Twelfth Night Proposal

When a casting agent had approached her in the library on campus, he’d explained he was looking for college girls to make a series of commercials for a new soda—the company was targeting the college crowd. Verity hadn’t given much thought to the idea until Sean had heard about it. He’d teased, cajoled and coaxed, insisting the experience would be good for her.

Her straight-as-a-ruler hair had become a mass of curls. She’d traded her glasses for contact lenses, and makeup had made her eyes look huge and her lips much fuller. No one knew if the commercial would ever make it to the TV screen, and she hadn’t heard anything from the company other than receiving her payment for the hours she’d worked as a model.

After the shoot, Verity had decided curling her hair for an hour or more, applying makeup and dressing up was all simply too much trouble. The red highlights washed out of her hair, and eventually the curls straightened into looser waves and were caught up in a practical ponytail once more. When one of the soft contact lenses had torn, she’d gone back to using her glasses.

Then, last January, Sean had the skiing accident. When he’d died, her life had fallen apart. She’d gone through the motions to earn her diploma—

Noise in the hall startled Verity. Her bedroom, sitting area and bathroom were located at the opposite end of the house from the master suite and Heather’s bedroom, along with another guest bedroom. Mr. Montgomery took over Heather’s care on the rare nights he was home and, after he’d put Heather to bed, she usually didn’t hear another sound.

Now, however, she heard little feet slapping on the hardwood floor, Leo’s deep baritone calling, “Heather, you come back here,” and the little girl’s giggles as she came closer to Verity’s door.

Verity had crossed into the sitting area when the door burst open and Heather ran through the room, naked, the ends of her hair wet, soapsuds still on her shoulders. The bump on her head hadn’t slowed her down one iota.

Halfway across Verity’s sitting room, Leo stopped. “I shouldn’t have come in here without knocking.”

Verity laughed. “I think Heather took care of announcing you.”

Leo shook his head. “I’ll collect her if she doesn’t squiggle out of my arms again. She is so slippery when she’s wet—”

“And she hates to stand still while you dry her off. I know.”

Her gaze collided with his, and there was that shakingly, fascinating awareness again.

Breaking eye contact, he said, “Since I consider your room to be off-limits to me, do you want me to get her or do you want to do it?”

“I don’t mind if you do,” Verity murmured as she continued to stare at him. Leo was still wearing the black polo shirt and khakis he’d had on that afternoon. He was tanned, and his arm muscles were obvious under the shirtsleeves. His stomach was flat and she suspected hard. His hips were slim.

When he turned, she chastised herself for liking every bit of his backside, too. She couldn’t be attracted to her employer. Besides the fact that she was tired of men letting her down, she was much younger than Leo Montgomery. She’d seen the picture of Heather’s mother in the little girl’s room. Carolyn Montgomery had looked poised with her perfect makeup and blond pageboy. She was absolutely beautiful. Verity imagined any woman would have trouble living up to that. Jolene Connehy, Mr. Montgomery’s sister, had told her honestly that he wasn’t over his wife’s death, even though it had been two years. Verity could understand that. She knew she’d never get over losing Sean.

Leo stepped into Verity’s bedroom, and the very fact that he was so near her double bed disconcerted her. Maybe because ever since this afternoon pictures had been swimming in her head—pictures of Leo kissing her, pictures of her kissing him back.

His gaze had gone to the bed, too, with its white chenille spread, its maple bookcase headboard, where she’d lined up some of her favorite reads. But her mind wasn’t on her books as she said in almost a whisper, “She likes to play hide-and-seek under the bed.”

With a shake of his head, as if he couldn’t believe he was doing this, he got down on his knees and lifted the edge of the spread. His voice was filled with affectionate frustration as he called, “Hey, you. You’ve got to get out from under there and put on some pajamas.”

“I don’t wanna go nighty-night. Wanna play with Vewitee.”

Without hesitation Verity got down on the floor beside Leo. Her shoulder brushed his as she peered under the bed at her little charge. The touch of her shirt against his sent a jolt of adrenaline rushing through her. “If you come out and put on your pj’s, I’ll read you a story.”

“That’s bribery,” Leo murmured very close to her ear, his breath warm on her cheek. Verity shivered.

