Chapter 6

Meredith was awake, dressed and ready to go by eight on Saturday morning, with an hour to kill before it was time for Blake and Sarah to pick her up.

Bess, an early riser herself these days, made breakfast and smiled wickedly at her friend.

“It must feel strange to have Blake ask you out after all these years.”

“It does. But I’m not kidding myself that it’s out of any great love for me,” she said, neglecting to tell Bess that Blake’s main interest in her was sensual. All the same, just remembering the way he’d kissed her Wednesday night made her tingle from head to toe. And he’d shared secrets with her that she knew he’d never tell anyone else. That alone gave her a bit of hope. But she was afraid to trust him too much just yet. She needed time to adjust to the new Blake. She sighed. “I haven’t been on a picnic in years. And I’m looking forward to it,” she confessed with a smile, “even if he only wants me along because Sarah likes me.”

“Sarah’s a cute little girl.” Bess sighed. “Bobby and I are ready to start a family of our own, but I can’t seem to get pregnant. Oh, well, it takes time, I guess. Do you want something to eat?”

“I’m too nervous to eat,” Meredith said honestly, her eyes still soft with memories of the night before. “I hope I’m wearing the right thing.”

Bess studied her. Jeans, sneakers, a white tank top that showed off her pretty tan and emphasized her full, high breasts, and her dark hair loose around her shoulders. “You look great,” she said. “And there’s no rain in the forecast, so you should be fine.”

“I should have slept longer,” Meredith wailed. “I’ll be a nervous wreck… Oh!”

The jangling of the telephone startled her, but Bess only smiled.

“If I were a gambling woman,” Bess said as she went to answer it, “I’d bet my egg money that Blake’s as nervous and impatient as you are.” She picked the receiver up, said hello, then glanced amusedly at Meredith, whose heart was doing a marathon race in her chest. “Yes, she’s ready, Blake,” she said. “You might as well come get her before she wears out my carpet. I’ll tell her. See you.”

“How could you say that!” Meredith cried. “My best friend, and you sold me out to the enemy!”

“He isn’t the enemy, and I think Blake needs all the advantagºes he can get.” Bess’s smile faded. “He’s such a lonely man, Meredith. He was infatuated with Nina and he let himself be suckered into marriage without realizing she only wanted his money. He’s paid for that mistake enough, don’t you think?”

“There are some things you don’t know,” Meredith said.

“I’m sure there are. But if you love him in spite of those things I don’t know, then it’s foolish to risk your future out of spite and vengeance.”

Meredith smiled wearily. “I don’t have the strength for vengeance,” she replied. “I wanted to get even for a long time after I left here, but when I saw him again…” She shrugged. “It’s just like old times. I can’t talk straight or walk without trembling when he gets within a foot of me. I never should have come back. He’s going to hurt me again if I give him an opening. After what Nina did to him, he’s not going to make it easy for any woman to get close. Least of all me.”

“Give it a chance,” Bess advised. “Nothing comes to us without some kind of risk. I’ve learned a lot about compromise since Bobby and I almost split up a few years ago. I’ve learned that pride is a poor bedfellow.”

“I’m glad you two are getting along so well.”

“So am I. I went a bit bonkers over my sexy brother-in-law for a while, but Elissa came along and solved all my problems,” Bess confessed with a grin. “King Roper has a gunpowder temper, if you remember.” Meredith grinned, because she did. “I couldn’t stand up to him, but Elissa didn’t give an inch. Not that they do much fighting these days, but they had a rocky start.”

“She’s so sweet,” Meredith murmured. “I liked her the minute I met her.”

“Most people do. And King would die for her.”

Those words kept echoing in Meredith’s brain as she sat in the car, with Blake behind the wheel and Sarah chattering away in the back seat. She looked at Blake’s taut profile and tried to imagine having him care enough to die for her. It was a forlorn hope that he’d ever love her. His reserved nature and Nina’s cruelty wouldn’t let him.

He glanced at her and saw that sadness in her eyes. “What is it?” he asked.

“Nothing.” She smiled at Sarah, who was looking worried. “I’m just barely awake.”

Blake lifted an eyebrow as the powerful car ate up the miles. “That explains why you were up and dressed at eight when I said we’d be at Bess’s at nine.”

“I couldn’t sleep,” she muttered.

“Neither could I,” he replied. “Sarah was too excited to stay in bed this morning,” he added, just when Meredith was breathless at the thought that the memory of the way he’d kissed her had been the reason he didn’t sleep.

“I’m so glad you came, Merry,” Sarah said, hugging her new Mr. Friend stuffed bear in the back seat. “We’ll have lots of fun! Daddy says there’s a swing!”

“Several,” he returned. “Jack’s Corner has added a new park since you were here,” he told Meredith. “It has swings and a sandbox and one of those things kids love to climb on. We can sit on a bench and watch her. Then there are plenty of tables. I thought we’d pick up something at one of the fast food stores for lunch, since Amie wasn’t around to fix a picnic basket.”

“Did she call?”

“Yes. Her sister is recovering very well, but it will be at least two weeks more before Amie comes back.”

“How are you managing?”

“Not very well,” he confessed. “I’m no cook, and there are things Amie could do for Sarah that I’m not comfortable doing.”

“Daddy won’t bathe me,” Sarah called out. “He says he doesn’t know how.”

A flush of color worked its way up Blake’s cheekbones and Meredith felt the embarrassment with him. It would be hard for a man to do such things for a daughter when he’d rarely been around a woman and never around little girls.

“I could…” Meredith hesitated at his sharp glance and then plowed ahead. “I could bathe her for you tonight. I wouldn’t mind.”

“Oh, Merry, could you?” Sarah enthused.

“If your father doesn’t mind,” she continued with a concerned glance in Blake’s direction.

“I wouldn’t mind,” he said, without taking his eyes from the road.

“And you can tell me some more stories, Merry,” Sarah said. “I specially like ‘The Ugly Ducking.’”

“Duckling,” Blake corrected, and he smiled faintly at his child. “I guess that story fits both of us, sprout.”

“Neither of you,” Meredith interrupted. “You both have character and stubborn wills. That’s worth a lot more than beauty.”

“Daddy has a scar,” Sarah piped up.

Meredith smiled at the child. “A mark of courage,” she corrected. “And your father was always handsome enough that it didn’t matter.”

Blake felt his chest grow two sizes. His gaze darted to Meredith’s face and he searched her eyes long and intently. As she was feeling the effect of that glance, he forced his eyes back to the road barely in time to avoid running the car into a ditch.

“Sorry,” Meredith murmured with a grimace.

“No need.” He turned the car down the street that led to the city park and pulled it into a vacant parking space.

“It’s beautiful,” Meredith said, looking at the expanse of wooded land with a children’s playground and a gazebo. There was even a fountain. At this time of the day, though, the area was fairly deserted. Dew was still on the grass, and as they walked to the benches overlooking the playground, Meredith laughed as her sneakers quickly became soaked.

“Your feet are getting wet,” Sarah said, laughing, too. “But I have my cowgirl boots on!”