Bidding Wars (Love Strikes) (13 page)

“I’m starving. I usually keep a snack in one of my pockets, but I was running late today and forgot it on the counter.”

“I’m glad I packed you a meal that will hopefully stick to your ribs for the evening.”

“I hope. About seven tonight, we should get busy.”

Opening her bag, she pulled out the sandwich, along with a bag of chips, a yogurt, and leftover dessert from the other night. She smiled at his effort. This would definitely keep her satisfied through the rush.

“How has your week been?” She opened her yogurt.

“I’ve had better, but it’s getting better now that I’m here with you.”

“Rough day at work?”

“Work is fine. Stuff with Leslie and Sammy.”

She pulled the spoon from her mouth and swallowed the creamy strawberry-flavored yogurt. “What’s going on?”

“I met with my lawyer yesterday and didn’t get the news I had hoped for. Then to top it off, Leslie is retaliating and wouldn’t answer the phone last night when I called to tell Sammy good night. One of the officers called and said they saw her at her boyfriend’s workplace, but Sammy wasn’t there. I hope like hell she had a babysitter there with my son.”

“I’m sure she did.”

“You never know with her. She may have waited until he was asleep and left. This isn’t the first time I’ve called and not gotten an answer. I sometimes wonder if she’s ignoring me because she’s out and she’d left him alone.”

“Luke, stop. She loves Sammy. She might not be the best parent to have him full time, but I can’t see how a mother would do that.” If she had a child, she’d never leave it…ever. She couldn’t fathom a mother leaving a five-year-old at home alone.

He shrugged and looked as though he wanted to talk about anything else. It was a touchy subject, and she for one had no experience as a mother, so she couldn’t say for sure what a mom would or should do. She just knew that she’d never leave her child alone.

“Any word yet with the house?” He took a bite of his sandwich.

“Not yet. I feel awful about this. Maybe I should back out and give you the house so you can get your son.”

“Molly, no. The lawyer said if I own a home or not, it’s not going to help the case. Honestly, I think I’ll stay where I am at. The rent is cheap and I’ve been there since Leslie and I split, unlike her. She moves every year, without fail.”

“But it would be a permanent place for you and Sammy. How can it not help?” If he didn’t want the house, was she driving herself crazy for nothing?

He let out a frustrated sigh. “Can we not talk about the house? I know I brought it up, but whenever we talk about it, I feel like it pulls us apart. I don’t want that. I wish we could just forget about the house all together.”

She was taken aback by his tone. His week wasn’t going well and she wasn’t helping. And he was right, they didn’t see eye to eye about the place. “Yeah, that’s fine. What do you want to talk about?”

“I had a great time the other night with you. I want to have more times like that. I really like you, and I want to put everything behind us and make a relationship between us.”

She now let out the sigh. “I like you too, and a relationship has been on my mind lately…”

“But—”

“But, can there be a future between us if I can’t have kids? Do you want more? Have you thought about that?”

Luke was silent. He had probably been expecting a funny dinner date with her, and it wasn’t going that way at all. Instead, they were talking about everything that was tough between them. Maybe she should have left it alone and concentrated on cheering him up. But that would lead things to getting more serious and, before they could move ahead, they had to talk about this—even if it was a tough subject.

He took a sip of his soda and then put the can down on the table. “I do want more kids, but they don’t have to be mine. I’m happy with adopting. Are you?”

“Yes, I think so.”

“Look at me.” He waited until she was staring into his eyes. “You don’t have to carry a child inside of you for nine months to be a mother. You’re one of the kindest and most generous-hearted women I know. You would be a fantastic mother, I have no doubt. Don’t give up.”

She didn’t know what to say, so instead she nodded in agreement and went back to her dinner. Luke wanted more kids, but would settle for adoption. Other than the house, there weren’t any other complications. She wanted to find out if he was still going to put in an offer if the seller agreed, but at this point, the topic was off limits and she didn’t want to push the subject anyway. Was this how it was supposed to be happening? The house was meant to be hers? She had to stop thinking about it and concentrate on the hunk in front of her. He had come here to eat with her, knowing he only had thirty minutes with her. Her heart fluttered, and a warmth spread throughout her chest.