“Would you rather kneel here and cajole for the next half hour?” she asked him, half joking, half serious.

“I’m too big to fit under the bed, and cajoling isn’t my style.”

“That leaves bribery,” she decided, unable to suppress a grin.

His face was so very close to hers as they focused on Heather. When he turned his head to her, mere inches separated their lips. Leo’s scent was pure male, and his light-brown hair fell over his brow in a rakish way. But it was the gleam of raw hunger in his eyes that kept her immobilized.

Suddenly he cleared his throat, bent lower, and extended his arm under the bed. “Come on, you little hooligan. Verity will read you a story. But don’t think this is going to happen again. Next time I won’t let you out of the bathroom until you have your pj’s on.”

Quickly recovering from whatever had overcome her when she’d been so close to Leo, Verity teased, “You really shouldn’t tell her your strategy.”

“Good advice,” he admitted as Heather started wriggling toward them from under the bed.

“I’ll go get her pajamas. Try to keep her from hiding anyplace else until I get back.”

Verity laughed. “She likes me to brush her hair. I’ll do that.”

Less than five minutes later, Leo had returned with Heather’s pajamas and Verity had helped him get her into them. She watched him as he fastened two small buttons at the three-year-old’s neck, and his fingers fumbled with them. He was such a big man, but he was gentle with his daughter.

“Okay.” He scooped her up into his arms. “To your room.” In the middle of Verity’s sitting area, he stopped. “I just realized you don’t even have a TV in here. The last nanny who stayed here had her own.”

“I don’t need a television. I don’t watch it very much.”

He looked surprised.” You don’t watch reality shows?”

She shook her head.

“Or the Discovery Channel?”

Again she shook her head and gave him a little smile. “I can always find so many things I’d rather do. Listening to music, especially.” She pointed to the CD player on her night stand. “Now that I can’t do without.”

“You can use the stereo system in the great room anytime you want.”

“I noticed you have an extensive collection of Beatles music.”

“Sure do. Play it anytime.”

“That’s kind of you, Mr. Montgomery. I just might.”

“It’s Leo,” he said gruffly.

They’d never really addressed that issue. Jolene had introduced her to her employer as Verity the first time they’d met, but she’d always thought of him as Mr. Montgomery…on purpose. Today, however, everything seemed to have changed.

“Leo,” she repeated softly.

“Vewitee wead me a stowy now?” Heather asked, laying her head on her dad’s shoulder.

“One story coming right up,” Verity assured her.

A short time later Leo stood beside the rocking chair as Verity sat with Heather, rocked and read her a favorite Dr. Seuss book. Heather’s eyes were almost closed as they finished, and Leo lifted her from Verity’s lap and placed her in her crib.

Then he leaned down to her, kissed her forehead and said, “Good night, baby.”

The huskiness in his voice tightened Verity’s throat and she didn’t know why. Maybe because Sean was gone. Maybe because her relationship with her father was strained. Maybe because she suddenly felt so alone.

Standing, she took a deep breath and said, “Nighty-night, Heather. I’ll see you in the morning,” and went to the door.

Leo joined her in the hall.

For a few moments they just stared at each other and a hum of attraction seemed to grow louder and stronger between them. They were standing very close, the toes of Leo’s boots almost touching the toes of her sneakers. He towered a good six inches above her. When she looked up into his blue eyes, her tummy fluttered and her pulse raced. In fact, she almost felt as if she couldn’t catch her breath. Leo didn’t touch her, and she so wished he would. He looked as if he wanted to. He looked as if he wanted to kiss her.

With a shake of his head, he blew out a breath. “Do you feel safe here in this house with me?” he asked.

“Yes!”

“I didn’t realize until tonight how this could look. Your staying here, I mean.”

“I’m your nanny and housekeeper. Nannies often live in the residence where they take care of the children.”

“That’s true, but usually there’s a wife. I don’t want to compromise your reputation.”

“I know who I am. I know why I’m here. What other people think really doesn’t matter to me. Does it matter to you?”

“No, what other people think has never bothered me.”

“Then we’re fine,” she said brightly. “There’s nothing to be concerned about.”

