“I’m attracted to you, Eve.” Letter to Reader Title Page About the Author Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Copyright

“I’m attracted to you, Eve.”

Then Gray felt it, too! The enticement between them wasn’t just on her side, Eve thought.

“As you know, I’ve been married and have a daughter. It was never a happy marriage and I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll never get seriously involved with a woman again.”

Eve was totally confused. “I’m flattered,” she said, “but what does all this have to do with whether or not I tutor your daughter?”

“For a while I thought it might not be a good idea to work closely with you, knowing there was this attraction for you on my part, but that’s absurd,” Gray said. “After all, you’re a beautiful and charming woman. You no doubt have a lot of admirers.”

Eve didn’t know how to reply to that. Did Gray want her to be his daughter’s tutor or his lover? Both? Or neither? Heaven knew she was attracted to him, too. And she wasn’t any more eager to get involved with him than he was with her. No matter what he had in mind, he was making it clear it wasn’t wedding bells, and she wouldn’t accept anything less from any man....

Dear Reader

September’s stellar selections beautifully exemplify Silhouette Romance’s commitment to publish strong, emotional love stories that touch every woman’s heart In The Baby Bond, Lilian Darcy pens the poignant tale of a surrogate mom who discovers the father knew nothing of his impending daddyhood! His demand: a marriage of convenience to protect their BUNDLES OF JOY ...

Carol Grace pairs a sheik with his plain-Jane secretary in a marriage meant to satisfy family requirements. But the oil tycoon’s shocked to learn that being Married to the Sheik is his VIRGIN BRIDE’s secret desire.... FOR THE CHILDREN. Diana Whitncy’s miniseries that launched in Special Edition in August 1999—and returns to that series in October 1999—crosses into Silhouette Romance with A Dad of His Own, the touching story of a man, mistaken for a boy’s father, who ultimately realizes that mother and child are exactly what be needs.

Laura Anthony explores the lighter side of love in The Twenty-Four-Hour Groom, in which a pretend marriage between a lawman and his neighbor kindles some very real feelings. WITH THESE RINGS, Patricia Thayer’s Special Edition/Romance cross-line miniseries, moves into Romance with Her Surprise Family, with a woman who longs for a husband and home and unexpectedly finds both. And in A Man Worth Marrying, beloved author Phyllis Halldorson shows the touching romance between a virginal schoolteacher and a much older single dad.

Treasure this month’s offerings—and keep coming back to Romance for more compelling love stories!

Enjoy,

Mary-Theresa Hussey

Senior Editor

Please address questions and book requests to:

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A Man Worth Marrying
Phyllis Halldorson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

PHYLLIS HALLDORSON met her real-life Prince Charming at the age of sixteen. She married him a year later, and they settled down to raise a family. A compulsive reader, Phyllis dreamed of someday finding the time to write stories of her own. That time came when her two youngest children reached adolescence. When she was introduced to romance novels, she knew she had found her longdelayed vocation. After all, how could she write anything else after living all those years with her very own Silhouette hero?

Chapter One

Eve Costopoulos walked thoughtfully back to her classroom at Homestead Elementary School, after seeing to it that each of the third-grade children she tutored after school had been claimed by a parent or guardian and were on their way home.

As she approached the room, she saw a man coming out of it. A man who had no business being there, as far as she knew. There was so much vandalism at this school that the staff had been alerted to challenge any stranger they saw on campus.

He was looking down the hall in the other direction as she neared him. “Excuse me,” she said, and hoped she sounded forceful. “May I help you?”

He turned quickly toward her. Even with the startled expression on his face, he was uncommonly handsome. Tall. More than six feet, but slender, with dark brown hair and blue eyes. He looked awfully familiar, but she couldn’t think where she had seen him.

It only took a second for him to regain his composure. When he did, he looked closely at her, and he must have liked what he saw. There was admiration in those wide expressive eyes. “Maybe you can,” he said. “I’m looking for Ms. Evangeline Costopoulos. I understand she’s a teacher here.”

Now it was Eve who was startled. He was looking for her! But why? Eve taught underprivileged children in this school, which was situated in Rapid City, South Dakota, and it wasn’t likely that he was the father of one of her students. He was too well dressed. For one thing, he was wearing a suit, and all the fathers she’d met so far wore jeans or cotton pants with denim jackets. Also, the suit was custom-made of fine wool. It had to be, to fit so well across his broad shoulders and still taper so exactly to his narrow waist and hips. None of the men in this area wore thousand-dollar suits.

“I’m Evangeline Costopoulos,” she said. “And you are...?”

“Grayson Flint,” he replied with a big smile. “I called earlier. You did get my message, didn’t you?”

She blinked. “Message? What message?”

The name Grayson Flint was familiar to her, too, but she still couldn’t place it.

“I called this morning and asked the school secretary if I could arrange to see you after school hours. She gave me an appointment for three o’clock. Didn’t she tell you?”

Eve sighed. “I’m sorry, but we’re so understaffed here that sometimes things like messages just fall through the cracks. I didn’t get yours—but I’m free now. If you’d like to come into my classroom, we won’t be disturbed.”

She led the way back to the room and placed a worn old wooden chair in front of her desk for him, then sat down in her equally worn chair behind it. “Sorry about the uncomfortable seats, but as you probably know the school system is financially strapped. There’s no room in the budget for new furniture.”

She settled back in her chair. “Now, Mr. Flint, what can I do—”

Her brain finally connected the name to the man, and she stopped short, flustered. “You’re Grayson Flint, the weatherman on television!”

It came out more like an accusation than a statement, and she felt the flush of embarrassment. “I—I’m sorry. That sounded rude, and I certainly didn’t mean it to. It’s just that your name and your face were familiar, but I couldn’t place you until just now.”

He chuckled, and she noticed he was even better looking in person than he was on TV. “Don’t apologize—that happens quite often,” he assured her. “The weather forecaster isn’t the star that the news anchor is. I only have a few minutes on the air in each newscast, and the listeners are more interested in the weather patterns on the Doppler radar than they are in the meteorologist who’s delivering it”

He was not only handsome, but modest as well. That wasn’t an easy combination to find.

“You’re very kind,” she said, “but I’m sure most people remember you well. Do you have a special interest in one of my students?”

“Oh no, nothing like that,” he said. “I understand you sometimes tutor students with learning disabilities.”

That puzzled her. “Well, yes, although the children I tutor don’t have disabilities so much as bad learning environments. Most of them come from impoverished homes, and don’t have proper nourishment, medical care, or supervision.”

Flint looked thoughtful. “I didn’t realize...” His words trailed off.

“Not only that,” she continued, “but those whose parents do work go home to an empty house after school. The kids aren’t motivated to get to school on time, or to study.”

Eve knew she was getting carried away. She usually did when she talked about the deplorable conditions under which so many of the children in this district lived.

But that couldn’t be this man’s problem. Whether he was too modest to admit it or not, he was a television personality who made a lot of money. If he had children, they would never go hungry or without medical care.

