needed his help.” Maggie avoided meeting Penny’s gaze, afraid she’d catch on to the disappointment Maggie had felt when Brady called an hour ago.
“Want me to beat him up for you?” Penny straddled a chair and held her fists like a boxer. “I could hit him right where it counts.”
“That won’t be necessary.” When Penny sagged in defeat, Maggie added, “Yet.”
“What’s for dinner?” Amber came in and sat next to Penny.
“Chicken.” Maggie hurried to the kitchen. What she wanted to do was go outside and have a good scream, but she needed to keep it together until Penny went home and Amber went to bed. She hoped this didn’t become a habit with Brady.
“Is Brady coming over?” Amber called to her. Maggie took in a deep breath and forced a smile before returning to the dining room with the platter of chicken. “No, honey, he has work to do.”
“Can’t he do it over here?” Just a hint of a whine had entered Amber’s voice.
“Nope.”
“What am I, chopped liver?” Penny tickled Amber’s side until Amber giggled and batted her hand away.
Amber leaned in close to Penny’s ear and said in a loud whisper, “I think Mommy likes Brady.”
Penny raised an eyebrow at Maggie, but turned and whispered, “I think Brady likes your Mommy, too.”
Amber nodded and giggled.
Maggie could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. “I do not like Brady.”
“They looked like they were going to kiss on the porch,” Amber told Penny.
Maggie groaned and refused to look at Penny. “Eat your dinner.”
She passed around the food until everyone had a full plate. Penny kept trying to catch her eye, which Maggie avoided at all costs. She didn’t want to go into details with Penny until Maggie knew how she felt about Brady.
Amber chatted away about school. Maggie forced herself to participate in the conversation. Ever since last night, though, only one thing had occupied her mind—that kiss. It had been one thing to kiss him in New York. Different place, right mood, old lover, that type of thing. But here? On her front porch?
She’d been on edge since she got home from work, waiting. Waiting for Brady to come over and finish what he’d started. Even though she’d told him it would be better if they didn’t. Even though she could almost feel every touch, the slide of his skin against hers, his mouth against hers and traveling lower. God, how she’d wanted him and what she wouldn’t give to feel that way. Complete abandon.
Which would be a mistake. Huge mistake.
“Earth to Maggie.” Penny waved her hand in front of Maggie’s face.
Maggie snapped to attention. “What?”
“Amber asked you a question.” Penny gave her an expectant look.
“I’m sorry, baby.” Maggie shook off the lingering images from her past. “What was your question?”
“Why don’t you ask Brady out on a date? Penny would watch me, wouldn’t you?” Amber’s blue eyes were huge and innocent and hopeful.
Maggie snapped her gaze to Penny to see if she had put Amber up to this, but Penny held up her hands as if to say, “Don’t look at me.” She sighed and turned to Amber.
“It isn’t that easy.” Maggie tried to think of excuses and reasons and anything but Brady’s hand on the back of her neck. An involuntary shudder raced along her spine.
“Why not?”
“Yeah, Maggie, why not?” Penny leaned her elbows on the table and added her questioning look to Amber’s.
“Because…” Oh, hell, what was she supposed to say? That she didn’t like him? Then the question would be why he was hanging around. Until Brady was ready to come forward to Amber about being her father, her hands were tied.
“Go on.” Penny was enjoying this way too much.
If things were different, she might have jumped at the chance to ask Brady out. “He lives in New York and we live in Tawnee Valley. It would never work out. Besides, we’re just friends.”
She took her dishes to the kitchen. Logically, that was true. Brady didn’t have a burning desire to move back to Tawnee Valley anytime soon. In fact, it seemed he couldn’t wait to get away from it.
She turned to find both Amber and Penny looking at her from the doorway.
“What now?” she said.
“I like Brady,” Amber said. Plain and simple as if that were the cure-all to the world.
Sensing a trap, Maggie hesitated before saying, “I like him, too.”
Penny covered her mouth to hide her chuckle. Maggie glared at her, but she waited patiently for Amber to get out what she wanted to say.
“You should date.” Amber disappeared into the dining room. The clatter of dishes being stacked filled the room.
“Did you put her up to this?” Maggie whispered and pointed toward the dining room.
“No, but the look on your face is priceless.” Penny’s grin infuriated Maggie more.
Amber reappeared with the dishes and took them to the sink. “Are you waiting for my father to come back?”
Maggie’s mouth dropped open and she honestly couldn’t think of a single thing to say. Even if Amber knew Brady was her father, she would probably be wondering the same thing. Maggie hadn’t dated because the available men in Tawnee Valley greatly dwindled after high school age. And the ones that were available weren’t what she wanted.
Penny gave her a phony serious look. “Yeah, Maggie. What are you waiting for?”
Maggie narrowed her eyes at Penny before squatting in front of Amber. “What’s bringing all of this up now?”
Amber scrunched her face as if she were trying to keep the truth from coming out, before bursting out with, “Jessica said that her mom thinks you should get back with Brady.”
Maggie closed her eyes. Damned if she does, damned if she doesn’t. What was she going to say to that? That she and Brady had never really been together? Then when Amber found out about Brady being her father, Maggie would have to explain that sometimes people don’t have to love each other to have a child.
“Do you love Brady, Mommy?” That one struck her right in the heart.
“You know what, runt?” Penny said and held out her hand to Amber. “Maybe we should lay off Mommy for a little while. Let’s go find that book we were reading the other night.”
Maggie mouthed “Thank you” to Penny as Penny led Amber out of the kitchen. Already almost on the floor, she dropped on the old linoleum
