sardonically, anger edging him. “I believe in utilizing all experiences of my employees. Consider yourself indispensable for this assignment.”
“I protest.” She said it firmly, yet deep inside she knew it wouldn’t matter. Jared wasn’t listening.
“It’s settled. Meet me at the airport in time for the flight. Helen, give her the details. I’m heading home.” He caught her eye and narrowed his. “Don’t be late!”
Cassandra watched him leave, the unfairness of it all striking her. She met the sympathy in Helen’s gaze.
“He needs your help. You said you know something about kids, he hasn’t a clue. It’s just overnight, Cassandra,” the older woman said.
“I’m always the one stuck with children. For years, it was always, �Leave them with Cassandra’. Working here was my chance to leave that behind,” she said wryly, rising. “Guess that was wishful thinking.” She took a deep breath. Trying to look on the bright side of things, she wandered to her desk. Casting her mind back, she tried to picture the needs and abilities of toddlers. It really hadn’t been that long since she’d been in charge of little children. She could certainly handle a cross-country flight.
And she’d have Jared’s attention on the flight to New York. Maybe she could discuss some of her other ideas with him. Looking for the silver lining, she swept folders into her briefcase and headed home to pack.
Four hours later Jared leaned back on his sofa watching the clock on the mantel. In ten minutes he had to leave for the airport. He’d had a Scotch, but it had done nothing to ease the turmoil. Sleeping had been out of the question—he’d been afraid he wouldn’t wake up in time for the flight. He’d sleep on the plane. It would have to do. He considered the situation once again, trying to make some sense of it.
Oddly, his thoughts kept returning to Cassandra Bowles. For the two years she’d worked for him, he’d barely noticed her. She’d done her job well, already had one promotion behind her. Recently she’d been assigned as project manager for the GlobalNet account. Accomplished, proficient, professional—all desirable attributes for a career-minded woman. Her surprising outburst this afternoon startled him. Jared liked things to make sense, to follow a logical pattern—and that hadn’t. She was usually enthusiastic and agreeable, and her refusal had been surprising and unusual. A mere suggestion to accompany him on the trip to see to the children, help bring them to San Francisco, and she’d just about exploded. He wondered why.
Maybe he’d discover on the trip.
The red-eye flight would arrive in New York just after eight. They’d go directly to the attorney’s office upon landing. Jared had showered and shaved, donned a fresh suit and shirt. His overnight case contained casual clothes for the return journey. He might not know much about children, but he knew enough to suspect they’d be too messy for an Armani suit.
He wondered what he should be taking to entertain two toddlers.
His thoughts veered to the babies. How could MaryEllen have kept them a secret? If her lawyer was to be believed, she feared he would demand she return to San Francisco. Would that have been so bad? They’d worked together at McGeorge and Fergarson, discussed starting a business for months before taking the plunge. She’d had as much invested in the company as he. Pouring all their resources into the firm, they’d conserved on expenses by marrying each other. He liked the challenge of building a company, but sometimes he thought MaryEllen defined herself by the company and its success. Had business been more important to her than her children?
He rose, not liking the trend of his thoughts. He grabbed the overnight case and started for the airport.
Cassandra sat alone in a bank of chairs at the boarding gate, casually reading a magazine, a small tote bag beside her feet. She might resent the assignment, but she was professional enough to do her best. Knowing they’d head directly for the attorney’s offices, she’d dressed in a charcoal gray suit matched with a white blouse. Both traveled well, and she hoped she wouldn’t look like a wrinkled mess in the morning. A tingling awareness struck her, and she raised her gaze. As if attuned to him, she spotted her boss as he crossed the concourse toward the gate.
She sighed softly and sat up straighter. Jared was so good-looking he shouldn’t be let out without a keeper. Unconsciously she noticed the glances he received from the other women in the area. Some bold and interested, others more surreptitious, but all following his long stride as he crossed to join her. His dark hair was thick and neatly trimmed. The tan he’d had in the summer was not as evident after his recent trip, but the rugged masculinity in his face struck a spark of interest for the first time.
Cassandra frowned. Was it knowing he was single again that caused that? She’d thought he was drop-dead gorgeous when he’d interviewed her, but so far out of her league, she’d immediately ignored the sensations that flittered inside her and concentrated on doing the best she could on her assignment.
In reality, nothing had changed. So why this sudden awareness? She smiled politely as he drew closer.
“Here as ordered, sir,” she said briefly.
He sat beside her and glanced at her carryon bag and briefcase. A sardonic smile creased his cheeks. “You sound like a kitten spitting at a bulldog. Just remember who’s the boss.”
