“How?”
By taking her in and giving her a home, Rick thought. By staying in one place and providing the stability neither of them ever had. But it wasn’t his place to tell Kendall what he thought she ought to do. What he wanted her to do. Those were conclusions she’d have to come to on her own.
“Just be there for her.” He offered the best advice he could.
She tilted her head back. “And you’ll be there for me?” She shook her head. “Forget it. I had no right to ask that.”
He tipped her chin upward with his hand. “No can do. You’re admitting you need me.” And he had a weakness for females in need. Rick knew enough to learn from past mistakes but obviously not enough because he wasn’t backing off now. Kendall might leave in the end but he cared for her too much to let her down. “What kind of guy would I be if I turned down your request?”
“A smart one?” She grinned.
“What a way to stroke my ego, sweetheart.” He laughed and so did she, melting the ice he wanted to keep around his heart. A little self-protection was in order. “Actually I have a suggestion. A way of keeping our deal intact and giving Hannah some stability at the same time.” Once more he fell back on their arrangement. A black and white, unemotional bargain though at the moment he felt anything but detached.
Her brows knitted as she met his gaze. “What did you have in mind?”
“That we keep up the act in front of the town. Play the part of one big happy family, you, me, and Hannah. It’ll definitely cement the impression that I’m spoken for.” Which he wanted to be, Rick thought. By Kendall only. “And at the same time we’ll give Hannah what she needs, a family and two people who care. I’m sure it’ll help you reach out to her.”
Kendall nodded, eyes wide and hopeful. “That sounds amazing.”
“I agree.” He stroked her cheek with one fingertip. How could she not realize this deal was merely a means to an end? With everything in him Rick hoped that by acting the part of a family, Kendall would come to see that the reality wasn’t something to fear, rather something to cherish. That together they could create something strong and lasting.
“Thank you for doing this for me,” she whispered.
“Don’t thank me,” he said in a voice too gruff for his liking. He’d do anything for her but she wasn’t ready to hear it. Besides, by agreeing to his suggestion, she’d given him something too. He now had the rest of the summer with both Kendall and her sister.
But he was taking a risk. If he’d overestimated Kendall and her ability to give her heart, he was setting himself up for heartache. And this pain, he sensed, would be far worse than any Jillian had inflicted. A smart man would back off as she’d suggested. A risk-taker would stay the course.
Rick Chandler had never run from a challenge, but this time he’d damn well make sure he looked out not just for the woman in his life, but for himself too.
* * *
After a restless, sleepless night, Kendall awoke and headed for the kitchen where she found her sister, wide awake, showered and dressed. That is, if anyone could call Hannah’s short shorts and midriff-baring top dressed. Kendall was about to ask who’d wear such an outfit when she recalled her own choice of clothing the first day she’d hit town, after she’d changed out of her wedding dress.
It seems Rick had pegged Hannah well. Her sister was more like Kendall than even she’d realized, from the outrageous hair coloring and clothes to the more serious, internal emotional needs. Hannah’s outrageous dress and acting out was a means of self-protection. She was running from her feelings, not facing herself. And Kendall knew why. After all, she understood all too well what it felt like to be an unwanted child, and despite her parents’ attempts to provide more stability, Hannah was obviously suffering the same anxieties.
Kendall sighed. Understanding Hannah would go a long way toward allowing Kendall to get closer to her baby sister. Reaching out would do more. “Morning, Hannah.”
Her sister spun around, carton of orange juice in hand and telltale mustache on her face.
“The glasses are in this cupboard.” Kendall opened one of the tall cabinets she’d cleaned the other day. “They aren’t a matched set, but they’ll do. I cleaned them myself so you don’t have to worry about catching anything.” She laughed.
Hannah merely shrugged, then accepted the glass. “You’re up early. I figured you’d sleep in after last night.”
“Do we have to talk about that now?” Hannah asked.
“I thought I was talking about being up early, not last night. Although we are going to have to lay down some ground rules about living together.”
A car horn honked loudly. “That’s my ride.” Hannah set down the glass she hadn’t yet used.
Kendall blinked. “Your ride? You don’t know anyone in this town yet.”
Hannah met her gaze, staring at her through heavily made-up eyes. Kendall narrowed her stare. Was that liner black or dark lavender? Hard to tell, it was caked on so thick. So was her foundation. Thanks to her modeling days, Kendall knew a thing or two about makeup and maybe after she broke through Hannah’s emotional walls, she could chisel through some of that face makeup too.
“Who could possibly be picking you up?” Kendall asked.
“Rick. He said we have a date.” Hannah pivoted fast and walked out, slamming the door shut behind her.
“She’s testing me,” Kendall muttered. “I know she’s testing me.” A quick glance outside told Kendall that Rick was indeed waiting for Hannah. Score one for her sister, not that Kendall was the least bit concerned. Whatever Rick had planned, he must have forgotten to mention it last night. Since there was no one she trusted more than Rick, she wasn’t going to run
