Daddy on Demand / Déjà You: Daddy on Demand / Déjà You

Not surprisingly, Mr. Burger was displeased to learn that she wasn’t at the store. What made her realize that Collin had done her yet another favor was when Burger finally asked, “How much is it going to cost me to keep you?”

Only now was he willing to negotiate?

Out of sheer curiosity, she told him a figure close to what Collin was paying her and the man laughed harshly. “Good luck, sweetie,” he said, and hung up on her.

She sat there staring at her cell phone for several seconds before declaring with Collin’s accent, “Then all’s well that ends well, I suppose.”

Sabrina made several more calls—all related to her compromised identity and credit situation—and then reached for the list of numbers that Collin had left for her on the kitchen counter. Pouring herself a second mug of coffee, she punched Cassidy’s phone number into the wireless phone on the counter. She fully expected to be asked to leave a message and was unprepared to get Cassie herself.

“Oh! I didn’t expect—this is—”

“Sabrina!” Collin’s sister replied with delight. “I recognized your dismay instantly. How typical of people who spend any time at all around my brother.”

Before this morning Sabrina might have giggled and agreed with her. But she was far more humbled and grateful to him now. “No, I’m fine, really.”

“Well, I appreciate you getting in touch so soon. You’ve accepted the job?”

It was on the tip of Sabrina’s tongue to admit that she didn’t have much choice, but this was Cassidy Masters, who believed in choices and had made critical and smart ones for herself and her family. “Yes, I have. Only I’m not sure I’m qualified to fill your shoes, even part-time. Are you certain that you want me for this? It’s such a serious responsibility.”

“That’s exactly why I told Collin to find you. I knew that’s how you’d see this. Didn’t he tell you?”

Sabrina pressed her hand to her heart. “You’re too kind.”

“And you’re going to be wonderful. My fear is if my kids will want to come back home with me when I return.”

“My fear is how to keep them from crying because they’re missing you beyond bearing.”

Sighing, Cassie replied, “They’re going to cry, Sabrina. And misbehave. And test your wits. But I know if anyone can work through that, you will. While I sensed from the first that you have a tender heart, I quickly came to understand that you’re not a quitter.”

Hoping she was right, Sabrina thanked her again and began asking questions. “You’re going to need to tell me about the girls’ routines, likes and dislikes, and definitely any medical information I need to know about. And will they be able to talk to you sometimes? I know from other people who have had family deployed that they’ll be able to e-mail almost anytime. But the girls are so little yet and that will hardly be enough.”

“Sure, e-mails and phones are both an option. This is not our fathers’ and grandfathers’ war,” she added drolly. “But listen, I want you and Collin to come down here as soon as you can. That way we can cover all of the questions, and you can take some of their things they’ll need back with you. Then you can take the rest when you come for them—or when I drop them off—the last day.”

“The last day.” Sabrina’s throat locked on the words.

“None of that,” Cassie ordered. “This will be a perfect opportunity for you to start getting to know them.”

“Does Collin know this is how you want to do it?”

“He will as soon as I call him.”

Cassidy’s laugh was subtly irreverent and Sabrina was reminded how brother and sister had that in common. “I don’t know how thrilled he’s going to be to have to sit in a car with me for two five-hour trips.”

“If he complains, he’s lying through his teeth.”

Had Collin admitted his attraction to his sister? Surely not—and she wasn’t about to, either, for fear that it would trigger doubts about having her stay on as the nanny after all.

“Uh-oh. You’ve grown very quiet,” Cass said. “Did he pretend to be insensitive and rude to you?”

“If anyone was rude, it was me. I was still angry with him for causing me to quit.”

“So was I, believe me.”

“Oh, dear,” Sabrina replied. “He told you why he transferred me.”

“He didn’t have to. I have good instincts and can put two and two together. Thank goodness the man put you up on a pedestal and refused to drag you off, otherwise he would have had a fling with you, then felt the need to buy you a nice piece of jewelry and find you a position with a deeper pocket than his.”

“Well, I wasn’t interested in having an affair with him then, and I definitely am not now.”

Cassidy sighed. “No, you’re the kind of girl a man marries, and Collin is practically allergic to that union, thanks to our parents, bless their souls.”

