Women would fall at his feet, yet he’d channeled his energy into his children. How cool was that?

He wanted this party for his daughter, and Thea had catered events for both women and men. This man was no different from any other client.

And that was when she recognized the lie.

She liked Scott and that made him different. Which was why she wanted to turn him down flat.

Then she looked head-on into the intensity of his gaze and her stomach did that whole stop, drop and roll thing that had nothing to do with being pregnant.

From another lifetime she remembered falling in love with her husband. The ache inside when they were apart. The sheer giddiness when she saw him. The heart-pounding excitement. The anticipation to be together. Her heart stuttered and her stomach fluttered as it occurred to her that this was very much like what she’d felt long ago.

But that was impossible. She was the caterer, he was the client. And their relationship was—had to be—strictly business.

No matter what sizzled between them.

It Takes Three
Teresa Southwick

www.millsandboon.co.uk

I dedicate this book to Valerie Florence Pascale and Emma Maria Pasqualino—two IVF miracles and the inspiration for this story. Thank you, ladies.

TERESA SOUTHWICK

lives in Southern California with her hero husband who is more than happy to share with her the male point of view. An avid fan of romance novels, she is delighted to be living out her dream of writing for Silhouette Books.

THEA BELL’S FAVORITE FAMILY RECIPE

1 egg—liberally laced with hope

1 sperm—bountiful with unfulfilled promise

Simmer with hormones and put in a warm place

Add 1 seasoned father of two

Sprinkle generously with attraction

(Keep hot, but do not permit to boil)

Combine two cups of conflict

A dollop of determination

Then fold in a liter of love

After nine months, remove promptly. Baby makes three for a happy family.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Epilogue

Chapter One

“Someone’s been cooking in my kitchen.”

Staring at the beautiful stranger in front of his stove, Scott Matthews figured he’d hit a low point even for him. His life was reduced to a culinary caper of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Except the woman wasn’t a blonde. She had hair like brown silk, eyes warm as hot cocoa and was not sleeping in his bed.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” he asked, annoyed that the sleeping-in-his-bed thought sent a shaft of heat through him.

She wielded a spatula like a conductor’s baton. “Who are you?” she demanded.

“I live here.”

“You’re Kendra’s father?”

“Scott Matthews,” he introduced himself.

“But you don’t look old enough to have an eighteen-year-old daughter,” she said, obviously surprised.

“Trust me, I am.”

It’s what happened when a guy thought with the brain south of his belt and had the first of two daughters when he was barely out of his teens.

“So you started your family when you were what? Ten?”

“Not quite.” The compliment about his youthful appearance almost made him miss the fact that she hadn’t yet told him who she was. This was his kitchen and he’d be the one asking the questions.

“Who are you?”

“Thea Bell.”

“Why are you here?”

“Kendra didn’t tell you?” Her confidence slipped and she looked uncomfortable.

What did his daughter have to do with anything? Was this woman using his child as an excuse to meet him? That wasn’t ego talking. His wife had walked out on him thirteen years ago and after his divorce, he’d become fair game—fresh meat on the dating market.

At back-to-school night, there was always a divorced mom trying to get his attention. Or kids on his girls’ sports teams had single mothers who invariably honed in on him. But they were barking up the wrong tree, because he had no interest in a relationship except the one he had with his daughters. After putting in a day’s work at his family-owned construction company and then being both father and mother to the girls, dating didn’t make the to-do list. And with Kendra just about to graduate and go on to college, he could see the light at the end of the parenting tunnel. Please, God, let it not be attached to a speeding locomotive.

He had news for Thea Bell. If her pickup approach was based on the way to a man’s heart being through his stomach, she was dealing with the wrong man. He didn’t care whether a woman could boil water or whip up a meal. He wasn’t desperate for companionship. After his train wreck of a marriage, the single life was simple.

“What was Kendra supposed to tell me?” he asked suspiciously.

“She and I have an appointment to discuss her party.”

The woman in front of him reached into the pocket of her tailored jeans and pulled out a card. He walked over to her and took it. Leaning his back against the refrigerator, he tried to ignore the sweet scent of her perfume as he read the name of her company printed in a no-nonsense font.

“For Whom the Bell Toils?” he said.

“Thea Bell toils for thee.” One corner of her full mouth turned up as she shrugged. “I’m a caterer.”

“Catchy.” He set her card on the island in front of him and folded his arms over his chest as he studied her.

“I met Kendra at a birthday party I did for one of her friends.”

“And?”

She frowned, her expression puzzled. “Did you not tell your daughter she could have a graduation party?”

“I did.”

“Then why are you acting as if I’m a cat burglar who’s just broken into your home to steal the fine jewelry?”

“I have no fine jewelry.”

“You also didn’t answer my question,” she pointed out.

“I told her if she wanted a party she could be responsible for the details.”

“She is being responsible for them. She’s talking to a catering professional.”

“When I said details, I meant buying burgers and buns at the grocery store. Not hiring someone to take care of the burgers and buns.”

He hadn’t seen her from the back, but he suspected Thea Bell had some fine buns of her own, because what he could see of her front was pretty fine. The silky white blouse tucked into her tailored jeans accentuated her breasts and a slender waist that flared into the delicate curves of her hips. He might not date much, but he still knew she was the kind of woman who would make any man instantly aware of her.

He drew in a deep breath to control the spike of his pulse. “Didn’t you wonder about dealing with a teenager? Or where her parents were?”

“It’s not unusual. Many parents work. They’re busy and give their teenagers a lot of responsibility, especially when the teen is hosting the party. Not unlike what you said to Kendra about handling everything.”

She was sharp. Using his own words against him. “How do I know you’re a reputable caterer?”

“I have a list of references. You can check with the Better Business Bureau and the Santa Clarita Chamber of Commerce. If a complaint has been registered with either agency, I’ll eat my spatula.” She glanced at it, then back at him. “Your spatula.”

It took several moments before he realized he was staring at her mouth. Her lips were plump and pink and… And giving them enough notice to attach adjectives really whipped up his irritation.

“Where is my daughter?”

“You say that as if you think I’ve done something with her.”

“Have you?”

“Of course not,” she denied. “She went up to her room to find a picture to show me, something for the party’s theme.”

“Graduation isn’t enough?”

“She had something in mind. For the table decorations.”

“She needs decorations?”

“Technically? No.” She sighed. “But it’s a touch that adds an air of festivity to any gathering. It isn’t just about food, it’s about ambience. When guests walk in, you want them in a party mood. Decorations do that.”

“And have you discussed with my daughter how much this is going to cost? And who’s paying for it?”

“Not yet. I can’t estimate until firm decisions are made about food, decorations and the number of guests.”

“I see, so—”

Scott heard the unmistakable sound of his daughter galumphing down the stairs. A five-point-eight on the Richter scale, he estimated.

When Kendra entered the kitchen, she stopped so fast her sneakers squeaked on the tile floor. “Dad. What are you doing here?”

“I live here.”

His dark-haired, blue-eyed daughter glanced from him to Thea and then back again. As much as he wished he could chalk this up to a blond moment, her hair was the wrong shade and she had guilt written all over her.

Kendra moved closer to Thea. His daughter took after him in the height department. She was tall, nearly five feet ten, and made the other woman look even smaller by comparison. “I just meant, you’re home early. How come?”

“I’m meeting a real estate agent here to get a market evaluation of the house.”

The teen speared him with a narrow-eyed gaze. “Define ‘market evaluation,’ Dad.”

He should have channeled Kendra’s question back to how she planned to get away with hiring a caterer when she hadn’t cleared it with him. His lapse was directly due to the distraction of Thea Bell. When a man came home and found a beautiful woman in his kitchen, it tended to throw him off. Especially a man like himself, who was more comfortable with the tool belt and nail gun set. But he’d opened his mouth and now had to figure out what to do with the foot he’d inserted.

“The agent is coming to see the place and figure out how much it’s worth on today’s market. You know her. It’s Joyce Rivers, Bernie’s wife.”

“I know Joyce,” Thea chimed in. “We met at a Santa Clarita professional women’s group. She’s great.”

“Why do you need Joyce to tell you how much the house is worth?” Kendra asked, refusing to be distracted.

His youngest child had been a handful since she’d turned twelve. Why should now be any different? Her older sister was an easygoing rule-follower who hadn’t prepared him for Kendra’s episodes of rebellion. But Kendra was going off to college soon and he wouldn’t need this big house. That’s why he’d arranged for Joyce to do the market evaluation and the best time for both of them happened to be when Kendra was in school. Speaking of which…

“Why aren’t you in school?” he demanded.

“I told you last night,” she said, sighing in exasperation as she rolled her eyes. “Today is a half-day schedule because the teachers had an end-of-quarter grading day.”

