Elisabeth Naughton - Wait for Me

Mitch caught Ryan’s tight jaw out of the corner of his eye. “I think he can hear you loud and clear, sweetheart.”

“I don’t want to see her. I don’t want to have anything to do with her. She’s not my mother!”

“Julia, dammit,” Ryan said. “We’ve been through this a thousand times. I’m not thrilled about the situation, either, but she’s your mother, and she wants to see you. And you’ll just have to get used to it.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. Her little eyes filled with tears. “I don’t want to go. I hate her! I don’t want to have anything to do with her!”

Ryan stepped forward, but Mitch saw the fire in his eyes and sent him a warning look. Nothing Ryan had to say was going to get through to her.

“You know what, Julia?” Mitch asked. “I love you. I even like you, a lot, which is pretty important to me because love is a requisite in families, liking each other isn’t. But you’re acting like a spoiled brat right now.” Her mouth fell open in surprise. “You’re talking about my sister there, and I’m not gonna let you badmouth her in front of me. You can be upset and frustrated with this whole situation, just like we are, but you’re going to have to get used to it. She is your mother, and she does deserve a chance to get to know you. And you can glare at me and your dad all you want, but it’s not going to change that fact.”

Tears fell down her cheeks. She turned and ran out of the room.

Ryan braced his hands on the counter and dropped his head.

“Let me go to her,” Mitch said, already pushing off his stool. “I’m the one who yelled at her. I’m the one she’s mad at right now.”

“She’s mad at the whole goddamn world.”

Mitch patted his shoulder. “So are you, buddy. Bad combination.”

Mitch didn’t bother to knock when he reached Julia’s room, just pushed the door open. She was sitting on her bed, arms crossed over her chest, glare of the century on her face.

The full-size bed dipped as he sat next to her. “How long are you planning on being pissed at me?”

“As long as I feel like it.”

He checked his watch. “Well, we’ve got plans tonight. I had to work my ass off to get this playdate for you. I’m trying to put the moves on this hot little lawyer and if you don’t show up to entertain her daughter, it shoots my chances to hell.”

“Is that all I am to you, just some kid you can use to get a girl?”

A grin tugged at his mouth. Now there was the feisty nine-year-old he knew and loved. “Basically. You got a problem with that?”

“You’re incorrigible.”

He couldn’t help but laugh. “Where’d you hear that?”

“At school. And you are. And you’re obnoxious too.” She released her arms and sighed. “And I’m not mad at you. I just don’t want to see her tomorrow, that’s all.”

He slid his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. “I know, sweetheart. I know this is hard. It’s hard on all of us, especially your dad. You’ve got to cut him some slack on this one.”

She swallowed the tears and leaned into him. “I like things just the way they are, with you and me and Daddy. I don’t want her around messing things up.”

“She won’t.”

“She will.”

“Give it a chance, okay? Just give it a chance, Julia.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Then do it for me. She’s my sister, and I love her. And you’re my niece, and I love you. Do it for me if you can’t do it for any other reason.”

On a long sigh, she pulled back and wiped her face. “Okay. But you owe me.” Her eyes narrowed. “And you owe me for tonight too. If this girl ends up being a total bore, you’re gonna owe me big time.”

“Thanks.” He nudged her off the bed. “Now get your shoes. We’re late.”

* * *

Mitch glanced over at Julia and studied her profile illuminated by the dashboard lights. She needed a firm hand right now, someone to tell her the way it was going to be. Ryan was having problems of his own. He wasn’t exactly handling any part of this well.

Who could blame him, though?

“Now don’t go embarrassing me,” he said, refocusing on the road.

“Would I do that?” Julia batted her lashes.

“Yeah, you would, especially when you’re pissed at me. No telling amusing stories about me or bringing up personal stuff.”

“Like how you drink milk straight from the carton? Or how you wear your jeans until they’re basically walking before you wash them?”

He cringed. “Yeah, like that. And no bringing up past girlfriends with her, either. I’ll have to take you down if you do.”

She smiled. “You like her.”

“Yes, I do.” A frown tugged at his lips. “Why does everyone keep saying that?”

She reached over and tickled his side. “Aw, she’s your penguin.”

“My what?” He wiggled his way out of her grasp. “Cut that out.”

“Your penguin. You know, penguins. They mate for life. Penguins are one of the only animals on the planet that do that, like humans. It’s sweet. You’ve got yourself a little penguin, Uncle Mitch.”

“I didn’t say I was mating with her for life. Where the hell do you pick up this crap?”

“At school. School’s full of crap.”

“God, you’ve got a smart mouth. And no swearing in front of her, either.”

“Why not? You do it.”

“Yeah, I also get drunk and burp. Doesn’t mean I want you doing it.” He pulled to a stop in front of Simone’s big old Victorian house. “Try to play the nice, polite niece part for me, at least for tonight. I know it’s a stretch.”

She eased out of the car and eyed the house. “Three new album downloads for my ipod.”

Mitch squinted at her across the hood of his Land Rover.

“What?” Julia asked, looking shocked and surprised by his reaction. “I figure this is worth at least three. I’ll make you a list. You can get download them for me tomorrow when I’m off doing you yet another favor.”

“Blackmail doesn’t work with me.”

“Oh, it will,” she said with a grin and headed up the front steps.

Simone answered the door in bare feet, snug jeans, and a fitted T-shirt that accentuated her perky breasts. Damn, she was hot. He wasn’t in the market for a penguin, but he wanted at least one date with the curvy lawyer.

“Hi,” he said. “Sorry we’re late. The shrimp is Julia.”

