Belinda

  She laughed out loud. “You look just a little guilty. Am I going to like it or shoot you?”

  “I’m not sure myself,” he admitted.

  They both turned at the sound of Andi’s high piping voice as she skipped down the hall. She was singing the countdown song and shouted, “Blast off,” just as she reached the doorway. She squealed when she saw Rick. “Mr. Ranger!” She ran to him, and he scooped her up.

  “I brought you and your mommy a surprise, but you have to close your eyes.”

  “Mommy, too?”

  “Mommy, too.” He waited until they closed their eyes obediently, then took them each by the hand and led them out the screen door to the porch.

  Belinda liked the warmth of his hand way too much for her own peace of mind. She knew she should draw back, but she didn’t want to. They reached the porch, and he let go.

  “No peeking,” he warned.

  They heard rustling, then a funny squeak. Belinda’s eyes flew open when she heard Andi squeal.

  “Mommy, it’s a puppy!”

  She opened her eyes and saw Andi holding a wriggling golden retriever puppy with his little fat belly exposed. “Oh, what a darling!” Cooing as though she was talking to a baby, she knelt and scratched the puppy’s head. He yipped and nuzzled her hand, trying to suckle her finger.

  “His mother died, and Dan had to find homes for all the puppies. He isn’t fully weaned yet, so he’s going to take some extra care.” With a silly grin on his face, he stroked the silky ears. “I love dogs. I had one almost like him when I was a boy. Oscar and I had a lot of good times together.”

  “What’s his name?” Belinda put her face against the puppy’s head, and he nibbled on her chin.

  “That’s Andi’s job. I take it you want him? I don’t have to take him to the pound?”

  “You wouldn’t dare,” she said indignantly.

  Andi was still wiggling with excitement. “Can he sleep with me, Mommy? Please?”

  “We’ll see,” she said. She turned to Rick with a big grin. She could just hug him. She’d wanted a dog for Andi for ages, but she’d never had the money for one.

  “Can we call him Ranger?” Andi asked. “Ranger is a good name.” She flashed her dimples at Rick.

  “Ranger it is,” Belinda agreed. She glanced at her watch and took off for her apartment. “Oh my!”

  “What’s wrong?” Rick followed her with Andi and her new pet trailing behind him.

  “I’m expecting a call,” she said over her shoulder. She hoped she hadn’t missed the call from her friends. She threw open the door to the apartment and heard the answering machine kick on. She snatched it up eagerly. “Hello.”

  “Where were you?” Amanda’s voice demanded. “We were about to hang up.”

  “With a customer.”

  “The bachelor builder?” Dani put in.

  She looked back over her shoulder at Rick playing with Andi and the puppy. “Yep.”

  They talked for nearly an hour. When she hung up the phone, she found Rick and Andi asleep on the floor with the puppy lying on Rick’s chest. Rick was snoring loudly, a rhythmic sound Belinda found oddly soothing. Andi was curled against Rick’s back, and she looked cold. Belinda fetched a quilt and spread it over all three of them. Ranger lifted his head and whined, then went back to sleep.

  She decided the best way to show her gratitude for the puppy would be to make Rick some fudge. Her brother was crazy about her peanut butter fudge, and she hoped Rick would like it.

  She got out her favorite pan and the ingredients. She had just turned the burner on when she heard a frantic yelp from the parlor followed by a yowl. She dropped the spoon and dashed toward the sound. Their cat, Toto, named after the famous dog in The Wizard of Oz, had cornered the cowering puppy under the couch. Toto’s back was arched, and every orange hair bristled with outrage. She hissed and spat and tried to swat the intruder. Ranger yelped when she batted his ears. He ducked farther under the couch until all that could be seen were his pleading brown eyes.

  Belinda tried to grab the enraged cat but only managed to get scratched in the process. Rick and Andi jumped up and entered the melee, too. Andi was screaming for the cat not to hurt the dog; Rick grabbed the blanket and threw it over Toto, while Andi snatched up the puppy and carried him off to her bedroom.

  Rick’s hair stood up on end, and he looked like a little boy who had just awakened. “Where do you want me to put this tiger?” The quilt squirmed, and Toto yowled with outrage. Before Belinda could answer him, the cat gave a final flip and managed to get a paw loose. He promptly proceeded to rake Rick across the forearm.

  “Ouch!” He dropped the bundled cat, and Toto streaked off with one last outraged yowl.

  Rick burst out laughing. “Things are never dull at your place,” he grinned. “Where did you find that man-eater?”

  Belinda grinned feebly. “He was a stray. I’ve never known him to act so vicious.” She frowned worriedly. “Are we going to be able to keep the puppy? Do you think Toto will hurt him?”

  “You’ll probably have to keep an eye on them for a while, but the cat will probably get used to him eventually.”

