Page 14

Beside him, Ella had been looking for a table to accommodate the baby, but her sudden gasp indicated his observation had finally connected. “You didn’t… Excuse me? An ice cream-based personality analysis? Really?”

He stifled a grin, trying not to direct her attention to the sign on the back wall—the sign he’d just read as if it hadn’t hung there for years.

“Hmph! Okaaay,” she shot back. “Just remember you started this. Now, let me guess,” she continued, almost startling him with how aligned their thoughts had been, “you’re a choc mint kind of guy.

” A perfectly shaped nail tapped against her lip as she thought about that.

“Some might say a risk taker, but I’m going to say someone who can’t commit to one flavor! A bet hedger!”

His lips twitched, and quickly rescanned the sign and hastily changed his order, hoping that Marion, who’d been serving ice cream to him and his brothers for more years than he could count didn’t automatically reach for the choc mint. “My usual butter pecan, please Marion.”

The woman who’d surely heard the conversation choked back a laugh, but didn’t rat him out, thank goodness.

“Butter pecan?” He heard the frown and disbelief in Ella’s voice.

“It’s what the man said,” chortled the voice behind the counter.

“Gotta say, I’m surprised as well,” Marion deadpanned.

“Butter pecan? Let’s see—charmers, I believe, smooth talkers.

Not to be trusted. If I were you, Miss, I’d hold out for the choc mint guy,” she added a wink in his direction, “but you had that a bit wrong. Choc mint is much more reliable, and I’m almost certain his perfect partner is a rocky road gal. ”

“Pity there’s no choc mint guys around then.” Ella shot a narrow-eyed glare in his direction before turning to remove mittens and attach a bib to each child in an effort to protect their jackets.

He was still chuckling when he took his seat, but they’d barely taken a bite of their creamy dessert before the bell above the door announced another customer. Looking up was instinctive, but it was Mia’s squeal of delight that directed his attention to the big guy entering. Of all the days…

Jack’s grin was broad as he strode to them, greeting Mia first. “Hey, little one!” he called back. “How’s one of my two favorite nieces?” His eyes slid straight across to Benny. “And what about you, big guy? Having fun?”

“Ice cream!” Benny joyfully waved his baby cone, managing fling a melted blob on Ella as it passed her face.

Greeting the two adults, Jack grinned. “Taking some time out? That’s great. Nothing like an ice-cream break, right?” His grin turned to a frown, and Leo knew he was about to outed.

He wasn’t wrong.

“What’s with you, bro? Marion’s out of choc mint?” Looking across at Ella he added, “We used to bet him that he couldn’t choose anything else when we were kids. He’d be all fluff and dander about it, but in the end, he just couldn’t make himself do it!”

Leo watched as Ella’s mouth curved with amusement, and she shot him mocking glance.

Jack took in this silent communication, and his roar of laughter was echoed by both children who were, as always, happy to join in.

“Choc mint?” she said innocently. “Now, who’d have ever guessed? Sounds like a noncommitter to me. Someone a bit slippery, not quite as upfront as they pretend to be?”

Ignoring the last part of her assessment, Leo felt his own mouth twitch as he tried not to laugh. “Maybe the choc chips guys are slow to commit because the rocky road gals are bossy and smart-mouthed.”

“The rocky r—”

Leo was so glad he’d kept his eyes trained on her because he wouldn’t have wanted to miss her reaction for all the choc mint ice cream in the store. He watched as she recalled what Marion had said. He saw it in her eyes, as a soft pink flush stained her smooth clear cheeks.

And he was suddenly grateful for the fact that he was sitting; and had a table to hide his body’s reaction.

She was breathtaking. He looked away and licked his ice cream, glad of the distraction of the frozen treat, yet knowing it would take more than a butter pecan cone to quell the fires she ignited in him.

A quick glance over found her eyes were still trained on him, and dammit he needed to pull away but she somehow her gaze drew him in and held him captive.