She met his hard eyes, a faint hint of anger visible in her gaze. “No danger of forgetting that, is there?”
Jared smiled.
She tightened her lips and returned to her magazine before she gave way to the urge to slap that smug grin off his face.
“Do you sleep in suits?” he asked.
“What?” She looked around and stared at him in disbelief.
“Just wondering. MaryEllen wore suits all the time except to bed. I thought you might wear something more comfortable for the flight.”
“This is appropriate attire for a business meeting. We are meeting the lawyers before we see your daughters, right?” she replied.
“Maybe they’ll be dressed like miniature businesswomen, too,” he murmured, not putting it past MaryEllen. Wearily Jared felt as if he’d never known his wife at all.
“I doubt it.” She eyed his suit. “I hope you brought something else. Kids can be messy, especially when confined in airplanes.”
He looked at her lazily. “I have a couple of changes in the bag. I figured we would stay at least one night in New York. If I don’t get some sleep soon, I’m going to just pass out.” He rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger.
“You can sleep on the plane.” Compassion struck Cassandra. He did look exhausted. After flying in from Asia, it had to be next to impossible to fly on to New York.
“I’ll have to. After the flight from Bangkok and the flight tonight, my body won’t know whether it’s coming or going. Do you know how many time zones I’ve crossed in the last twenty-four hours?”
She shook her head, her gaze moving slowly over his shoulders to the long legs stretched out before him. So much for her idea of discussing business on the flight to New York. For a moment Cassandra wondered what it would be like to travel with him when he was rested. Would he be a fascinating conversationalist? He’d been to so many places and done so much. Wasn’t he only in his early thirties? She would love to hear how he and his wife had started Hunter Associates and where they planned to take the company.
But it wasn’t going to happen tonight, she knew that.
Jared idly noted Cassandra’s perusal. Or was he imagining it? She probably wanted to discuss the bottom line or future projections and was trying to think up the best approach. She was no more interested in him than he was in her.
And he was not interested in any woman. Except he couldn’t quite explain the desire to loosen her dark hair, unbutton that high collar and remove the glasses. He couldn’t remember if he’d ever seen her not wearing them. He wouldn’t mind seeing her in a dress, or shorts—or nothing at all.
Nothing?
God, he must be tired—now he was hallucinating. Closing his eyes, he tried to focus on the impending meeting with his daughters. Disbelief warred with fascination. He had no time for idle fantasies about one of his employees—one. moreover, who reminded him strongly of his late wife. He’d had his fill of determined career women who cared more for competing in the business world than in making a home and planning a future complete with family.
Next time he ventured into a personal relationship, he’d find someone soft and feminine and more interested in flowers in the garden and a comfortable home than spreadsheets and bank statements. That’s what he’d look for—if he ever wanted to marry again.
The flight was called. Jared and Cassandra boarded first class. He offered her the window seat. “I plan to sleep the entire trip, don’t need to see out the window,” he said.
“Thank you. Though I should mention I’ll also be napping. If not, I’ll be a zombie tomorrow.” She slipped in, stowed her bag and briefcase, clutched her magazine like a lifeline. Bemused, Cassandra realized she could smell his after-shave lotion—tangy and masculine. Sitting close enough to feel the heat from his strong body, she wanted to draw away, but there was only the airplane wall on the other side. Tongue-tied and feeling awkward, she gazed at the magazine, wondering why all her common sense seemed to have gone cockeyed. Jared sat beside her, fastening his seat belt. She’d attended meetings in the conference room that he’d chaired. So what was the problem tonight?
Of course, at the meetings, she had not sat beside him. Not been so acutely aware of his strong hands, the width of his shoulders and the smooth skin of his freshly shaved jaw. She tightened her grip lest her fingers give way to the desire to brush against that stubborn jaw and test the texture of his skin, feel his heat sear into her.
Cassandra swallowed hard, moving her gaze out the window. There was little to see in the darkness. Lights lit the service vehicles scurrying around the big jetliner, but beyond that nothing was visible. Yet she continued to stare out the window. It felt safer, somehow.
“As soon as we get airborne, I’m reclining the seat and going to sleep. If anyone asks, I don’t want food or drink,” he murmured in her right ear.
Cassandra turned and drew in her breath. His face was mere inches from hers. She could see the lines of fatigue radiating from his eyes and her own image reflected there. His breath caressed her cheek. Swallowing, she nodded, fascinated to be so close to the man.
“Been to New York before?” he asked, his eyes searching hers.
She shook her head, conscious of the wild beat of her heart. Mesmerized by the sensations that raced through her, she couldn’t look away.
“Sorry we won’t have time to go sight-seeing.”