Julia frowned up at him, then held out her hand. “Hi.

Simone shook her hand, her brows lifting as if she were impressed with Julia’s manners. Score one for the shrimp. “It’s nice to see you again, Julia. You probably don’t remember me, but you and your mom came to visit us a few times when we lived in Baltimore.”

Julia studied her face. “Um…no. I don’t remember. I must have been little.”

“You were. Why don’t you come on back to the kitchen.” Simone led them through the house. “Shannon’s helping me get dinner going.”

A long hallway cut the house in half, opening to the kitchen in the back and a large great room with windows that looked across a big yard.

Shannon stood at the counter, tossing a salad. Long hair the color of Simone’s fell down to her shoulder blades. She eyed Julia warily as they came into the room.

“Julia, Mitch,” Simone said. “This is my daughter, Shannon.”

“Hey,” Shannon mumbled.

Julia sent Mitch a wary gaze. Behind her back she held up four fingers.

No way he was buying her four albums. He elbowed her in the ribs and stepped around her into the kitchen. “Hi, Shannon. Your mom’s told me a lot about you.”

Shannon glanced at her mother across the room but didn’t respond. Mitch caught it, watching their eyes and body language. Definite tension there.

“Shannon,” Simone cut in. “Why don’t you take Julia upstairs and show her your room.”

Shannon shrugged as if she didn’t care. “Okay. Come on.”

Julia shot Mitch a less-than-amused glare as he nudged her out of the room. The two girls disappeared down the hall.

He looked back at Simone. “Well, that went well.”

Simone blew out a sigh. “We’re hitting the preteen years. Everything I do is wrong these days.” She scrunched her nose as she looked down the hall. “Sorry, she’s in a mood tonight. I probably should have cancelled. I have no idea how you talked me into this in the first place.”

“What? It’s just a playdate.”

The yeah-right look she shot him sent heat careening through his veins. He cleared his throat and shoved his hands in the front pockets of his jeans so he wouldn’t be tempted to reach for her. “I’m actually glad you didn’t cancel. Ryan was having a rough night with Julia. I think it was good for both of them that she got out of the house.”

She crossed into the living room, sank onto a plush couch, and tucked one leg under her. The room fit her, tall ceilings, big furnishings, comfy chairs. “What’s going on?”

He dropped onto a chair opposite her. “Julia’s upset about tomorrow.”

Simone nodded. “And how’s Ryan?”

“Upset about tomorrow.”

Simone smiled. Man, she had a great smile. Full lips, straight white teeth. He really wanted to taste that mouth. Feel her give in and open for him. “Things will get better, Mitch. You just have to have faith.”

He’d said that same thing to Kate. Now he just needed to believe it himself.

He leaned forward. “How much better do they have to get before you’ll go out with me?”

“Now you’re pushing your luck.”

“Damn.” He eased back into the cushions. “Shot down again. It’s starting to become a routine.”

She laughed. He could get used to that laugh. He found himself smiling too. Really smiling, for the first time in weeks. “Do you know you’re the first lawyer I’ve ever met who doesn’t want to screw me over?”

“Trust me, Mitch, I’m sure there are others.”

“Shot down and put in my place. I’m batting a thousand tonight. Tell you what, Counselor, you can ease my pain by feeding me. You got any food in this house?”

Simone pushed up from the couch and grinned. “That I can do.”

Kate changed her clothes three times. She started off in gray slacks, slipped into a skirt, then slid on jeans. Jeans. Yeah, that was the way to go.

Calm and casual.

Glancing at her reflection in the mirror, she frowned. She was fooling herself. She didn’t look calm. And there was no way anyone would believe she felt casual.

She messed with her hair for the hundredth time. She’d had it up, then down, then up again, finally deciding to let the wild curls fall where they may. It looked like one giant rat’s nest.

It didn’t matter what she looked like. This wasn’t a date. After checking her reflection in the mirror one last time, she took a deep breath. Now or never.

By the time she loaded Reed into the car and headed toward the city, she was thoroughly exhausted. And it wasn’t even nine-thirty yet.

This was a bad idea.

Sunlight glinted through the trees in the park as she and Reed walked toward the Conservatory of Flowers. They were the first ones there, so they sat on the bottom steps of the massive building while she tried not to stress out about a situation that was totally out of her control.

Her whole life felt like it was out of control these days.

Ryan and Julia strolled up about fifteen minutes later. Kate’s stomach took one odd roll when she saw Ryan. Her palms grew damp. Wearing loose-fitting jeans and a short-sleeved shirt, and hiding his eyes behind dark sunglasses, he looked calm—and casual.

And dammit, sexy as hell.

Kate’s gaze cut to Julia. The girl sent her a wicked glare, her disdain for the entire situation evident on her face.

Kate straightened her back. It was going to be awkward no matter what. She might as well get it over with.

Letting out a sigh, she picked Reed up and set him on her hip. “Baby,” she said quietly. “This is Ryan.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “This is your…your father.” She’d tried to explain things to him last night, but the poor kid was so confused, she had no idea what he’d say or do.

Reed looked at Ryan, his little brow wrinkled. Chubby fingers reached out and pulled the sunglasses off Ryan’s face. “You have the same eyes as me.” He turned toward Kate. “Blue eyes, Mama. Not like yours.”

“Yeah, I know, baby.”

He wiggled to the ground and looked up at Julia. “You don’t have blue eyes.”

Julia crossed her arms. “No shi—”

Ryan nudged her in the ribs.

“…kidding, Sherlock,” she corrected with a scowl.