What did that mean? She had never broached the subject with him—there had been no reason to, even when she was his assistant, although she did notice that his only contact information in case of emergency was Cassidy. She had assumed that they’d passed away.

“That’s really none of my business, but I hope if he is involved with someone, that he doesn’t bring her here—I mean for the girls’ sake.”

Cass chuckled. “By all means, for the girls’ sake.”

Flustered, Sabrina slid off the bar stool. “I’d better get off this phone. The furniture is being delivered and the security guard is supposed to ring to warn me that they’re on their way upstairs.”

“You’re wonderfully efficient. I’ll get back to you as soon as I have my schedule lined out.”

“I’ll be here,” Sabrina murmured after the other woman disconnected.

It shouldn’t have surprised Collin at how eager he was to get home that evening, but it did. Not good, he thought, yet it didn’t stop him. He’d been invited to cocktails with associates across town; there was also some gala over by the new Dallas Cowboy football stadium in Arlington and another in the Dallas theater district. He felt no temptation whatsoever to choose any of them and, thirty minutes before the rest of the staff quit for the day, Collin told his assistant Geoff that he had an appointment and was leaving.

He arrived at the condo with a big sack of Chinese takeout. Sabrina was nowhere to be seen, so he set down the bag and pulled at his tie as he cautiously ventured through the hall. He would have called out to her, but if she was napping from all of her work and emotional upheaval, he wouldn’t want to wake her. Instead he found Sabrina on a stepladder draping yards of orange, lavender, pink and sage chiffon off the ceiling fan and fastening them to the four corners of the room.

“Good grief, woman, this is supposed to be an upgraded nursery, not a harem.”

With a yelp, Sabrina came off the ladder and would have tumbled back into one of the two dressers bookending either side of the doorway if Collin didn’t catch her by her trim waist and help her back upright. She then slapped him with her ponytail as she whirled around to face him.

“Oh, no,” she gasped. “Sorry. Sorry.”

Ruefully rubbing his cheek, he quipped, “Was it something I said?”

“You’re early.” She checked her watch and frowned. “Very early. Didn’t you tell me that you had some function this evening?”

“It’s a good thing I changed my mind about attending or you’d have a concussion or worse.”

“I wouldn’t have fallen if you’d announced yourself.”

“What, in my own house?” He wagged his right index finger at her pert nose. “I don’t think I like the idea of you on a ladder with no one about, either. Where did you get it? I certainly don’t own one.”

“From the custodian, Mr. Salazar. Very nice man. He wanted to do this for me, but he had his hands full replacing bulbs in the lobby.” Sabrina gestured to her handiwork. “Do you really hate it?

Collin saw that the beds and other furnishings had arrived, and that sometime thereafter, she’d been out and had purchased a happy orange twin bedspread, one in purple and throw rugs in lavender, and embroidered throw pillows with bangles and mirrors and beads. Posters of Disney heroines adorned the walls.

“Who said anything about hate? It’s just—different. It’s definitely bright.” He looked from poster to poster. “I’m not sure how much use they’ll have for stories about mermaids and princesses at MIT. You do realize they know their numbers to twenty and can identify their names when they see them? They’re learning to write them now. I believe calculus is scheduled to start next week.”

“They can go back to being overachievers when their mommy returns. For now we’re immersing them in storytelling and the art of using your imagination.”

Amused, Collin watched her stretch to reach for the pink light bulbs on one of the dressers and felt his blood heat several degrees as her periwinkle sweater pulled across the gentle mounds of her breasts. “I certainly get that.”

“Don’t worry, I cleared it with Cassidy.” Sabrina stretched her arms this time to encompass the room. “And look, I’m making this as easy for you as I can. No pink walls to paint over after they return home, no cutesy wallpaper or painted murals.”

As she started up the ladder again, Collin stayed her. “Have you eaten today?”

Her eyes lowered, she said, “Sure. I found some crackers in the pantry, and I admit I helped myself to the cheese you had in the refrigerator.”

“All that?” He took the bulbs from her and put them back on the dresser. “Enough for today. I don’t need you falling off the ladder again, this time from hunger.” He took her by her elbow and directed her down the hall. “I’ll buy you dinner.”