“I hope to go one day on vacation. I’d like to see the sights, maybe go to a Broadway show.”
“It’s okay to visit, but I prefer San Francisco any day.”
Cassandra nodded.
“Are you from the Bay Area?” he asked.
She shook her head. Feeling like an idiot and not the competent woman she tried to portray, she cleared her throat. “I grew up near L.A. Now I prefer San Francisco.”
“Live in the city?”
“In a small place on Telegraph Hill.”
“Lots of tourists.”
“Mostly in the summer. Coit Tower is a popular site. I like to walk up there myself and gaze out over the city. It offers a magnificent view.”
“How long have you lived there?” Jared asked, wondering why he didn’t know more about an employee who had worked for him for two years.
“I arrived a couple of weeks before I went to work for you,” she replied. Why didn’t he lean back in his chair? Why was he still so close, close enough for her to feel as if there were only the two of them on the entire plane? She longed for some distance. His eyes were dark, compelling, mesmerizing. She liked the lights that danced in their depth. Wondered what he thought as he gazed into her eyes.
The flight attendant began her preflight demonstration. Cassandra drew a deep breath and looked at the woman. She knew Jared continued to watch her through narrowed eyes, but she focused on the demonstration as if she’d never seen one before. Almost feeling the waves of fatigue wash through him, she knew he’d last only a few more minutes. Once he reclined his seat and slept, the trip would be easier.
Jared awoke as the plane began its descent. He felt the pressure in his ears and yawned to relieve it. Something heavy and warm rested against his shoulder. Turning his head, he realized Cassandra had decided to use him as a pillow during the night. Both of them were covered with airline blankets. Both seats had been reclined. Had he done this? Had she?
He shifted a bit, his arm asleep. How long had she rested against him? A faint hint of roses wafted on the air. Her special scent? He tipped his face toward her and took a breath. Sweet, definitely roses. Closing his eyes, he tried to envision her purchasing that particular scent and spraying it on each morning. Somehow it evoked images of a different woman, soft and feminine—not a straitlaced, ambitious businesswoman.
He had to get a grip. She was not there to be his personal fantasy, but to play nanny to his daughters on the return trip. That was all. Once they reached San Francisco, she’d resume her role as marketing analyst, and Helen would have located a nanny for the twins. He had other things to think about besides Cassandra Bowles.
Immediately thoughts of the twins had him awake and alert.
He shook his seat companion, then waited while she slowly came awake.
“Oh, sorry.” Instantly she pushed back and sat up. Her cheek was warm and rosy, with a slight crease mark from his jacket crossing it diagonally. She looked at him and blinked. The glasses were gone. Her eyes were dark and mysterious. Slowly Jared felt attraction build. Glasses off, she looked younger, shy almost, and definitely as feminine as he could ever wish. Her tight French braid had worked loose during the night. Wispy tendrils of glossy dark hair framed her face. When she licked dry lips, he felt a sharp tug of awareness—total male awareness of an attractive female. All thoughts of sleep fled. Suddenly he was more than curious about this woman.
“I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you,” she said, moving farther away, straightening her clothes beneath the blanket, retrieving her glasses. Jared experienced a repeat urge to unbutton the top of her blouse to enable more of her warmth and sweet scent to fill his senses. He looked at her moist lips and yearned to taste her.
Closing his eyes, he turned away. He’d been too long without a woman. Even in a business marriage, he’d believed in keeping his vows. Since MaryEllen had departed almost three years ago, he’d spent his nights alone. Sexual deprivation—that was all it was. And now that his wife was dead, he was free to consider other women. Nothing more than that. He was not attracted to Cassandra. Any woman would affect him the same way.
Opening his eyes, he didn’t bother to analyze why there was no pull of attraction between him and the buxom blond flight attendant. Instead, he tried to ignore the attraction to the woman beside him and concentrate on attempting to anticipate the information he’d receive from the attorney.
When they landed, Jared reached for Cassandra’s cases and carried them easily.
“I can manage my own cases,” she protested, following him up the jetway.
“I don’t mind. You’ll have your hands full later. No sense in not taking advantage of my generous nature now.”
“Generous, my foot,” she mumbled. “Dictatorial, more likely.”
“Why’s that?” Jared found himself amused at her grumbling. Was she always cranky in the morning? For the first time her perfect image shifted, blurred. He liked her better when she wasn’t the flawless employee.
“You ordered me here. I didn’t want to come.”
“Don’t you like children?”
“I don’t like watching them.”
“When was the last time you did?”
