else, he’s not admitting it.”
“I’ll be home in ten minutes.” He slid the phone into his pocket, started toward his car.
“Is everything okay?” Lauren kept pace beside him, her words filled with worry.
“I’m not sure. My son is having an allergic reaction to something. I’ve got to get home to make sure he’s okay and to convince him to be a little more honest about what he’s had to eat.”
“Why don’t I come with you? Once you get things settled, we can go over the list of his allergens. That way I can get started on the menu right away.”
Surprised, Seth paused with his hand on the car door, turning to face Lauren. “And get our business over with more quickly?”
She shrugged, a thick dark curl sliding over her shoulder and resting at the V of her dress. “The sooner we do, the sooner I can get started on my vacation.”
“I think maybe I should be insulted.”
“It’s nothing personal.” And neither was their business agreement. She didn’t have to add the rest for Seth to hear it.
“I get that.”
“If you’d rather we take care of things by e-mail and phone, that’s fine.”
“Now works. If you don’t think you’ll be missed.”
“I’ll be missed, but I’ll give Dee a call on her cell phone to let her know what’s going on.”
“Then let’s go.” He rounded the car, pulled open the passenger side door, inhaling a whiff of subtle perfume as Lauren slid in.
Perfume. Understated elegance. Dark wild curls. Confidence. Not the Lauren he’d dated for five years.
The changes should have made her a stranger. They didn’t. And as Seth started the engine and drove toward home, he couldn’t help thinking that having her in his car, having her beside him felt good. Even right.
And that was something he shouldn’t be thinking at all.
THREE
Lauren needed to learn how to keep her mouth shut. That much was obvious. First, she’d offered to take part in Steff’s auction. Now, she’d invited herself to Seth’s house. What was it going to be next? Offering to cook an extra week of meals for free?
Just the thought of spending more time with Seth and his son made her cringe.
She needed to keep as much distance between herself and Seth as possible because, no matter how much she might want to claim otherwise, he still affected her. His smile could still make her pulse accelerate and her world tilt; looking into his eyes could still make her melt.
Fortunately, her head knew enough to keep her heart in check. Seth had the same charming personality that had attracted her when she’d been a shy teenager, but she wasn’t a teenager anymore. She was a woman with a career, friends, a social life. Or as much of one as she wanted.
“This is it.” Seth pulled into the driveway of a two-story farmhouse.
This was where he lived?
An old farmhouse?
He pushed open the door, and Lauren stepped inside. She’d been expecting something modern and sleek, but the dimly lit foyer had turn-of-the-century charm—wide planked floors, crown molding, a chandelier that looked original to the house, an atmosphere that whispered “home.”
Seth pulled the door shut and started up the steps, calling out as he went, the deep timbre of his voice tinged with worry. “Reese? Jake?”
“We’re in Jake’s room.” The feminine voice had to belong to the babysitter. A college student? A relative?
Lauren moved down the length of the foyer, her gaze lingering on the framed photos that hung on the wall. Most were family portraits. First Seth and a stunning blond dressed in wedding finery and smiling into each other’s eyes. Then Seth standing behind the woman, his hand on her shoulder, his gaze on the tiny infant she held. Two more family photos followed, the infant older in each, but still small and fragile looking. The next photos were of Seth and his son, the boy more robust and sturdy, his mother absent.
“I probably need to get more interesting art for that wall.” Seth spoke as he descended the stairs, his voice different than it had been years ago. Deeper, rougher, but still with an edge of polish and charm Lauren knew most women would find hard to resist.
Good thing she wasn’t most women. “Why? Family photos are the best kind of artwork.”
“They make my son happy, anyway. He loves looking at them and trying to remember the day they were taken.”
Which seemed to imply that they didn’t make Seth happy. Lauren had heard rumors about his marriage, the difficulties he and his wife had had. Whether or not those rumors were true didn’t make any difference to her. He’d made his choice. She might not have been happy at the time, but in the end it had been for the best. “Your son is adorable and your wife was beautiful. I was sorry to hear of your loss.”
“Thank you.” The words were simple, his gaze lingering for just a moment on the wedding photo before he turned his attention back to her. “Jake and Reese will be down in a minute.”
“Did he tell you what he’d eaten?”
“A cupcake a friend at school gave him.”
“Store-bought?”
“No. Homemade.”
“Even worse.”
“So I’ve told him a thousand or so times. Come on in the kitchen, and I’ll give you the list of the food Jake is allergic to.” He led her down the hall and into a brightly lit kitchen. Granite countertops, white cabinets and stainless steel appliances made for an updated space without distracting from the beauty of the antique wood floor and trim. It was the kind of kitchen Lauren loved to work in, the kind she would have had if she lived in her own home rather than a rental.
“Here you go.” Seth handed her a laminated sheet of paper.
Tree nuts. Peanuts. Milk. Gluten. “His diet is quite limited.”
“I’m hoping you can change that.”
“I can give you ideas for interesting meals. A lot of kid-friendly stuff that uses other ingredients, but tastes almost the same as what his peers are eating.” The sooner the better. Being in Seth’s house, seeing the pictures of his wife and son only made her more anxious to fulfill her obligation and put the entire experience behind her.
“That’s exactly what I’m looking for. This year has been tough for Jake. He wants to fit in with the other kids, but no matter where he goes or what he’s doing, food is an issue.”
Before Lauren could respond, a young boy rushed into the room, his red-gold hair mussed, pink blotches marring his neck and arms. “Hey, Dad…” He saw Lauren and skidded to a stop, his cheeks going scarlet. “Oh. Hi.