“Two nights in a row? That’s not necessary.”

“Frugal little thing. For your information, I brought back takeout. There’s a nice bottle of Shiraz in the red section of the cooler that should accompany it well.”

Visibly touched, Sabrina said, “That was thoughtful of you.”

“You are literally saving my sanity. The least I can do is keep you alive.”

Sabrina’s brief laugh ended in a groan. “There’s no danger in that. My brothers will tell you that they had to fight for their share of food at our table when we were growing up.”

“Being a brother myself, I can assure you that we can be thoughtless lugs, when we aren’t outright pigs.” Collin stopped at the dining-room table and pulled out a chair for her. “Now this is an order. Sit and I will serve tonight.”

Sabrina balked. “I’m not in any condition to sit at this table. Couldn’t we sit at the kitchen counter on the bar stools?”

“Grand idea.” Inclining his head, he led the way, ditched his tie and suit jacket over one of the four bar stools, then drew out another for her. Once he had her seated, he collected two long-stemmed wineglasses from a cupboard and the wine. “Do you like Shiraz?”

“I had it once and honestly couldn’t tell the difference between it and the other red. I don’t remember what that was.”

“Bet it was a Syrah. Sometimes even I can’t tell the difference, but then Syrahs are sometimes marketed as Shiraz. It’s a dark-skinned grape with a history that goes back to the BCs. Do you like Asian food?”

“Almost all. Particularly Thai.”

“I will bring that next time. This time it’s Chinese.”

Collin enjoyed her politeness mixed with irrepressible honesty. She made him happy that he’d come home. She made him want to hug her with her youthful eagerness to please, seasoned with an instinct to stand her ground when the situation mattered. Refreshing, that was the word. She looked and was the genuine article. It didn’t hurt that her eyes matched the color of her sweater, although it was too long and hid her cute bottom, particularly in those slim-fitting jeans. He made the right choice to come home instead of slumming about tonight with people who were more acquaintances than friends, and who relentlessly altered their opinions to gain favor.

He knew she watched with studentlike attentiveness as he used the latest in cork-removal technology to open the bottle. “This is a client’s latest invention. I think our ads are three times better than the product.”

“I remember you always made a point to test the quality and value of the item you were being asked to market. Not all of your people did that.”

“Their success ratio exposes them sooner or later, and they move on. Jacobs left shortly after you did.”

Sabrina gasped. “You knew?”

Pouring, Collin nodded. “I knew.”

“I’m so glad. It had bothered me. I’d wake up at night wanting to write you an anonymous note to expose what a sloppy businessman he was.”

“Not handwritten, I presume? You didn’t believe me when I told you that you had the loveliest penmanship I’d seen in years.” Noting her cheeks blooming even as he touched his glass to hers, he changed the subject. “So the delivery went smoothly? You’re pleased with the furniture?”

“Yes and the men were happy to come to somewhere so elegant. Tony, the supervisor, said they’d never delivered bunk beds to anything higher than two floors.”

Collin barely swallowed his first sip of wine before something struck him. “How did you tip them?”

Sabrina shrugged. “I used what I had on hand.”

And would probably never ask to be reimbursed. “I’m so sorry.” He immediately reached for his coat and drew out his billfold.

“It’s not necessary.”

He drew out everything in his wallet and set it on the counter. “Household money. Nothing comes out of your salary. Put it wherever is most convenient for you to access. We’ll talk later about whether it’s more comfortable for you to buy groceries with the credit card or with cash.”

“Thank you. I’ll bring you receipts.”

“I don’t need them.”

“Well, I’ll keep a ledger and it will be here in the kitchen for you to review whenever you want to.”

With that Collin took another sip of wine and got up to bring out plates and silverware. He was aware of her watching him the whole time. “What?” he finally asked.

“I’m just not used to being waited on. Everything smells heavenly. It’s making me realize I’m hungrier than I thought I was.”

“How are you about sushi?”

She responded with a polite smile and no comment.

“I’m the same way. You’d be surprised how often clients request it, or else I’m attending a function where it’s prominent. Ah!” He pulled out two sets of wrapped items. “Chopsticks instead of the silverware?”

“Oh, great!”