Kennedy Airport hummed with activity. A uniformed man stood in the crowd holding Jared’s name on a card. Jared handed the limousine driver the bags. Following him, Jared placed his hand on Cassandra’s back. She was not as tall as MaryEllen had been. Yet she held her head high and marched determinedly after the driver.
“Children?” Jared said again, a hint of steel in his voice.
“I’ve had to watch children almost all my life. I swore when I was on my own I wouldn’t do it again. I’m not real happy with this assignment. If you hadn’t made it an order, I wouldn’t be here,” she grumbled. Despite her annoyance with her high-handed boss, she was fascinated with the bustle of the international airport.
“Ah, but think of the brownie points you can rack up helping the boss out this way.”
“I’d rather get points for merit than for baby-sitting capability.”
“Maybe the merit is in the baby-sitting,” he replied calmly, noting her agitation. “Tell me about watching kids all your life.”
“I’d rather not. I’m sorry I opened my mouth yesterday.”
“About knowing about twins?”
She nodded. Dodging a man obviously in a hurry to make a plane, she pushed against Jared. He shifted her to the other side, continued walking smoothly.
“It slipped out,” she said.
More curious than ever, Jared wondered if he could get the full story from her before they met with MaryEllen’s attorneys.
CHAPTER TWO
“I HAVE to compliment you on your restraint and tact,” Jared said to Cassandra when they were seated in the back of the limousine heading for Manhattan.
“About what?” she asked warily.
After entering the limousine, Cassandra had moved as close to the far door as possible. Jared almost smiled at the distance she placed between them. Was she uncomfortable around him? Interesting. For a moment he considered testing the theory.
“Another woman would have bombarded me with questions about my marriage, my wife and why I apparently have two-year-old daughters I know nothing about,” he said instead.
“Of course I’m curious, but I do respect your right to privacy.” She tilted her head and smiled mischievously. “And I picked up quite a bit from around the office. The scuttlebutt is that you two married to pool resources so you could build Hunter Associates. She moved to New York a few years ago to open a second office and to try to crack the European market. She had two little girls you knew nothing about. If there’s more you want to volunteer, I wouldn’t interrupt.”
Startled, Jared almost laughed aloud at the unexpected glimpse of minx in his companion. He knew what she had told him was no secret—except for the babies. He was more intrigued that she had apparently picked up quite a bit. Any special reason?
“Ours was not an ordinary marriage. We married for expediency. Starting up a new company calls for a lot of hard work, long hours and money. It was easier to minimize expenses and to work long hours by sharing a home.” He wasn’t trying to justify the relationship, just explain it. Why that was important, he wasn’t sure.
“Sounds like a business arrangement.”
“Essentially.” He had almost forgotten how it started. For the last three years they had shared nothing beyond a meal in Washington. “MaryEllen wanted Hunter Associates to succeed even more than I did. She found the business environment challenging and exciting.”
“It can be exhilarating,” Cassandra murmured, watching ing him closely.
“I know. Now I understand her sudden determination to move to New York and open an East Coast office. She never came back to San Francisco because she feared she’d be stuck with the babies rather than in the trenches of high-tech business, I think.”
“Not every woman wants to stay home and raise children.”
“You don’t,” he stated with certainty. Her outburst yesterday in his office confirmed that.
“What I want right now is a chance to build a life of my own. Maybe down the road I’ll marry and have children. Then I’ll have to see what I want to do. Children are fine as long as they are wanted and loved.”
“I hear a but.”
“But I don’t want the choice taken from me.”
“As I did with this assignment?”
She nodded, looking out the window as the tall skyscrapers of Manhattan came into view. Puffy white clouds drifted in azure blue skies. Traffic was heavy, but moving steadily on the congested highway. Jared wondered if her attention was truly taken with the approaching city or if she was trying to distance herself to rebuild her anger. It had blown over quickly. He was glad she wasn’t the type to sulk.
“Be honest, Cassandra. I didn’t ask for much. A day to help get them home. Helen is working on finding a nanny. You have experience I lack. Wouldn’t you take advantage of any needed expertise?”
“Probably,” she admitted grudgingly.
“Where does that expertise come from? Lots of brothers and sisters?” He knew he was probing where she didn’t want him to, but his curiosity rose. Solemn and serious, Cassandra Bowles never gave the impression she was anything but a well-trained employee. Yet she had to have a private life—he didn’t demand his employees dedicate their entire waking hours to the job. Suddenly he wanted to know more.
“None, actually.”
“We have about thirty minutes before we arrive at the attorneys’ office. Why don’t you tell me about your experience with children.” If she wouldn’t open up voluntarily, he’d ask specific questions. For a moment he wondered why he pushed. Was it only curiosity, or was he trying to stop thinking about two toddlers waiting to meet him? He’d negotiated multimillion-dollar deals. Why was he growing more and more nervous at the thought of facing two small girls?
