Outside, gravel crunched on the driveway, and Claireknew she’d run out of time. “Please,” she repeated, and thistime there was no question but that she was begging. “Thisisn’t something that affects them. I don’t want them to beworried. You understand. You have a daughter. It wouldscare them for no reason at all.”
The car stopped and voices rose. Bickering voices thatcarried that challenge of humor all siblings employ.
“No reason?” Tony asked. “You’re sure?”
Claire fought to keep her hands still. “I told you, damn it. If you hadn’t shown up the other day, I wouldn’t evenhave thought about it. I can hardly remember anything thathappened over there anymore. I put that behind me a longtime ago.”
Her heart. It was just going to tumble out on the floor.Her hands were sweating, and she couldn’t get in enough air.Johnny and Jess were mere feet from the back door, and thisman who had invaded her life and her house wasn’t goingto be decent enough to give her some simple support whenshe needed it.
This man who had known just what to do when he’dfound her cowering in the corner like a beaten child.
He nodded. Motioned to the counter by the window.“You might want to get rid of the wine bottles” was all hesaid.
Claire spun around as if her life depended on it. Oh God,she’d forgotten. She’d just left them there where she’ddropped them.
Luckily the kids were in the middle of an argument whenthey walked in, or they might have heard the clatter of glassas Claire dropped both bottles in the trash. As it was, shebarely got the chance to wipe the tears away with the beer-soaked rag. She almost choked.
Behind her, there was a sudden silence.
“Mom?”
Claire turned to find a tableau of three posed in herdoorway. John and Jess stood side by side, their attentionriveted on Tony, their features frozen in different shades ofastonishment. Behind them, a stocky blond boy shifted uncomfortably, his gaze on the pristine white tile at his feet.
She’d deal with him later. Her first instinct, as always,was to hold her children. To reassure herself with the solidfeel of them safe in her arms.
“Hi,” she greeted them both, giving Jess a big hug because she’d still let her. “How was the dance?”
“Fine,” Jess assured her, favoring her with an open,genuine smile Claire cherished like sunlight before passinga slightly amended version to their guest.
Johnny wasn’t nearly as sanguine when Claire stretchedup to kiss him. His attention was all on Tony, and it wasn’tpleased.
“You remember Mr. Riordan, don’t you?” Claire asked. “He was here the other day. Is that you standing there, PeteWinston?”
“Yes, ma’am.” The sturdy blond boy nodded behindJohnny. “Evenin’.”
Good manners. Terrible home life. A too-bright, not tootalented child with the kind of wild humor that hid a wealthof insecurities, Pete usually ended up at Claire’s when hismother was “entertaining,” as Claire’s friend Nadine put it.Pete’s mom entertained a lot when Pete’s dad, a naval lieutenant, was out to sea. By the look on his son’s face, Pete’s dad was obviously out now.
“Why don’t you all come in so I don’t get bugs?” she offered.
Johnny still didn’t move. “What’s he doing back?”
Claire sighed, suddenly exhausted. “It’s all right. Peachesalready checked him out.”
“How come you came back to see us, Mr. Riordan?” Jesschirped, bouncing on over to him, her eyes brighter thanusual.
Claire froze, realizing too late that she didn’t have a handyexcuse. Knowing damn well she couldn’t think straightenough to come up with one.
She needn’t have worried. Tony was already smiling.
“Didn’t your mom tell you?” he asked easily. “I’ve beendoing some work in the area. That’s why I was here in thefirst place. I left my pictures in your mom’s office the otherday when I was here, so she said I could pick them up whenshe got off work.”
Claire found herself staring at him, too. How could helook so at ease? So at home, when she just wanted to run?
He had such a generous smile. Such strong arms. Hescared her to death.
“Did you get your pictures?” Johnny asked, not movingan inch, his expression equal parts truculence and distrust.Behind him, Pete just watched with hooded eyes.
“Oh, Johnny, really,” Jess objected before Claire evengot the chance to.