“Oh. Yeah.” He didn’t remember her saying a word about it.

“As usual, you weren’t listening.” She put her hands on her hips. “You’re going to sell the house, aren’t you?”

Scott didn’t want to have this conversation at all, let alone in front of a total stranger. “Can we talk about this later?”

“Maybe I should go,” Thea said.

“Please don’t,” Kendra pleaded. Then she turned her patented drop-dead-you-son-of-a-bitch stare on him and huffed out a hostile breath. “Evasive tactics mean I’m right. I don’t believe this. I’m not even finished with high school and you’re selling my home out from under me. What if I go to the local junior college? Do you remember me telling you about that?”

“I’m not selling anything,” he said, avoiding her question.

“Then why do you need to know how much the house is worth?”

“Maybe I want to refinance my loan,” he countered.

“Do you?”

It was times like this when he wished he could lie. But he’d made it a point to be as honest with his daughters as he knew how. “No.”

“I knew it,” Kendra said. “You can’t wait to get rid of me. That’s why you’re pushing me to go away to college.”

“You’re wrong, Ken. I’m not pushing you to do anything.”

“You didn’t want to hear about the local community college.”

“I want you to have the total college experience. Like your sister—”

“Perfect Gail.” The aside was directed to Thea.

“I’m sure that’s not what your father meant,” she said, glancing at him.

“I’m sure he did. My sister does everything right and I’m the screwup.”

“Coincidentally, Joyce did a market evaluation on my condo,” Thea said, changing the subject.

“Are you selling it?” Kendra asked, toning down her hostility for the caterer.

Scott almost felt sorry for Thea, getting caught in the crossfire. But his empathy was mitigated by the fact that the woman had chosen to conduct business with a teenager instead of her parent. He decided not to analyze why it seemed better to focus on Thea’s error in judgment rather than her noble attempt to defuse the situation. Or his daughter’s rebellious streak that had created this multi-level farce in the first place.

“Actually, I am selling,” she admitted. “I’m looking for a single-family home in a nice neighborhood.”

Kendra cranked the animosity back up when she looked at him. “My dad just happens to have one for sale. Maybe he’ll give you a good deal. He can’t wait to unload this place, along with me.”

“Ken, you’re being overly dramatic…”

The ringing doorbell interrupted him. If only he felt saved by the bell. “That must be Joyce now.”

“I’m going to Zoe’s.” Kendra grabbed her purse off of the built-in desk beside the pantry and stomped out of the room.

“Kendra, wait. You know how I feel about Zoe—” When the inside door to the garage slammed, Scott sighed. Then the doorbell rang again and he went to answer it.

Thea looked around the empty kitchen feeling about as useful as one chopstick. Could this be any more awkward? She’d had dealings with teens before, but always after first contact was made by the parent and the dynamics of the working relationship were spelled out. But there was something about Kendra. When they’d met at her friend’s party, she’d felt the girl reaching out. Thea had seen something in Kendra’s eyes that was an awful lot like sadness. Thea figured she recognized the emotion because she’d lived with it every day for the last two years.

When Kendra had called to inquire about hiring her for a graduation party, Thea had made an exception. Today she’d brought samples of food for the teen and showed her an album of pictures displaying her work. Thea had planned to get into the business details of a signed contract and a deposit check when Scott walked in.

Kendra had only said her father was a busy building contractor who couldn’t be bothered with her party. The teen hadn’t mentioned how very attractive the father in question was. His dark hair, blue eyes and good looks definitely made Thea’s female hormones sit up and take notice. However, her hormones had been on high alert for a while now. So her noticing him could simply be chemically induced.

But clearly his irritation about finding her in his kitchen had been all too real. Maybe if he knew how very important the party was to his daughter, he’d cut her a little slack on leaving him out of the loop.

As she stood there trying to decide what to do, Scott led Joyce Rivers into the kitchen. The tall brunette looked around. When she noticed Thea, she smiled. “Hello, there. I didn’t know you and Scott knew each other.”

“We just met,” Thea said.

“Just,” he agreed, his tone cool.

When he said nothing further, she figured he didn’t want Kendra’s role in their meeting made public. But the look glittering in his very blue eyes told her his daughter would get an earful when she came home.

Joyce tapped her lip. “You know, Thea, when we talked about what you were looking for in a home, I thought about this house.”

“Really?” Scott said. “Even though I hadn’t decided to sell?”

“You indicated to Bernie and me that when Kendra was finished with high school, you were going to downsize. Isn’t she graduating in a couple of months?”

Thea stared at him. “So Kendra’s right? Her teddy bears and Barbies aren’t even cold yet and you’re kicking them out?”

“She’s blowing things out of proportion,” he said.

“Clearly she thinks you’re trying to get rid of her.” Thea couldn’t resist making him squirm a little. Scott Matthews had walked in and treated her like a breaking and entering suspect. Maybe his daughter’s issues with him weren’t just the rumblings of teenage independence.

“She’s wrong. It’s not getting rid of her when she’s going to college. What do I need with this big place?” he defended.

With one eyebrow raised, Joyce looked from Thea to Scott and back again. “Am I interrupting something?”

“No.” Scott blew out a breath as he ran his fingers through his hair.

Thea folded her arms over her chest. “She was only reacting to the information that you’re going to sell her childhood home out from under her.”

“I’m not selling anything yet,” he said. “I’m simply gathering information.”

“And let’s do that,” Joyce said brightly. Obviously she was grateful for the excuse to change the subject. “Thea, since you’re here, why don’t you tag along on the tour.”

“If Scott doesn’t mind.” She looked at him and his expression said he minded very much.

“Why not?” His enthusiasm was underwhelming.

“Great.” Thea didn’t care what he thought. She’d been dying to see the floor plan. Already she’d fallen in love with the kitchen. The downstairs was charming, and she was curious about the rest of the house.

She turned off the stove, then followed Joyce who was just behind Scott as he led them upstairs. Peeking around the other woman, Thea got a glimpse of his broad back narrowing to a trim waist and one fine backside. She hadn’t noticed men in general, or any man in particular since she’d fallen in love with David. He’d been the love of her life and she’d lost him. Odd that the first man to make her female antenna quiver was a man who was annoyed with her.

“This is the master bedroom,” he said, leading them into the room at the top of the stairs. “It goes across the back half of the house. There are his and hers walk-in closets. Double sinks and a Jacuzzi tub.”

Thea fixated on the large bed because it didn’t dwarf the floor space. Not because its owner was a big man who needed a big bed. The completely innocent thought warmed her cheeks and she forced herself to focus on his words.

“Over there, two steps down, is an area for a parent’s retreat.” He looked questioningly at Thea.

Was he asking if she needed a parent’s retreat? Whether he was or not, she wasn’t in the habit of sharing personal information, let alone her house needs, with total strangers, even above-average-looking total strangers. So the silence stretched between them.

“I haven’t seen this floor plan for a long time. It’s a nice room, Scott,” Joyce said, filling the void. “Very large and comfortable.”

Beside the master bedroom was an open loft area with a huge corner group and a big-screen TV across from it. Built-in desks were under the windows and one of them was cluttered with books and papers next to a computer. Obviously this was Kendra’s work space. Her perfect older sister didn’t live here any more.

Joyce looked around and took notes. “Teen rooms are popular, a good selling point.”

“There’s more this way,” Scott said.

They peeked into the two bedrooms—one with the double bed neatly made, the other in a state of complete chaos. Obviously Kendra’s. Thea didn’t know why, but her heart went out to the teen who seemed to feel she didn’t measure up.

Scott looked sheepish. “I had no idea her room was this bad.”

“Teenagers.” Joyce shrugged. “It goes with the territory.”

Thea met his gaze and wondered. Shouldn’t a parent have some idea about his child’s environment? They lived in the same house, for goodness’ sake.

“Brace yourself.” He opened the bathroom door and stepped back. “I’m afraid to look.”

Thea followed Joyce past him and breathed in the pleasant scent of cologne and man. Her stomach fluttered, but she chalked it up to the fact that it had been a long time since she’d experienced that particular scent. Ignoring him took some effort, but she managed to focus on the separate shower and tub area.

The vanity had two sinks and was littered with bottles of hair products and combs and brushes of various sizes and shapes. A curling iron, blow-dryer and makeup were scattered over every square inch of counter space. It seemed a million years since her biggest concern had been her hair. But she was grateful for those carefree days before she knew that life—and death—could bring her to her knees.

Sighing, she let her gaze wander. She saw flannel pajama bottoms and a coordinating top in a pile beside the overflowing wastebasket.

Scott was watching her and noticed the direction of her gaze. He hastily grabbed the handles of the trash bag, pulling it out of the container. “Sorry. I had no idea this bathroom was located in tornado alley.”