She stopped and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to deliver a lecture. It’s just that this is my first year of teaching, and I guess I’m getting my first taste of the real world. It can be pretty hard to take at times.”

“That’s because you’re a caring and warmhearted person,” he said. “And believe me, there are more like you than you think, but we’ll talk about that another time. Right now I need to know if you’re familiar with dyslexia.”

Her eyes widened. “Dyslexia? I know that it’s a reading disorder that’s associated with impairment of the ability to interpret spatial relationships—”

Flint made a face and held up his hand. “Whoa there, slow down. I don’t mean the textbook interpretation. I’ve already been given all the technical information. What I want is a translation into layman’s language. What’s going on in a person who has it?”

Eve wondered why he had come to her with this request. Why didn’t he seek out a specialist in learning disabilities? And what was he going to do with the information? Was he gathering it for a colleague at the television station who was doing a story on it? Or did he plan to do a story himself?

Oh well, it couldn’t hurt to tell him what she knew, she thought “As I understand it, the people who suffer from dyslexia cannot grasp the meaning or sequence of letters, words or symbols, or the idea of direction. They often confuse letters or words, and may read or write words or sentences in the wrong order, such as god for dog. This causes them to have difficulty reading, and spelling.”

“Have you any new information on what causes it?” he asked anxiously.

She shook her head. “Nobody knows. Sometimes there’s a family history, sometimes it’s due to brain damage. But generally the cause is obscure. We do know that more boys than girls have it, that dyslexic children generally have average or above-average intelligence, and that they don’t differ from normal learners in their ability to hear, see and speak. Aside from that, there’s really nothing else I can tell you, other than to recommend that you talk to a specialist in that field—”

“I’ve already done that, and I have to confess that I haven’t been altogether truthful with you. Or, rather, I haven’t told you everything you probably have a right to know.”

She frowned, and he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “You see, I have a daughter who’s recently been diagnosed as dyslexic.”

A daughter. That was one of the possibilities that hadn’t occurred to Eve. Viewers don’t tend to think of television personalities as family people. However, she admired his concern for his child.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said. “How old is she?”

Flint closed his eyes for just a moment before answering. “She’s eight and in the third grade. Up until now her teachers have been reluctant to hold her back, assuming that she was just a slow starter. Now that she’s finally been correctly diagnosed, she’s been working with a therapist and is doing fairly well in her ability to read, but she’s so far behind the other children in her grade that she desperately needs private tutoring. I’m looking for a tutor to help her catch up. I spoke to the district superintendent of schools, and he recommended you.”

“Me?” Eve asked, surprised. “But I don’t tutor private students. I just give a little help to those in my class who show potential and a willingness to work hard in order to learn. What I do is strictly on a volunteer basis. I don’t charge either the parents or the school district, but I do insist that the children attend every class, pay attention and do the light homework I assign.”

He leaned forward in his chair. “But that’s exactly what I’m asking you to do for Tinker, except I’d prefer that you work one-on-one with her—and, of course, I’ll pay you. Erik Johnson says you’re getting amazing results with your small group of students, and Erik’s word is good enough for me.”

She felt warmed by the compliment. “That’s very nice of you to say. I gather you know our district superintendent?”

He grinned. “Oh, yes. We in the media are on a firstname basis with most of the community leaders. It’s to our mutual advantage. We give them public exposure for their pet projects, and they give us news tips. Come on, what do you say? Will you help my little girl?”

When he put it like that, it was hard to refuse him. But she really didn’t have time to take on anything else. Surely someone with his money and contacts wouldn’t have any trouble finding another teacher to tutor his child.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Flint—”

“Please call me Gray,” he interrupted. “Grayson is too formal, and Mr. Flint is my father.”

He smiled winningly, and though she knew she was being manipulated, she couldn’t help being flattered. Still, she wasn’t going to let him get away with it.

“All right, Gray, and I’m Eve. But much as I’d like to work with your daughter, I just can’t take on anything more at this time. I’m sure there are other teachers in the area who would be willing—”

Again he interrupted. “I don’t want just anyone, Eve, I want the best. Ideally that would be a teacher specially trained in reading disorders, but the only one who was available here with those credentials was let go last year because of the budget crisis. That’s why I asked Erik Johnson for a recommendation, and he said there is no one better in the area than you.”

“I’m flattered, truly I am,” she said, “but—”

“He also told me you tutored one of his children who has dyslexia, and that that child is now making straight As in high school.”

She sighed. “That’s true, but that was when I was still in college, and a lot of it was just dumb luck.”

“Not according to Erik. His praise for your skill as a teacher is boundless. He tells me you’ve even discussed the possibility of going back to school and getting credentials in teaching special education.”

She wished Mr. Johnson wouldn’t be so vocal in his praise of her. It’s true that his young son had been an especially difficult case, and that after several starts and stops she’d finally managed to capture his attention and turn him on to learning. Unfortunately, his father’s gratitude knew no bounds, and sometimes put her in an awkward position, like this one.

“I would like to get into the field of special education. yes, but right now I can’t do justice to the youngsters I’m already responsible for if I take on more. My regular class is so overcrowded that it’s not possible for me to give the students as much of my time as they need, so I choose the ones I feel are most likely to learn with a little extra help. I tutor them for half an hour after school on Mondays through Thursdays. That doesn’t leave me much time for anything else.”

She tapped her pencil on her desktop. “I don’t mean to get personal, Gray, but I have no doubt that you can afford a tutor for your child. The parents of my students can’t. If I don’t give them extra time and help, it’s unlikely they’ll ever catch up and be productive citizens—even though the potential is there.”

He frowned. “Of course I can afford to pay a tutor, and I’m prepared to pay you whatever you feel is fair. It’s not the expense I’m concerned about, it’s the quality of the help she’ll be getting. She tries so hard, but learning is difficult for her and it’s affecting her self-esteem. She’s at the awkward stage, anyway, and being so far behind her classmates in school just adds to her burdens.”

Eve’s heart melted. He was right—his youngster could be permanently damaged emotionally if she didn’t receive expert help soon. But what could she do? She was no expert on dyslexia. Gray probably knew more about it than she did. He’d been dealing with it—albeit unknowingly—for all of his daughter’s life. Plus, Eve could only stretch her time and energy so far.

“I have no right to put my little girl’s problems on your shoulders. It’s just that I’m so worried about her. Her mother and I have handled this wrong right from the beginning. Except for the fact that her speech was difficult to understand, Tinker was always bright and cheerful before she started school. But that all changed once she got in first grade. We realized that some of her antics we’d thought were deliberate were actually the result of clumsiness, and she didn’t seem to know her right hand from her left. Her grades got steadily worse, and we thought she was just not paying attention. We tried to help her but she was so easily distracted and frustrated—”

“Those are classic signs of dyslexia,” Eve interrupted, “but they could also signal other problems. Believe me, you’re not alone in this. Actually, you were lucky to have caught on so quickly. Some dyslexic children aren’t diagnosed until they’re in middle or even high school.”