“Maybe I need to repeat this,” Jack was saying to no one in particular, “but as I said half hour ago, take all the time you need. I’ll just tend the kids, okay?”

Ella reacted first. “Half—?”

Shaking his head, Leo answered her unfinished question. “He’s joshing. Being a smart— donkey , as usual. He also needs to know when to read the room. Surely you have someplace— else —to be, bro?” He glared up at his older, should-know-better, yet smirking, brother.

“Dunno, why I’d want to leave when the fun’s all here…”

Eyes narrowed, Leo held the gaze of his next brother up, his mouth clamped tight as every cuss word he knew danced on his tongue.

Of course, Jack didn’t miss his silent message, which only made his older brother laugh harder.

*

There was still daylight, and that meant there was still time to get more work done, but Leo had been restless all day.

He tried to blame the trip he had coming up the next day but he knew deep down it had been the look on his brother’s face yesterday at the ice-cream store that continued to burn into him.

It’d been a look that said the man was reading way too much into a simple moment.

A blink in time. Nothing more. He thought he’d caught a similar look in his sister Joey’s eyes when she visited a few days ago.

And he was going to have to do something about it.

Ensure they both knew they were wrong; that whatever they thought they’d seen, there was nothing going on.

The last thing he was going to admit to either of them was that Ella Staunton Hawes turned his heat dials up to high.

But there was nothing more to it than basic attraction.

The last thing he needed was to throw fuel on his siblings totally imagined fires.

No, that was the second last. The last thing he’d ever want or do was embarrass or humiliate Ella.

There was no valid reason for calling it a day when there still work to do, but the crew hadn’t argued when he’d announced they could head home.

However, he was glad he did when he entered the back of his house.

Even from the mudroom he could hear the music.

Some pop song, maybe on the radio, but it was Ella’s voice, sweet but slightly out of tune, that he heard above all.

He hadn’t meant to sneak up on them, but the racket they were making covered his approach—and he was grateful to have a moment to just stand back and watch.

With Mia on her hip, and her other hand hold Benny’s hand, Ella swiveled her shapely hips, her saucy little derriere, outlined in skin tight jeans, moved in time to the music as she danced the kids around the room to their laughing delight.

His heart filled and tightened, the only thing holding him back from joining them was that it was so awesome to watch. This was what made a home… How would he ever fill that gap for Mia if, or when, Ella moved on?

And you? How will you fill the gap in your life?

He brushed away the thought and focused on trying to stay in the moment, but the magic was broken and other little things crept in through the cracks.

Like the realization that Ella was singing in a different language.

French? He’d been so mesmerized; he’d initially missed that the music wasn’t coming from a radio, it was a recording.

But it was his daughter’s baby-soft voice that speared him, yanking him cruelly, back to the present. “More, Mama! More!”

What the—

Leo strode to Ella and reached for his daughter, he said nothing until, Mia clutched to his chest, he’d killed the music. Only then did he turn back to her. “What’s going on here?”

Unfortunately, Mia, reacting to his tone, dropped her lip, her arms reaching back to Ella. “Mama!”

Shaking her head at Leo, Ella pulled Benny close. “I don’t think this is a discussion we should have in front of these two, but I need to make it clear this is the first and only time she has ever done that, and given the opportunity, I would have corrected her.”

He said nothing, his thoughts whirling as an army of emotions stabbed at him from all sides—guilt that he had to find Mia a substitute mother.

Anger that he hadn’t seen it coming; but more telling, was the frustration of admitting it had felt right!

Ella was a mother to Mia in every other way except she hadn’t given birth to her.

And it hit hard.

Benny’s quavering little voice filled the loaded silence. “Mama?”

Of course, Mia adored the boy. She copied everything he did—the good and not so good. It was natural she would imitate his speech. It was how kids learned—by emulating. But had this really been the first time?

Did it matter?

Yes, it did! But only if Ella hadn’t corrected.

He hugged his daughter closer, soothed her, silently begged forgiveness that she didn’t have a mama of her own.

His anger ebbed as he took in Ella’s pallor, but also her straight back and determined stance.