Joyce arched an eyebrow. “I’ve seen much worse, believe me. This is nothing.”

“Easy for you to say,” he said, shutting the door. “I think it qualifies for federal disaster assistance.”

Thea brought up the rear as they went downstairs. Was there a Mrs. Matthews? The interaction between him and his daughter gave her the impression there wasn’t. The niggling sense of excitement in that thought brought her up short because it was so very unexpected.

In the kitchen, he set the bag of trash beside the tall circular metal container. “So there you have it,” he said to Joyce.

She nodded. “This house will go fast on today’s market.”

“In spite of the biohazard bathroom?”

Thea laughed. Until his comments about Kendra’s disaster of a bathroom, she’d thought the man had no sense of humor. She liked it.

“Forget it, Scott,” Joyce said. “If you decide to list the place, you’ll have time to clean it up.”

“That will be Kendra’s job,” he said.

“Good luck getting her cooperation,” Thea mumbled.

Joyce glanced at the two of them. “I gather she’s resistant to moving?”

“She’ll come around,” he claimed.

“Of course she will.” Joyce looked at her watch. “I’ve got to run to another appointment.”

“So what do you think the place is worth?” he asked.

“Scott, you know as well as I do it’s a gold mine. This neighborhood is one of the most desirable in Santa Clarita. Houses sell as soon as they go on the market. There’s a waiting list. You can easily get top dollar.”

“What kind of top dollar are we talking?”

“Let me do some comparables and I’ll let you know,” she said. She looked at Thea. “I’ll call you about listing your condo.”

Thea nodded. After Joyce was gone, she was alone with Scott Matthews. For some reason he made her nervous, and not because he was annoyed with her. It had started after her assumption that he wasn’t married.

“I guess I should be going, too,” she said.

“Yeah.”

She looked at the food she’d brought from a luncheon and reheated here for Kendra. It didn’t seem right to walk away from the dirty dishes, so she moved several pots and pans to the sink and squirted soap from the container there into them.

“Just leave that,” he said.

“Can’t. Part of my job. A professional doesn’t leave a mess in the kitchen.”

“Even though you don’t have a contract?”

“Even so. It’s a service-oriented, word-of-mouth business. Someone you know might need a caterer and you’ll remember the one who didn’t leave a mess.”

While she worked, Thea glanced at Scott who brooded beside her. “Kendra told me she’s never had a party. Is that true?”

He met her gaze and his own narrowed. “It doesn’t mean she’s underprivileged.”

“I can see that she’s got everything she needs. Materially,” she added.

“What are you saying?”

“Just that I got the feeling it was very important to her to have a party.”

“What was your first clue, Dr. Phil?”

She ignored his sarcasm. “The fact that she didn’t tell you I was coming. I’d have to guess she felt you would veto the catering idea.”

“She didn’t give me a chance to veto it.”

“And if she had? What would you have said?” Thea asked, watching him carefully.

He sighed. “Probably I’d have said no.”

“Look…” She rested her wrists inside the sink, letting the water drip from her hands. “Probably I should have asked if she had permission to hire me. And when it came to a signed contract and deposit check, the cat would have been out of the bag. But there’s something about Kendra.”

“Why didn’t she come to me? That’s a rhetorical question by the way.” He shook his head, then met her gaze. “And I don’t understand why she’s so upset about selling the house. It’s just a house.” His tone oozed frustration.

“Men.” Thea stared at him, not bothering to conceal her exasperation.

“What?”

His clueless express was so darn cute, she couldn’t help a small sigh. “How long have you lived here?”

He thought for a moment and said, “I guess ten or eleven years.”

“So Kendra was about seven or eight when you moved in. She hardly remembers living anywhere else. She’s facing big changes, like leaving high school and going away to college. Then she finds out you’re getting rid of her anchor. Of course she freaked. Change is hard.”

“I haven’t gotten rid of anything yet.”

“Just the thought of change is uncomfortable. It’s human nature to fight against that.”

Scott shifted his feet and brushed against the bag of trash on the floor. It tilted sideways, spilling the contents. “Damn it.”

He bent to pick up the bag, giving her an unobstructed view of his backside. She was the first to admit she was out of practice in the fine art of observing men. And truthfully, she’d never understood the fascination for that particular part of the male anatomy. But Scott Matthews’ fanny gave her a completely different perspective.

He straightened, pressed the latch on the kitchen can and dumped the smaller bag inside. Then he stooped again to gather up the stray trash on the tile. He picked up a slender plastic stick.

Frowning, he rolled it between his fingers. “Is this what I think it is?”

She saw the plus and minus symbols. “It is if you think it’s a pregnancy test.”

She should know. She’d used one not that long ago and hers had come up a plus.

Chapter Two

“Just shoot me now.” A muscle jumped in Scott’s lean cheek and tension made his already square jaw seem harder somehow. “Does this mean it’s negative?”

Thea stared at the minus sign. “Not necessarily. The results are only accurate for a short time. There’s no way to know if it’s positive or negative unless you know how long it’s been lying around.”

His expression was dark when he looked up. “I feel as if I’ve been walking down the stairs and just missed the last three steps.”

She wiped her hands on a dish towel. “Don’t jump to conclusions.”

Impossibly blue eyes narrowed on her. “What are you? Twenty-seven? Twenty-eight?”

“Thirty-four.” But what did that have to do with anything?

“Married? Divorced?”

“Neither,” she answered. “I’m a widow.”

Something flickered in his eyes, but she was grateful when he didn’t comment. The automatic “I’m sorry” was awkward and meaningless. She wasn’t even sure why she’d clarified her marital status to him. Normally she didn’t volunteer anything like that. But nothing about today was normal.

“Do you have any children?” he asked, exasperation lacing his tone.

Not yet, although she would soon. God willing. But this man was grilling her like raw hamburger. She’d innocently gotten caught up in his personal problems; that didn’t mean she had to reciprocate with her own problems. When her husband had received his cancer diagnosis, she’d learned the very hard lesson that personal information should be dispensed on a need-to-know basis. Scott was a prospective client. Maybe not, she thought, noting his intense expression. But whatever happened, he wasn’t entitled to her life story.

And she certainly wasn’t going to tell this man, this virtual stranger, that she was now pregnant through in vitro fertilization with her dead husband’s baby. She couldn’t ignore the question, but there was no need to put a finer point on it.

“No,” she finally said. “I don’t have any children.”

He slid her an I-thought-so look. “Then don’t tell me not to jump to conclusions.”

“I was simply trying to help.”

“There’s nothing you can do. This,” he said, holding up the stick, “means she’s having sex. Probably unprotected.”

“I’m not an idiot, Scott. I know this is a serious issue.”

“Really?” He put the test stick on the counter beside him, then met her gaze. “You know it intellectually? Or because you’ve watched Oprah and Dr. Phil? Or you’ve seen the teenage pregnancy statistics in Newsweek?”

“Of course, but—”

“But you don’t have children. You have no idea what it’s like to be nineteen and find out you’re going to be a father. You don’t have a clue what it’s like to be a kid yourself and find out you’re going to have a baby.”

“No, but—”

“I do,” he interrupted. “It’s damned scary. And everyone has an opinion about what should happen. My parents. Her parents. On top of that, she and I couldn’t agree on what to do.”

“What did you do?” Thea couldn’t stop herself from asking. Just because she had a hang-up about sharing nonessential personal information didn’t mean she wasn’t curious about him. If he had a problem with it, he could tell her to mind her own business.

“I married her,” he answered.

“Most people would call that doing the right thing.”

“The right thing?” His handsome features turned harsh.

“No one could call your daughter ugly names or tease her about being born outside of marriage.”

“Yeah, at least I prevented that.” He smiled, but there was no humor in the look.

“And it can’t have been all bad. You had a second child together.”

He folded his arms over his chest. “Kendra wasn’t planned. We were still too young and, I thought, perfectly happy with one child. Then we were careless. I was all of twenty-two when she came along.”

Thea thought about her own struggle to become a mother. Ever since she was a little girl, she’d wanted to have a baby. When she’d married, she’d ached to know what it was like to feel a life growing inside her. She felt it now, mostly because she was tired and nauseous. The point was, she felt different, important. After the heartbreak of two miscarriages, she yearned to bring a healthy baby into the world and would do everything possible to make that happen. Now Scott was telling her his second child wasn’t welcome.

She didn’t try to hide the irritation and disapproval she suspected were visible on her face. “Some people would say having two children makes you lucky.”

“I am. And very grateful they’re normal, healthy kids. I love them more than anything. But the fact is I missed out on a lot. I hardly got to be a kid before I had two in two and a half years.”

“But isn’t it the tough times that forge the bonds in a relationship?”

“Not ours. That second pregnancy was the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

“What do you mean?”