Gray had his back to her, so she couldn’t see his expression, but she saw him nod his head. “We know that now, but at the time we scolded her, even punished her—”

His voice broke, and Eve had to use all her self-control to stay where she was and not get up and go over to him. She was here to teach the children, not to comfort their fathers, but with this father it was hard to remember that!

She cleared her throat. “That’s a natural reaction. After all, you had no way of knowing she wasn’t just goofing off. Please, don’t blame yourself. These things happen, and it’s not anybody’s fault.

“By the way, I don’t think I caught her name correctly. It sounded as if you were calling her Tinker.”

This time he turned to face her before answering. “No, you didn’t hear wrong. Her mother is the free-spirited type, and she wanted to name the baby Tinkerbell after the character in Peter Pan, but I wouldn’t allow it. Who ever heard of a Tinkerbell growing up to be CEO of a company, or president of the United States?”

Eve chuckled. “I see you have grand ambitions for your daughter.”

A ghost of a smile hovered at the corners of his mouth. “Don’t all parents? But truly, all I want for her is to be happy, and giving her a name like that would only subject her to ridicule. I insisted we name her Sarah, but her mother didn’t like that and started calling her Tinker. It stuck.”

Eve sensed a family squabble of serious proportions over the naming of the child, and knew she should not probe, but she was curious.

“By which name does your daughter prefer to be called?” she asked.

“Oh, everyone calls her Tinker now. Even me,” he admitted. “She hardly remembers she has another name. I stopped calling her Sarah when she was younger—I realized it just confused her.”

His gaze roamed over Eve. “While we’re on the subject of names, are you by any chance related to Alexander Costopoulos, the building contractor?”

“He’s my father,” Eve told him. “Do you know him?”

“Sure do. He added a couple of rooms to the television station last year. How is Alex? I seem to remember hearing he’d fallen at one of the construction sites and broken some bones.”

“A couple in his right leg, yes,” she confirmed. “The doctor assures us they’re healing nicely, but Dad hates not being able to get around without the help of crutches or a walker.”

“I’ll bet he does,” Gray agreed. “He doesn’t like to be slowed down. Be sure and give him my best.”

“I certainly will,” she said. “But now to get back to the subject of your daughter. I’m truly sorry, but I’m overextended as it is—”

“Why don’t you meet her before you make up your mind,” he cut in. “That seems only fair. Then, if you still feel you can’t work her in, I’ll accept it and try to find someone else.”

Eve sighed. “Don’t think for a minute I don’t know what you’re doing, Gray Flint. You’re playing on my weakness for children. You think that if I see what a sweet, intelligent and deserving child she is, I’ll reconsider.”

He looked her straight in the eye. “Damn right. Can you tell me you wouldn’t do the same thing if our positions were reversed?”

She thought for a moment. Gray was a father desperate to find help for his daughter, and she admired him for mat—enough that she wasn’t going to lie to him. “No, I can’t, but our positions aren’t reversed, and if I wear myself out, I’m not going to be good for any of my students.”

“Okay, I can appreciate that,” he admitted. “I sure don’t want you to endanger your health. But there’s only a week of school left. If you could work Tinker into your busy schedule now, I’ll hire you to work for a couple of hours every weekday all summer.”

Gray looked around the room, and Eve was sure he was seeing it for the first time. Until now, his only concern had been to convince her to tutor his daughter.

“This is a pretty depressing place to work, isn’t it,” he observed. “Why don’t you transfer to another school?”

She wondered if he realized how callous that sounded to her, although she was sure he hadn’t meant it that way.

Rising from her chair, she went to stand by him. “And if I did, who would teach the students here?”

He blinked. “Well I—there must be teachers who are looking for jobs.”

“There are, but none of them want to work here. Would you?” She looked at him. “What school does Tinker go to?”

He appeared disconcerted. “She goes to a private school, but—”

“Does her building have a leaky roof?” she interrupted.

“No—”

“Is the paint peeling off its walls, both inside and out?”

“No, but—”

“Is the heating system in constant need of repair?”

His tone rose with frustration. “No. Damn it all, Eve—”

“Of course it doesn’t have those problems,” she pointed out, “because its affluent parents and alumni can afford to keep it in good condition. Also, they can raise the tuition anytime it’s necessary to pay for the best teachers, so they draw from the top applicants.”

Gray finally found an opening into the conversation. “From all I’ve heard, you’re a good teacher. So why aren’t you working at a school like Tinker’s?”

She was ready for him. “You’re right, I am a good teacher. In fact I’m an excellent teacher. I studied hard in college and learned my lessons well, plus I care about my students. I want to see them learn, but I also want the ones who are capable of it to excel. With all they have working against them, that will never happen if they can’t get dedicated instructors to teach them.”

“Now surely you’re not the only ‘dedicated instructor’ in the whole area,” Gray taunted lightly.

“No, I’m not,” she admitted, refusing to acknowledge his teasing. “But it’s easier for me to be noble. I don’t have children of my own to teach and raise, or a husband who needs me to share time with him, too.”

He eyed her left hand. “You’re not married, then?”

She shook her head. “No, but that doesn’t mean I don’t need time off from my work. Some of these children will break your heart if you let them.”

“And you let them,” he said softly as his gentle blue eyes searched hers.

To her dismay, her heart speeded up at his tone, and she felt all fuzzy and warm. She fought the urge to let herself be drawn closer.

Watch it, girl. This guy’s way out of your league. And more important, he’s married!

She stepped back and turned away from him. “I’m sorry but I have to get home. I have papers to grade and a school board meeting to attend tonight, If we can’t get the board to put a new roof on this building this summer, we’re going to be sloshing around in water ankle-deep by next fall. At the rate donations are coming in for the roofing fund, it’s going to be years instead of a month before we collect enough.”

Gray gazed thoughtfully at Eve. “I have an idea. I’ll make a hefty donation to the school’s roofing fund, in addition to paying your salary, if you agree to tutor Tinker.”

Eve gasped, unable to believe what she’d heard. “Are you trying to bribe me?” she asked tentatively.

“That, I am,” he admitted with a twinkle in his eyes.

Eve laughed. She couldn’t resist Gray’s winning ways—or his offer. In addition, it was an honor to be recommended to him as highly as she had been by the district superintendent. “All right,” she reluctantly agreed. “I’ll consider tutoring Tinker. But I think I should meet her first to establish trust before the tutoring begins. When do you want this meeting to take place?”

He glanced at his watch. “How about this time tomorrow? I can bring her here, but I’d really prefer that you come to my house. Since that’s where you would be tutoring her, I’d like you to get acquainted with it, too.”

“Tomorrow at this time and at your house will be fine,” she said, striving for a tone of brisk efficiency, “if you’ll just give me your address and phone number. Oh, and I assume your wife will be there, too?”

He looked momentarily uncomprehending, but recovered quickly. “I don’t have a wife,” he said. “Tinker’s mother and I are divorced.”