“I think I’ll save dessert for later tonight when I need a sugar rush.” She folded up her paper bag and stood to put it in the fridge. When she turned around, he was close. Inhaling, she could smell the scent of his aftershave. She looked up and saw his eyes were locked on hers.

“I need to kiss you, Molly.” It came out in an almost whisper.

She could see the passion in his eyes. She wanted to kiss him as well, but it seemed too easy, and things were never easy.

“Stop thinking.” He leaned down and took her lips.

The moment his mouth claimed hers, she lost all train of thought. Moaning, she wrapped both her arms around his neck. He lifted her up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He pressed her back onto the cool refrigerator door as he deepened the kiss. God, this was hot; if they weren’t in the break room at her work, she’d be praying his hands would begin to slide under her top.

His lips tasted good. As they kissed her, he gripped her tightly with one arm as the other lightly caressed her neck at her hairline. She ran her hands through his hair, gently tugging on the ends as she probed deeper into his mouth with her tongue.

The kiss wasn’t greedy; it was sweet and sensual. It couldn’t go anywhere, but that didn’t mean her insides weren’t yelling at her to rip his clothes off and ride him like a stallion.

He was the first to break away. “God, I want you. Are you sure you have to work late?”

She smiled. “Sick kids need me.”

He pressed his lips to her neck and trailed down to her collarbone. She moaned in delight.

“I love the noises you make.” He looked back at her.

“I can’t help it. You do it to me.” She kissed his cheek.

“I want to do a whole lot more to you.”

She unwrapped her legs from around him, and he let her drop back down. “I need to get back to work. Dr. Hancock is set to leave soon. I’d much rather spend this time with you, but duty calls. Any plans this evening?”

“Dreaming about you.”

She walked around him and laughed. “Oh, stop.”

“What? It’s true.”

“Get out of here.” She opened the door. “I’m not a lovesick thirteen-year-old. That line isn’t going to work on me.”

He smirked. “When can I see you again?”

“I don’t know. Soon, hopefully.”

Just as he was about to speak, Dr. Hancock walked in and cornered him, asking him about his potato salad. She smirked at him, gave a small wave, and strutted out of the room. Luke was a big boy—he’d figure a way out of there without giving away his secret ingredient.

* * *

Luke pulled up to Leslie’s house. After leaving his dinner with Molly, he wanted to check in and see how Sammy was. Even though it had only been twenty-four hours since he’d talked to his son, it was twenty-four hours too long.

Leslie’s old sedan wasn’t in the driveway. He’d called first, but once again hadn’t gotten an answer. He’d called an officer in the area near where her boyfriend worked, and he confirmed that Leslie was there and Sammy wasn’t. It was now time to see if his suspicions were true. Was his son here alone?

He knocked on the door and waited. He heard a dog inside barking, and then a voice, but no one answered. So he knocked again and then called out his son’s name. He then heard the clicking of the lock, and the door cracked open. A girl who didn’t look to be much older than sixteen peeked through, with Sammy behind her.

“Dad!”

The girl opened the door to let Luke in. Closing it behind him, he turned to the girl. “I’m Luke Logan, Sammy’s father. Who are you?”

“I’m Stacy. I’m their neighbor and babysitter.” She twirled a strand of her blonde hair.

“Do you babysit a lot?”

The young girl nodded. “Yeah, lately I have. And since I failed a class at school, my mom’s making me do it for free, which totally sucks since I’m here all the time.”

Of course Leslie was taking advantage of that. Free childcare meant she could go out as many nights as she pleased.

“Are you able to get any schoolwork done, being over here with my son?”

“A little.” Stacy gazed down at her feet. He figured that meant she wasn’t getting any done. He knew how demanding his son could be.

“Do you know what time his mother will be home?” Luke felt like he was playing twenty questions.

“She usually gets back here about ten.”

Ten!
This young girl had school the next day. Seeing that it was only five thirty now, how was this girl getting any schoolwork done or getting enough sleep? This was ridiculous.

