Her Best Man

She continued. “Now, there’ll be plenty of eligible young women at the wedding. Do you remember Rosemary Plinkton? Stephanie’s maid of honor? Her friend from college? She isn’t married and she’s such a sweet young thing. I’m sure you two will hit it off just fine—”

“Mom, don’t even consider trying any matchmaking during the wedding.” He assumed his most threatening tone. “Or I swear, it’ll be the last time you’ll see me in Florida.”

“Oh, pooh,” she said, not in the least bit intimidated. “Did anyone ever tell you you’re awfully grumpy in the morning?”

Alex stifled a groan. “Mom, I’ve got to get ready for work.”

“Of course, Alex,” his mother trilled. “I’ll see you on Wednesday. Have a wonderful day!”

The phone line clicked. Slowly, Alex returned the receiver to its cradle, staring at the instrument in disbelief. Had it really been only ten minutes ago when he’d been sound asleep in his bed, not a care in the world, enjoying what promised to be the most erotic dream of his life? It seemed like a lifetime ago.

Since awakening, he’d gotten into a disagreement with one of his best friends. And his mother had called to make her intentions clear. She was determined to see to it that the last of her unmarried children bit the matrimonial bullet.

Alex growled as he tossed the covers aside and pushed himself out of bed. A hell of a way to start out the morning. How could the day get any worse?

How could the day get any worse?

Lindsey Richards stared at the mess in her workroom and felt an overwhelming urge to cry. Spools of thread had been pulled from their racks. Yards and yards of the bright-colored strands were strewn about in jumbled heaps on the floor. Beads and bangles, all essential parts of her tassel-making craft business, glittered on the carpet like tiny jewels.

In the middle of this chaos sat the birthday boy himself, her three-year-old son, Jamie.

“James Daniel Richards,” she began, struggling to control her temper. “What do you think you’re doing in here?”

He looked up at her with his big blue eyes and said, “Playing.”

“Where’s your uncle Rick? He’s supposed to be keeping an eye on you.”

Jamie pointed a chubby finger toward the family room, where the sound of a football game playing on the TV filtered down the hall. Rick, her usually reliable brother. Lindsey sighed. These past few weeks the change in him seemed so daunting. He’d become moody and withdrawn, unwilling or unable to talk about the unfortunate incident that very well may have cost him his job. She was at her wit’s end. She just didn’t know how to help him.

“You know you aren’t supposed to be in here,” she reminded her son sternly.

“I’m sorry.” Jamie’s lower lip trembled slightly as he spoke. His eyes filled with unshed tears.

Lindsey’s anger dissolved at the sight. How could she be angry with Jamie today of all days? It was his birthday, after all. She reached out a hand. “Come here.”

Slowly, he untangled himself from a pool of thread and sauntered over to her, scuffing the toes of his tennis shoes on the carpet as he did so. At that moment, he reminded her so much of his father, he nearly took her breath away. Danny, too, had had trouble admitting when he was wrong.

Lindsey brushed the memory from her mind as Jamie took hold of her hand. He wouldn’t quite meet her eyes. She knelt to be at eye level with her young hell-raiser. “Jamie, this is the room where Mommy works. I don’t want you playing in here again, all right?”

He nodded, still unable to meet her gaze.

Glancing at the messy workroom, she sighed. “Give me a hug, honey. I sure could use one about now.”

His face brightening, he wrapped his arms around her neck and squeezed with all his might. Despite feeling bone-tired, she couldn’t help but smile. On a day like today, she needed the comfort of a warm, loving body.

“Hey, how about me?” A familiar, deep voice startled them. “Don’t I get a hug, too?”

Alex stood in the hall, not two feet away, watching them with an amused expression on his face.

“Uncle Alex!” His mother forgotten, Jamie threw himself at the new arrival.

Pleasure and guilt warred as she watched Alex scoop the boy into his arms and endure one of Jamie’s bone-cracking hugs. Pleasure because, with Alex and Rick nearby, Jamie never lacked a positive male influence. Guilt because, no matter how much she appreciated it, she had no right to expect Alex’s help.

“Where’s my present?” Jamie demanded.

Alex chuckled. “In the dining room, with all the rest.”

Jamie wiggled himself out of Alex’s arms. With the speed of a heat-seeking missile, he catapulted himself down the hall, beating a hasty path for the goodies.

Lindsey stood, shaking her head. “He really isn’t as materialistic as he seems.”

“Of course he is,” Alex said, still grinning. “He’s a kid, remember?”

Her heart thumped an uncertain beat as their gazes connected across the width of hall. Alex seemed to fill the narrow space with his presence. Tall and lean, blond-haired and blue-eyed, his skin bronzed by hours out in the sun, he was a walking spokesman for the benefits of using his own athletic shoes. A diehard jogger, he looked wonderfully fit and healthy, exuding a confidence and an energy she didn’t share.

“I didn’t hear you arrive,” Lindsey murmured, glancing away.

“Rick let me in.”

“My brother’s able to answer a doorbell,” she muttered as she surveyed the damage caused by one small boy. “But he can’t keep an eye on his own nephew.”

Alex stepped up behind her, glancing over her shoulder at the mess. He released a long whistle. His breath tickled the sensitive skin at the back of her neck. “Did Jamie do this?”

“Yep.” With a sigh, she added, “Rick was supposed to be watching him.”

Alex hesitated. Then, with a nod toward the family room where the TV still blared, he asked, “How is Rick?”

“Crabby, sulky ... impossible. I swear, if he weren’t my own brother, I’d refuse to see him until he was in a better mood.” She felt an instant guilt at her lack of support and understanding. “The whole thing’s crazy. I can’t believe Rick might lose his job just because he issued a silly little traffic ticket.”

Alex bit back a smile. “Well, I think there’s more to it than that, Lindsey. There was the letter he wrote to the editor, the one questioning the department’s policy of ticket fixing—”

Lindsey jumped to her brother’s defense. “My father was a policeman, Alex. A darned good one, too. He taught us if you break the law, you pay the price. It’s as simple as that. I don’t care whose relative has taken offense to being stopped.”

“Yeah, but the mayor’s brother—”

“Look, Rick’s my brother. And this is his life’s work that’s on the line. He looks haggard, Alex. I don’t think he’s getting much sleep.”

Alex frowned. “Maybe he needs to get away for a while to sort things out. My family has a cabin standing empty in the mountains in Colorado. If he’d like, he’s welcome to use it anytime.”

“Ask him. I’m sure he’d love it. Getting out of St. Louis sounds like a wonderful idea,” she added wistfully.

His gaze narrowed. “Your brother isn’t the only one who sounds as though they could use a little R and R.” Concern touched his voice. “How much sleep have you been getting lately?”

“Plenty,” she said, trying to sound carefree and failing miserably. “If I look tired it’s because I’ve been busy lately. I had to finish a large order of tassels for a local antique store. And with Christmas around the corner, I’ve got more orders coming in every day—”

“All of which you do at night when Jamie’s in bed...after you’ve spent a full day teaching at school.” Alex released an impatient breath. “Lindsey, you’ve got to slow down. Take care of yourself, for once.”

“Alex, you worry too much.” She smiled and tapped a finger on the jaw that he’d set in such a stubborn line. The beginnings of a late-day beard chafed her fingertip. “I’m fine, really.”