Doorstep daddy (4 page)

_{The doorbell rang again...and again.}

_{"Sheesh!" Callie grimaced at the impatience of the man. Her blood pressure shot up as the bell rang several more times. Why was he ringing so much? He couldn't be that restless. Even a guy fresh out of prison would let a few moments go by before ringing the bell again, she thought. So why was Richard going nuts with the bell?}

_{Callie realized there could be a problem. Mrs. Fogel-man, the widow across the hall, was on the frail side since her latest surgery. Maybe she was hurt or something.}

_{The doorbell rang for the fortieth time.}

_{Callie strode out of the apartment bathroom to the front door. She opened it - and died a thousand deaths.}

_{"...told you not to ring it again!" Richard was saying to Jason. Mark was in his stroller, next to his uncle, who straightened. "Hi, I'm - "}

_{He stopped, his jaw hanging open as he stared at her face.}

_{"What's that?" Jason asked, pointing to her forehead. Callie put her hand over her mascara mess. "I was trying to paint my forehead and I missed. Come in." She desperately wanted to ask what the boys were
doing with Richard as he pushed the stroller across the threshold, and she hoped his answer would be that they were dropping them off at a baby-sitter's. But she couldn't ask; that would be impolite. Jason raced in behind his uncle.}

_{Callie caught the boy. "Slow down, kid. I've got a speed limit in my living room and you're over it. Here." She walked him to the television and turned it on, then set up a video game, her secret passion. "Take that energy out on Go-Go Karts."}

_{"Wow." Jason concentrated on the screen, his fingers pressing control buttons.}

_{Callie turned away deliberately from Richard, so he couldn't see her face. "I'll just be a few minutes."}

_{She escaped to the bathroom.}

_{When she looked in the mirror, she groaned. "Oh, God.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
She emerged from the bathroom. "Poopies!" Mark yelled.}

_{"Thank you, Mark," Callie replied gravely. "I always did hate a child's honesty."}

_{Richard grinned at her. "You look beautiful."}

_{Callie smiled at the compliment. "My war paint's all in place at least. What more could a guy ask?"}

_{"Nothing," he assured her. "I'm sorry I have to bring the boys with us. I don't know anyone who could babysit, and I think Amanda's too young. I also think she's too young to be home alone, but I lost that argument."}

_{Callie's heart sank at the idea of a group date. In her moments of weakness, she'd envisioned an intimate dinner for two in a dark corner of a fine restaurant. Maybe a club afterward for some slow dancing. Maybe a goodnight kiss that left her breathless and dreamy-eyed. Maybe a little more than a kiss. And definitely a phone
call the next day, asking to do it all over gain. She would have said no, but she wanted the good part first before not wanting a second date.}

_{"I hope you don't mind," he said belatedly, as if he'd just realized he'd made a mistake.}

_{"Oh, no, I don't mind," she replied. What else could she say?
Hey, buddy, if you 're looking for sex, don't bring the kids?
She wasn't looking for sex, but it had been more than a year since her last date, and it would be nice if a man was looking for
anything
personal from her. Her feminine self-esteem needed a wallop. With a forced smile, she added, "Kids are fun."}

_{"Good." He looked relieved. Callie decided that wasn't a bad thing between a man and a woman on a first date. "I've made a reservation at the White Dog Cafe in the city."}

_{Callie had been to the upscale bistro, hardly a place for kids. Disaster would be a mild word for their date if the date weren't headed away from the pass right now. "The White Dog's a great place, but I think Jason and Mark would be bored there. How about a Chuck E Cheese, instead?"}

_{"Oh." Richard blinked as if the lightbulb of a great realization had just come on. "You don't mind?"}

_{"No. We'll save the White Dog for another time." If they had another time, she thought. And they'd do it without the kids.}

_{Richard took out a cell phone and called to cancel the reservation. He also called home and talked to Amanda.}

_{"I won!" Jason shouted.}

_{"Hurray!" Callie said. "And besides your trophy, you'll get a free dinner at Chuck E Cheese. Right now."}

_{"Oh, boy!" Jason beamed. "Can I have pizza and a hot dog?"}

_{"Sure. I think I'll have that, too." When in Rome.}

_{"We better change Mark first," Richard said as the youngest Holiday made his familiar announcement once again.}

_{Callie sighed. What a date.}

_{Chuck E Cheese
was mobbed, three raucous birthday parties not helping matters.}

_{"I think I should have called in a reservation here," Richard said ruefully.}

_{"Don't worry," Callie told him while snagging Jason before he could run off and explore. "It clears out fast. My sister Helena brings her kids here all the time. She's got three boys and is more down-to-earth than Gerri." She chuckled. "That's not saying much, but Helena's on the mark about kiddie restaurants."}

_{"Shall we find a table, then?" he suggested with Cary Grant aplomb.}

_{He could have been Cary Grant, Callie decided when they reached the after-dinner soda stage. Or Tom Hanks, only cuter. Richard had that same ability those two men had to calmly accept the unexpected. Unfortunately he did call Amanda every few minutes, just to check on her. The poor girl must be ready to strangle him, Callie thought in amusement.}

_{They kept an eye on Mark and Jason, who were with other children in the restaurant's play area nearby. The noise level was horrendous, but Callie pushed it to the background as best she could.}