The silence stretched. Cassandra slowly turned and looked at him assessingly. She didn’t like to talk about her past. All her life she’d wished for a fairy-tale family, something like the Brady Bunch—a dream far from her reality. She guessed it wouldn’t hurt to explain why she hadn’t wanted to come on this trip.
“My mother died when I was seven. I had no other family, so I ended up in foster care. The home I was assigned when I was ten had lots of young children, mostly other foster kids. I baby-sat constantly over the next eight years. Once I turned eighteen, I split. No more kids for me, I vowed.”
“Until today.”
“I wish. When I got to college, I needed money. Only job I was qualified for was watching children. So I was a prime candidate for professors’ families looking for baby-sitters. Another four years of watching other people’s kids.”
“Now mine.”
“Right.” She frowned. “It’s not what I expected when I hired on with the firm. I have a degree in marketing, not child care. I want to use my mind, not be a baby-sitter.”
“Nor did I ever think I’d need a baby-sitter. But then I had no idea MaryEllen had delivered twins.” Jared lapsed into silence, again wondering how MaryEllen could have kept such an event from him. After all, he couldn’t have made her return to San Francisco to live. He should have known about his daughters.
The law offices of Sattler, Randall and Peabody were located on the thirty-third floor of a skyscraper on East Fortieth Street. A high-speed elevator whisked them quickly to their destination. Jared located the door to the offices, pushed it open and stood aside to allow Cassandra to enter. Stepping inside, he immediately stopped, his eyes on the two toddlers playing by a maroon-colored crushed velvet sofa. Dark hair caught up in wispy ponytails, matching overalls, a pink shirt and a yellow shirt on the two little girls—other than those shirts, they were identical. Both stopped playing when Jared entered, turning toward him and Cassandra, bright blue eyes staring.
Jared stood more than six feet tall. Did he seem like a giant to these little creatures? They were so tiny. For an instant he stared in fascination, wondering what they thought. Neither said a word, just stared.
“Hello, there.” Cassandra greeted the little girls and moved closer. They were precious. Her heart went out to them. Things must be so scary. Cassandra remembered how scared she’d been when her mother died and she had gone to live with strangers. Nothing had been familiar, nothing comforting. And she’d missed her mother so much.
Smiling, she knelt before the girls and slowly reached out to touch each one on her hand. “Hi, I’m Cassie. What are your names?”
Jared heard the warmth and softness in her voice. It broke the spell. The twins smiled and shifted their gaze to Cassandra. When she knelt before them, they launched into babbling that had Jared’s head spinning. Would she understand anything they were saying? He’d forgotten how small two-year-olds were. They didn’t even talk well.
“Mr. Hunter?” The woman behind the reception desk greeted him. Her smile was friendly.
“That’s right.”
“Cute kids you have,” she said with a glance at the twins. “I’ve been watching them for the last two weeks. They’re as sweet as can be. I’m so sorry about your wife.”
Jared nodded, feeling totally out of his element. He knew nothing about children—knew nothing about his own daughters! Fortunately, Cassandra appeared to know all that was needed. The twins took to her like ducks to water. Laughing and talking, the three of them, all the same height with Cassandra kneeling, seemed to mesh perfectly. For a moment Jared was envious. He watched them while the receptionist notified the attorney of Jared’s arrival.
“Mr. Randall will be with you in just a moment,” the receptionist said, seemingly unaware of his hesitation.
Nodding, Jared moved slowly across the reception area toward his children. One look at them and all doubts fled. They looked just like he had as a child—though feminine versions. He could see nothing of MaryEllen in either child except for her blue eyes. Had they inherited her temperament or ambition?
“Hello,” he said.
Two pairs of identical eyes swiveled to him. The little girl in yellow put her thumb in her mouth, watching him warily.
“I think you are a bit too tall for them. Either pick them up, or get down on their level,” Cassandra suggested, leaning on her heels. She brushed the hair off the face of the child sucking her thumb.
Jared stared at the unwavering eyes regarding him. Slowly he sat on the edge of the sofa, totally at a loss. He didn’t like the feeling. Over the years, he’d perfected his ability to fit in with different cultures, different societies as he expanded Hunter Associates in Pacific Rim countries. Now he was floored by a pair of babies.
“Smile,” Cassandra said, the lilt in her voice one of amusement. “This is your daddy. Tell him your name,” she prompted the twin in pink.
“Asslee,” she said proudly, her gaze steady.
Popping her thumb from her mouth, the other twin piped up. “Me Bitnee.”