Collin couldn’t explain it, but the food and wine tasted better with Sabrina to share it with. “It’s not any of my business, but are you okay with the other employer?”

“It worked out fine.”

“And you notified whomever you had to about your accounts and all?”

“Also talked to Cassidy.”

“And your family.”

“I’ll get to that.”

“Sabrina—”

“They have my cell number. If there’s an emergency, they can get hold of me.”

Collin decided to back off, for now. But he would feel better if her family—brothers included—knew she’d switched jobs. “What about Cassidy?”

She looked startled. “You didn’t talk to her?”

“I ended up in meetings most of the day. We kept missing connections. What’s the latest?”

“I should let her tell you.”

Collin went to make the call shortly after Sabrina excused herself and turned in for the night. That it was only minutes before midnight was testament as to what a great time they’d shared this evening. Just as he retired to his room, his sister’s number showed up on his cell phone’s display.

“Practicing ESP or giving up sleep altogether?” he asked her as his gaze moved to the digital clock on the night table.

“We just came off the field. I’d feed the original Declaration of Independence into a paper shredder for an apple martini right now.”

Instantly sympathetic, Collin asked, “That’s disturbing considering how physically fit you are.”

“Oh, that’s not the problem. As sick as I am of being wet, cold and forbidden to use the legs I was born with, it’s the animal life I’m expected to sample that makes this a torment.”

“Then I’ll skip mentioning that Sabrina doesn’t like sushi any more than we do.”

“Funny man. If you’d stayed in England, I’d have grown up to be an only child. Almost a princess—albeit a Plains Princess.”

Chuckling, Collin replied, “Speaking of fairy tales…Sabrina has the kids’ room looking outstanding. I can’t wait for you to see it. Gena and Addie are about to be submerged into a fantasy world.”

Cassie sighed, the sound of her boots hitting the floor discernable. “You’ll have to send me a photo—first tell me what your calendar looks like. Can you and Sabrina come down this weekend?”

So that’s why Sabrina had been reluctant to share what she and Cass had talked about. “That’s rather short notice.”

“I want both of you to come so the girls get used to the idea of being around you two as a unit, and so you can haul some of their stuff up there. I’ll bring the rest when I drop them off.”

This was happening way too fast for him and the combination of fatigue and stress in her voice worried him, as well, but he tried not to expose any of that. “All right,” and added with as much cheer and irreverence as he could muster, “What can we bring you? Diapers for the long flight overseas?”

“Just your pretty face—and Sabrina.”

“Love you, Captain.”

“See you Saturday, English.”

Chapter Four

Sabrina had seen photos of Cassidy Masters, and she’d enjoyed talking to her many times, but she found her even more striking in person.

“It’s so good to finally be face-to-face,” she said as Cass hugged her. She felt like a shrimp to Cassidy’s five-eight, and her figure was willowy, her big blue eyes wide set and intelligent.

“You, too.” Pushing her to arm’s length, Cassie studied her with the eye of an unabashed analyst. “Oh, dear, you look far too tenderhearted for these two mighty mites. Ladies,” she addressed her daughters with a more formal tone, “This is Miss Sabrina, whom I was telling you about.” To Sabrina she added, “They’re better at their numbers than enunciation, as you’ll soon find out. Can you tolerate being called, ‘Miss Brina’?”

“That’s much better than Unca Colon,” Collin drawled standing behind Sabrina.

“Oh, let’s just make it Brina.“ She crouched down to be at eye level with the two little girls. “Let me see…” She remembered who loved her long tresses and who wasn’t a fan of her curls. “You must be Gena,” she said to the child with the enviable mane. “And Addison, that’s a very colorful sweatshirt.” It was bright orange and adorned with handprints in every other Day Glo color.

“I made it myself for Halloween. Do you twick-ow-tweat, or are you too old, like Mommy?”

Trying not to giggle that most of the child’s Rs came out as Ws, she nodded. “Yes, too old. But it’s fun to be the one to hand out treats and see everyone’s costume. What are you going to be, Gena?”

“Either a princess or a bride.”

“It depends on how much time we have to do her hair,” Cassie piped in.

“But if there’s no time, I still get to wear a tara.”