She wasn’t going to be cowed by his reaction.

“Leo, if you want to discuss this further, I suggest we do so after dinner. Now, if you’ll excuse me, Benny and I will go and begin the preparations.”

“Stop!”

Whirling to him her eyes were wide. “I beg your pardon?” Indignation frosted every word.

Leo swallowed; he deserved her tone. “I’m sorry.

I didn’t mean to bark at you. I apologize.

I just…” he stalled, wishing like hell that he had furniture.

That they could sit and discuss it. “I just wanted to say that I’m sorry I overreacted.

It was stupid.” He hauled in air. “And I get it, it just took a minute. Or ten. But I get that Mia was only copying Benny.”

“You’d rather they weren’t together?” She didn’t try to hide her indignation.

“No! I mean, they’re great together and she seems to be developing more skills since they’ve been playing together. He’s good for her, and that’s great; a huge bonus. He provides kind of company that you and I can’t. I’m glad they’re together.”

“But?”

He sighed. “There is no but , really. It just hit hard, brought up a load of stuff. I’m sorry.

I mean it, Ella. It was a dumb thing to get upset over.

” He wasn’t sure if the guilt he felt about missing out on the first months of Mia’s life was what had him so afraid, but he wanted the best for his daughter, and he knew Ella was just that.

He watched some of the tension leave her. “It isn’t, and I wouldn’t be happy if Benny called some random man Daddy .” she said slowly, “I’m upset that you believe I would allow it to happen.”

He brushed his free hand through his already mussed hair.

“You’re dead right. It was what I was thinking and I’m owning that.

I apologize for that as well, because I do trust you, Ella.

Trust you completely. And you gotta know, trust isn’t something I find easy.

I’m a slow burn. But you’ve had it from the start if I’m truthful, and I should have listened when that part of me doing its best to remind me of that.

” When she didn’t answer, he added cautiously, “So, are we good?”

The lump he watched her swallow must have been a stand-out because it sure hadn’t been easy, but she managed and his admiration for her slid up another notch. But it did nothing to ease the tension holding his body taut. And still he waited.

“Ella?”

“Oh Leo…” If anything, her crisp English accent was even crisper. “I’m always good . We British pride ourselves on it.”

He admired her attempt at levity, but it lacked her usual finesse, and it worried him. Still, he nodded, forced a smile. “Good to know.”

He was grateful when Benny pulled away from his mother and ran to his soft-filled soccer ball, running back to land it at Leo’s feet. “Kick the ball?”

The little guy was so cute with his hopeful expression, that there was no way Leo could refuse. And to Benny’s delight, Leo tapped the ball across the room.

Grabbing it again, Benny looked expectantly at his mother. “Play, Mama! All play! Pwease?”

Her eyes flicked to Leo, and he saw her agitation melt until only the love she had for these children remained.

In his arms Mia struggled to get down to join the fun. Keeping his eyes on Ella, he lowered Mia to the floor. Breath held he waited, his chest relaxing only as each of her words reached him.

“Play? Why not, gorgeous boy. Let’s show these mountain folk how real football is played.”

He sniggered. “You know I won’t go easy on you, don’t you?”

She lifted her pert nose into the air. “Nor I with you. So be warned.” She shrugged. “I think the term is game on .”

He didn’t release her from his gaze. “So, we’re okay? Really okay?”

She held his eyes, her smile wistful. “We’re okay Leo, or at least about as okay as we can be.”

While he pondered that, she scooped up Benny and slid around him and Mia, effortlessly moving the ball along as she passed him.

She cheered. “I believe,” she said with a cheeky smile, “that was a goal. Are you up to the challenge of taking on this mighty French Brit team?”

The light in her eyes, and the cheer reassured him. The challenge? Way, way too tempting. And he waved good-bye to another night’s sleep thanks to the fantasies her taunting provoked.

He grinned as Ella scooped up both children and once more ran the ball past him.

It was for his daughter, he reminded himself. Yep, for Mia.