In a Heartbeat

Erica frowned. It didn’t make sense. “Had you visited here before?”

He studied her for a moment, then quickly nodded. “Yeah…uh…when I was younger, my family went on vacations here in St. Louis and so when I decided to take a little time off, this seemed to be the place to come to.”

“You have family back in Chicago?”

“No. They’re all back in Shady Bluff. My sister Sarah teaches fifth grade and my brother John is the sheriff.”

“Are you close to them?” It irritated her, the slight yearning she heard in her own voice.

“John and I are fairly close, but there are days I’d swear I’ve got ten sisters. She has enough maternal instinct to parent forty children.”

“Sounds nice, though,” Erica said.

“All done,” Hannah announced as she came out the back door, followed closely by the apricot poodle.

“Hands,” Erica said. Hannah held up her hands for inspection. “Good. And your face looks all clean, too.”

Hannah nodded. “I scrubbed real good.”

“Then why don’t you tell Mr. McMann good-night and I’ll tuck you in,” Erica said.

“I want Mr. Man to tuck me in.”

Tension immediately wafted from Caleb.

“Hannah…we don’t want to bother…”

“It’s no bother,” Caleb said, interrupting Erica’s protest as he stood. “I’d be delighted to tuck in the lovely Miss Hannah.”

Hannah giggled, her miniature features radiating hero worship as she gazed at Caleb. She held out her hand for him to grasp and together man and child headed for the back door; Erica followed just behind.

She tried not to feel any embarrassment as they walked through the living room, where her bedding from the night before was still on the sofa. She didn’t owe anyone any explanations for where she slept in her own home, she told herself firmly.

Hannah had the largest of the two bedrooms and Erica was pleased that the small window-unit air-conditioner made the room comfortable. The room was like a burst of sunshine. Yellow curtains hung at the window and a matching spread covered the bed. Lined up against one wall a variety of stuffed animals watched with button eyes as Caleb pulled down the bedspread.

Erica stopped in the doorway and motioned Peaches to her doggy bed in the corner.

“First you have to say good-night to Harry,” Hannah explained as she crawled into bed and beneath the sheet.

“Harry?”

“Harry the hamster,” Erica said, and gestured to the cage on the dresser.

“Ah.” Caleb walked over to the dresser and peered into the cage. “Good evening, Harry. You’re a fine-looking fellow.”

“He likes to run on his wheel at night,” Hannah said.

Caleb nodded. “Yes, I’ve heard only the smartest hamsters do that.” He walked back to the side of the bed and sat down on the edge of the mattress. “Okay…arms in or out?” he asked.

“Out.” Hannah placed her arms on top of the sheet.

“Do you usually get a bedtime story?” Caleb asked.

“No, but if you know a good one you could tell it to me.”

“Hannah…” Erica said with a warning.

“No bedtime story,” Hannah replied with a sigh.

“Good, because I’d have had to make one up,” Caleb replied.

Erica smiled, wondering what kind of story Caleb McMann would have produced. She imagined he’d be quite creative, and equally amusing.

“Good night, Hannah.” He stood and leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.

“’Night, Mr. Man. Good night, Mommy,” Hannah replied, her eyes already drifting closed.

Caleb joined Erica in the doorway. He threaded his fingers through his hair and for just a moment Erica thought his hand trembled. His eyes appeared darker than usual as he looked back at Hannah. “Is she asleep already?”

Erica nodded. “She’s always done that. She plays hard and sleeps hard. When sleep hits, it’s like a switch has turned her off. Bedtime has never really been a problem.”

Suddenly Erica was aware of how close Caleb stood to her. She was aware of a provocative warmth that smelled of virile male. His nearness seemed to be drawing in all the oxygen, making breathing more difficult for her.

For a moment, Erica had an insane desire to lean against him and feel his arms wrap around her and hold her close.

What a pleasure it would be to feel for just a moment the support of another. She stepped out of the doorway and away from him. “Thank you for tucking her in,” she said briskly as they entered the living room.

“No problem. She’s a terrific kid.”

To her dismay, he shoved aside the blue-flowered sheet on the sofa and sat down, apparently in no hurry to leave. To her bigger dismay was the knowledge that she wasn’t in any hurry for him to leave, either.

Caleb had been doing very well with Hannah. He’d enjoyed seeing her little garden, listening to her childish tales and he hadn’t once experienced the abiding ache of loss.