“Tiara. That’s right.” Cassie rolled her eyes at Sabrina. “Come in and please ignore our mess. Between my training and packing for all of us, things are upside down.”

That was hardly the case, Sabrina thought, glancing around the house. Military-base living was modest, but nothing like what her previous apartment was like. And except for the girls’ open suitcases on the coffee table, and a few boxes stacked by the door, the place was clean and the walls bright with fresh paint—white in the living room, yellow in the kitchen, peach in the master bedroom and lavender in the girls’ room.

“I hear you’ve done a fantastic job at Collin’s place,” Cassie said as they entered the girls’ room. “Thank you for working so hard to make them feel special. I know they’re going to love it.”

“I hope so. It was fun to do.”

Addison tugged at her jeans and asked, “Bwina, do you have little girls we can play with?”

“I’m afraid not, sweetie. But I’m looking forward to you teaching me games you like to play. And we’re going to go to fun places like the park and zoo and do lots of surprise things for Mommy.”

“Is Unca Colon gonna have fun with us?”

Sabrina lifted her eyebrows at Collin. She wanted him to handle that question.

“Well, I do have a job so I can pay for that fun, but I hope to join you ladies on weekends at the very least.”

Whether it was for his formal address or the tickle on her belly, Addison laughed. “Wenotladies, we little girls.”

“Wash up time.” Cass directed her daughters toward the bathroom. “We’re going to have lunch in less than fifteen minutes.”

“You needn’t have gone to any trouble,” Collin said as the two diminutive blondes sped out of the room. “I would have gladly taken you all out somewhere for a treat.”

“Believe me, the treat is firing up the grill and not caring if you get mustard or ketchup on your face and hands,” his sister replied. “Besides, I want to spend as much time picturing them as they are, and not having to be on their best behavior because they’re in public.”

“They’re extremely well behaved,” Sabrina assured her.

“Yeah, they’re pretty good, but when they’re overtired, they can find an earsplitting octave that you’ll want to restrict to once every full moon. Go flip those burgers and dogs, Unca Colon. I’m going to pass on more boring tidbits to Sabrina.”

As soon as the door closed behind him, Cassie turned back to Sabrina, her expression relaxing to weariness and worry. “How was the drive down?”

“Better than expected. It can’t help but get awkward every once in awhile considering our history.”

“He likes to watch you when he thinks you won’t notice.”

“I suppose I am becoming like a second kid sister to him.”

With a badly faked cough, Cassie replied, “Right. That’s exactly the conclusion that I came to.”

Feeling heat in her cheeks, Sabrina shook her head. “You don’t have to worry that I would—or he would, for that matter—behave improperly in front of the girls.”

“I’m so not worried. In fact, I wish you would drive the old fossil a little crazy.”

“Oh, please don’t start.”

“I hereby quit. I’ll just point out that a complete stranger would notice you’re good for him.”

“Thank you, but you know the chant better than I do. Your brother is ‘not the marrying kind.’ What about you?” Sabrina asked. “Do you ever have time for a life, let alone romance?”

Cassidy glanced over her shoulder to make sure the girls were still down the hall. “Believe me, I could have a different man every night if that was what appealed, and I have to admit one or two have been tempting, but as you can tell, right now it’s the girls and the job that need to take priority.”

“It must feel like a huge responsibility to fly something where everyone counts on you to get them home.”

“It does, but I count on them just as much to do their jobs, so it’s a team thing.”

The girls returned and Cassie effortlessly changed the subject to who wanted to drink milk and who wanted to drink spring water.

“I try to keep soft drinks out of their diet as much as possible,” she told Sabrina. “They can thank me for their healthier teeth and digestive systems later. Oh, and for afternoon snacks, I always keep carrot and celery sticks. Add a little peanut butter and they’re good until dinner. They like apples with peanut butter, too. And bananas.”

“I know Collin doesn’t have any peanut butter in the house, but I’ll get it. What about D-E-S-S-E-R-T-S? What is and isn’t permitted?”

The spelling had Cassie smiling. “That won’t work much longer. Not only can they now spell their names, not just recognize them in print, they can spell cat and dog. But back to your point—it’s your call. I know the calendar is charging into the most sugar-intense time of the year on top of the kids craving comfort food for one reason or another.”