“When Gail was seven and Kendra five, she decided the girls and I were cramping her style. She didn’t want to be a mother and she left.”

“She abandoned her children?”

“Define abandoned. Every once in a while she turns up. It was worse when they were little and all their emotions were stirred up. Now the girls have her pegged. They’re polite but cool if she drops in.”

“It must have hurt them a lot.”

“They’re better off without her.” He shrugged. “They got over it.”

Did they? And were they really better off without her? Thea wondered. Through no fault of their own or Scott’s, Kendra and her sister hadn’t been raised by Ward and June Cleaver. And Thea sensed ripples beneath the surface in the Matthews household. Sensed, heck. She’d seen for herself the tension between Scott and his daughter. Kendra was still hurting.

“Were you better off when your wife left?” she asked him. Again she wondered if he would answer. In his shoes, she wouldn’t. But everything she’d just learned had her curiosity sparring with her better judgment.

He sighed. “That’s not an easy question to answer. It was tough doing it alone. I still had to work to put food on the table and a roof over our heads. But I had two little girls depending on me when they got sick. Child care was a constant worry. And it’s expensive. There was no one to share the responsibility.”

That gave Thea a pang. Her plan of having a baby had always included sharing the experience with her baby’s father. And the plan had always involved sex with said father. She’d never envisioned that the love of her life would get sick. That he would simply donate sperm and medical science would take care of the rest. She was having a baby. And she would be doing it alone. But in her case, she would never know what having help and support felt like, so she wouldn’t feel the absence of it. But Scott had known.

“Did you miss her? Or was it just parenting alone that was a problem? I’m sorry,” she said, before he could answer. She held up her hand. “That’s really none of my business.”

What was it about Scott Matthews that made inappropriate questions pop out of her mouth?

“Actually, the fact that I don’t mind you asked is an answer in itself. Yes, I missed her. And not just because raising those two girls alone was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

He’d cared and then he was alone. She related all too well. “I’m sorry,” she said again.

“I don’t need sympathy. Raising kids is also the most wonderful, rewarding thing I’ve ever done.” He blew out a long breath. “I’m not exactly sure why I told you all that.”

“Maybe because I happened to be here when you found the stick?”

He frowned. “That damn pregnancy test.”

“Sometimes it’s easier to confide in strangers. Someone who doesn’t have an emotional stake in any of this.”

“Yeah,” he said, running his fingers through his hair. “I don’t usually spill my guts. But then, it’s not every day I find out my daughter is sexually active.”

“Shock will loosen your tongue.”

He glanced at the evidence beside him. “I can’t believe this. I don’t want my daughter to be a mother while she’s still a child herself. I don’t want her to repeat my mistakes.”

“I hate to think of children as mistakes,” she said, a tad sharply. “They’re a consequence of an action. A fact of life.” Or in her case, combining her egg with her husband’s sperm in a petri dish. In vitro fertilization was the miracle that had produced her fact of life.

“You’re splitting hairs. I don’t want them to do the same things I did. And now I find this.”

“You were right when you said I’ve had no experience in this area. But you’re obviously upset and I feel compelled to offer something. If Kendra is pregnant, it would be an experience that will take her down a different path. It doesn’t have to mean failure for either of you.”

“Hold on—”

“Think about it,” she interrupted. “Can you honestly tell me you can imagine your life without your children in it?”

Hostility crackled in the air between them. Then the corners of his mouth curved up. “Actually, yes. I’ve been imagining Kendra going off to college.”

“She’ll still be in your life,” Thea pointed out.

“I was kidding. She thinks I’m against junior college. Truthfully, I have mixed feelings about her going away. You’re right. I can’t imagine never having my girls. They’re my reason for getting out of bed every day and putting one foot in front of the other.”

Boy, in her current condition, she could really relate to that. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him about her pregnancy, to share it with him. To bond. But she swallowed the temptation.

“Look, Scott, has it occurred to you that the test might not even belong to her?”

His face brightened. “Actually, no.”

“You’re obviously a glass-is-half-empty kind of guy,” she said wryly. “It’s always possible that it belongs to a friend who didn’t want to take the test at her house. And Kendra was just being supportive.”

“Way to put a positive spin on this.”

His sudden smile had a very weird effect on her. She felt the force of it through her whole body. Her stomach dropped as if she were riding an elevator that suddenly plunged toward the basement. And her heart fluttered as if powered by a horde of humming birds’ wings.

“I’m a pro at spinning,” she finally managed to say.

“Spinning the facts?”

“No, actually. Salad spinning is more my style.”

“Thanks for the benefit of an alternate perspective.” He laughed. “But seriously, I’m sorry I dumped on you.”

“Like I could have stopped you.” She smiled.

“You could have left.”

“No, I really couldn’t. I’ve never met anyone who looked like they needed to talk more than you did today. And it is helpful, especially if somebody listens.”

“I don’t normally get carried away like that.”

“No problem. Don’t give it another thought.”

Thea sincerely meant that. She had a feeling Scott’s daughter was searching for an emotional something. And the pregnancy test was troubling. She was aware that the girl had reached out to her, even if it was behind her father’s back. Obviously her graduation party was a big deal to Kendra and for some reason she couldn’t tell her father.

“But do me a favor, Scott.”

“Sure. What?”

“Just keep in mind that some girls confuse—”

The garage door slammed just before Kendra walked into the family room. She looked at the two of them. “Hi, Thea.”

Scott felt the hostility radiating from his daughter. Even if he hadn’t, he wasn’t ready for the conversation he knew he had to have with her. “How is Zoe?”

“She wasn’t home.” She glared at him. “How come you’re still here?”

Talking to Thea had begun to calm him down, but he could feel his blood pressure climbing again. He glanced at Thea and saw the sympathy on her face as she quietly watched Kendra.

“What does that mean?” he asked.

Kendra lifted one shoulder. The sullen gesture was one he saw from time to time and it never failed to fire up his frustration. “You’re selling the house,” she said. “Your work here is done. I figured you’d go back to the office.”

He picked up the pregnancy test stick and held it up. “Not after I found this.”

Kendra’s eyes grew wide. Then surprise was replaced with angry resentment. “You were snooping in my stuff?”

“If you call dumping the trash in your bathroom snooping—yes.”

Thea picked up her purse. “Scott. Kendra. You two need to talk. It would probably be best if I leave you alone.”

“Don’t go,” Kendra said. “I want you to stay.”

“But, this is private.” Thea took a step back.

“Not anymore. Thanks to my Dad.”

“Don’t make this about me,” he defended. “If you straightened up after yourself, I’d never have known. Your room—”

“You were in my room?” Her voice rose in pitch to just below what only a dog could hear.

“Yes. And you know why.”

“To sell it.” Kendra huffed out a breath.

“It’s part of the house.”

“I can’t believe you let strangers in my room.”

Thea cleared her throat and slid her purse on her shoulder. “I’ll just get my things together.”

“Please don’t go,” Kendra begged. “I didn’t mean you’re a stranger.”

But she was. Practically. Scott looked between the two of them. “Why is it so important for her to stay?”

“Neutral third party,” his daughter said, tossing a strand of hair over her shoulder. “I need a witness.”

Scott looked at his daughter, the dark hair and blue eyes that were so like his. Maybe that’s what scared him the most—that she was so much like him. A little rebellious. A little daring. Hostile and angry. The thought of her making the same mistakes and living with the consequences tied him in knots. He wanted her to have more choices, fewer problems. Hell, he wanted her life to be perfect, however unrealistic that was. How did he get through to her?

He looked at Thea, who was studying him. If it would help Kendra, he had no objection to Thea sticking around. After spilling his guts, there wasn’t a whole lot she didn’t know. He nodded slightly and she took her purse off her shoulder.

“Now, forget about the house,” he said, glancing at the pregnancy test. “There’s something more important we have to focus on.”

“That’s none of your business.”

“I disagree,” he shot back. “I’m your father. If you’re having sex—”

“I don’t want to talk to you about this.”

“I don’t care. Are you pregnant?” he demanded.

“That’s none of your business,” she said angrily.

“The hell it’s not. You’re my daughter.”

“An accident of birth doesn’t give you the right to tell me what to do.”

“Actually it does. And another reason I can is that I pay all the bills around here.”

“There won’t be an ‘around here’ much longer, thanks to you,” she said.

He glanced at Thea, who was diplomatically silent. Then he met his daughter’s angry gaze. “It’s not going to work.”

“What?” she asked defiantly.

“You’re trying to take the heat off by changing the subject.”

“And you don’t give a damn about my feelings.”

“If you’re talking about the house again, I’m not going there.” He took a step forward. “Focus, Kendra. That pregnancy test tells me you’re having sex. I need to know if you’re going to have a baby and who the father is.”