Sammy was engrossed in a TV show that was on, though he stood there holding his dad’s hand the whole time.

“By any chance do you have the number to Leslie’s work?”

“Yeah, it’s on a piece of paper on the fridge.”

He bent down to his son’s level. “I’m going to call mommy really quick. I’ll be right back.” He then looked at Stacy. “Keep him entertained for a bit. I’m going to take this call outside.”

She persuaded Sammy to go with her and play in his room. Luke grabbed the number off the fridge and then went back out front and walked as far away from the house as he could. This wasn’t going to be a pretty call. A babysitter every now and then was fine, but he had a feeling this was a regular thing. And when she couldn’t get the babysitter, she dragged Sammy with her. Thank God she was smart enough not to leave Sammy alone. Whoever this boyfriend of the month was, he was more important than his son—and Luke wasn’t having it.

“Jay’s Diner, how can I help you?”

“Yes. I am looking for a customer, Leslie Logan.”

“Leslie, yes. Hold on and I’ll get her.”

He expected the line to go silent, but instead he heard the woman call out to his ex that a man was on the phone for her. He then heard a male voice give her a hard time about who was calling. Finally, after a small argument between Leslie and who he assumed was the boyfriend, Leslie got on the line. “Yeah.”

“It’s Luke.”

“It’s my ex-husband, you bozo. I told you there was no one else.” She paused. “What can I do for you?”

“I’m at your place.”

“Why?” she snapped.

“I wanted to see my son and I get here to find a babysitter. The inside of the house is trashed as well. When is the last time you cleaned?”

“I haven’t been home much. I’ve been helping out at the diner. Working.”

“Do you need more money?”

“Maybe.”

It pained him to know his son was going without. “I’m taking Sammy home with me.”

“I got a sitter watching him. It’s not like I left him alone.”

“Yes, and that sitter is sixteen and has school in the morning. She needs to be home studying and getting a good night of rest.”

“You’re not taking him.”

“Don’t fight me. You’re just adding to my case.”

She laughed. “A case I do believe got thrown out yesterday.”

“No, it wasn’t thrown out. I can take you to court for a different custody arrangement. Don’t think I’m backing away from this.”

She sighed. “Take him. Whatever.”

“We’re going to have to sit down soon and figure things out and what’s best for Sammy. I believe my home is best.”

“I’m his mother. You can’t take a child from the mother. I’m not unfit.”

He started to respond but she covered the phone and hollered at someone before returning to the line. “I got to go. We’ll finish this talk another time.” And the line went dead.

He wanted to throw his phone on the ground and stomp on it. Instead, he counted to ten and took deep several breaths. Much like he often told people to do. Once he had composed himself enough, he went back into his ex-wife’s house, let the sitter go home, and collected his son and a few days’ worth of clothes. If he had his way, Sammy wouldn’t be coming back.

Chapter Sixteen

The next morning after Luke dropped Sammy off to school, he called the station to see if anything needed his immediate attention. After that, he scheduled an appointment with his lawyer again but had over an hour to kill before they could meet. He decided to take a chance and stop by Molly’s.

When he pulled up, he was grateful that her car was there. He lightly knocked on the door and waited to see if she’d answer. If she was asleep, he didn’t want to bother her, but he hoped luck was with him and she was awake.

The door opened and through the outer glass door, Molly looked at him with groggy eyes, pulling her bathrobe tightly around her.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by.”

“Seriously?”

He grinned. She could probably see right through his excuse. “If you let me in, I’ll explain.”

She pushed the door open, and he entered the darkened house. He had definitely woken her up. No lights or blinds had been opened yet. And Tigger sat at the end of the hallway, looking as though she didn’t appreciate being woken up either.

He followed her into the living room. She curled up on one end of the couch. Instead of joining her right away, he made a dash to her kitchen to get the coffee started. He laughed—of course, her coffee was already made. She must have been one of those people who got it ready at night and had a delay brew actually programmed. He poured a cup and then brought it to her.

“I hope you don’t mind me stopping by.” He sat down on the couch.