Dangerous Relations (9 page)

"I told you, we have to stop by the supermarket to buy cookies for our party in nursery
school tomorrow."

Brett turned to Ardin. "You don't mind, do you? It should only take a few minutes."

Leonie tapped his head. "And we need milk and bananas for breakfast tomorrow,
remember?"

"Of course, of course."

"I can't wait to eat my regular cereal. I
hate
the cereal Grannie made me eat."
She grinned at Ardin. "But Cousin Ardin gave me toast and marmalade. She takes good care
of me."

Ardin's ears grew warm as Brett turned to her and solemnly said, "We're lucky to have
Cousin Ardin."

They climbed into the Jeep and drove to the mall a few blocks away. Ardin listened
as Leonie chattered on about school. How Duane Rogerson wet his pants for the third time
that month. She smiled when Brett asked Leonie if
she
would like to use a bathroom,
and Leonie admitted she wouldn't mind stopping at one the very second they reached the
mall.

Ardin felt like singing--belting out "Cockeyed Optimist" from
South Pacific
--a
definite sign she was extraordinarily happy. Odd, since going to a playground, taking a little
girl to the bathroom, and shopping in the supermarket were humdrum activities. Ordinary
chores millions of people performed daily all over the world. To her, it was as thrilling as a
vacation on Maui.

"Mommy was going to buy me some butterfly clips," Leonie said.

Ardin swallowed the lump in her throat. She turned around to face Leonie. "I'll get you
some, honey. They must have some in the supermarket."

"Mommy was going to buy them in her hair salon."

"Oh," Ardin said, feeling foolish.

"Hey, Sugarplum. There's a great drugstore in the mall. I bet it has real sparkling
butterflies."

Leonie crinkled her nose the way her mother used to. "Do you think so?"

"Absolutely, positively." Brett winked at Ardin, letting her in on the fact that he knew no
such thing.

At the mall, Leonie held Ardin and Brett's hands as they headed toward an entrance.
Anyone seeing them would assume they were a family--a family of three. Only they were no such
thing. They were three people thrown together because Suziette had been murdered.

Leonie exclaimed with delight when she saw the drugstore's large array of hair clips. After
much deliberation, she chose a pair of shocking pink and electric blue butterfly clips.

Her small hand hovered over a large iridescent butterfly. "Mommy would have liked this
one," she said wistfully.

Brett's arm encircled her waist. "I think you're right."

"Do you think Mommy can see us from where she is?"

"I really think she can."

Leonie nestled into his embrace. "Me, too."

Ardin felt a stab of remorse. Leonie and Brett were so happy together. How could she, in
good conscience, contrive to take Leonie from him to live in Manhattan? It would be cruel to put
distance between Leonie and the only father she'd ever known. But, she argued on her own behalf,
Leonie needed a mother. And besides, she was Leonie's blood relative, the person Suziette had
chosen to bring up her daughter if her mother couldn't.

She mustered up the resolve that had enabled her to get past her worst days during
and after Corey, and told herself she would not, under any circumstances, give up Leonie.
She'd arrange to have Leonie visit Brett on occasional weekends. And that, she told herself
firmly, was that
.

In the supermarket, Brett commandeered a wagon and headed straight for the cookies.
Ardin was pleased to see he knew his way around the store. Pleased, too, that he refused to let
Leonie con him into any impulse buying.

When they were back in the car, he said, "Now, how about a nice Italian dinner?"

"Pizza, pizza, pizza!" Leonie shouted.

"If you like." He winked at Ardin, making her stomach go flip-flop. "The takeout area of this
place is hectic, but we'll dine in the restaurant section like lord and ladies."

"Silly Daddy," Leonie said, and fell promptly asleep in her car seat.

When Brett switched off the engine at the restaurant, Leonie woke up. "Mommy?" she
called, her voice plaintive.

"I'm here, Sugarplum." Brett undid the strap of the car seat, and she crept into his
arms.

Leonie blinked at Ardin. "I thought you were Mommy."

"Oh!" Ardin said, surprised. "I don't look like her, do I?"

Leonie pushed out her lips. "Not now, but you did before."

Ardin reached out to take her hand. "Cousin Ardin's here."

"I know." Leonie gripped Ardin's hand, held it fast to her chest. "Don't leave me!"

"I won't," she promised.