Like heat rising from blacktop, animosity rolled off the teen in waves. “I can’t believe you. For the last eighteen years, you’ve practically ignored me. I’m eighteen. I’m an adult, too old for you to interfere in my life.”

“You’ll never be too old. And I’ll always be your father. It’s my job to interfere.”

“Why can’t you just leave this alone? Leave me alone?”

Scott felt frustration and anger coiling inside him, but struggled to control the feelings. Before he could, she turned and ran from the room. “Kendra? Come back here,” he shouted.

The stomping on the stairs was a good indication that she planned to ignore him. He started to go after her.

“Scott?”

He felt a hand on his arm and looked at Thea. “What?”

“It might be best to let her go.”

“But I have to know.”

Thea’s brown eyes were warm with sympathy. “And she’ll just continue to stonewall you if you charge after her.”

“So? I’ll wear her down.”

Thea shook her head. “Not in her present state of mind, you won’t. You can talk, but you can’t force her to reveal anything.”

When she removed her hand from his arm, he missed the warmth of her fingers. “Do you have a suggestion?”

“Yes.”

“Care to share?”

She nodded. “Give her some space. Let her calm down. You might want to do the same.”

“I am calm.”

“Oh?” Thea blinked up at him and then she smiled.

“What’s so funny?” he asked.

“You’re stretched so tight, if you were a rubber band and let go, you’d put someone’s eye out.”

He released a long breath. “Okay. Maybe you’re right.” He stared at the doorway where his daughter had stood moments before. “But I don’t get it. What was all that about ignoring her for eighteen years?”

“I don’t know,” Thea said.

“Maybe this is payback.”

“For what? Being a good father?”

He looked at her. “For how I felt when I first found out my wife was pregnant again. But when I saw Kendra for the first time…” He searched for words to express the power of his emotions and couldn’t find any. “It was love at first sight,” he finally said.

“Have you ever told her that?”

“I don’t know.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

“Under the circumstances, she might have some unresolved feelings,” Thea suggested. “Some girls confuse sex and love.”

“Are you saying she’s looking for love in all the wrong places because she thinks I don’t care about her?”

“I have no idea.” She sighed. “I’m just the caterer. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. I’m not sure there’s a parallel, but she contacted me to do her graduation party. And she didn’t tell you she was doing the party on that scale. I’m no shrink, but it’s obvious to me that she’s sending you some kind of message.”

“Can you decode it?”

“With my magic garlic press? Or maybe the decoder in my secret slotted spoon?” she asked, one corner of her full mouth tilting up.

“Okay. Stupid question. But you’re a woman. Do you have any thoughts about what she’s trying to say?”

“Yes.”

When she didn’t say anything further he added, “Any you’d care to share?”

“Do you really want me to? After all, I’ve never had any children,” she said pointedly.

“Okay. I deserve that for patronizing you. But I’m desperate. Lady, I need all the help I can get. If you’ve got any ideas, I’m listening.”

“Okay.” She nodded. “I suggest you give her some time. When she’s ready to talk, you listen to her.”

“That’s it?”

She nodded, then said, “And one more thing.”

“Yes?”

“Think about having the party, and not just an average backyard barbecue. Give some thought to doing it the way she wants it,” she added.

“Because you need the gig?”

She shook her head. “I don’t need the job badly enough to take advantage of your situation. If one job was that important, I wouldn’t be looking to take on a bigger house and mortgage.”

“Okay. Then why should I think about doing the shindig her way?”

“Because my impression is that she’s basically a good kid. And this was important enough to her to go behind your back.”

“So you’re saying I should reward her bad behavior?”

She thought for a moment and then said, “Think of it as hearing her cry for help. If she knows you’re listening instead of lecturing, she’s more likely to tell you what you want to know.”

“How can I just listen when I need to make her understand that if she’s not careful, she could ruin her life?”

“If I could answer that question, I’d be a financially independent woman.” Thea shrugged and smiled a little sadly. “Goodbye, Scott. Good luck,” she added.

It was odd, but when he’d found her in his kitchen, he’d been irritated. Watching her leave irritated him even more. And the implications of that didn’t sweeten his temper.

Chapter Three

The following morning Thea parked her car in front of her office, then went to let herself in. She found the door was unlocked, which meant her workaholic partner was already there.

“Connie?” she called out, setting her purse and briefcase on her desk.

“Back here,” came the reply.

She’d been best friends with Connie Howard since the seventh grade. They’d gone through everything together—their weddings, the birth of her friend’s two children and the death of Thea’s husband. She would have gotten through it without Connie, but probably not with her sanity intact.

Thea walked through the doorway separating the front office from the kitchen/work area in the back. She’d leased this space when her business outgrew her condo. Sometimes she cooked for a job at home, but mostly she and Connie prepared food here.

They’d furnished this office with a top-of-the-line double oven, a microwave/convection oven, a large side-by-side refrigerator and the best set of pots and pans their budget allowed. The drawers and cupboards were stuffed with the latest gizmos to make a cook’s heart go pitter-patter.

Connie was industriously wiping down the counter-tops. As Thea approached, her tall, redheaded friend glanced over her shoulder. “Hi, T.”

“Hi, yourself. It’s only eight-thirty. What are you doing here so early?”

“It’s not that early. Besides, I had a day off.” She faced Thea and put her hands on her boyishly slim hips. “So how did your appointments go yesterday?”

The image of Scott Matthews instantly popped into her head. Not surprising, since thoughts of him hadn’t been far from her mind since leaving his place yesterday. She’d wondered whether his daughter was going to have a baby. Some appointment.

“I took deposits for several parties,” she said vaguely.

Connie’s green-eyed gaze narrowed on her. “And?”

“And nothing.”

“Don’t blow me off, T. You’ve got a funny look on your face.”

Thea sat on one of the tall stools outside the U-shaped work space and looked at her friend. “One of my appointments got a little weird. The initial contact was made by a teenager who didn’t have parental permission for a catered graduation party.”

“Bummer.”

“Yeah,” Thea said, sighing with what felt like regret. And she wasn’t sure why. Like she’d told Scott—it wasn’t as if they needed the catering job to survive. This business was thriving and word of mouth was their best free advertising.

Connie leaned forward and rested her elbows on the counter. “It’s just as well you found out she was pulling a fast one before putting time, effort and money into the event. How did the underhanded little stinker get caught?”

“Kendra’s father came home unexpectedly while she and I were discussing the party.”

“What about the kid’s mother?”

“Out of the picture,” Thea answered. “And I get the feeling Kendra is having some feelings about it. She accused her father of ignoring her.”

“I was going to high-five you on your perception, but most teenagers are giddy with happiness when their parents ignore them. I’d say that’s a big clue she’s got issues.”

Thea laughed. “There’s more.”

“How can there be more? Is this kid in training for America’s Most Wanted? How old is she?”

“She’s eighteen, getting ready to graduate and go to college. Scott wants—”

“Scott?”

“Her father. He wants her to go away to school and she was talking up the local junior college. Reading between the lines, I think maybe she’s getting cold feet.”

“So she’s acting out? Masterminding a covert event to get even with a pushy dad?”

Thea shook her head. “Your flair for the dramatic comes in handy for planning themed events. But in everyday life, not so much.”

“I’m not the one trying to pull a fast one,” Connie protested.

“Maybe she has reason. She was upset about her father getting ready to sell the house when she goes to college. He hadn’t said anything to her about it yet. Selling, I mean.”

“Still, he’s the grown-up. I don’t think a failure to communicate is cause to take him out back and beat the crap out of him. So to speak,” she added.

Thea shrugged. “I think he’s guilty of premeditated failure to communicate. He didn’t want to deal with his daughter’s emotional fallout until it was absolutely necessary.”

“Chicken,” Connie said.

“I can’t say I blame him.”

“Now you’re defending him?” her friend questioned.

“I guess it’s my tragic flaw that I can see both sides of an issue. He was somewhat hostile in the beginning. But then I began to feel sorry for him.”

“Why?”

Thea rested her chin on her knuckles. “I guess it was the pregnancy test he found.”

“Whoa.” Connie shook her head as if to clear it. “You’re going to need to back up and explain that one.”

“It’s not that complicated. Joyce took a tour of the house for the market evaluation and I tagged along. It’s a great place, by the way. Just what I’ve been looking for.”

“Yeah, yeah. Get back to the test.”

“Kendra’s bathroom looked like a beauty supply store threw up all over it. He was shocked and appalled in equal parts and instinctively grabbed the bag of trash. When he was dumping it, the little stick fell out.”

“Is she pregnant?”

Thea lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Inconclusive because it’s only accurate for a certain length of time. He didn’t know how long ago she’d done the test before tossing it in the trash.”