But the expression on his face as well as the wild beating of her heart told her that wasn’t true. Besides that, if he knew how terrifically attracted she was to him, he might fire her. She liked this job, and she was beginning to like Avon Lake.

Tomorrow was Saturday, and to steer toward a safer subject, she asked, “Will you be going to the boatyard tomorrow?” He had worked the last three Saturdays she’d been here.

“For a few hours. I realized today I haven’t been spending enough time with my daughter. That’s going to have to change.”

“I usually have breakfast for Heather around eight-thirty. Do you want to join us?”

After a pause he said, “Yes. I’ll go to the boatyard afterward.” There was an intensity in his gaze when he looked at her that excited her more than she wanted to admit. That excitement was as scary as the loneliness she’d felt as she’d watched Leo put his daughter to bed.

“I’ll see you in the morning, then,” she murmured.

When she turned to go, he finally touched her. His hand clasped her arm, and the feel of his hot skin on hers sent tingles through her whole body.

“Thank you for taking care of Heather so well today.”

“It’s my job.”

Releasing her, he nodded. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Then she was walking down the hall into the great room, bypassing the kitchen and heading to her suite. Today Leo Montgomery had become more than her employer. She wasn’t sure how their relationship had changed, but she knew she had to be careful or she’d get hurt all over again.

Chapter Two

Verity was selecting clothes from her closet when she heard Heather on the baby monitor chattering to her stuffed animals. Smiling, she pulled on indigo jeans and zipped them, then grabbed a T-shirt that had seen many washings. The soft, blue cotton fell practically to her thighs. Comfort had always come first with her, certainly before fashion or trends or what anyone thought a girl should wear. Climbing trees, riding bikes and playing baseball with Sean had always led her to choose practical clothes.

Heather’s babblings were getting louder now, and Verity left her room and headed for the little girl’s. In the past, Leo had gone to work before she was up. Last night she’d had a restless night, reliving those moments when they’d stood so close, when she’d thought she’d seen something in his eyes that had made her heart jump so fast. This morning, though, in the light of day, she just chalked it all up to her imagination.

Heather stood up in her crib when she saw Verity, grinning from ear to ear. She stuffed a pink elephant—her toy of choice this week—under one arm.

“Good morning, honey,” Verity said, scooping the little girl up into her arms. “I’m hoping that big bed your daddy ordered soon arrives. I’m afraid you’re going to crawl out of this one.”

“I cwawl out,” Heather parroted, swinging Nosy by his trunk.

“Let’s brush your teeth. Then you can decide what you want for breakfast.”

“Waffles wif bluebewies,” she said as if she’d been thinking about it all night.

Laughing, Verity shook her head. “You’ve had those every day this week.”

“Waffles wif bluebewies,” Heather repeated.

“Okay. I’m sure you’ll get tired of them eventually.”

Cooking was a pastime Verity enjoyed. She and Sean and her father had always shared the chore. After she’d gotten her own apartment in college, she’d found experimenting could be fun. Now she was glad she had. Heather could be a picky eater, and coming up with fun and playful ways to serve food was always a challenge.

Fifteen minutes later, teeth brushed, dressed in pink overalls and a matching shirt, Heather ran ahead of Verity to the kitchen. The bandage on her forehead was still in place and she wasn’t paying any attention to it.

Verity hadn’t seen any sign of Leo, but he might be working in his office in the pool house. She’d just started a pot of coffee brewing when a deep male voice made her jump. “Good morning.”

Her hand over her heart, she swiveled toward the back door that led to the patio, pool and pool house. “Mr. Montgomery. I was going to call you when breakfast was ready.”

He was carrying a folded sheet of paper in his hand. “It’s Leo, remember?”

Oh, she remembered.

Without waiting for her response, he went on, “I thought I’d spend some time with Heather while you make breakfast. I realized yesterday I need to give her more attention.”

Verity remembered how Heather had clung to her when Leo had arrived home to take her to the doctor. “I imagine it’s difficult being a single parent.”

“Funny,” Leo said almost to himself, “I don’t think of myself as single. But, yes, it is tough. After Heather’s mother died, I guess I took refuge in work because Jolene was around to help me with Heather…or the nanny of the day. But yesterday when you called and said that Heather was hurt, I realized how very little I have to do with her day-to-day care.”