“Ashley and Brittany,” Cassandra repeated, smiling at them. “And this is your daddy. Can you say Daddy?”
For a moment Jared was struck by the change on her face. He wished she would smile at him like that. For the first time he realized how lucky he was that she had responded when he’d yelled for Helen yesterday. He couldn’t have handled these children by himself. They stood by Cassandra, shaking their heads. Then Ashley began talking nineteen to the dozen. Cassandra listened as if she understood every word, nodding and smiling. Maybe she did. But he didn’t.
A father should be better able to cope. What was he going to do? Dealing on an international level in business was one thing. The thought of dealing with these toddlers scared him half to death.
Cassandra stayed in the reception area with the twins when Jared met with MaryEllen’s attorney, Thomas Randall. The girls had warmed up to her, and she thought it best to have as few disruptions as possible. They already had experienced a lot of change. She would try to make things easier for them.
Sitting on the sofa, she enticed them to sit beside her, one on each side. “Let me tell you a story. It’s about two big girls who just met their daddy...” Trying to explain the coming changes in a story, Cassandra told the tale in simple terms. She made flying sound like a grand adventure and moving to San Francisco as normal as brushing their teeth.
When Thomas Randall offered to read the will aloud, Jared asked if he could skim it himself. It took only a few minutes. The will was short and simple. The half interest MaryEllen owned in the company was left in trust to her daughters, to be administered by her husband, the children’s father. Jared looked at the attorney when he finished.
“She was a young woman. Her death caught me by surprise,” Jared said. He wondered how much the man knew about their marriage.
The attorney nodded. “The children’s baby-sitter called us when MaryEllen went into the hospital. I went to see your wife just before she died. She was very sick. I think she pushed herself too hard and had no reserves when the end came.”
“The girls will miss her,” Jared murmured.
“Not as much as you might suspect,” Randall said. “Apparently there have been a series of baby-sitters and housekeepers over the last couple of years. I don’t believe the girls are strongly attached to anyone—even their mother. My receptionist reported they adjusted well to staying with her.”
“I’ll get them established in a stable environment. I have to return to San Francisco,” Jared said.
“We expected that. I have all the paperwork right here. Anything else we can do, just ask.”
“I’d like directions to the cemetery,” Jared said as he began to read the legal papers that would wind up MaryEllen’s estate.
When Jared finished with the lawyer, he returned to the reception area where Cassandra sat on the sofa softly reading aloud, a twin snuggled on each side, their eyes on the pages of the book. For a moment they didn’t see him. He took the time to study the group, aware of a curious yearning. That is what a family would look like. A mother devoted to her children, all of them waiting for the father.
He hadn’t realized before that he had no clear vision of a family. He’d been raised by his grandfather, a gruff old man. There’d been few amenities or social graces in that all-male household, but at least he had had his grandfather when his parents had died. He had not gone into foster care like Cassandra. Nor would his children!
His goal for the last decade had been to establish his company, make it a success. He’d never given a thought to starting a family. Now he’d been presented with a ready-made one. Was the next step to acquire another wife?
One of the twins looked up, the one who sucked her thumb. Brittany?
“Man,” she said.
Cassandra looked up. “How’d it go?”
“Fine. I’m finished here. We can head for MaryEllen’s apartment We’ll need to pack the children’s clothes and toys. I’ll also have to get an idea of what’s needed to close the place. Later I want to swing by the office and make sure things are settled there. Paul will be in charge. I want to review the current projects with him.”
For a moment he thought her lips tightened, and he remembered her comment about having kids dumped on her. But it couldn’t be helped. No matter her likes or dislikes, Cassandra looked like a natural with those twins, and he hadn’t a clue how to begin. It was only for a day. Then she’d be back in the office and could stay away from children for the rest of her life if she so chose.
“As long as you realize you have to pull your own weight,” she said, disengaging herself and rising. “Come on, munchkins, time to go home. Brittany, you come with me. Ashley, you go with Daddy.”
He almost didn’t recognize the appellation. He was the daddy of these children.
Cassandra picked up Brittany and propped her on her hip. She looked at Jared, her dark, solemn eyes behind her glasses. Was there a hint of a challenge in her gaze?
Jared reached down and picked up Ashley. She was light as a feather. Holding her against his chest, he stared into her eyes. She patted his cheek and smiled. Something tugged in his heart. She was precious. Small and alone and totally dependent upon him to care for her. Panic nipped at his heels. Could he do it? What if he screwed up? He knew nothing about parenting. Had thought to work up to it, if ever he’d decided to take the plunge. Read books while his wife was pregnant, learn as they went along. Not be an instant father with no warning and no time to prepare.