“Did you tell him you knew this because you’d recently used one yourself?”

Thea shook her head. “He was in a state of shock and didn’t ask how I could read it.”

“And if he had?”

“I’d have told him it’s none of his business. My pregnancy has barely gotten off the ground. In my experience, it’s bad luck bordering on a jinx to talk about it until I’ve successfully completed the first trimester.”

“Okay.”

The tone of that one word said she was crazy and superstitious.

“Connie, don’t you go judgmental on me. You know better than anyone why I feel this way. In vitro fertilization is personal and private. I’ve done it twice and twice I thought I was pregnant. The first time, I told everyone. Strangers on the street, people on the phone, it didn’t matter. And then I lost the baby. I had to go back to everyone I’d told and relive the pain of losing a child over and over. But once wasn’t enough. I did it again because apparently I’m incapable of learning from my mistake. Third time’s the charm. I won’t do it again. Especially because I’ve got all my eggs in one basket. So to speak. I have no more eggs, at least none that are fertilized.”

“I’m aware of that. And, by the way, that was quite a speech.”

“It’s from the heart, Con. If I lose this baby, too, it will be like losing my husband all over again.” She took a deep breath to relieve the sudden pressure in her chest. “I promised David I would make sure part of him went on.”

“And you’ve done that,” Connie said, sympathy lacing the words.

“Not yet. Not until this child is born. To do that, I will not breathe a word to anyone—”

“What am I? Chopped liver?”

“You’re my best friend. I had to tell you. Besides, you’d have known. Sort of a best friend ESP.” She shrugged. “But I will not discuss this baby with anyone else until the first trimester is under my belt.”

“So to speak.”

“Yes.” Thea reluctantly gave in to a smile.

“Not even your family?”

“Especially not them. Mom and Dad can’t be emotionally involved until the risky first three months are done. They were crushed the other two times and I don’t want them hurt again. Or my brother and sister, either.”

“You don’t need to protect everyone, Thea.”

“Not everyone. Just my family, including this life inside me. Con, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want children. Even when I was a little girl, I was drawn to babies. When I see a pregnant woman, or someone with kids in a stroller, the yearning to have one is so powerful, it’s almost a pain inside me. Does that sound crazy?”

“Yes.” Connie tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear. “But I understand. If I’d never had a couple of little misery-makers, I know I’d feel as if something was missing from my life.”

Connie’s choice of words belied the fact that she was a devoted wife and mother. She’d been Thea’s rock through everything: when Thea and David were trying unsuccessfully to conceive; the subsequent exams that indirectly led to discovering his cancer; freezing sperm so they could have children following his chemotherapy; remission; the two IVF attempts that were unsuccessful and so incredibly heartbreaking; David’s relapse and death. Now this one last try.

“I will do anything,” Thea said, “to insure the success of this pregnancy.”

“And I’ll help in any way I can.” Connie made a gesture, as if she were zipping her lips.

“Thanks.”

Connie grinned. “So tell me about Scott Matthews.”

“He’s got baggage, big-time.”

“Who doesn’t?”

“You, for one.” Thea toyed with the diamond-studded heart on a delicate chain around her neck. “He’s raised his two girls on his own—a father for the first time at twenty. It was an enormous responsibility and he was understandably upset to learn his daughter used a pregnancy test. And concerned she’ll repeat his history.”

“Wow, that’s a lot of information.”

“I guess he felt comfortable talking to me. That happens sometimes with a complete stranger.”

“And how would you know that? Sharing information isn’t something you do,” Connie pointed out.

“And you know why. When David was sick, I found out the hard way that sharing details can be a huge mistake.” One she didn’t plan to repeat. Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice, shame on me.

“Still,” Connie said, “there’s something different about you since I last saw you.”

“Probably the pregnancy glow,” she said wryly. “Although I think that’s an old wives’ tale. I haven’t got the energy to glow.”

“Don’t be so sure. There’s a sparkle in your eyes. Could it be because of Scott Matthews?”

“I think someone’s been whacked with the whimsical stick,” Thea said. “I’m the same as usual. Besides, Scott joked about wanting to be alone when his daughter goes to college. But I think many a truth is spoken in jest.”

Thea could tell him, alone wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be. She wouldn’t share that with her friend and give her any ideas. But the truth was, as a caterer, she cooked for many people, but no one special. There was no one waiting for her at home, no one to take care of, no one to talk about her day with.

“No one’s whacked me with anything,” Connie said. “I just know you. What does Scott Matthews look like?”

“Oh, come on—”

“Humor me.”

Thea let out a big sigh. “He’s tall. Dark hair. Blue eyes.”

“Not bad. What does he do for a living?”

“Kendra told me he’s a building contractor,” Thea answered. “And if his house is any indication, he does all right financially.”

“So you had this communication thing going on, yet you’re blowing him off?”

“He was annoyed that I met with his daughter behind his back. For Whom the Bell Toils didn’t get the job. I have no reason to see him again. That doesn’t constitute blowing him off. There’s nothing to blow off.”

She heard the ding-dong from the reception area indicating someone had come in the front door. “Anyone here?” The voice was decidedly masculine.

“I’ll get it,” Connie said, untying her apron.

“No. I’ll go. Saved by the bell.” Thea stood and grinned at her friend. “Now I know how Kendra felt when her father started in on her.”

Thea walked through the door and was surprised to see the father in question standing there. Her stomach did a funny little shimmy. She knew it was too early for that movement to be about the baby. So it had to be all about Scott Matthews. She hadn’t expected to be attracted to a man again. She’d thought that part of her had died with her husband.

She smiled at Scott. “Hello again.”

“Thea.” One corner of his wonderful mouth quirked up. “Or should I call you Obi-Wan?”

“Excuse me?”

“You did see Star Wars?”

“Of course. But I don’t get the reference.”

“The teacher and the student. Are you sure you don’t have children?”

None that she’d cop to just yet. “No. I mean yes, I’m sure. Why? What are you talking about?”

“Wise you are, as well as beautiful,” he said, imitating one of the movie characters.

“I think that’s Yoda-speak. But if it was a bona fide compliment, thank you.”

“It was. And you’re welcome.”

“Why am I wise?” she asked, refusing to acknowledge the beautiful part of that compliment.

“I managed to talk to Kendra without anyone leaving the room in hysterics, including me.”

She laughed. “What happened?”

“I took your advice and simply listened and asked questions. I tried not to lecture or offer advice.”

“And that didn’t make you hysterical?” she couldn’t resist asking.

“Of course it did. I’m a guy. And I build things. So the need to fix it now is especially strong. But I was a brave little soldier and didn’t let it show.”

“Wow. Congressional Medal of Honor material.”

He leaned a jean-clad hip against her desk and half sat. “It almost killed me not to bring up the pregnancy test, but I tried it your way.”

“And?”

“She admitted she feels bad when there’s an event and her mother isn’t there. Which proves your theory—listen you must, then talk to you she will.”

Thea laughed. “I didn’t say it like that.”

“No. But the message was the same. I hope by not lecturing this time, she’ll be more open to talking about it when I bring up the subject of the pregnancy test. Which I plan to in the very near future.” He frowned and worry lines bracketed his nose and mouth.

“Good instincts. Pick and choose your battles. Figure out which hill you want to die on.”

“Actually, I’d prefer not to die on any of them. But I suppose a single battle isn’t critical as long as I win the war.”

“Well said, General Solo.” She saluted. His responding grin hit her in the midsection like a fireball. She backed away and rested her backside against Connie’s desk.

“I—I’m glad you think I helped,” she said, hoping he hadn’t noticed her stammer. And especially hoping he didn’t get that her reaction to him caused it. “But, really, I didn’t do anything. There should be some kind of a medal for raising a terrific young woman like Kendra. I’m sure your older daughter is just as wonderful.”

“Gail,” he said.

She nodded. “She’s in college and on her way, thanks to you.”

“I don’t know how much is thanks to me. She’s just a good kid. So is Kendra.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I always thought I was doing a good job as both mother and father. That they wouldn’t miss their mother too much. After listening to my daughter, I realize I was wrong. She missed a lot.”

“It’s not your fault, Scott. You shouldn’t feel guilty.”

“No? I picked the woman who walked out so who else is there to blame?”

“You couldn’t make her stay. Any more than—”

“What?” he prompted.

She’d been about to say any more than she could prevent her husband from dying. But this conversation wasn’t about her. It was about a breakthrough with his daughter. Thea knew saying something about her own loss would completely shift the topic to her. Talking about herself could get awkward.

“I was going to say you couldn’t make her stay any more than you could keep your girls from growing up.”

“Isn’t that the truth?” A tender look stole into his eyes. “But I wanted to give my kids everything, every advantage. And I couldn’t give them a mom, which is what they needed most.”