Chapter Two

Gray saw the surprise in Eve’s expression, and only then realized that he hadn’t told her he was a single father. “I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I didn’t intend to mislead you. Tinker’s mother and I have been divorced for three years. We share custody, but she works part-time as hostess at a restaurant, and because of our rather unconventional working hours—I go to work very early in the morning and she works four hours, midafternoon and early evening—I have Tinker from the time she gets home from school until bedtime. Bambi has her throughout the night and until she goes off to school in the morning. We alternate weekends.”

Now Eve looked confused, and he braced himself for further questions. He didn’t like discussing his private business with others, but he would make an exception in her case if she pressed the issue.

She didn’t. “I see,” she said instead. “Then I’ll meet with you and Tinker tomorrow.”

They started walking toward the door, then Eve suddenly stopped and turned to face him. “One more thing,” she said seriously. “Does Tinker know you’re arranging to have her tutored during school vacation?”

He shook his head. “Not yet. She’s not going to be pleased, and I wanted to be sure I could find an available teacher before I told her. I didn’t want to upset her unnecessarily.”

Eve looked perplexed. “But isn’t that what you’ll be doing by introducing her to me? It’s not at all likely that I’ll accept the position—”

He didn’t like the sound of that, but decided to play it lightly. Touching the tip of her slender nose, he smiled. “Ah-ah, there you go again—making up your mind before you’ve explored all the facts.”

She frowned, and he decided he’d better not press his luck. Reluctantly he withdrew his hand before he could give in to the overpowering urge to run his fingers through her glistening black curls.

“I’ll talk to her tonight, explain to her why it’s necessary, and tell her I’ve arranged for a teacher to come by tomorrow afternoon to meet her. Everything will be all right. You’ll see,” he assured her.

He gave her his address and phone number, then thanked her for taking the time to talk to him and left the school building.

As he drove, his mind shifted back to Eve Costopoulos. She wasn’t at all what he’d expected. She was much younger, for one thing. Erik, the district superintendent. hadn’t mentioned her age, and for some reason he’d pictured someone closer to his own. This one seemed hardly out of her teens—although she had to be in her early twenties, at least, in order to have graduated from college and taught for close to a year.

He also hadn’t expected her to be such a knockout! Taller than average, possibly five foot eight, with ample curves that couldn’t be downplayed even by the simple gray skirt and matching cardigan sweater she wore with a tailored white blouse.

She had ebony hair that was a twirling mass of curls swirling around her shoulders making her look like a gypsy, and he’d been disconcerted at his strong urge to tangle his fingers in it.

He stopped for a stop sign, but his contemplation didn’t even slow down as he started up again and made a left turn.

As for Eve’s eyes, it was best not to think of them at all. They were black as her hair, and every bit as unsettling, with their deep-set beauty and their way of looking straight into him. They stirred up feelings that he didn’t welcome, called up emotions he’d sworn never to let get the better of him again.

So why was he so eager to have her tutor his daughter? If his initial attraction to her was this keen, then having her in his house, working with his child several days a week, could be disastrous!

He swore softly. What had gotten into him? Once he’d finally taken all he could of Bambi’s capriciousness and asked for a divorce, he’d vowed never to get seriously involved with a woman again. He sure had no intention of falling in love!

He knew there were adequate teachers who would be happy to have part-time employment for the summer. They might not come as highly recommended as Eve, but they could have done the job. Why hadn’t he just accepted her refusal and let it go at that—?

Because he was spoiled, that’s why. As a minor celebrity in this small city, he was used to getting his own way. And he wasn’t prepared to have a slip of a girl tell him he couldn’t beg, borrow or buy her expert services—

The car in front of him stopped suddenly, and he slammed on his brake and almost rear-ended it. He’d been so lost in his musing that he hadn’t seen the red light ahead.

Enough of this old nonsense! He wasn’t going to take a chance on getting involved with any woman, and certainly not one who was his daughter’s teacher. He didn’t have Eve’s home phone number, but he could call her at school in the morning and tell her that he was regretfully willing to accept her initial refusal, after all. He knew she’d be relieved.

Now that that was settled, maybe he could concentrate on his driving, on picking up Tinker from Judy, the baby-sitter who was a stay-at-home mom and who was on call when his work hours collided with his custody responsibility—without wrecking his sports car.

Gray rolled out of bed at three o’clock the next morning when the alarm went off. He had to get up early every morning in order to be ready to do the weather at five, on the first newscast of the day. It wasn’t much of a hardship. He usually retired at nine on weeknights, and got by nicely on six hours of sleep.

His first thought was of Eve and his need to call her, but obviously it was much too early. She wouldn’t be at school for at least four more hours.

Unfortunately things hadn’t gone last night as he’d planned. In fact, everything that could go wrong had. The outcome was that he hadn’t even seen his daughter, let alone been able to talk to her about being tutored.

He sighed. Not that it really mattered, since he wasn’t going to hire Eve anyway.

But by then it was too late to phone her. After all the fuss he’d made yesterday about wanting her, and only her, to tutor his child, it would be impolite to wait until the last minute to contact her and tell her he’d changed his mind. No, now he’d just wait until she arrived and then graciously accept her initial refusal to take the job.

A suspicion niggled at him, but he shook it off. He wasn’t having second thoughts about not hiring her. Certainly not! He hadn’t deliberately frittered away the time—it had just gotten away from him, was all.

He had no intention of pursuing any kind of relationship with her. Not even a business one.

Eve drove through the neighborhood of well-kept upscale homes. The houses were large, but not ostentatious. Although the lawns were still brown and the big old trees just beginning to leaf, she could see that they received good care during the warmer seasons.

She spotted the address she was looking for, and pulled over to the curb in front of the house. It was one of the smaller homes on the block: a one-story Tudor-style built of red brick with a red tile roof. Handsome as well as sturdy.

Getting out of her silver-gray compact, she approached the house and climbed the steps to the covered porch. She rang the bell, but as she waited she was sorely tempted to turn and run. Although she’d promised to consider tutoring Gray’s daughter, she didn’t like being outwitted, especially by a man who attracted her so strongly. She neither needed nor wanted a man in her life at this time. Certainly not one who had already been married and had an eight-year-old child!

Before she could act on her urge to flee, the inside door opened. Gray stood on the other side of the storm door; he must have been watching for her, to have gotten there so quickly.

“Hi,” he said, and unlocked the outside door to open it. “I...I hope you haven’t been too badly inconvenienced by my insistence that you come here instead of meeting at school.”

Eve was struck by the fact that he seemed ill at ease today. He hadn’t been at all unsure of himself yesterday.

“It’s out of my way, but not much,” she said as she walked into the foyer and looked around. The living room was on the right, the dining room on the left and separated from the kitchen behind it by a chest-high breakfast bar. Straight ahead was a long hall with rooms on either side and at the end. The floors were covered in thick brown-and-beige carpeting, and the furniture was heavy and masculine. Expensive but serviceable.

“You have a very attractive home,” she said. “Did you decorate it yourself?”

