Daddy Next Door (11 page)

The next day, Nick informed all involved that he was going home after that day. He was amazed how much better he felt after he made his decision. His sleep that last night was so much more peaceful.

“Man you are the cheapest date we’ve every brought to town,” was his guide’s last comment to Nick.

“Good. I don’t need to run up the costs of making the film. But I need to get back to Dallas.”

“You must have one hot lady in Dallas!”

“Yes, I do,” Nick said, smiling for almost the first time since his arrival.

“Okay. I’ll see what flight I can get you on. I tell you what. I’ll get you a first-class ticket. Then you can fly in comfort.”

“That’s a deal.”

When Nick knew what flight he would be on, he called Jennifer. No one answered, so he left a message. “Hey, Jen, girls, I’m getting in at 3:35 this afternoon. How about I take you out to dinner? I’ve missed you all.”

Then he hung up the phone, counting on the girls to persuade Jennifer to accept his invitation.

J
ENNIFER WAS DRINKING
iced tea out on the deck, sitting at a new table with an umbrella to provide some shade. She and Diane were chatting about the girls and the changes in Jennifer’s life.

“I think this has been great for you, Jennifer,” Diane said. “I’ve never seen you so happy.”

She couldn’t help but smile now. “The girls are wonderful. And Nick suggested I take a parenting class that has really helped, too.”

“Where is Nick? I haven’t seen him lately.”

“He…” Nick hadn’t told her it was all right to spread the news of his career change and his Hollywood trip, so she kept his confidence. “He had to go out of town.”

“Really? I thought he was just lazing around for the summer before he started teaching again.”

“I’m not sure what he’s doing. He has three sisters. He may be visiting one of them.” Then she hurried to change the subject.

“Why are you off today?”

“Oh, I just decided to take a vacation day. The summer has become a drag. I needed a day off.”

“That’s nice. How’d the housekeeper work out?”

“She’s wonderful! Will Nick be back on Friday when she does his apartment?”

“I’m not sure. He thought he’d be gone a full week.”

“You know, I took your advice with him.” When Jennifer shot her a puzzled look, she explained, “I took him out to dinner as you suggested, though he insisted on paying. We had a nice visit, but…he wasn’t interested.”

“How do you know?”

“It was easy to tell. I don’t need a picture drawn for me. He was polite, but nothing more.”

“Well, I—”

“I hear your phone ringing,” Diane said.

“It’s probably my mother. She calls constantly to tell me how she hates the idea that I’m adopting the girls. She wanted to set me up with some millionaire’s son. According to her, no one will want me now. I’m a ‘package deal,’ as she calls it.”

“Maybe your mom could adopt me. I could use that guy!”

Jennifer laughed along with her friend. “Sounds good to me. The next time she calls, I’ll accept and you can go in my place.”

“Don’t you think that would make her mad?”

“Yes, but I don’t care. As long as you and the guy hit it off, we don’t have a problem.”

“Mommy!” Missy called from down below. Jennifer got up and went to the rail. “Yes, Missy?”

“I’m very hot.”

Missy looked flushed. Steffi and Annie were on the swings, but Missy had been running all over with Blondie.

“Come up here, sweetie. I think you need to cool down.”

She met Missy at the top of the stairs and felt her face. “Oh, my, I think you’re running a fever.”

She brought Missy back to her chair and sat down, pulling Missy into her lap. She gave her some of her iced tea and then rubbed the cold glass against her cheeks.

After a few minutes, when Missy was still hot, Jennifer decided to call the pediatrician. She pulled her
cell phone out of the bag she’d brought outside with her and dialed his number.

The doctor told her if Missy wasn’t any better in an hour, to bring her to his office.

“We’re going in, Diane. But it was fun visiting with you.”

“Yes, it was.”

“Girls?” Jennifer called to the other two. “I want you to come in, too.”

When they got inside, Jennifer raised the air conditioning and rubbed Missy’s face with a cool, damp cloth. Steffi brought her sister a glass of water and Jennifer got her to drink some of it.

In a few minutes Missy cooled down some. Jennifer lay back on the sofa with her to watch television.

“Look, Mommy, there’s a red light blinking,” Steffi said, pointing to the answering machine.

“Go push it, Steffi,” Jennifer said, her attention on Missy.