The words were like a stone pressing on Thea’s chest. She’d made a choice to do everything humanly possible to ensure that a part of her husband went on. Now she was well on her way to keeping her promise. But she’d never stopped to consider the child’s feelings. Scott’s ex-wife was alive and well somewhere and, if she had a change of heart, could be involved with her girls. But there was no way her child would ever know its father.

How profoundly sad was that? When she and David had first started trying to have a baby, she’d had dreams about parenting together. She so very much wanted to share the experience with him. But fate had other plans. Now she was in this alone. And Scott was alone, too. For a long time now. Why was that? A good-looking guy like him. Was he commitment-phobic? If so, she certainly couldn’t blame him.

“Thea?”

“Hmm?” She looked up and noticed Scott was frowning.

“You drifted off there. Anything wrong?”

“No.” She took a deep breath. “I was just wondering—”

“What?”

“Feel free to tell me to jump in the lake. But I was wondering how a mother could simply walk out on her children.”

“There’s the million-dollar question.” He lifted one broad shoulder drawing her attention there.

His light blue collared golf shirt molded to his upper body in a most intriguing way. He was alternately lean and muscular in all the right places. Her gaze slid to the sturdy work boots he wore and she tried to remember if she’d always thought the look was sexy. Or if it was more a matter of the man in the boots.

He sighed. “I was focused on how hard her leaving was on me and the difficulties of raising the girls alone. They seemed to be doing fine, so I took that at face value. I believed it because it was easier. I buried my head in the sand and left my backside exposed.”

And a very nice backside it was, Thea thought. Unfortunately, she’d noticed a lot more than his backside and had the spiking pulse and sweaty palms to prove it.

“You’ve obviously done a fine job with the girls, Scott. And that’s the last time I’m going to pump up your ego. It’s entirely possible that Kendra hasn’t missed her mother all that much. Until now. Graduation from high school is a big step. I still remember the emotional trauma.”

“Really?” He folded his arms over his chest. The movement showcased his superior biceps.

“Spoken like a man,” she said, shaking her head. “She’s grieving the loss of a comfortable way of life as well as the familiar faces she sees every day.”

“But she’ll make new friends in college.”

“She doesn’t know that yet. All she can see is what will be gone. What’s changing. Maybe this has triggered some emotional upheaval she hasn’t felt until now.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Interesting theory. She’s had bouts of rebelliousness here and there. But until yesterday, she’s never done anything without running it by me first.”

“Reading between the lines, I’d say that behavior is an indication of something pretty important to her.”

“Yeah. When I listened to her, I got that impression.”

Thea knew men were action-oriented, and Scott more than most. She wondered how many fathers would have taken her advice and actually listened to their daughters. She met his gaze across the space separating the desks and realized he was certainly more than just another pretty face. In addition to his good looks, he was thoughtful, introspective and boyishly charming. The triple threat.

She had a vague sense of relief that she hadn’t gotten the catering job. He was the first man she’d noticed in a long time and the sensation wasn’t the least bit comfortable. She didn’t want to notice a man. It was act one in a play she wouldn’t audition for.

Obviously Scott had dropped by to thank her for the advice. And the courtesy was very nice. But she was grateful she wouldn’t have to see him again after this.

“I appreciate the 4-1-1 about Kendra.”

“Hmm?” he said, obviously puzzled.

“Information. That she’s communicating,” Thea clarified.

“Yeah.” He blew out a long breath.

She straightened away from the desk. “I’m glad things went well with the two of you. Now I have to get to an appointment.”

He stood up. “And I have to get to work.”

“Kendra said you’re a building contractor?”

“Matthews and Sons Construction. My father is retired now, but my brother and I run the company.”

“Aren’t you doing that big housing project over in Northbridge?”

He nodded. “And I have a crew there waiting for me.”

“You shouldn’t keep them waiting any longer. Thanks for stopping by, Scott.”

“Actually, I didn’t come by just to give you an update. I want to hire Thea Bell to toil for me. Will you cater my daughter’s graduation party?”

Talk about burying your head in the sand. Thea hadn’t seen that one coming. Or maybe she just hadn’t wanted to see it. Now what was she going to do?

Chapter Four

“You want to hire me?”

“That’s what I said. You sound surprised.”

“That’s because I am.” There was an understatement, she thought.

“Why?”

“I guess because you acted as if I committed a mortal sin when I treated your daughter like a grown-up.”

“I may have overreacted,” he admitted. “I might have come off a tad abrasive.”

She couldn’t resist needling him a tad. “Might have? You acted as if I was working black-ops catering with your teenager behind your back. I got the impression that my integrity was questionable in your opinion.”

“Now that you mention it…” His expression turned sheepish. “I made some phone calls. You’ll be glad to know your integrity checks out fine.”

“What a relief. I was worried.”

When he turned all the amps in his grin on her, Thea couldn’t breathe. She began to straighten the already neat stack of receipts on Connie’s desk, but the distraction didn’t do much to take the edge off her reaction to him. He was offering her a job. The fact that she was even hesitating to take it spoke volumes. When she was dealing with Kendra, there had been no question about her doing the party. Now that she would be dealing with Kendra’s father, everything was different. And it shouldn’t be.

Thea had catered events for both women and men. She’d done functions for corporate CEOs—male executives. This man was no different.

And that was when she recognized the lie.

She liked Scott and that made him different. It made her as nervous as a dieter in a doughnut shop, which was why she wanted to turn him down flat.

Then she looked head-on into the intensity of his gaze and her stomach did that whole stop, drop and roll thing. From another lifetime she vaguely remembered this feeling. It was another good reason to refuse the job. But what did that intensity in his expression mean? Did he find her attractive? It had been too long since she’d wondered or cared about such things and she couldn’t tell. Her feminine instincts, too long turned off, were now unreliable. He probably didn’t care about her one way or the other and she was being a ninny.

“Earth to Thea. It didn’t take this long to build the Suez Canal. So what do you say? Will you take the gig?”

“Do you have a date in mind?” she hedged. “I need to check my schedule.”

“She’s graduating the middle of June, assuming there are no unexpected surprises with her grades. But she’s always been an honors student, so I don’t expect that.” He thought for a moment. “I think a Saturday night would work best.” Moving closer to her, he glanced down at the large, desk-blotter calendar. “How about June nineteenth?” he said, pointing to the date.

She noticed the strength in his wide wrist and tanned forearm. She watched the muscles there bunch and ripple, making it difficult for her to take a deep breath.

“I’ll check my day planner.” She unzipped her briefcase and pulled out the leather-bound calendar. After opening it, she found the date and tried not to let him see her relief when she spotted a conflict. Loophole. She met his gaze. “I’m holding that date open for someone.”

“Holding it?” He frowned. “I’m going to take a shot in the dark here. Do you have a signed contract? A deposit?”

“Not yet, but I promised to try and keep that date free and I feel an obligation to the client.”

He pulled a checkbook from the back pocket of his jeans. “I’m willing to sign on the dotted line right now and put my money where my mouth is.”

Of course as soon as he mentioned it, her gaze went straight to his mouth. Some subconscious part of her wondered how his lips would feel against her own and the thought made her shiver. What was that about? Fear? Awareness? Weather-related? Darned if she knew. But the reaction told her she should refuse his deposit and tell him if the date opened up, she would let him know.

He met her gaze and assumed a puppy-dog expression to ratchet up his persuasion. “Kendra would be very disappointed.”

Drat. That was the only thing he could have said to win her over. Thea couldn’t let down a teenage girl whom she suspected had been let down one too many times already.

“All right, Scott. You win. I’ll do the party.”

He grinned again, showing his straight white teeth and very attractive smile. She thought of Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf and couldn’t help feeling she’d just stepped alone into the woods on her way to Grandma’s house.

Scott looked at his daughter biting into her enchilada. “Thanks for throwing dinner together, sweetie. I planned to get home early, but there was a problem at one of the sites.”

“That’s okay. Do you like it?” she asked, about the meal.

“It’s great.” And that was no lie. “When did you get to be such a good cook?”

“Thea gave me the recipe when she catered my friend’s birthday party. She said it wasn’t hard to make and almost impossible to mess up. I guess she was right.”

Thea Bell. He’d had trouble getting her off his mind since leaving her office that morning. And that wasn’t at all like him. He’d dated here and there, but nothing serious. And it had been a long time, so he wasn’t used to thinking about a woman. Normally work was the only thing that took his mind off the ups and downs of his kids. But he’d found Thea was one smart cookie and pretty intuitive. She’d been right about the fact that he should listen to his daughter instead of lecturing.

But there was still the matter of that pregnancy test and it was too important to ignore. He so badly wanted to tell Kendra to do as he said, not as he’d done. He didn’t want her to learn the same lessons he had learned in the school of hard knocks. But how could he get through to her? How would Thea approach this potential minefield?

