Father in Training

Chapter 6

Kyle stood on Sandy's porch and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He stared at the door.

Leave, he told himself. She didn't want him around, and he wasn't the sort of guy who showed up where he wasn't welcome. She'd made her feelings clear. Friends. Neighbors. Nothing more. So why was he standing here about to make a fool of himself? Why couldn't he resist her?

Maybe it went back to high school. Maybe deep inside him, some fourteen-year-old kid wanted his second chance. The years they'd been apart had done nothing to change his attraction to her. He only had to think about her, to see her smile, or watch her touch one of her kids, and he started wishing he was the kind of man who believed in love, marriage and forever. But he didn't. He believed that people he cared about left him. Sooner or later, whether they'd intended to or not, they disappeared.

So he left first. Because it was easier and safer. So what the hell was he doing standing on Sandy's porch? She wasn't the short-term affair type. She was a responsible woman, a widow with three kids. They had nothing in common. He should be grateful she was pushing him away. But he wasn't. He couldn't stop thinking about her, wanting her, wanting to be with her. He would either have to get over it, or get used to making a fool of himself.

He knocked on the door, then stepped back a couple of steps. He heard conversation inside, thenSandy called, 'Fine, I'll get it.' Seconds later, the door jerked open and she barked, 'Yes? What do you want?' Then her gaze focused on him.

'Hi.' He gave her his best smile, the one all the Haynes brothers had mastered. The one that brought women to their knees and made dogs roll over to have their bellies scratched. Sandy blinked. A flush stole up from the collar of her faded green cotton shirt. Her mouth parted slightly as if she was having trouble breathing. Her eyes widened and she self-consciously touched her hand to her cheek. Of course, that was his interpretation of her actions. For all he knew, she was wondering what it was going to take to get rid of her annoying neighbor. He preferred his version.

She wasn't wearing any makeup. He could see the tiny lines beside her eyes and the faint scattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose. There was a smudge of dirt on her chin. His gaze traveled lower, to the equally faded green shorts hugging her hips, to her long tanned legs and bare feet. She'd painted her toenails bright pink.

He widened his grin. She leaned against the doorframe and sighed.

'I've spent the last three days up to my neck in boxes,' she said. 'Blake and Lindsay are fighting, Nichole is clinging to me, making it hard to get anything done. I haven't had time to a shower in the last forty-eight hours, there's no milk or bread in the house. This is a really bad time for me, Kyle. I have no power to resist you. So please, just be a gentleman and leave me to fall apart in private.'

He wanted to believe she meant what she said, that he really got her to. But he wasn't that lucky.

'I want to take the kids to an early movie and dinner,' he said. 'We'll pick up milk and bread on the way back and be home by eight. Say yes and I'll get them out of your way.'

She stared at him as if he were speaking in a foreign language. 'What?'

'I want to take your three children-' he held up the appropriate number of fingers '-to a movie. You know, at a theater. Then dinner.' He mimicked eating. 'Tonight. In about fifteen minutes. Can they be ready?'

'Why are you doing this?'

'To give you a break. You can unpack in peace, or just relax. Maybe take a long bubble bath.' He folded his arms over his chest and tried not to think about his last suggestion. He was going to be in the company of children in a few minutes.

Her gaze narrowed. 'What do you want with my children?'

'You make it sound like I want to kidnap them. Trust me.' Her skeptical gaze told him trusting wasn't going to come easily to her. 'You're the one who said we were friends,' he reminded her. 'I'm just helping you out.'

He watched as she made up her mind. Emotions chased across her face. Finally, she sighed and nodded. 'You win. I could use a break. They'll be ready in fifteen minutes.' She shut the door, then opened it quickly. 'Thanks.' The suspicion was gone from her green eyes, leaving them wide and bright. 'I appreciate this.'

'My pleasure.'

A half hour later, he parked the car behind the movie theater. Nichole and Blake scrambled out from the back seat. Lindsay sat in the passenger seat. Waiting. For him to come open her door, like this was some date. He closed and locked his door, then slowly walked around the car. He didn't want to encourage her, but he didn't want their evening to get off to a bad start by letting her sit there until she was forced to get out herself. All three kids had been pleased with the thought of getting out of the house and away from the unpacking.

He opened the passenger door. Lindsay gave him what she no doubt thought was her most grown-up smile, then stepped out.

Nichole and Blake were in shorts and clean T-shirts, but Lindsay had put on a white cotton dress. Her hair was pulled back in a French braid and lipstick darkened her mouth. He suspected Sandy didn't know about the lipstick, because Lindsay had put it on in the car. He'd tried not to notice and wished he knew what he was going to do about her crush. He didn't want to hurt her feelings, but she was starting to make him nervous. He had to watch what he said or did around her so she wouldn't misinterpret his words or actions. It was a pain. If only he could tell Lindsay that he liked her just fine the way she was. Like all of Sandy's children, she was a good kid. He suspected Lindsay wouldn't appreciate the comment, so he kept it to himself. Eventually, she would get the message. He hoped it wasn't too painful. He knew what it was like to be rejected by the object of his affection.

As they walked toward the theater, he grabbed Nichole's hand and placed his free arm around Blake's neck, leaving Lindsay to trail behind him. Subtle, Haynes, he told himself. Very subtle.

'You guys know what you want to see?' he asked as they approached the ticket window. There was a cartoon adventure movie starting in a few minutes.

Both Nichole and Blake pointed to that movie poster. Lindsay patted her little sister's head. 'They're still such children. We could dump them at the cartoon and go see that one together,' she said, pointing at another poster.

He looked at the second poster. It advertised a romantic comedy and showed a couple kissing. Kyle swallowed hard. Even if it hadn't been rated R he still would have refused. The movie wasn't really his kind, so if he had to sit through it, he would want it to be with Sandy.

'I want to see the cartoon, too,' he said, heading toward the ticket booth. 'Three against one. Sorry, Lindsay.'

He let go of Blake long enough to pay for the tickets, then led them into the theater. There was a long line at the concession stand. They decided to find seats first. Once that was done, with Lindsay maneuvering to sit next to him, and him maneuvering to avoid that, he sent the girls off to buy the popcorn and sodas.

The theater filled up with parents and their kids. Kyle hadn't been to a children's movie since the holidays, when he'd taken Craig's brood. Sitting there in the noisy theater, he suddenly realized he'd missed the high-pitched conversation and laughter. Kids seemed to enjoy everything more. He watched a little girl carefully walk down the slanted aisle carrying a full bag of popcorn. When she made it to the row her mother had pointed to, she looked up and smiled in triumph.

Several boys chased one another up and down the aisle, but Blake didn't show any interest in the activity around him. He sat silently, staring at his lap. Kyle was surprised that the boy was always so quiet. He and his brothers had been loud enough for a dozen kids, or so their mother had told him. He couldn't remember ever sitting quietly, unless he was sick. Craig's three boys were the same.

'What do you think of the house?' Kyle asked. 'It must seem more like home with all your stuff there.'

'It's okay.'

Blake pushed up his glasses, then glanced at Kyle. He wondered if the kid missed his father.

'There are lots of boys in the neighborhood. Have you met any of them yet?'

Blake shook his head and lowered his gaze back to his lap.

'Maybe I could introduce you to them,' he offered. Blake shrugged.

Kyle searched his memory for something he'd liked when he was Blake's age. There had to be a way to get the