Nick’s voice filled the room and a cheer went up from the three girls when they heard his invitation.

The mere sound of his voice sent her heart racing in a rapid tattoo. Her mind furiously tried to calculate how many hours it would be till she saw him, but she could barely concentrate.

Nick was coming home!

The girls’ excited voices brought her back to reality.

“I know you’re excited about Nick’s invitation, but I don’t know if we can go. After all, Missy isn’t feeling well.”

“I feel much better, Mommy, I promise.
Please
let us go to dinner with Nick!”

“I can’t promise you, Missy. I’ll take your temperature later and if you don’t have any fever, I’ll consider it,” she said firmly.

“But if Missy is okay, we can go?” Steffi asked.

Jennifer doubted the wisdom of accepting Nick’s invitation, but she couldn’t say no to the girls, not when she was fighting excitement herself. “Maybe.”

Steffi leaned forward and said, “You’d better stay still and drink lots of water, Missy.”

“I will,” the child replied, already settling herself on the sofa. Her quiet didn’t last long. In a few seconds she popped up and asked, “Will we go back to Chuck E. Cheese’s?”

Jennifer shuddered. “I hope not. I think we should save that place for birthdays.”

“When is your birthday, Mommy?” Missy asked.

“Later in the summer.”

“What day is it?” Steffi needed more concrete information.

“It’s August 2, honey. See, that’s much later.”

“What do you want for your birthday?” Annie asked. “I don’t think you want a dolly like I did.”

Jennifer smiled. “I don’t want anything. I already have everything I’ll ever need.” She pulled the trio in for a quick, tight hug.

“What about a daddy?”

She leaned back and looked at Missy. “What do you mean?”

“Don’t you want a daddy for your birthday?” Her brown eyes widened and twinkled. “I know just the daddy for you, too. Nick!”

Jennifer gasped and flushed like a lovesick teenager. “No!” When she noticed the offended look on Missy’s face, she tempered her reply. “Thanks anyway, sweetheart. Why don’t you just pick me some flowers instead?”

Missy seemed unconvinced. “But—”

“You need to rest if you want to go tonight. How about I put on a movie for you to watch.”

“What movie?” Steffi asked.

“I think
Mary Poppins
would be a good movie to watch. It’s about two children who need a nanny.”

“What’s a nanny?” Missy asked.

“It’s a lady who takes care of children when their parents are too busy to take care of them.”

Annie frowned. “Why would they be too busy?”

“You’ll see when you watch the movie.”

She went to the hall closet and got the DVD out and started it. The music reminded her of watching the movie when she was a little girl, wishing Mary Poppins had come to her house to weave her magic spell.

Once the movie got started, Jennifer tiptoed out of the room, leaving all three girls staring at the television screen.

With the music playing in the background, she kept busy, trying not to think of Nick returning.

As if she weren’t counting the hours…

N
ICK LEANED FORWARD IN
the back of the taxi, urging the vehicle closer and closer to home. That thought gave him pause. He’d only lived in the Dallas fourplex a couple of weeks. But it wasn’t the place that was home. It was the people.

He wanted to see the girls, of course. But he especially wanted to see Jennifer. He wanted to throw his arms around her and give her a kiss that would let her know how much he’d missed her.

Only she seemed to be disturbed by his kisses. She’d let him get close for a minute, and then she’d pulled away the last time he’d kissed her.

He frowned. Something was bothering Jen. He wasn’t sure what, but if he ever got some time to talk to her without six little ears listening in, he might have a chance to figure it out.

When the taxi finally pulled into the driveway, he paid the driver and grabbed his bag to hurry in to his apartment. He unlocked the door and threw his bag inside. Then he closed it and went to knock on Jennifer’s door.

He heard little feet rushing toward the door, followed by Jennifer’s voice warning them not to open it. He waited impatiently for Jennifer to look through the peephole.

He heard her unlocking the door and stepped forward as she swung it back. Before she could say anything, he pulled her into his embrace and kissed her.

“N-Nick, I didn’t expect you back so soon!” Jennifer said as she pulled herself out of his arms.

Annie and Steffi ran to him, throwing themselves around his legs.

“Hi, girls,” Nick said on a smile. “How’ve you been?”

“We’re fine,” Annie volunteered, “but Missy is sick.”

“But we think she’s well enough to go to dinner,” Steffi hurriedly added.