“You’re running a business.”

“Yes, I am. Montgomery Boats will be her future, if she wants it. But in the meantime, I want to make sure I’m in her life.”

Suddenly Heather ran to Verity with her coloring book. “Look what me did.” She held up a page she had colored. Staying within the lines wasn’t a concept she understood yet, but she knew her colors, and she’d used a lot of them on the page.

When Verity glanced at Leo, she saw the expression on his face and she realized he wished Heather had come to him.

“What a wonderful picture!” Verity exclaimed. “Show your daddy.”

Looking puzzled for a moment, Heather tentatively held up the page to him. Verity could see Leo’s uncertainty in exactly what to say or do. Then he crouched down, put his arm around his daughter, and offered, “That’s a great blue dog. I bet he lives in the same place as pink elephants.”

“Like Nosy,” Heather decided.

“Just like Nosy.”

“Heather insists she wants blueberry waffles for breakfast. Is that all right with you? I could scramble some eggs, too.”

“It’s been a long time since I had more than coffee for breakfast. Why don’t I make the eggs?”

“Are you sure you want to help?”

He pulled one of the chairs over to the counter. “Sure. Heather can help, too. Heather, do you want to learn to crack an egg?”

“I wanna cwack lots of eggs,” Heather said so fast, Verity could hardly catch it.

As Leo took the carton from the refrigerator, he replied, “I think we’ll start with one.”

Verity couldn’t help but watch Leo as he made an effort to give Heather the attention he’d mentioned. He even let her stir the eggs with a fork. After a while, though, she tired of the process and told him, “I’m gonna color now.” Leo lifted her down, and she went over to her miniature table and chairs to do just that.

When he frowned, Verity assured him, “Her attention span for most things is about ten minutes, unless it’s something she’s really into. Coloring is one of those things. Playing with blocks is another.”

“Maybe she will grow up to want to design boats and build ships.”

“Or houses or bridges or skyscrapers,” Verity offered.

“I got it. I have to keep an open mind.”

They smiled at each other and Verity felt all quivery inside. Leo’s smile faded as he gazed at her, and the magnetic pull between them almost seemed to tug her toward him.

Then she remembered what he’d said earlier. I don’t think of myself as single. That obviously meant he still thought of himself as married.

The timer beeped, signaling the first waffle was finished. Verity focused all of her attention into lifting the top of the iron, carefully removing the waffle and ladling in the next one.

The silence in the kitchen grew awkward until she finally asked, “When did you begin designing boats?”

“When I was ten.”

She glanced at him. “What inspired you to do that?”

“My father. He didn’t design boats, but he built them from someone else’s plans. I spent every spare moment I could with him at the boatyard. I loved going out on the water with him, too. He had a real respect for the sea and taught me how to read it.”

“Read it?” That idea fascinated her.

“Anyone can learn to pilot a boat. Instruments these days make the experience almost a no-brainer. But there are still times when the color of the sky, the direction of the clouds, the scent of the water can tell a pilot the story as well as instruments can.”

After Leo took a frying pan from the cupboard, he poured the eggs into it. The scent of the sweet waffles with blueberries, the aroma of coffee brewing, the eggs cooking in the skillet filled the kitchen along with the sound of Heather humming as she colored. The scene was so domestic it took Verity aback for a second. It was almost like a dream she’d had a week ago—a dream in which she’d had a home and a place to belong. But she really didn’t belong here with Leo.

Did she?

Whatever she was feeling toward Leo Montgomery was probably all one-sided, and she’d better put the brakes on it. As his nanny, she was convenient right now. When he no longer needed her, he wouldn’t hesitate to say goodbye, just as Matthew had.

Snatching a topic, any topic, she asked Leo, “How about your mother? Did she like boats and the water, too?”

Leo cast her a sideways glance. “Not on your life. Mom’s a high-heels, I-don’t-want-to-get-my-hair-wet kind of person. She’s never wanted anything to do with the boatyard or the business.”

“Your sister told me she lives in Avon Lake, but she’s away now.”

“Lives in Avon Lake,” Leo repeated. “Officially, I guess. She has an apartment, but rarely uses it for more than a few weeks at a time. She’s become a world traveler.”