He smiled. “Not exactly. When I moved in, I hired a decorator to work with me. And then Bambi got into the act—”

“Is Bambi your ex-wife’s name?” she interrupted. “Or am I misunderstanding again?”

He sighed. “No, you’re not misunderstanding. I told you she was flighty, but you really have to know her to know what I mean. She was christened Bernice after her grandmother, but she didn’t like that name, so she started calling herself Bambi after she saw the Disney movie when she was a child. Now she even uses it as her legal name.”

“My word.” Eve murmured. “She certainly is creative.” It was the only way she could think of to describe the muddled impression she was getting of his ex-wife.

“Oh yes, she is that,” he agreed as he helped her off with her coat. His strong hand touched her shoulder, totally by accident she was sure, but it sent a tingle down her spine.

“I have fresh coffee made,” he said as he hung the coat in the closet of the small entryway. “If you’d like to go sit down in the living room, I’ll bring the cups and things out.”

She’d smelled the coffee perking the minute she stepped inside the house, and she wasn’t going to be coy about accepting a cup. She needed something to keep her wide awake and shrewd enough to deal with this man.

“Let me help,” she said, and followed him into the kitchen. There she saw a carafe, china cups, saucers, sugar, creamer and silver spoons arranged on a tray. She was sure this wasn’t the way he had his coffee when he was alone. He’d gone to some trouble to make things nice for her.

He accepted her offer without hesitation. “If you really want to, you can bring the can of soda and the glass of ice over there on the counter. That’s for Tinker.”

She picked up the items and walked into the living room, where Gray set the tray down on the coffee table in front of the sofa that faced the brick fireplace.

“I’d intended to light a fire,” he said, motioning for her to sit down, “but I had some errands to run after I picked Tinker up at school, and by the time we got home, it was too late.”

She had the distinct impression that he was grasping for small talk rather than coming to grips with the issue that had brought her here—but why?

“Everything is just right,” she assured him as she settled herself on the couch. “But you shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble. Where is Tinker, by the way?”

Gray sat down beside Eve. “She’s watching television in my office down the hall. She doesn’t have many friends. Once in a while she’ll bring a classmate home with her, or she’ll be invited to go to someone else’s house, but mostly she keeps to herself. I think it’s her poor grades. She doesn’t want to talk about them with the other students, so she remains aloof.”

Eve felt a stab of compassion. “Oh, the poor child,” she murmured. “She really does need help. That type of thing can damage her self-image for a lifetime.”

“I’m well aware of that,” Gray said. “But there’s something I have to tell you before we go any further with this.”

He shifted nervously on the cushion. “I didn’t get a chance to talk to Tinker last evening about having her tutored.”

Eve’s eyes widened with dismay. “But you promised—”

“I know,” he said mournfully, “and I had every intention of doing it, but when I left the school after talking with you I got a call on my cell phone from the TV station, telling me some new weather-tracking equipment we’d ordered had been delivered. I needed to be there to learn how it’s set up, and how to use it.”

He shrugged. “All I could do was phone Bambi and tell her to pick Tinker up at the baby-sitter’s instead of at my house. I hadn’t seen her since I left you yesterday afternoon until she came home from school today. By then it was so late that I decided I’d better wait and talk it over with you. You know better how to handle children than I do.”

“She doesn’t know why I’m here.” Eve’s voice was filled with chagrin. She felt trapped. This was supposed to be a getting-to-know-each-other meeting to see if she and Tinker could connect as student and teacher. It was important that the child accept being tutored before her father sprang his choice of tutor on her. This wasn’t fair to either student or teacher.

Gray ran his fingers through his hair. “No, she doesn’t,” he admitted. “I’m sorry, Eve, but it’s just one of those things that snowballed out of my control. I didn’t even have a chance to call you and postpone the meeting. As long as you’re here now, though, I would like you to meet her. She knows you’re coming.”

Eve glared at him. “You told her about me?”

He sighed. “I had to. She saw me fixing the coffee things, and asked who was coming.” The corners of his mouth raised in a small smile. “I don’t usually use the best china and silver when I serve coffee to neighbors or the gang I work with.”

Eve had to admit that sounded reasonable. “What did you tell her about me?”

“Only that we had some business to discuss,” he assured her. “She didn’t think anything of it. In my profession you meet a lot of new people, so she’s used to strangers coming and going.”

Eve fidgeted with her purse. “I really don’t see any advantage to meeting her until you’ve told her about the tutoring sessions.” She hemmed.

She was surprised to discover that she’d actually been looking forward to seeing Gray’s little girl. Eve was curious about how the youngster looked, how she was progressing with her schoolwork, and how she and Gray got along together.

“Please, Eve, stay for just a little while. I always introduce Tinker to my guests. She expects it, and if you run off without even saying hello to her, it’s going to hurt her feelings.”

Gray caught himself up short. What was the matter with him anyway? He’d wanted a graceful reason not to hire her. Now here it was, handed to him on the proverbial silver platter, and he was practically pleading with her to stay and get acquainted!

Meanwhile, Eve could see it was important that she stay at least long enough to meet Tinker and have a cup of coffee. She relaxed and leaned back against the leather upholstery. “All right, if you really think it’s best, I’d love to meet her. But make it plain that I’m just a business associate.”

“I’m sorry it has to be that way,” he said sadly, “but I understand.”

He stood up and headed for the hall. “Now, if you’d like to pour us some coffee I’ll go get Tinker.”

Gray returned in a few minutes with a young girl in tow. She was wearing a black skort and white cotton blouse: the private school uniform. And she showed promise of blooming into an attractive teenager in a few years, but for now she was all arms and legs—bigger than most children her age and lacking the gracefulness of a smaller child.

Eve felt a twinge of empathy. She’d been too big and awkward at that age, also. She didn’t know what Bambi looked like, but she could see a lot of Gray in his daughter. The girl had his dark brown hair and blue eyes.

“Tinker, I’d like you to meet Ms. Costopoulos,” Gray said.

He turned to Eve. “And Eve, this is my daughter, Sarah, but everybody calls her Tinker.”

The child hung back and looked at the floor shyly, so Eve took the initiative. “I’m very pleased to meet you,” she said softly. “May I call you Tinker?”

“I...I guess so,” Tinker said unenthusiastically, still not looking up.

“Fine,” Eve answered, keeping her tone friendly. “My name is Evangeline, but everyone calls me Eve. I hope you will too.”

Tinker didn’t respond, but for the first time she raised her head and looked up at Eve. There was a strong negative emotion in her eyes. Fear? Resentment? Eve couldn’t tell.

“Are you going to be my teacher?” Tinker asked angrily.

That stunned Eve. What was going on here? Gray had just told her that Tinker didn’t know he was making plans to have her tutored!

Her head jerked up to scan Gray’s face, but he looked as shocked as she was. He scowled and shook his head, then hunkered down beside Tinker and put his arm around her. “Honey, Ms. Costopoulos—Eve—is a teacher, but she teaches third grade at a school on the other side of town. Who told you she was going to be your teacher?”