Nick went at once to the sofa. “What’s the matter, Missy?”

“Mommy says I’m sick, but I feel fine.”

Jennifer came up to Missy from behind the sofa, keeping it between her and Nick. She leaned down to feel Missy’s forehead. “I think she got overheated, but I have to be sure. Let me take your temperature, sweetie. If you’re not running a fever, you can go out.”

She went to get the thermometer. Once she left the room, Nick asked the girls how they’d managed while he was gone.

“We missed you,” Missy told him.

“I missed all of you, too. It seemed like I was gone forever.”

“I think Mommy missed you, too,” Annie said quietly. “She doesn’t smile as much when you’re not here.”

It was ridiculous to get one’s hopes up based on a five-year-old’s opinion, but he was desperate for any encouragement he could get.

When Jennifer came back into the room with a thermometer, he waited for her to take Missy’s temperature.

“There’s no fever,” Jennifer announced, and the three little girls cheered.

“That means we can go!” Missy exclaimed.

“Terrific. Where do you want to go?”

The girls all looked at one another. “We don’t want to go to Chuck E. Cheese’s,” Steffi said carefully.

“Ah, your mother already vetoed that one, did she?” he teased Jennifer, shooting her a grin. “That’s good, because I was thinking about steak. Have you been to Outback?”

“What’s that?” Missy asked.

“It’s a steak place. The Outback is what they call the rural parts of Australia.”

“What’s Australia?” Steffi asked.

Jennifer stepped in. “That’s a country a long way away. But they have good steaks there.”

“In Australia?” Annie asked.

“No, here in Dallas at the restaurant, The Outback.” Nick exchanged a smile with Jennifer. “Is that okay with you girls?”

“If Mommy likes it,” Annie said.

Nick smiled at Jennifer. “Well, Mommy, what do you think?”

“It sounds lovely, but it’s a little early for dinner. Shall we go in a couple of hours?”

“I guess I can wait that long.” Nick wasn’t sure. He didn’t want to go back to his lonely apartment.

Annie seemed to understand. “You can play cards with us. Mommy got a new game.”

“Sweetie, I don’t think—” Jennifer began.

But Nick wasn’t passing up an opportunity to stay. “I’d love to play cards with you, Annie.”

“Me and Steffi get to play, too!” Missy insisted.

“Of course. And your mommy, too, if she wants to.” Nick let his gaze move to Jennifer, hoping to see cooperation.

“I—I have some things to do. But you’re welcome to play with the girls.” She hurriedly left the room.

Nick stared after her until Missy tugged on his arm. “What, Missy?”

“Can you—” She looked at her older sister. “What does he have to do, Steffi?”

“Shuffle,” she said.

“Oh, yeah, I can do that. Here,” he said, holding out his hand for the deck of cards. “What game are we playing?”

“Go Fish!” Missy said with a giggle. “But we don’t really hold fishes. That would by yucky!”

Nick grinned. He’d rather be spending time with Jennifer, he’d admit, but the girls were always fun. “Yes, it would, wouldn’t it? And Mommy wouldn’t like it because it would make a mess.”

Steffi shook her head. “Mommy isn’t fussy. My last mommy didn’t even want us to sit on the furniture. She didn’t seem to like anything we did. But Mommy just helps us clean up the messes and gives us kisses.”

Nick sighed as he shuffled the cards. “Yeah, she’s a really good mommy.”

“Why didn’t she already have kids?” Steffi asked.

As Nick considered his answer, Missy piped up. “’Cause she didn’t have a daddy…until Daddy came.” She pointed at Nick. “Are you going to have a baby?”

Nick felt heat rising up his neck. Just thinking about making a child with Jennifer raised his temperature.

“Are you, Daddy?” Missy prodded him.

“Uh, no, I mean, I’d like— I’m not married to Jennifer. That means no babies. Unless we get married,” he couldn’t help but add. He hadn’t noticed Jennifer coming into the room as he made his last statement.

“What is going on in here?” Jennifer demanded.

Missy immediately thought she could explain, which sent fear through Nick’s veins.

“We were talking about you and Daddy—I mean, Nick—having a baby because you’re such a good mommy.”

“It was Missy’s idea, Mommy, not Nick’s,” Annie said, demonstrating her understanding of the situation. Maybe she was alerted by both the adults’ red faces.