“Let’s go, Daddy.” Amusement danced in Cassandra’s eyes, but she kept the smile from her lips. No point in letting Jared know she found his uncertainty touching. He was a dynamo in the office. Now he looked as awkward as a teenager on a first date. She blinked and led the way from the reception area. Why in the world had she thought about dating? She was a baby-sitter, that’s all. He was dumping his children on her and taking off for the New York office, abdicating all responsibility for a day. Sometimes it didn’t pay to open your mouth!
Adding the small bag for the twins to the others, he followed. Cassandra waited by the elevator, allowing Brittany to press the buttons. Both were lit, but she didn’t care. They’d just wait for a down elevator. Children liked to experiment and try things. She may be mad at their father for insisting she accompany him, but she would never take that anger out on these children.
MaryEllen Hunter’s apartment came as a surprise. It was large, formally decorated in delicate Queen Anne furnishings and located in a prestigious neighborhood only two blocks from Central Park. When they entered, Jared placed Ashley on the floor. She didn’t move. Cassandra deposited Brittany beside her. The two girls looked at the adults.
“Where’s your room?” Cassandra asked.
Ashley pointed down the hall.
Crossing into the living room, Jared dropped their bags on the floor beside an ornate credenza that took up most of the wall. Surveying the room, he wondered when MaryEllen had decided to go for the elegant look. Their place in San Francisco had been comfortable with sturdy furniture and few knickknacks. Maybe this style fit with her idea of living in New York. He didn’t like it much, but he was more interested in comfort at home.
“No, no,” Brittany said when Cassandra started to follow.
“What?”
“No, no.” Brittany shook her head, warily eyeing the living room.
The phone rang.
Jared crossed to answer it, puzzled by Brittany.
“Jared Hunter.”
“Mr. Hunter, this is Annie Simmons. Mr. Randall called a little while ago and suggested I get in touch with you. I was the twins’ baby-sitter. The most recent one, I should say. I understand you’ll be taking the children back to San Francisco with you, but if I can help in the meantime, please let me know. I don’t start another job for a week.”
“We plan to leave tomorrow.” Jared glanced at Cassandra. “But if you could come by today, that would be great. You could help us pack their things, maybe suggest where I can dispose of what we don’t take with us.”
“Surely. I could stop by around one.”
Jared checked his watch. It wasn’t even noon. “That will be fine.”
“I’ll be there.”
Cassandra and the twins had disappeared. He followed the sound of voices drifting down the hall and stopped at the door to their bedroom. It was large, with two cribs, a highboy dresser and more dolls and stuffed animals scattered around than most toy stores carried. MaryEllen hadn’t stinted on gifts for her daughters.
Brittany stood near the wall, watching Cassandra and Ashley, thumb firmly in her mouth. He wondered why one sucked her thumb and the other didn’t. Of course in the short drive from the attorney’s office, he’d noticed the difference in the personalities of the two. Ashley was outgoing and friendly. Curious and fearless. Brittany seemed to watch carefully, shy and quiet. Interesting with identical twins. Or was that the norm? He had so much to learn.
“That was the girls’ baby-sitter. She’ll stop by at one to help pack.”
Cassandra nodded, took off her suit jacket and tossed it across the rails of one of the cribs. The soft material of her blouse draped over her trim figure, Jared noticed. His eyes skimmed over her curves. Again he wondered what she would look like in lacy, frilly dresses. It was probably something he’d never see. She was an employee, here under protest to help him with his newly discovered daughters. Nothing else.
He shook his head. Who was he kidding? Only himself. Because he was the only one who knew about the attraction he felt around Cassandra Bowles. And it had better stay that way. A passing fancy. Once he caught up on sleep, got into the routine of work, he’d move beyond any such awareness.
Or so he hoped.
“If you find the suitcases, I’ll start packing,” Cassandra said, opening a drawer in the high dresser. Might as well make the most of the situation. She could get started on packing, then sort favorite toys and books when the baby-sitter arrived. She’d also make sure she found out as much as she could about the twins’ habits, likes and dislikes. Poor babies needed all the help they could get, moving to an entirely new life-style. She glanced at Jared, startled to find his gaze traveling over her body. Heat flushed through her. Swallowing hard, she shifted and turned her back. The unexpected tingling was not a sensation she’d felt before. She wasn’t getting sick, was she? No, it was the constant state of awareness she felt around Jared Hunter.
Clearing her throat, she thought longingly about her bag. She had jeans and a shirt in it. Maybe she should change before she did anything else.
“It may take me a while to find them.” Jared went into the hallway and entered the second bedroom.