Tinker looked at him. “Mom did. She said I’d have to study all summer because you were going to get a teacher to—to come to the house and make sure I did.”

Her face contorted and there was a sob in her voice. “Please, Daddy, don’t make me do that. I do study. Honest I do, but it’s so hard. I’ll never learn all that stuff.”

Gray muttered an oath under his breath as he drew his daughter closer. Bambi! If he didn’t know better he’d think she was deliberately sabotaging his efforts to bring Tinker up to the learning level of the rest of her class.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t that simple. Bambi didn’t mean any harm; she just didn’t understand how important it was to tread softly so as not to further damage Tinker’s already low self-esteem. He should have known better than to tell her what he was planing to do until it was an accomplished fact.

“Tinker,” he said gently, “I’m afraid your mom misunderstood. What I want to do is find a teacher who will come here for just a couple of hours several afternoons a week, and help you catch up with the rest of your class. She won’t push you, but she’ll teach you all you’ve missed because of your dyslexia. When school starts again next fall, you’ll be able to read, write, and do the arithmetic along with the others.”

Tinker scrutinized Eve, and there was fear in her eyes. “No, I don’t want her to teach me,” she cried, and threw her arms around Gray’s neck.

Eve was getting more distressed by the minute. Tinker didn’t want to be tutored, but she clearly needed the one-on-one help.

Eve spoke before Gray had a chance. “Tinker, you don’t need to be afraid of me. Your father thought you and I should get acquainted because I can help you—but only if you want my help.”

She glanced around and picked up the glass of cola and ice she’d poured for Tinker. “Here, honey,” she said, and held it out to the youngster. “Your dad said this glass of soda is for you.”

Tinker hesitated, then raised her head and looked back at Eve. After a moment, she twisted out of her father’s arms and walked across the floor to take the beverage.

“Why don’t you sit beside me here on the couch,” Eve said, making it a suggestion, not a command.

Tinker said nothing, but finally did sit down.

Next, Eve deliberately shifted her attention from Tinker to Gray, giving Tinker a chance to observe her. “How do you take your coffee, Gray? Cream and sugar?”

“Black,” Gray said, and stood to walk over and get the cup and saucer.

He pulled up an upholstered occasional chair and sat down next to his daughter.

For a few minutes there was strained silence, then Gray spoke. “Tinker, I bought cookies at the bakery and put them in the cookie jar, then forgot to bring them out. Would you mind getting them?”

The child’s eyes lit up. “Peanut butter with chocolate chips?” she asked.

Gray nodded. “Your favorite.”

“All right!” she said excitedly as she jumped up and headed for the kitchen.

Gray let out his breath. “Now where do we go from here?” he asked anxiously.

“Nowhere,” Eve said firmly. “It’s out of the question for me to tutor Tinker now. We got off to an impossible start, and she’ll never trust me. I’m sorry to say this, but the first thing you must do is undo the damage her mother has done. Then you’ll have to find another tutor.”

His cup clattered in the saucer as he put it down on the low table. “Unfortunately, I made the mistake of discussing my plans with Bambi.” There was bitterness in his tone.

“Did you tell your wife you didn’t want Tinker to know you were making plans to have her privately tutored?” Eve asked.

Gray ran his hand over his face. “Ex-wife,” he corrected her. “And of course I did, but when did that ever stop her. She gets upset if I make plans for Tinker without telling her, but when I do tell her, she broadcasts it all over town. If the kids at school hear Tinker’s being tutored, they’ll undoubtedly tease her, call her dumb or stupid. Children can be so cruel without ever meaning to.”

Eve knew all about that, both from her experience as a child when she’d been teased about her long, Greek, almost-unpronounceable last name, as well as her height, and now as a teacher whose pupils constantly fought for recognition and didn’t care how they got it. They often taunted those who were different, or spread vicious rumors about a student who was smarter or had a few more possessions than most of the others did.

She shuddered. “Yes, I know,” she murmured softly, wishing there was a way she could shoulder some of his child’s pain.

Tinker’s young voice came from the kitchen. “Daddy, I can’t find the cookie jar. I think it’s on the top shelf, but I can’t reach it.”

Gray jumped out of the chair. “Just stay where you are, and I’ll get it,” he called as he hurried into the other room. “I don’t want you to climb up on something and fall.”

They were back in a few seconds with a plate of cookies that Gray passed around. Tinker took two, then picked up her glass of soda. “I’m going back to the office and watch television,” she announced sharply, and turned to walk away.

“Just a minute, young lady,” Gray said in a tone that stopped his daughter in her tracks. “I didn’t hear you ask to be excused.”

“Please-may-I-be-excused.” She ran all the words together, her back still turned to them.

“Not until you ask politely,” Gray reprimanded, and it was clear that it embarrassed him to have to discipline his daughter in front of a third person. Being caught in the middle of it embarrassed Eve, too, but she admired him for not letting Tinker get away with being disrespectful.

“Oh, Daddy,” she said mutinously, but she turned to face them, and once more asked—politely this time—to be excused.

Gray looked relieved. “Yes, you may,” he answered crisply. Tinker turned around and headed for the back of the house.

When they heard a door slam shut, Gray sighed and dropped down on the couch beside Eve. “I don’t know what to say, how to apologize for my daughter’s behavior.” He sounded more concerned than humiliated. “I know you’ll find it hard to believe, but she’s usually too meek rather than too aggressive.”

Eve wished she could touch him in a reassuring gesture, but knew that would be a big mistake. There was too much magnetism between them. Neither of them had admitted it, but it had been building since their chance encounter in the hallway of her school the previous afternoon.

That sort of thing had never happened to her before. The attraction she’d felt for men had usually taken time to build, and had never really gone anywhere. Except with Damian, and she wasn’t going to think about him....

“I’m not a bit surprised or offended by Tinker’s bethavior, Gray,” she told him. “The poor child is terrified.”

He looked at her and blinked. “What do you mean, ‘terrified’?”

“She’s afraid of trying something new and failing again,” Eve said gently. “Apparently her mother isn’t very supportive of the idea of having her tutored, and let Tinker know it. Then you sprang me on her—”

“I admit that was a mistake. I should have listened to you. You warned me—”

“But you couldn’t have known your ex-wife would be so...so...” How could she put it without criticizing?

“I think insensitive is the word you’re looking for,” he said harshly. “But I should have known. I lived with her for eight years...” His voice trailed off.

Eve wondered what he meant by that, but she wasn’t going to prolong this conversation. She took a sip of her now-cold coffee, then put the cup down and stood.

“I’m truly sorry this happened,” she said. “It will make the process of having Tinker tutored much more difficult. But I urge you to keep trying to find someone she likes and trusts. Have you tried counseling? That might help.”

Gray stood also. He didn’t answer her question, but posed one of his own. “Eve, are you sure you can’t work with her? I’ll have her counseled if that’s what you suggest. You and the counselor could work together, but I have a gut feeling that you can handle my daughter better than anyone else.”