“I think I have enough to learn with you three, Missy. After I practice awhile we’ll think about another child.”

“But you have to have a daddy,” Missy said, covertly looking at Nick.

“I didn’t need one to get you, did I?”

“No, but—” Missy began until Nick caught her hand.

“Missy, I think your mommy is right. She needs some time to figure everything out. You’re lucky she picked the three of you so you can be together.” Nick smiled at the little girl so she’d know he wasn’t chastising her.

Annie, in a soft voice, said, “Forever and ever.”

“Yeah,” Steffi agreed.

Jennifer smiled weakly at the girls. “Now I think you need to get that game started. I’d hate to miss my steak because the game hasn’t ended.”

Nick dealt the cards and hurried the game along. He was hungry, too.

For Jennifer.

W
HEN THEY REACHED THE
restaurant, Nick asked for a big booth.

“Are you sure, Nick?”

“It will be perfect. We’ll put the girls on one side and you and me on the other.”

“But I’ll need to assist the girls.”

“You can. The table isn’t that wide.” He was determined to have her beside him. He needed to at least get that close to her.

Jennifer helped each of her girls choose from the children’s menu, and when they’d all placed their orders Nick asked the girls about their ballet and swimming lessons.

“Missy is the best swimmer,” Jennifer said. “She’s like a little fish. Steffi is the best at ballet. And we’ve started an art class and that’s where Annie shines.”

“Terrific. Something for everyone,” Nick said with a smile. “And your mommy takes the best pictures.”

“That reminds me,” Jen said, “I’ll pick up your photos tomorrow morning while the girls are in ballet class, if that’s all right.”

“That’s fine. How did the housekeeper work out?”

“Oh, she’s wonderful. She’s coming to your apartment on Friday. Since you weren’t here, you got last choice.”

“That’s fine. It means she can do my laundry from my trip.”

“Did you have fun on your trip?” Missy asked.

“Not exactly, honey. I didn’t go to California for fun. I had to work.”

Jennifer turned to him with a look of disbelief. “All work and no play, Nick? In Hollywood?”

“They took me out for what they thought was fun, but I thought it was a waste of time. I wanted to get my work down and come home.”

Jennifer put her head down, pretending to study her drink.

What was wrong with her? he wondered.

“What kind of work did you do?” Steffi asked.

“I was writing.”

Missy nodded. “Writing is hard.”

“Not for Nick, Missy. He’s an adult,” Steffi explained.

“Did you get the problem worked out?” Jennifer asked in a small voice.

“Yeah. It wasn’t too hard.”

“And they didn’t offer you a job?” She finally looked at him.

He smiled at her. “Honey, my job is writing books, not screenplays.”

“You can’t do both?”

“Some people can, but I can’t. It would be like you making portraits of people and taking aerial photos. Two different things.”

“But you could train yourself to write screenplays, couldn’t you?” Jennifer persisted.

“Maybe, but why would I want to?”

“So you could live in Hollywood,” Jennifer said, as if he couldn’t figure it out.

“I don’t want to live in Hollywood.”

“Why not?” she challenged him.

He turned the tables on her. “Would
you
want to live in Hollywood?”

“No, of course not. It would be a terrible place to raise children.”

“I agree.”

If they agreed, he wondered, why did Jen look so perturbed?

W
HEN THEY GOT HOME
, it was bedtime and Jennifer sent the children off to brush their teeth and put on their nightgowns.

Then she turned to Nick. “Thank you for a lovely evening.” She almost put her hand out for him to shake, but she didn’t think he’d buy that behavior. So she kept her hands around her purse in front of her.

“It was great, wasn’t it? And I think the girls really liked it, too.”

“Yes, of course. Well, I know you’re anxious to settle back in your apartment, so I won’t keep you.” That was as obvious as she could be.

“No, I’m in no hurry. Can’t I stay to help tuck the girls into bed?”

“Um, I—I suppose so.”

They stood there awkwardly until they heard the girls call out, “We’re ready.”

Jennifer put her purse down on the sofa and went into the bedroom to kiss them good-night, followed by Nick.

By the time they left the bedroom, all the girls were smiling except for Jennifer.

She walked Nick back to the living room and tried her goodbye speech again.

“That’s not going to work, Jennifer. We need to talk.”

“About what?”