“I’d like directions to the cemetery,” Jared said as he began to read the legal papers that would wind up MaryEllen’s estate.
When Jared finished with the lawyer, he returned to the reception area where Cassandra sat on the sofa softly reading aloud, a twin snuggled on each side, their eyes on the pages of the book. For a moment they didn’t see him. He took the time to study the group, aware of a curious yearning. That is what a family would look like. A mother devoted to her children, all of them waiting for the father.
He hadn’t realized before that he had no clear vision of a family. He’d been raised by his grandfather, a gruff old man. There’d been few amenities or social graces in that all-male household, but at least he had had his grandfather when his parents had died. He had not gone into foster care like Cassandra. Nor would his children!
His goal for the last decade had been to establish his company, make it a success. He’d never given a thought to starting a family. Now he’d been presented with a ready-made one. Was the next step to acquire another wife?
One of the twins looked up, the one who sucked her thumb. Brittany?
“Man,” she said.
Cassandra looked up. “How’d it go?”
“Fine. I’m finished here. We can head for MaryEllen’s apartment We’ll need to pack the children’s clothes and toys. I’ll also have to get an idea of what’s needed to close the place. Later I want to swing by the office and make sure things are settled there. Paul will be in charge. I want to review the current projects with him.”
For a moment he thought her lips tightened, and he remembered her comment about having kids dumped on her. But it couldn’t be helped. No matter her likes or dislikes, Cassandra looked like a natural with those twins, and he hadn’t a clue how to begin. It was only for a day. Then she’d be back in the office and could stay away from children for the rest of her life if she so chose.
“As long as you realize you have to pull your own weight,” she said, disengaging herself and rising. “Come on, munchkins, time to go home. Brittany, you come with me. Ashley, you go with Daddy.”
He almost didn’t recognize the appellation. He was the daddy of these children.
Cassandra picked up Brittany and propped her on her hip. She looked at Jared, her dark, solemn eyes behind her glasses. Was there a hint of a challenge in her gaze?
Jared reached down and picked up Ashley. She was light as a feather. Holding her against his chest, he stared into her eyes. She patted his cheek and smiled. Something tugged in his heart. She was precious. Small and alone and totally dependent upon him to care for her. Panic nipped at his heels. Could he do it? What if he screwed up? He knew nothing about parenting. Had thought to work up to it, if ever he’d decided to take the plunge. Read books while his wife was pregnant, learn as they went along. Not be an instant father with no warning and no time to prepare.
“Let’s go, Daddy.” Amusement danced in Cassandra’s eyes, but she kept the smile from her lips. No point in letting Jared know she found his uncertainty touching. He was a dynamo in the office. Now he looked as awkward as a teenager on a first date. She blinked and led the way from the reception area. Why in the world had she thought about dating? She was a baby-sitter, that’s all. He was dumping his children on her and taking off for the New York office, abdicating all responsibility for a day. Sometimes it didn’t pay to open your mouth!
Adding the small bag for the twins to the others, he followed. Cassandra waited by the elevator, allowing Brittany to press the buttons. Both were lit, but she didn’t care. They’d just wait for a down elevator. Children liked to experiment and try things. She may be mad at their father for insisting she accompany him, but she would never take that anger out on these children.
MaryEllen Hunter’s apartment came as a surprise. It was large, formally decorated in delicate Queen Anne furnishings and located in a prestigious neighborhood only two blocks from Central Park. When they entered, Jared placed Ashley on the floor. She didn’t move. Cassandra deposited Brittany beside her. The two girls looked at the adults.
“Where’s your room?” Cassandra asked.
Ashley pointed down the hall.
Crossing into the living room, Jared dropped their bags on the floor beside an ornate credenza that took up most of the wall. Surveying the room, he wondered when MaryEllen had decided to go for the elegant look. Their place in San Francisco had been comfortable with sturdy furniture and few knickknacks. Maybe this style fit with her idea of living in New York. He didn’t like it much, but he was more interested in comfort at home.
“No, no,” Brittany said when Cassandra started to follow.
“What?”
“No, no.” Brittany shook her head, warily eyeing the living room.
The phone rang.
Jared crossed to answer it, puzzled by Brittany.
“Jared Hunter.”
“Mr. Hunter, this is Annie Simmons. Mr. Randall called a little while ago and suggested I get in touch with you. I was the twins’ baby-sitter. The most recent one, I should say. I understand you’ll be taking the children back to San Francisco with you, but if I can help in the meantime, please let me know. I don’t start another job for a week.”
“We plan to leave tomorrow.” Jared glanced at Cassandra. “But if you could come by today, that would be great. You could help us pack their things, maybe suggest where I can dispose of what we don’t take with us.”
“Surely. I could stop by around one.”
Jared checked his watch. It wasn’t even noon. “That will be fine.”
“I’ll be there.”
Cassandra and the twins had disappeared. He followed the sound of voices drifting down the hall and stopped at the door to their bedroom. It was large, with two cribs, a highboy dresser and more dolls and stuffed animals scattered around than most toy stores carried. MaryEllen hadn’t stinted on gifts for her daughters.
Brittany stood near the wall, watching Cassandra and Ashley, thumb firmly in her mouth. He wondered why one sucked her thumb and the other didn’t. Of course in the short drive from the attorney’s office, he’d noticed the difference in the personalities of the two. Ashley was outgoing and friendly. Curious and fearless. Brittany seemed to watch carefully, shy and quiet. Interesting with identical twins. Or was that the norm? He had so much to learn.
“That was the girls’ baby-sitter. She’ll stop by at one to help pack.”
Cassandra nodded, took off her suit jacket and tossed it across the rails of one of the cribs. The soft material of her blouse draped over her trim figure, Jared noticed. His eyes skimmed over her curves. Again he wondered what she would look like in lacy, frilly dresses. It was probably something he’d never see. She was an employee, here under protest to help him with his newly discovered daughters. Nothing else.
He shook his head. Who was he kidding? Only himself. Because he was the only one who knew about the attraction he felt around Cassandra Bowles. And it had better stay that way. A passing fancy. Once he caught up on sleep, got into the routine of work, he’d move beyond any such awareness.
Or so he hoped.
“If you find the suitcases, I’ll start packing,” Cassandra said, opening a drawer in the high dresser. Might as well make the most of the situation. She could get started on packing, then sort favorite toys and books when the baby-sitter arrived. She’d also make sure she found out as much as she could about the twins’ habits, likes and dislikes. Poor babies needed all the help they could get, moving to an entirely new life-style. She glanced at Jared, startled to find his gaze traveling over her body. Heat flushed through her. Swallowing hard, she shifted and turned her back. The unexpected