“You come from such an interesting family.”

He laughed. “That’s one way of putting it. How about you?”

“Me?”

“Yes. Your parents. What do they do?”

Lifting the waffle iron before the timer went off, she saw the pastry was golden brown. Thankful she could stall for a little time to figure out what to say, she transferred it to a plate and decided to give an honest, short version. “My mother died when my brother and I were born. Sean and I were twins. Dad raised us. He’s an accountant.”

“A twin! That’s great. What does your brother do?”

After Verity swallowed hard, she managed to say, “I lost Sean last January to a skiing accident.” She went to pick up the ladle, but a blur of tears made her fumble it and drop it on the floor.

Leo stooped at the same time she did. His fingers brushed hers, and he took the ladle from her hand. When they both straightened, they were standing much too close, and he was looking down at her with so much compassion she couldn’t blink away the tears fast enough.

“I’m sorry, Verity.”

Embarrassed by the emotion she couldn’t quell, she turned away from him toward the counter and took a few deep breaths. When she felt Leo’s hand on her shoulder, she almost stopped breathing altogether.

“I’m okay,” she murmured, feeling foolish.

Gently he nudged her around to face him. “No, you aren’t. And I understand why. I know what loss feels like. Losing a spouse, losing a twin…Those are bonds that aren’t easily broken.”

“I don’t want the bond to be broken,” she admitted. “Not ever.” Suddenly she realized that’s the way Leo probably felt about his wife. “The eggs are going to burn,” she whispered.

“Can’t let that happen,” he said, and stepped away from her to tend to his part of the breakfast while she picked up a paper towel to wipe waffle batter from the floor.

Putting the breakfast on the table took little effort, but Verity busied herself with it as Leo helped Heather get settled on her booster seat.

Heather pointed to her waffle and looked up at Verity. “Please make a face.”

The first day Verity had made the waffles for Heather, she wasn’t sure if she was going to eat them. But after Verity had used syrup and a dab of butter to make a face on the waffle, Heather had eaten the whole thing. Now Verity fashioned a face again as Heather giggled and Leo looked on, making her feel self-conscious.

Suddenly there was a beep-beep-beep, and Verity realized it came from Leo’s pocket.

After he answered his cell phone, he said, “Jolene. Hi. What’s up? No, I’m not at the boatyard yet. I’m still at home having breakfast.”

His sister must have made some comment about that because he explained, “I just needed some time with Heather. She hurt herself yesterday, and I realized I haven’t been around very much.” Then he explained what had happened.

After a long pause he responded, “I’m going to the boatyard as soon as I’m finished. I’m sure Heather would love it if you would pick her up and take her to the arts festival at the lake.”

Today artists would have their work displayed all around Avon Lake. There would be vendors with various foods, activities for kids and wandering musicians. Verity had thought about taking Heather there herself.

Now she said to Leo, “I’d be glad to take Heather and meet Jolene there. I want to go, too.”

After Leo relayed what Verity had said to his sister, he asked Verity, “Around ten at the Shakespeare statue?”

Verity nodded. “Sounds good.”

Leo closed the phone, reattached it to his belt and asked, “Are you sure you don’t mind driving Heather there?”

“I don’t mind. Really. I was planning to go after you got home.”

“Will you buy a painting?” he asked jokingly.

“Actually, I might, if I see something I like. If that’s okay with you. I mean, hanging it.”

“I’m not a landlord who’s going to keep your security deposit if you put too many holes in the walls.” His blue eyes were amused.

“I’ve just never been in this kind of position before,” she said truthfully. “I don’t know the rules.”

“No rules, Verity. As long as you put Heather first, that’s all that matters.”

He was absolutely right on that score. She would put Heather first, of course, and try to block Leo Montgomery from her dreams.

Leo parked in a lot near the lake. As he’d sat in his office, studying each page of the new sales brochure, he hadn’t been able to keep his mind on it. He hadn’t been able to keep his mind off Verity. So he’d put in two hours, then driven to the festival.

His life had become a treadmill of work, putting Heather to bed now and then, sleep and more work. Even before Carolyn died, he’d started putting in longer hours. Had it been because of her remoteness? Had it been because he’d sensed she was keeping something from him?