For His Little Girl

'You seen the way Mom's wielding that ladle?'

Businesslike, she scooped up the list he'd been jotting, scooped up his jacket, scooped up his wallet. Finally, almost as an afterthought, she scooped up her father and shepherded him out of the door. Pippa heard their voices fading.

'You should never take Mom on when she has that light in her eye…'

'I believe you, I believe you…'

They were back in less than an hour, laden with bags. Pippa had prepared a meal that could be eaten 'on the run' because she knew that once Luke's creative flame started burning he had attention for nothing else. His charm would vanish, replaced by, 'Yes.'

'No.'

'Hurry up,' and 'You're in my way!' because a man bent on the culinary equivalent of the Sistine Chapel had no time for social niceties.

She was all set to explain this to Josie, lest she be upset, but there was no need. The youngster transformed herself into Luke's lieutenant, rushing to do his bidding quickly and quietly. She never forgot where anything was, and sometimes seemed to understand what he wanted before he spoke. When not needed she effaced herself without making a production of it. She was like another professional, so intent on making the finished product perfect that nothing else mattered. In fact, she was her father's daughter.

'Josie, where-?'

'Here,' she said, putting it into his hand.

'I need another dip-no, two. One spicy-tomato, radish, cayenne. One bland-yogurt, cucumber, crushed garlic, lemon juice.' He was talking to himself now.

'Tomatoes,' Josie muttered, diving for them. 'Cayenne, yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice…'

In seconds she had everything lined up ready to go. Luke inspected, gave her brief instructions and returned to the oven. Pippa made notes, but she hardly felt needed. The other two were in a world of their own, which gave her a fleeting moment's sadness, but she suppressed it. This was just what she'd hoped for.

At last they were finished. Luke gave Josie an appreciative grin. 'I wish I had a few like you working for me, especially on the show.'' Suddenly he whirled on Pippa. 'Hey!'

'Luke, no.'

He seized her shoulders. 'But it's a fantastic idea. I need someone who knows what I'm doing here, and there isn't time to rehearse anyone else. Josie knows it all. She helped create this masterpiece.'

'But how will you introduce her?'

'As my daughter, what else? You'd like to do it, wouldn't you, honey?'

'Oh, yes!' Josie was jumping up and down.

'But only if Mommy says so,' Luke added quickly.

'Mommy, please, please! Daddy, make her say yes.'

'Honey, I can't go against your mother. If she won't let you-'

'Luke Danton, you are the most devious, conniving, unscrupulous, unprincipled-'

His smile took her breath away. 'I guess that means yes.'

'Yes, Mommy, yes!'

'Oh, all right, yes.'

Father and daughter promptly went into a mad, leaping dance about the kitchen. Pippa watched them, smiling, and was caught off guard when he suddenly shot an arm around her waist and swept her into the dance, whirling her around and around until she was giddy.

'Whoa!' he said at last. 'Hey, are you all right?'

'Yes, fine,' she gasped.

'You don't look so good,' he said, looking into her face, concerned.

'My head's spinning. You went too fast for me. I need to sit down.'

'Okay, but not on one of those high stools. Let's go next door and you can sit down properly.'

'Mommy?' Josie said, frowning a little.

'I'm fine, darling. Your father's a madman, but that's okay.'

Luke still had his arm around her waist, and her hands were clasped behind his neck, steadying herself. It was natural for him to lift her up, announce, 'Taxi service, ma'am!' and proceed into the big room, still carrying her.

'Clown,' she said fondly.

He set her down on the sofa. 'Are you really all right, Pippa? You looked a bit strange back there.'

'Well, I'm just not used to being spun around like a top by a man who seems to think we're still a couple of kids.'

He grinned. 'Well, you always did say I'd never grow up. So did my mom, and she ought to know. Come to think of it, every woman I've ever known has said it. Can't think why.'

'Neither can I,' she said tenderly, brushing back a tousled lock from his forehead. 'But it's only a matter of time before Josie starts saying it.'

'True. You always did understand me better than anyone, Pippa.'

'Now you stop that!'

'Stop what?'

'You know what I mean. The little-boy charm. And the wide-eyed innocence that you're doing now. I know all your tricks. You honed them on me, remember?''

'Only some of them,' he said wickedly. 'I've learned a few more since then.'

'Well, keep them to yourself. I'm a respectable middle-aged woman.'

'Middle-aged, my foot! You're not thirty yet.'

'Yes, I am,' she said with dignity. 'I was thirty last birthday.'

'Liar. You'll be thirty next birthday.'

He had remembered her age that precisely. She had to struggle not to smile with the pleasure.

'You are not middle-aged,' he said firmly. 'And you were never respectable.'

'I was before I met you.'

He raised an eyebrow. 'Well, there's no going back to that,' he said wickedly, and kissed the end of her nose.

Then he seemed to hesitate, his face close to hers, his eyes smiling. Her heartbeat became dangerously uneven as she realized that in a moment he would kiss her, perhaps lightly as he'd done in the studio, perhaps more deeply. And she wanted that so much. She didn't care about being sensible anymore. All the long, lonely years without him were an ache that could only be eased by being in his arms. His mouth was just the same-mobile, seductive, promising so much that his body would fulfil. Just one kiss. Just one-

'Mom-Dad-'

Luke stood up swiftly. At any other time Pippa would have been amused by the self-conscious smile he assumed. Now she could hardly contain her disappointment. When Luke returned to the kitchen, she stayed where she was, trying to believe it was for the best.

What about all your good resolutions? You swore this wouldn't happen. Pull yourself together. You're a mother of a ten-year-old daughter, you're not a teenager. You're old enough to know better.

After a while she got shakily to her feet and made her way back to the kitchen, where Luke was reading the details of the new creation into his computer, and Josie was sampling the product.

It was late before they finished cooking three different stages of three dishes, but everyone was up early the next day, too excited to sleep. Luke packed everything up with reverent hands and drove slowly to the studio. His two employees were there before him. He was on hot coals as he relinquished his treasures into their hands, and it was only Josie's promise that, 'I'll keep an eye on them, Daddy,' that reconciled him to the parting.

'And me,' Pippa said, amused. 'I'll look after them, too. Of course, I know I'm not up to Josie's standard, but-'

'Sorry. Yes, please go with them, explain what's what. I'll go and have a word with Ritchie.'

As Pippa joined the little party marching in solemn procession to the kitchen, Ritchie bore down on Luke, all flags flying. 'I just know these are going to be the best shows ever,' he declared. 'Sure you had some problems with new dishes, but I just know you're going to tell me it's all