Eve shook her head sadly. “You don’t even know me, Gray, and I don’t know Tinker. I’m sure, though, that any help I could have given her has been spoiled by her mother’s interference. Both Tinker and your ex-wife would resent me if I tried, and it would only harm Tinker further.”

Eve picked up her purse and headed for the door. “May I have my coat, please.”

“Are you sure there’s nothing I can say to change your mind?” He was surprised to hear himself ask the question as he followed her to the closet by the door and took out her coat. The object wasn’t to change her mind, dammit, it was to agree with her that the situation was hopeless.

She shook her head. “No, but I really am sorry.”

She shrugged into the coat Gray was holding for her, then turned to face him. “It’s been nice meeting you, Gray,” she said, and stuck out her hand. “Tinker too. I wish you the very best of luck with a different tutor.”

Gray took her hand and cradled it in both of his. His were warm and strong, and there was a tingle of electricity that flowed from them into hers. He felt it, too. She could see it in his eyes. The blue of his pupils darkened and softened.

“You haven’t seen the last of me, Ms. Evangeline Costopoulos,” he murmured as he squeezed her hand and released it.

She turned and, not even sure why, she fled.

Chapter Three

The weekend came and went, and Monday morning was sunny and bright But the nape of Eve’s neck tingled, so she wasn’t surprised when storm clouds began gathering by noon. Ever since she was a little girl, she’d been forecasting the weather by paying attention to a tightening at her nape. But she no longer bothered to mention it. Nobody believed her.

By the time she was ready to dismiss her class, the skies had opened up and were pouring rain onto the roof, which in turn dripped water through the ceiling and noisily into buckets strategically placed by teachers and students in hope of keeping themselves and their school supplies dry.

It was maddening, and Eve clenched her jaws in frustration. The fund that had been started for a new roof was increasing, but much too slowly. If only there was something she could do! Eve thought. But on her salary she could only make token contributions. If she’d accepted the summer job Gray Flint had offered her, he would have donated money to the roofing fund....

Tinker. Eve tried not to think about the child, because that led to thoughts of Gray, and she didn’t want to reflect on him. She’d been right when she refused to go ahead and tutor Tinker in spite of the child’s objections. A student had to be willing in order to learn.

Eve was just getting ready to dismiss the children when Jessica, the school secretary, came into the room, positively glowing with excitement.

“Eve, you have a phone call,” she said. “It’s Gray Flint. He says he has to speak to you, that it’s urgent. You never told me you knew him!”

Jess was the consummate hero-worshiper, and anyone in the public eye was hero material for her. Eve couldn’t help grinning, even as her own stomach filled with fluttering butterflies and tickles rippled up and down her spine. Gray projected her into orbit, too, but it wasn’t hero worship. It was a much more perilous attraction than that.

“Thank you, Jess,” she said without satisfying the other woman’s curiosity. “Will you keep an eye on the kids? I won’t be but a minute.”

Without waiting for an answer, she left the room and headed for the office. Why was Gray calling her? After all, they’d agreed that she couldn’t tutor Tinker. Last time they saw each other, he’d sort of indicated he might be in touch with her again, but that was four days ago. Besides, she hadn’t actually believed he meant it.

She walked into the outer office and picked up the telephone. “Gray, this is Eve Costopoulos.”

“Eve,” he said, and sounded relieved. “I’m sorry to bother you at school, but I neglected to get your home phone number.”

“That’s okay,” she replied. “Is something wrong?”

“No. Actually something’s very right. Tinker has agreed to be tutored, and she wants you to do it.”

“Oh?” Eve said skeptically. That sounded somewhat suspicious given the way the youngster had objected when first approached about it. “Are you sure you didn’t coerce her into it—?”

“I swear, I didn’t put any pressure on her,” he interrupted. “Bambi and I just explained to her why it was so important that she have help in catching up with the rest of her classmates.”

Eve’s stomach muscles knotted. “You and Bambi?” Her tone betrayed her uncertainty. “And how did you get her approval?”

He chuckled. “I don’t blame you for being skeptical. I admit Bambi’s pretty scatterbrained, but she does want what’s best for her daughter. Once I went over the situation with her, she understood why it was necessary—and helped me convince Tinker.”

“Well, I think that’s great,” she assured him. “I know several teachers who are looking for summer employment. If you like, I can give you their names—”

“No. Wait,” he interrupted. “Didn’t you hear me? Tinker wants you to tutor her. I didn’t even mention you. It was her own request. She asked for you.”

Eve felt her eyes widen. “Really?”

“Really,” Gray assured her. “Look, we don’t have time to discuss this now—I know you have to get back to your students. I’m calling to ask if you’ll have dinner with me tonight. We can work out the details then. I have a baby-sitter I can call.”

Common sense told Eve that she should say no to a social engagement disguised as a business meeting, but then, when had she let common sense stand in the way of something she wanted to do as much as she wanted to go to dinner with Gray? After all, she wasn’t his daughter’s teacher—yet.

“I’d like that,” she admitted. “I usually get home by three-thirty.”

“Good,” he said, and he really sounded pleased. “Okay if I pick you up around six-thirty?”

“Fine,” she agreed. “If you have a piece of paper and a pencil handy, I’ll give you my address and phone number.”

Eve was bathed, dressed and ready to go early, so she used the extra time to straighten up her already immaculate apartment. It consisted of a living room, kitchen/dining area, bedroom and bath in one of the city’s newer apartment complexes. This one had been built by her dad’s construction company.

She heard the doorbell ring, and a wave of warmth swept over her. That would be Gray! She hurried to the door, and a glance through the peephole revealed him standing on the other side. Quickly she unlatched the locks and opened the door.

For a moment they just stood there looking at each other. Gray was wearing a dark blue suit, and looked suave as always. She was glad she’d selected her above-the-knee burnt-orange long-sleeve chemise—very plain but elegant. With the addition of a glowing amber necklace and earrings, she could go anywhere and be appropriately dressed.

She finally broke the spell. “Please, come in Gray.”

There was no foyer; the door opened right into the living room. She stepped back to let him enter. As he walked past, she caught a faint whiff of his expensive shaving lotion. It was heady stuff: understated, but enticing.

She closed the door, and Gray’s gaze roamed over her. “You look lovely,” he said huskily.

“Thank you,” she replied, at a loss for words to express how much his admiration meant to her. “How...how much time do we have? Can we sit down and talk for a while or...”

He shook his head. “I’m afraid not. I made reservations for seven, and the restaurant is clear across town.”

“Oh, then I’ll get my purse,” she said.

Outside, he led her to a bright red Jaguar and helped her in.

“What a beautiful car!” she exclaimed. “It looks new.”

He beamed as he climbed in behind the steering wheel. “It is. It’s my one extravagance.”

“What a joy it must be to drive,” she said. “My poor old buggy is ten years old and badly in need of a paint job—but I’m not complaining, it runs well.”

He glanced at her as he started the engine and pulled away from the curb. “You’re going to have to convince me that you’ve been driving for ten years. You don’t look old enough.”