He started to say there was something he wanted to talk to her about, then checked himself. That would be his daughter’s signal to shut down.

He looked across the dinner table and decided to try a different tack. “This is nice. Having dinner together.”

“Yeah. Nice.” Warily, she met his gaze.

“I don’t stop to appreciate it enough. And I should,” he added.

“Why?”

“Lots of reasons. Because I enjoy spending time with you. And because when your sister was a baby, I hardly ever got to share a meal with the family.”

“It’s not that big a deal, Dad,” she said. Her expression and tone told him she was ready to shut him down in a nanosecond if necessary.

“Yeah, it is. In those days, I was going to college at night and working during the day.”

“But it’s Grandad’s company.”

“That didn’t mean I could slack off,” he explained. “If anything, he was harder on me because we were related.”

“I know the feeling,” she muttered.

He refused to be sidetracked by even a mumbled verbal projectile. “The point is that between work and school, I put in a lot of hours away from home. It cost me time with you guys.”

She pushed her plate away. “What are you really trying to say, Dad?”

So much for his different tack. He put his fork down. “Okay. Here’s the deal. I made some choices that sent me on a path in life,” he said, recalling what Thea had said. “I love you and your sister very much and wouldn’t trade either of you for anything. But it was a path that took away my carefree youth. I don’t want to see that happen to you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Here we go.”

“About the pregnancy test,” he said. There was no subtle way to do this.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” She started to get up.

“Sit, Ken. I need to know. Was the test positive?”

“You saw the stick,” she said, her hostility simmering. “Don’t you know?”

“Thea said the results are inaccurate if it’s been sitting for more than twenty minutes.”

She’d known right off the top of her head what the stick was and how to interpret it. Along with the rules that would affect the damn plus or minus sign. He’d had no idea. It must be a female thing.

“Look, Dad, I really don’t want to talk to you about this.”

“Believe me, I don’t like this any better than you. But I need to know if you’re pregnant or not.”

Her cheeks turned pink, and she stared down at her plate. “Not.”

The weight he’d felt on his shoulders lifted and inside he was pumping his arm and hollering hallelujah with an exclamation point. Outside, he struggled not to react at all.

“Okay. That’s good.” Now part two of the conversation that was every father’s worst nightmare. This was even worse than the birds and the bees talk that had led to an explanation of menstruation. At times like this, he was still angry as hell at his ex-wife for walking out. The hurt had disappeared long ago. But the resentment…he would carry that scar forever.

“The thing is, Ken, I’d have to be an idiot not to know you’ve had sex.”

She looked at the table, refusing to meet his gaze. “I so don’t want to talk to you about this. If you’re going to force me to stay, can you just give me the Cliff’s Notes on this lecture?”

“I’m not going to lecture,” he said. “This is a dialogue.”

“Meaning I have to talk?”

“That would make it less like a lecture,” he pointed out. “Let me start by asking how you felt when you did the test.”

She looked as if she wouldn’t answer, then let out a sigh as she glanced up. “Scared,” she admitted.

“I bet. Believe me, I understand. But you dodged a bullet. You get another chance to get it right. By ‘it,’ I mean birth control.”

“I don’t need another chance.”

“If you think you’re immune from the consequences of unprotected sex, I’ve got news for you—”

“I know, Dad. I got the message when my period was late.”

“Then are we talking abstinence here?” he asked, his inner parent doing the dance of joy.

“Yes. I don’t ever want to do ‘it’ again.” Her eyes filled with tears.

He reached out and covered her hand with his own. It pleased him when she didn’t pull away because he couldn’t stand seeing her cry. Everything in him wanted to fix it—like he’d always done when she was a little girl. “What is it, Ken?”

“He was a creep. I can’t believe I was so stupid.”

“What?”

“In health class, the book said to use a condom because it’s not only about not getting pregnant. I asked him to, but he said it doesn’t feel as good. He said if I loved him I’d—” She met his gaze and said, “You know.”

Yeah, he knew. Damn it all to hell, he knew. He tamped down the urge to put his fist through the wall. “So you did?”

She nodded, rubbing at a spot on the wood table with her thumb when she couldn’t meet his gaze. “Then he dumped me. He went back to his girlfriend.”

“Son of a bitch—” Anger swelled like a mushroom cloud inside him. “Who is he? Josh Hammond?”

“No. We broke up a long time ago. You don’t know the guy.”

“How can I not know him? I always screen your dates.”

“Not always,” she said.

He didn’t have the reserves to deal with what he didn’t know about his daughter. “I’ll tear him apart. What’s his name?”

“No way. I’m not telling you,” she said, horrified. “I’d die. I’d have to go into the Witness Protection Program or something.”

He blew out a long breath. “Okay. No names. For now. But you can’t blame me for wanting to beat the crap out of him.”

“I don’t. But here’s the thing, Dad. After I knew I wasn’t pregnant, what bothered me most was how stupid I’d been. How I’d misjudged him.”

“Don’t feel like The Lone Ranger. I think that happens to everyone when a relationship goes south.”

“Like you and Mom?”

He’d felt betrayed for putting everything he had into making it work when she couldn’t have cared less. After that, relationship abstinence looked pretty good. And still did.

“Yeah, like me and your mom.”

Kendra shook her head as if she still didn’t understand. “But I’ve known this guy since kindergarten. How could I have been so wrong? Worse, how can I trust my judgment ever again? How can I go to UCLA, which is like a small city, and tell the good guys from the bad ones?”

Scott felt the Aha! light come on. On top of what Thea had said about leaving the familiar behind, this was part of his daughter’s problem with going away to school.

“You don’t have to know,” he said. “Don’t trust any guy. And above all, don’t sleep with any of them.”

One corner of her mouth quirked up. “That doesn’t help.”

“It’s good advice. Haven’t you ever heard the only man a girl can trust is her dad?” He grinned. “Seriously, Ken, I’ve said this before. You shouldn’t be—”

“Intimate until I’m in love or think I am,” she quoted in a singsong voice. Who knew she’d been paying attention? “The problem is, I thought we were in love. I didn’t know he wasn’t.” He opened his mouth to say something and she held up her hand. “Don’t worry. The false alarm scared me. I’m never sleeping with a guy again.”

He could tell her that in time she’d meet a nice guy who would appreciate the truly remarkable person she was. He could say that when she grew up, it would be easier to tell nice guys from the ones who were only after one thing. He could advise her not to judge all men by the one idiot. But he was a father, so he didn’t.

He patted her hand and said, “My work here is done.”

“Yeah, Dad,” she said, and rolled her eyes. But she was smiling.

“I guess it’s time to change the subject.”

“Oh, yeah,” she agreed.

“I have some news. I talked to Thea Bell this morning about catering your graduation party.”

“And?” Her blue eyes brightened.

To see that sparkle back where it should be had been worth eating a little crow. And Thea had only poked a little fun at him. If her cooking went down as easily as that crow, it would be a great party. “She took the job. I gave her a check and signed a contract.”

Kendra jumped up and threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you, Daddy. You won’t regret it.”

How could he regret anything that made her call him Daddy?

“I’m sure I won’t.”

She sat down and pulled her plate toward her. “Don’t you just love Thea?”

Scott thought about the question and realized it was true. Not love; never again love. But he liked Thea. She was sweet, smart and sexy. Besides being all that and beautiful, too, she had an appealing sense of humor. And she was a widow. He realized that was all the 4-1-1 he had on the woman who knew so much about him.

He decided it would be a good idea to change that.

Several days later, Thea picked up the phone at her office desk to make a call when some movement on the sidewalk outside caught her attention. Her brain registered the fact that the strikingly good-looking man responsible was Scott Matthews. When her body got the message, her pulse and heart rate joined hands and started to boogie.

Boy, was she glad that Connie was in the back room. And that was silly because she would bet everything she owned that Scott wasn’t any kind of physical threat. Which could only mean some part of her believed he was an emotional hazard and her partner’s presence could prevent a meltdown.

He pushed open the door and walked inside. “Hi.”

“Hi, yourself.” She replaced the phone and noticed her hand was unsteady. Linking her fingers on top of her desk, she said, “To what do I owe this visit?”

Before he could respond, Connie walked into the front office. “T, I think we need to order—” She saw Scott and stopped. “Sorry. Is the dinger down? I didn’t hear anyone come in.”

Thea hadn’t heard the dinger, either, because she couldn’t hear a smart bomb go off over the blood pounding in her ears. So she ignored her partner’s question.

She held her hand out indicating the man in front of them. “Meet Scott Matthews. He’s the recently contracted client I told you about. Scott, this is my partner, Connie Howard.”

Scott held out his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

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