_{"I killed her babies," Richard said. "I think she hates me.}

_{Callie gasped. "I beg your pardon?" "Those virtual-baby-pet things," he explained. "Amanda got in trouble for taking them to school, so
she handed them over to me and I...1 forgot to feed them when they beeped.''}

_{"Oh, Lordy," Callie said in sympathy for the drubbing he no doubt got.}

_{"She screamed at me and burst into tears," Richard added. "I don't know why she always does these histrionics. It's just a game."}

_{"Maybe her reaction has to do with losing her parents," Callie told him. "Maybe the game symbolizes her ability to keep her parents from dying. Maybe she doesn't want anything else to die."}

_{His beleaguered expression cleared. "I never thought of that. I bet you're right. What a doofus I am."}

_{Callie giggled. "I haven't heard that word in ages."}

_{"What else describes an old idiot?" He shook his head. "I'll talk to her tomorrow, although I have no clue how I'll keep up with her virtual pets and Mark, too." He ran a hand through his hair. It fell back into perfect place. "I'm so behind with my own stuff now."}

_{"Have you considered day care?" she suggested wryly. "A couple of hours a day might help you."}

_{"We had problems with that before," he replied dubiously. "I gave up on it, along with au pairs and housekeepers."}

_{Callie shrugged. "You'll work it out."}

_{"I hope. Amanda's so moody all the time. She cries about everything."}

_{"Women," Callie murmured dryly.}

_{He chuckled. "Okay, so I'm a crumb in the women's pages."}

_{"Amanda probably thinks so." Callie wondered if the girl's weepiness had a simple physical cause. She decided to be blunt; the man needed help, after all. Tons of it. "Has she gotten her period yet?"}

_{Richard's jaw dropped in clear astonishment. "Oh, God. I don't know."}

_{"'Atta guy," Callie said, shaking her head, mildly exasperated with men's ability to stick their heads in the sand. "I'm sure you would know. After all, somebody's got to buy things at the store for her needs. But a girl's hormones go nuts in the months before her period starts, and sometimes they get very weepy about everything. She probably can't figure out what's wrong with her, either."}

_{Richard rubbed his forehead. If he felt as overwhelmed as he looked, he was in deep trouble. "This is women's territory."}

_{"Oh, no. You don't get off the hook with that, buddy. This is
parents'
territory," Callie countered, looking him straight in the eye. Kids screamed and raced all around them. She ignored the chaos. "Talk to her about this, too. Tomorrow, Richard. She's probably scared to death something will happen and she has to cope alone. I'd apologize profusely for the virtual pets, while I was at it A little humbling goes a long way."}

_{He reached across the littered table and took her hand. His was warm and strong as it closed around her fingers, sending bursts of heat along her veins.}

_{"I will. Thanks for listening, Callie. I don't know what the hell I'm doing raising kids - but they've got no one else."}

_{Callie swallowed around a suspicious lump of sympathy. This man was helpless, hopeless and sexy. She could be a goner if she allowed herself. "You'll be fine."}

_{"Not without your help. You're a great date."}

_{A scream of pain erupted from behind them.}

_{Callie wryly noted how Richard dropped her hand like
a hot potato even as they both rushed to soothe Mark, who was crying. Richard picked up the toddler and awkwardly patted him on the back. Callie pressed her hand over Richard's and rubbed Mark's back with him. Mark quieted.}

_{"I
didn't do it," Jason said.}

_{Callie focused on him. "That's an interesting thing to say."}

_{Jason looked shamefaced. "Maybe I pushed him, but I didn't mean to."}

_{Richard said in a stern tone, "You have got to be more careful. He's just a baby."}

_{"But I didn't mean to!" Jason wailed, beginning to cry.}

_{Callie sighed. Dumb male strikes again. She rubbed Jason's back, just as she'd helped Richard do to Mark's, a pure calm comfort gesture. "Hey, it was an accident. Everyone has them, Jay, and Mark's not broken. But when big guys like you are playing around the rug rats, you've got to be a little less like speed demons, okay?"}

_{Jason nodded, sniffing back his tears. When he regained his eight-year-old macho male dignity, Callie patted him one last time. She'd done this sort of thing so many times with her brother and sisters, soothing kids and making them happy, she could do it in her sleep.}

_{"Go hug your brother and tell him you're sorry," she said. "When we make mistakes, we have to make up for them, too."}

_{Jason went to Mark. Richard squatted down while holding Mark, and Jason made a nice apology to his little brother. Mark reached out and hugged Jason. The adults sighed at the sweetness of it.}

_{"Well-done, Jay," Callie said. "You're a good kid."}

_{Jason grinned. "Can I play skee-ball now?"}

_{"Sure. I'll spot you a dollar for games and bet you fifty cents that I win."}

_{Jason laughed and took her hand, dragging her to the skee-ball machines.}

_{"I'm going on a hot date with your nephew, just so you know where he is," she said over her shoulder to Richard.}

_{He grinned. "Don't corrupt him too much." "Pooh! You're no fun."}

_{As she skillfully managed to lose three games, she chatted with Jason about school, which he liked and hated, the latest toys, which he wanted, and video games, which she wanted. She was aware of Richard watching her. It felt good to have a man's gaze on her body. A sudden wave of heat washed over her that ignited her long-dormant senses. She hadn't realized how much she needed to feel like a woman. Richard gave her that feeling with a glance. This might not be the date she wished for, but she'd found a deep satisfaction from it. Unexpected, she admitted wryly. Maybe she had a little Cary Grant in her, too.}