She smiled. Even when using a cliché, he sounded sincere. “Ten years ago, I wasn’t even old enough to get my learner’s permit. Dad and Mom gave me the car secondhand when I graduated from City College. I had enrolled at the University at Brookings to get my BA, and needed something to get around in.”

She thought she saw him wince. “I feel like I’m robbing the cradle. I’m thirty-six,” he admitted.

She couldn’t help but laugh. “Lighten up, grandpa,” she teased. “It’s not as if you were taking me out to propose marriage. This is just a business dinner, remember?”

“I’ll try my best not to forget,” he muttered so low that she wasn’t sure she’d heard right.

The restaurant Gray had chosen was the newest and the nicest one in town. The walls were paneled in wood, the lights were dim, and the diners were seated in secluded booths with shimmering votive candles in stained glass holders on the tables.

“Oh, it’s lovely,” Eve breathed as the hostess seated them and handed them each a large menu.

“You haven’t been here before?” Gray asked.

“No, I haven’t,” she admitted. “I’m afraid it’s out of my price range, but I read the food critic’s review when it opened.”

“The menu is pretty much all American, but their chef is a master at cooking it.” He opened his menu. “They’re already known for their prime rib, and with good reason. I highly recommend it, but don’t hesitate to order anything that appeals to you.”

The cocktail waitress came, and Eve asked for white wine; Gray ordered Scotch on the rocks. When the woman had gone, he closed his menu and laid it aside. “So, are you glad there’s only one more week of school?”

She looked over the top of her menu. “I’m positively ecstatic,” she said with a sigh.

Before Gray could answer the cocktail waitress returned with their drinks, and almost immediately after that their server came to take their order. Eve followed Gray’s lead and asked for the prime rib, but the petite cut.

When they’d settled on the choice of side dishes and soups, the server left, and Eve took a sip of her wine. It was good, and she sighed and leaned back against the thick brown leather upholstery of the booth. “Now, what was it you wanted to talk to me about? You did say Tinker has agreed to be tutored, didn’t you?”

He grinned. “Yes, I did, and I don’t think Bambi will give me any more trouble about it. She’s not malicious. I’ve also talked with Tinker, explained just what would be expected of her by a tutor and how much easier school will be for her once she’s caught up with the rest of her class. I let her make the decision, and she decided she wants to do it after all.”

Eve breathed a sigh of relief. She was glad Tinker was no longer afraid of her. Whether deliberately or not, Bambi had frightened the child with a variation on the “wicked witch” theme.

Eve was beginning to wonder about this woman. What kind of mother would frighten her own daughter into not wanting to go to school?

Eve knew the answer. It was the same type who frightened her children into behaving by threatening them with the police. Eve had met parents like her before, but she hadn’t expected to find one in a family like the Flints.

She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she jumped when Gray spoke again. “Eve? What’s the matter? You haven’t ruled out tutoring Tinker altogether, have you? I’m sorry she made such a bad impression when you met her but—”

“She didn’t make a bad impression,” Eve hurried to assure Gray. “I liked her, and I agree she needs help. I even think I can provide that help if you still want me to, but I sort of got the idea when I came to your house the other day that you weren’t quite as eager for me to take on the job as you had been the day before.”

They were sitting across the table from each other, and Gray shifted nervously. If the light hadn’t been so dim, she would have thought his face flushed, but that was unlikely. Men his age didn’t blush.

“I’m going to be truthful with you, Eve,” he said quietly. “You’re right, I was having second thoughts. But not for any reason you might think.”

She felt the glow that had permeated her since his call this afternoon flicker and die. If he no longer wanted her to instruct his child, then why had he phoned and indicated he did? Was he prepared to hire her only because Tinker had asked for her? That thought was a real letdown. Not only was it upsetting to her, but it was also impossible. She had to have the enthusiastic approval of all three members of the family; otherwise, it would just confuse the child.

To say nothing of what it was doing to her!

She felt Gray’s hand cover hers where it lay on the table, and his voice was husky when he spoke. “Please, don’t misunderstand. Just hear me out.”

She was too stunned to speak, but he continued. “I don’t know how to say this without taking the risk that you’ll think I’m crossing the line between parent and teacher.”

She blinked with surprise, but he didn’t give her a chance to say anything. “I’m attracted to you, Eve. When I walked into your school last week, it was with the intention of offering an anonymous Ms. Evangeline Costopolous a summer job tutoring my young daughter. But I wasn’t prepared for the fascination, the...the pull I felt as I talked to you. When I walked out, I knew I was hooked. And I wasn’t happy about it.”

Then he’d felt it, too! The excitement between them wasn’t just on her side.

Eve opened her mouth, but still no words came out. He removed his hand from hers and gestured with it. “As you know, I’ve been married and have a daughter. It was never a happy marriage, and it got worse as it went along. The only thing we had going for us was infatuation, and when that wore off there was nothing else to bond us. If it hadn’t been for Tinker, we could each have gone our separate ways once we divorced, but our daughter is the glue that binds us now. Now I’m trying to deal with a divorce and child custody. The whole thing has been something of a nightmare, and I learned my lesson. I’m not looking to get seriously involved with a woman again.”

Now Eve was totally confused. “I’m flattered,” she said, and felt the radiance returning. “But what does all this have to do with whether or not I tutor Tinker?”

He leaned forward. “Not a thing. Just put it out of your mind. For a while I thought it might not be a good idea to work closely with you, knowing there was this attraction for you on my part. But that’s absurd. After all, you’re a beautiful and charming woman. You no doubt have a lot of admirers.”

Eve didn’t know how to reply to that. Did he want her to be his daughter’s tutor—or his lover? Both? Or neither? Heaven knows, she was attracted to him, too. And she wasn’t any more eager to get involved with him than he was with her. Whatever he had in mind, he was making it clear that it wasn’t wedding bells. And she wouldn’t accept anything less from any man.

She almost chortled. What was the matter with her? They hadn’t even known each other a week yet, and already she was thinking about a proposal of marriage!

She was saved from having to respond to him by their server, who brought the soup course. By silent but mutual consent, they dropped the subject. They chatted about other things: the food, the weather. Finally she was able to bring the conversation around to his personal history.

“Are you a local boy, Gray?” she asked. “Do your parents live here?”

He sipped the delicious beef-and-barley soup they’d both ordered. “Well, yes and no. I was born and raised here until I left to go to the University of California at Berkeley. After I got my degree, I worked out there for several years, until Dad had a massive heart attack and nearly died.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Eve said, thinking of her own beloved father. “Did he—that is, is he all right?”

Gray smiled appreciatively. “Yes, but he had to retire as vice-president of the bank, and he can no longer survive the severe winters here, so he and Mom moved to the Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas. There, all he has to do is sit in his orange grove and pick the fruit off his trees.”

Again they were interrupted, this time by the busboy who cleared the empty soup bowls from their table. He was followed shortly by the server with their salads, and by the time they got to the entrée they were more relaxed and at ease with one another—enough so that they were finally able to discuss the subject that had brought them together.

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