Find what? Oh, the suitcases for the children. Cassandra pressed her hands against her cheeks, feeling the heat. She was acting like an idiot. She was here to take care of his children, nothing else. And she had better remember that every minute!
She trailed after Jared and found him in what must have been his wife’s bedroom. MaryEllen’s things still lay strewn about. The bed was unmade, as if she’d risen only that morning to head for the hospital. A pang hit her. MaryEllen had been alone at the end. If his trip to Bangkok had been postponed, if the typhoon hadn’t struck, Jared could have been with her.
“I’m sorry you didn’t make it back in time,” she said softly, watching the bleak look in his eyes.
“I didn’t even know she was sick. She should have told me.”
“Maybe she didn’t think it was serious until too late. Maybe she didn’t know how serious.”
“I would have insisted the doctors try everything in their power to keep her alive.”
“I’m sure they did all they could.” She longed to offer comfort, but was unsure what to say. Did he want to talk about it? Knowing human touch could help, she reached out and clasped his hand, squeezing a bit, just to let him know he wasn’t alone.
“I don’t know a thing about taking care of babies,” he said, looking around the room. But the tight grip of his hand let Cassandra know he didn’t want to be alone.
“You’ll learn what you need to know. And you can afford competent help to take care of a lot of the routine things.”
A shriek of laughter came from the twins’ room.
“I guess I’d better check on them,” Cassandra said, squeezing his hand one last time before she slowly let go. For a moment he held on, then released her.
“I’ll hunt up those suitcases.”
Jared opened the closet door. Clothes filled the space. In the back, to the left, sat a matching set of expensive leather luggage. He drew the suitcases out, brushing against the clothes. He realized they still carried the faint scent of MaryEllen’s perfume. He couldn’t believe he wouldn’t see her again, wouldn’t go toe-to-toe with her over some business decision. Wouldn’t hear her wild dreams, most of which had a basic, strong concept they usually implemented. Wouldn’t argue about the rate of expansion and the cost-cutting measures he always demanded.
Shaking his head, dispelling memories, Jared returned to the children’s room.
“The water is too cold to swim in. When you walk outside it will be windy some days, cool from the bay, but that’s good for flying kites.” Cassandra chatted with the children as she stacked clothes on one of the cribs.
“What are you telling them?” Jared asked, looking for a place to put the suitcases.
“About their new home. I think they’ll feel more comfortable knowing about the change,” she said. “Just put them on the floor. There’s no room anywhere else.”
“Here, Ashley, you put this in the suitcase.” Cassandra handed the toddler two folded shirts. Ashley walked to the suitcase and dumped them in.
“Great technique, kid,” Jared muttered.
Cassandra laughed. “It doesn’t matter. They just want to help,” she said as she handed a similar stack to Brittany.
“Why not just dump the drawers into the case if you’re not going to have them neatly folded?” he asked, watching the jumble of shirts steadily growing in the suitcase.
“When they nap, I’ll fold everything. Right now this keeps them occupied and gives them the feeling they are helping, that they’re participating in this move.”
“Psychology, too?” He raised an eyebrow, studying her.
“Practical, actually. You could help.”
“You’ve got a system going. I think I’ll check out MaryEllen’s things. See if I can find her personal papers and pack them. I’ll have to get someone in to close up this place.”
“Find some things of their mother’s that the children can have when they are older,” Cassandra suggested. “They won’t remember her, poor babies, but it will be nice for them when they’re grown to have something of their mother.”
He heard the wistful note in her voice.
“Do you?” he asked softly. Knowing he was treading on personal ground, he still had to know.
She shook her head. “That’s why I know they’ll appreciate it. We had so little. I don’t know what happened to our things. Social Services came for me, we packed my clothes, and I got to take one doll. That was all.”
“That’s tough.” He remembered his grandfather’s complaining, when his parents died, about having to store furniture and boxes in that shed in the back. Most of it was still there—a link to parents he scarcely remembered.
“It was a long time ago.” She smiled at him, her head tilted slightly.
“I’ll find a few things for the girls. I could have everything shipped to the West Coast,” Jared said, his heart skipping a beat at her smile.
“You’re the boss. But they may not want this furniture. Just mementos.”
Jared shrugged out of his suit jacket, slung it over one shoulder and headed for the living room. He tossed the jacket on the back of the sofa and looked around. The art on the walls was good quality. The figurines and vases would make nice mementos. Had they held special meaning for MaryEllen, or had she chosen them to complement the decor? Odd he knew so little about a woman to whom he’d been married for so long. He crossed the room, then paused by a small antique desk. The drawers contained MaryEllen’s papers—most recent bills, bank statements, address book and other items.
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