* * * *

The restaurant was quiet, comfortable, and empty. Brett leaned back in his chair and
sighed contentedly. For the first time in weeks, he felt at peace. Coming here had been a good idea.
Inviting Ardin along, an even better one. It wasn't just that he hoped--no, counted on--her help with
his suit to gain custody of Leonie. He thoroughly enjoyed her company. He found her restful and
exciting at the same time.

He pretended to study his menu as he watched her explain the different kinds of pasta to
Leonie. Ardin had a natural gift with children, and she held his precious Sugarplum in thrall. Leonie,
her blonde head cocked to one side, listened intently to every word her older cousin was
saying.

"I still want pizza," she declared when Ardin had finished her spiel.

He and Ardin burst out laughing. He froze when Leonie turned her big blue eyes on him,
worried that they'd hurt her feelings. For a moment she seemed puzzled, not certain if they were
making fun or were exceedingly pleased with her. He winked, and her little face glowed with
pleasure.

We're a nice and easy threesome.
Brett grimaced when he remembered how
similar outings with Suziette had always turned into a battle of wills. She would have stuck
up her nose at this place, insisting that they eat in a formal, more expensive
restaurant.

Ardin cast him a questioning look. He shook his head to let her know that his expression
hadn't been connected to the present and was, therefore, of no importance. When Ardin smiled in
understanding, it left him feeling warm, as though she'd known exactly what had been running
through his mind.

Leonie finished most of a slice of pizza while they were still working on their main courses,
and started to fidget. When the coffee came, she stood up. "Daddy, I'm going to take a walk to the
pizza parlor."

Brett frowned, worried about kidnappers and child molesters. "I don't know if you should,
Sugarplum."

"Oh, Daddy! It's right over there." She pointed at the archway leading to the pizza parlor. "I
won't get lost, and I'll only stay one minute, I promise."

Automatically, he turned to Ardin, and felt some relief when she nodded her approval. Her
eyes were gray, he noticed for the first time. Expressive eyes that reflected color and light and every
emotion that crossed her mind.

"Go on, Leonie," he said. "But come right back."

Leonie returned a minute later with a redheaded girl her age in tow. "I found Michelle! She
was having pizza with her mom and baby brother."

Michelle waved at Ardin and Brett, and then followed Leonie to an empty table in the back
of the restaurant.

A tall redhead in black spandex, carrying a toddler on one hip, had followed the girls.
"Hello, Vivie," Ardin said.

Of course! Vivie Presley, Bill's stunning wife from South Carolina. She'd been a guest at his
wedding, and he'd seen her once or twice at the nursery school. Brett's eyes traveled up and down
her flawless figure. Ardin's mother was right. She did look like a redheaded Nicole Kidman.

"Hi, Vivie." he said when he'd finished gaping. He felt embarrassed, like a kid caught
stealing apples.

The amused look in Vivie's violet eyes told him she knew exactly what he'd been thinking.
"Hello, you two," she drawled. "Having fun back here, all by yourselves?"

To his relief, Ardin laughed and said, "Vivie, someday your vivid imagination will land you
in a pile of trouble."

Vivie fluttered her eyelashes. "I sincerely hope so. Life's been awfully boring lately." She
looked at Brett and laid her hand on her heart. "I sure don't mean what's happened to Suziette. That
was downright terrible. And Ardin, honey, I'm sorry about Julia."

The little boy started to fuss. Vivie made comforting sounds, and shifted him to her other
hip. Brett was astonished how this immediately quieted him down.

Vivie lowered her voice. "Are they any closer to finding out who did it?"

"No," Brett said, "but someone broke into my house this morning."

"I know," Vivie said. "Dimitri Costas told me."

"Dimitri!" he and Ardin exclaimed at the same time.

Ardin moved to the chair next to the wall so Vivie could sit down.

"The police brought him in for questioning," Vivie explained. "He called me to see if Bill
would go down to the station and represent him."

"And did he?" Ardin said.

"We-ll, in the end I convinced him to and he did."

I bet.
For a moment, Brett let his mind run wild imagining Vivie's methods of
persuasion. "Do you know Dimitri from the gym?"

Vivie shrugged. "Where else? And I know he'd never hurt Suziette. He thought the world of
her."

Brett felt as though he'd been dumped in the ocean, with ten-foot waves crashing over
him.

