Still Waters

Of course he'd known he found her damned attractive physically. To put it bluntly, he wanted her so badly, he could taste it, and probably had ever since the day she'd fainted into his arms. And he'd already been honest enough with himself to admit that this whole swimming-lesson business was nothing more than a way to get her away from her puppets and into his bed. Not the noblest motive in the world, true, but nothing to be ashamed of, either. They were both over twenty-one. and if she liked the idea as much as he did, why not?

This thing with Theresa was confusing what should have been a simple matter of chemistry, that was the problem. It was fogging up his judgment. Since he'd become so obsessed with the idea of adopting that little girl, he'd been thinking of everything in terms of her needs, not his. If he wasn't careful, he'd be judging Maddy according to how she might fit into his plans for Theresa, and lose touch with his own feelings. He could overestimate his attraction to her just because he knew she was good with kids.

Put more bluntly, he'd actually been thinking- only half in jest-of marriage to a woman he barely knew, because he figured she'd be a good mother for Theresa, and would therefore make him more acceptable to the adoption board!

Zack blew a silent whistle and shook his head. The thing to do, he thought as he packed up the test kit and got to his feet, was to make darn sure that from now on he separated the two. Theresa was important to him, but she was only one part of his life. Maddy-or any other woman he might happen to be interested in-was another. He didn't know yet just how important Maddy was going to become to him, but he intended to give himself a chance to find out. Starting tonight.

He finished cleaning the pool, and even swept a few stray leaves off the deck before going back inside. The smell of baking lasagne was already beginning to drift down to the basement room. Zack paused to frown at the clutter on the coffee table. Sure didn't look very inviting, and not at all romantic. Dahlia wouldn't touch this room, and he didn't blame her. The housecleaning service gave it a good going-over once a week, and he wasn't a kid, that he should have to be picked up after.

He glanced at his watch. Maddy would be here any minute. He didn't have time to do much, but he did what he could, gathering up newspapers and stuffing them into the overflowing trash, putting all the magazines in the closet, where they cascaded into and over Carol's golf bag and onto the pile of towels and bathing suits on the floor. He gave the tabletop a hasty wipe with a sweatshirt he found behind a couch cushion, and stood back to survey the setting dubiously.

Should he light a fire in the fireplace? It was June- might seem too obvious. On the other hand, they'd both be wet when they got out of the pool, and June nights were always cool. What the heck. They'd both appreciate a nice fire.

That done, he thought maybe he ought to put some place mats or something on the coffee table. Open a bottle of wine. Find some candles.

Now, that would be too obvious. But it made a seductive picture in his imagination, firelight and candle glow shining in soft gray eyes and even softer hair. Full lips, tasting of wine…

Zack grinned at his own erotic fantasies. He was really getting into this! And finding it fun, after so long in emotional hibernation. Exciting, and stimulating in ways he'd almost forgotten.

He actually jumped when he heard the doorbell. Shouting, 'I'll get it, Dahl,' he went bounding up the stairs, feeling younger and lighter than he had in years. When he opened the door he was already smiling.

It took him a couple of beats to realize that Maddy wasn't alone. He was focused on her, and her eyes were so luminous, her smile so shy, but somehow full of anticipation, as if she had a wonderful surprise for him.

And boy, did she ever. Clinging to Maddy's hand and gazing solemnly up at him with those saucer eyes of hers was Theresa.

Seven

Maddy wasn't sure why, at the last minute, she'd decided to ask Dottie Frownfelter if she could take Theresa with her to Zack's. It had just been one of those impulses she had so often and wound up regretting. She'd thought it would make Zack happy. Now she thought maybe it would have been better if she'd called first.

Zack's face was going through such a fascinating and puzzling series of expressions. Maddy spent a lot of time studying facial expressions, learning how to duplicate them in felt and fur and papier-mache, and she knew very well that people's faces weren't always accurate barometers of their emotions. If she thought she saw disappointment on Zack's, she was probably just misreading him. She didn't seem to have much luck reading him anyway. And she knew he was crazy about Theresa. This afternoon he'd been disappointed and frustrated to the point of churlishness at not being allowed to see her. How could he possibly be disappointed? He was just surprised, that was all. She really should have called first.

She took a deep breath, smiled, and opened her mouth to say 'Hi.' Instead she stopped, blinked, and blurted out, 'What in the world happened to you? Your lip…'

Beside her, Theresa leaned against her leg and lifted her hand in a shy wave. Zack glanced down at her, then touched his lip gingerly and muttered, 'It's nothing, Maddy. Ran into a door. Hey, Theresa! Nice to see you, squirt.' If he had been disappointed, he'd made a quick recovery, Maddy thought. He gently touched Theresa's hair, and the pleasure on his face was unmistakable. 'You been working on that kick like I told you? Nice, straight legs?'

Theresa slowly shook her head.

Zack looked stern. 'Why not?'

' 'Cause I don't have a pool.' Theresa shrugged matter-of-factly, secure in the knowledge that her excuse was irrefutable.

Zack looked shocked. 'No kiddin? Well, guess what? I do. Did you bring your bathing suit?'

Theresa proudly held up a small plastic purse with a picture of a Cabbage Patch doll on it. 'Yep, it's in my purse-just like Maddy's! And you know what? Maddy even bought me this purse.'

Zack looked at Maddy. She sucked in her breath at the look in the smoky blue depths of his eyes, then laughed and lifted her shoulders. 'I thought you'd like to see her, after this morning. I hope… I know I should have asked…'

'No. Hey, it's great! Come on in. Uh… Maddy, you know where to change. You can show Theresa-'

'I can dress myself,' Theresa informed him loftily. 'But somebody has to tie me.'

'I'll help you, sweetheart,' Maddy murmured.

Zack seemed about to say something, then rubbed a hand over his hair and gave a little cough. 'Okay. Well, then. Oh, wait.' He raised his voice and bellowed, 'Dahl!'

Maddy wondered if Zack's housekeeper had been listening from the kitchen doorway, because she appeared immediately, and didn't look the least bit surprised to see Theresa.

'Dahlia,' Zack said, clearing his throat. 'This is Theresa.'

'Hello, Theresa.' Dahlia's manner was warm, and, though no less queenly than usual, seemed to have softened indefinably. Maybe it was her voice, Maddy mused, still rich and mellow, but a little lighter, like an oboe played pianissimo. 'I am so pleased to meet you.'

'Theresa, this is Dahlia.'

Theresa's head swiveled from Dahlia to Zack. In a loud whisper she asked, 'Is she your mother?'

Maddy stifled a squeak and looked at Dahlia, who was trying to control her smile. Zack laughed and said, 'No, she's not my mother. But she does take care of me.'

Theresa nodded solemnly. This was something she could understand. 'I don't have a mother either. But Dottie's taking care of me now. She lets me make cookies. I got to mash 'em with a fork!'

Zack looked at Maddy with raised eyebrows and mouthed, 'I thought she was shy!' He seemed slightly dazed. Maddy laughed silently and shook her head. She'd been discovering that, freed from the fear of violence, Theresa could be quite a little character. In fact she could probably, as Maddy's father would have put it, 'talk the hind leg off a mule.'

'Well,' Dahlia said, looking impressed and a bit dazed herself. 'I'm fixing supper right this minute. Would you like to help me make the salad?'

'Are we going to stay for supper?' Theresa asked, tipping her head back to look at Maddy. Maddy looked at Zack, who nodded. 'What are we having for supper? I smell something good.'