Christy had known her evening was off to a bad start when Ria hid her shoes. She’d hoped to find them before Linc arrived but, as luck would have it, she hadn’t. Although he’d been polite about it, clearly the delay had taxed his patience and his perfectly timed schedule.
Yet she’d enjoyed the little courtesies he’d shown her. Being in the close confines of his vehicle, she’d been painfully aware of his fresh, clean scent to the point her throat went dry.
Of all the men in her circle of friends and acquaintances, why did he have to be the one who oozed sex appeal? After feeling his hand at her waist, she honestly didn’t know how she’d survive an evening as his dance partner.
To make matters worse, Gail had seated her next to him at the dinner table and his arm had brushed against hers on several occasions as they’d passed the food.
Maybe she needed to call an escort service in order to calm those suddenly raging hormones, but her fear of rejection was too strong to risk it. If a man who’d supposedly loved her hadn’t been able to handle her diagnosis and resultant treatment, who else could?
No, better that she hurry home after dinner, take Ria for a long run at the dog park until they were both too tired to do more than curl up on the sofa with a carton of frozen chocolate yogurt, a handful of dog treats, and a sappy movie on the TV screen.
Linc’s voice forced her to focus on her surroundings. “Okay, you two. What’s up? And don’t tell me ‘Nothing’ because I know you both too well to believe otherwise.”
Gail and Ty looked at each other with such an expression of love between them that Christy was half-jealous. Made a little uncomfortable by their silent exchange, she glanced at Linc and immediately noticed the similarities between the brothers.
They had the same bone structure, the same complexion, and the same shade of brown hair. Both Maguire males were handsome but, to her, Linc’s features were far more interesting—probably because life had left its imprint on them. According to Gail, as the oldest brother, Linc had stepped into his parents’ role after their deaths in a car accident when he was nineteen and he’d guided his younger siblings through their rocky teenage years. It was only logical that the sudden responsibility had formed him into the driven, purposeful man he was today.
Christy glanced at her dark-haired friend and saw the gentle smile on her face. “You’re pregnant again?” she guessed.
Gail patted her husband’s hand as she shook her head. “No. But maybe we can announce that when we get back.”
“Get back? Where are you going?”
Ty answered his brother’s question. “Paris.”
Christy was stunned … and envious. It was one of the cities she’d put on the bucket list she’d created during her chemotherapy sessions. “Oh, how fun. I’ve always wanted to go there.”
Linc didn’t seem to share her excitement. “Paris? As in France? Or Paris, as in Texas?”
“France,” Ty told him. “My company is opening an overseas branch and they want a computer consultant to be on site. They chose me.”
Linc reached across the table to shake his brother’s hand. “Congratulations. You’ve worked hard for this. I’m proud of you. How long will you be gone?”
Ty exchanged a glance with Gail. “Two months, give or take a few weeks, depending on how well the project progresses. Because Gail knows the secretarial ropes of our firm, my boss has offered to send her as my assistant.”
Theirs had been an office romance and after Derek had arrived, Gail had cut her work status to part time.
“And the kids?” Christy thought of six-year-old Emma and eight-year-old Derek, who’d already been excused from the table to play outside with their friends. “What about them?”
Gail’s expression turned hopeful. “That’s why you’re both here tonight. We wanted to ask a favor.”
“Anything,” she promptly replied.
“Would you and Linc be their guardians and take care of them while we’re gone?”
CHAPTER TWO
CHRISTY was overwhelmed by their request but in her mind she didn’t have any doubts as to her answer. She loved the Maguire children and she couldn’t wait to step into a temporary mom role. Because of her diagnosis and the resultant treatment, she’d already resigned herself to the possibility that Ria might be the closest thing to ever having a child of her own, so the idea of acting as a fill-in mother was exciting.
She was also quite aware that Gail had chosen her out of all their friends and family to take on this responsibility. Okay, so they’d asked Linc, too, but he didn’t really count. His work was his life and by his own admission his schedule for the next few weeks was packed. For all intents and purposes, she’d be on her own.
It was a heady thought.
It was also quite daunting.
She started to speak, but Gail forestalled her. “Christy, I know you’ll immediately agree because it’s in your nature to help out a friend. And, Linc, I know you’ll accept because you’re family, but before either of you commit yourselves, I want you to know exactly what you’d be letting yourselves in for. And if either of you have second thoughts, we won’t be hurt or upset.”
“Okay,” Christy said, certain she wouldn’t change her mind no matter what Gail and Ty told them. “We’re listening.”
“First, we’d expect you to live here because it will be best if Derek and Emma stick with the familiar.”
Christy hadn’t considered that, but Gail’s plan made perfect sense. Living in their home wouldn’t pose any hardship whatsoever. What it would require, though, was coordination between her schedule and Linc’s to be sure they covered every hour of every day, and she was curious how Gail had ironed that small but important detail. No doubt, she’d learn the answer shortly.
“What about Ria?” she asked. “I’d hate to board her for that length of time.”
“She’s welcome, too,” Ty answered. “In fact, I know the kids would be thrilled. They’ve been asking for a dog for some time, and looking after Ria will give them a taste of what pet ownership is about.”
Satisfied by how easily that potential problem had been averted, Christy relaxed. She imagined her Labrador and the kids playing Frisbee in the large Maguire back yard and could hear the children’s laughter interspersed with Ria’s excited woofs. They’d have a great time.
“Second,” Gail continued, “the fall term starts next week so the kids will already be in a routine before we leave the week after that. On the days Christy doesn’t work, you’ll have to take them to school and pick them up at four, which shouldn’t pose a problem.
“The days you both work are little trickier as there’s a two-hour window when Linc would be on his own. One of the neighborhood high-school girls—Heather— can come by around six-thirty to fix breakfast and take them to school. She’ll come sooner to cover that window if Linc’s on call, but you’ll have to let her know the night before.
“Then, at the end of the day, the kids can walk across the street to the church’s after-school daycare until Christy’s shift ends at five. The daycare is open until seven, so that works out well.” She smiled. “Repeat as necessary.”
“It sounds as if you’ve thought of everything,” Christy said.
“We tried,” Gail answered.
“Do Emma and Derek know you’re asking me?” As Linc stiffened beside her, she corrected herself. “I mean us?”
“It was the only way they’d agree to being left behind,” Gail