Vivie instantly looked contrite. "I'm sorry, Brett. I don't mean to be insensitive, but Suziette
was a free spirit. She had no business getting married, especially to a nice guy like you."

"Gee, thanks." Brett wished Vivie would haul herself off and disappear.

Leonie and Michelle ran up to the table, granting him at least part of his wish. "Mommy,"
Michelle said, "can Leonie come over tomorrow after nursery school?"

"We'll have to see, my darlings. I can't say right now, but..." She sent Brett a meaningful
look. "...if Leonie's Daddy gives the okay, she may stay with us on Saturday night."

"Daddy, pleeeeease," Leonie begged.

He squirmed, aggravated that he couldn't simply say yes. "It's up to Cousin Ardin." He
turned to Vivie, "Ardin's looking after Leonie, while Julia's in the hospital."

"Please, Cousin Ardin," Leonie pleaded.

"Well, I don't see why not," Ardin said.

"Yay!" Both little girls thrust their small fists in the air.

His annoyance forgotten, Brett felt like cheering, too. Now both he and Ardin were free on
Saturday night. Maybe she'd agree to go out with him, just for the fun of it.

"Shush! You're in a restaurant." In one graceful motion, Vivie rose to her feet. "We must be
going." She blew a kiss to Brett, one to Ardin, and planted one on Leonie's cheek. "Speak to y'all real
soon."

"I'll return your cot later this week," Ardin called after her.

Vivie turned around and winked. "Bill can fetch that Saturday morning. It will be his
weekend chore."

When she was out of sight, he said, "Boy, she's something else, isn't she?"

"Beautiful," Ardin agreed. "And a breath of fresh air."

He put his hand on Leonie's head, but his grin was for Ardin. "I prefer blondes,
myself."

Ardin didn't answer, but he caught her smile as she rummaged through her purse.

With a pang, he noted it was seven-thirty. An hour and a half had flown by. Time to get
Leonie home, bathed, and into bed. But first he had to drop Ardin off at Julia's house. Not a happy
thought.

Leonie dashed ahead of them to the front door. Brett deliberately slowed down, unwilling
to end his time with Ardin.

"Thanks for dinner and a great afternoon," she said.

"My pleasure." He took a deep breath, and decided it was now or never. "Since Vivie's doing
the honors Saturday night, would you like to see a movie or whatever? I'm open to
suggestions."

He suddenly remembered last night's explosive kiss, and hoped she wouldn't notice his
reddened ears. That had just--happened, but he'd make damn sure there was no repeat
performance. His life was too screwed up for romantic involvements, especially not with Ardin,
whom he considered a friend.

"Just a friendly night out on the town," he said, to set the record straight.

Ardin didn't answer. Too soon they reached the door where Leonie stood waiting. "Hurry
up, you two. I want to go home."

"We're coming," Brett felt like an idiot. He'd asked Ardin to spend a simple evening with
him, and she hadn't bothered to answer.

In the Jeep. Leonie chattered away, filling the silence between them. Brett sighed,
exasperated. She could at least offer him the courtesy of an answer. Yes. No. Even a maybe would
do.

He pulled into Julia's driveway. "We're here," he said, louder than he'd meant to.

"Saturday sounds fine," she said.

"Great! Fine!" He leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Speak to you."

Leonie wrapped her small arms around Ardin's neck. "Bye, Cousin Ardin. I'll see you
tomorrow."

* * * *

From the living room window, Ardin watched the Jeep back out of the driveway and
disappear from view. She touched her cheek where Brett had kissed her, felt the imprint of Leonie's
hug. She suddenly felt desolate. As though her family had abandoned her, leaving her to fend for
herself.

She told herself not to be silly. Leonie would be back with her tomorrow afternoon. And
she'd see Brett again--her heart raced at the thought--on Saturday night.

At first she couldn't believe she'd heard correctly--that he'd asked her out on a date.
Because that's what it was, a real, live, in-the-flesh date, regardless of what either of them called it.
Of course she'd wanted to accept. All afternoon and evening she'd longed to clasp his hand, rub his
cheek, pull him close to her.

She was drawn to him as though he were a six-foot-two human magnet. She longed to wrap
herself around his tall, muscular body while he kissed and stroked her to blissful oblivion.