  Belinda noticed the blood streaming down his arm. “Oh, my, I’d better take care of that scratch. She nailed you good.” She hurried to the bathroom and rooted around in the medicine cabinet until she found one last bandage. She grabbed some antiseptic and a washcloth and went back to the living room.

  “Sit down,” she ordered, pointing at the kitchen chair.

  He saluted. “Yes, mother.” He sat in the chair and held out his arm.

  She washed it with the antiseptic, dried it, and put the bandage on. Only then did she realize it was a pink Barbie Doll bandage. It looked incongruous against the dark hair of his arm. She suppressed a grin.

  He saw the mirth in her eyes. “You won’t think it’s so funny when I sue you for owning a menace to society,” he threatened with narrowed eyes. He glanced down at his arm and saw the real reason for her mirth. He uttered a strangled sound.

  Belinda couldn’t hold it back anymore. She burst into giggles, and Rick’s scowl turned into a grin.

  “I’ll never live this down on the construction site.”

  Belinda laughed harder then finally got herself under control. “Let me see if I can find another one.”

  “What? Rip this one off my arm before it’s ready to come off? Not on your life, lady. I wear my battle scars proudly.” He grinned again then got to his feet. “I’d better get going before that orange menace you call a cat gets loose again.”

  Her lips twitched with mirth. “Thank you for the puppy. Don’t forget to say good-bye to Andi. She’ll be mad if she comes out and finds you’re gone.”

  He snorted. “She won’t notice me anymore with her new puppy around.” But he went down the hall.

  Belinda wished she’d gotten the fudge done, but she could make it and give it to him later. She stopped in consternation. She was actually expecting to see him again. That wasn’t good. She didn’t intend to allow herself to get close to any man. She vowed to continue to keep him at arm’s length and treat him like a brother.

  Chapter 3

  “Swing it this way!” Rick shouted over the roar of the boom lift. His foreman, Dan, nodded and swung the pile of drywall in the direction Rick had indicated. Rick made a cutting motion with his hand, and Dan stopped the forward movement and began to lower the pile. Rick grabbed hold of the rope and manually swung the drywall through the window opening and into the upstairs. Dan lowered the drywall until it rested on the floor, then cut the motor of the boom and scrambled down to help.

  When he looked at Rick, he had a peculiar look on his face. Rick saw his expression and frowned. “What’s wrong?” He saw where Dan was looking and glanced down. The pink Barbie Doll bandage was peeking out from under his rolled-up shirt. He flushed, then grinned.

  Dan quirked an eyebrow. “Aren’t you a little old to be playing with dolls, boss?”

&nbs
p; Rick grinned feebly. “Cat scratched me.”

  “Yeah, and whose dainty little hands put that bandage on? Does she by chance have a little girl?” Dan punched him in the arm. “You gettin’ soft on me? Playing with dollies and courting fast women?”

  Rick chuckled. “This lady is the farthest thing from a fast woman you’ve ever seen. So far she’s only interested in mothering me. But I aim to change that!”

  Dan smacked him on the shoulder. “Go get ’em, Ricky boy.”

  Rick grimaced. He hated that nickname. No grown man of thirty-five wanted to be called Ricky. It made him think of toy fire engines and Hot Wheels.

  Dan saw his expression and grinned. “I have a feeling this little gal is going to change your whole outlook on things, my friend.”

  The next few days flew by. Rick didn’t have a chance to stop by Timeless Treasures. He thought about “his girls” endlessly, thoughts of them taking possession of his mind. He wondered what Belinda would say to such familiarity. He also thought about her problem with the business. Had her mother-in-law put the place up for sale? He hated that there was something like that hanging over Belinda’s head all the time, but it wasn’t his place to tell her to buck up and stand her ground. He wasn’t the one with a three-year-old daughter to raise.

  Sunday morning he got dressed and drove to New Life again. He’d been impressed with the preaching and the friendliness of the people. He had to admit the draw of seeing Andi and Belinda again increased his eagerness. Several people were lined up at the door, greeting those who came in. Rick got the impression it wasn’t an organized thing; it was just that the people were friendly and were eager to see each other and their visitors.

  Dawn Porter was one of those who grabbed his hand when he arrived. “Rick! I’m so glad we didn’t scare you off last week. Are Belinda and Andi with you?” She looked past him out the double glass doors.

  “Nope. I’m hoping to see them today, though.” He stared at her thoughtfully. Would she help him get to Belinda?

  “Did you meet my husband last week?” She introduced him to Sam, a tall man with curly blond hair who kept hitching his pants up over his slight paunch.

  “So, how long have you known our Belinda?” Sam asked after the introductions were over.

  “Just about a week and a half,” Rick admitted. They chatted a bit longer, then Sam invited him to attend the Lifebuilders Sunday school class. Rick enjoyed the class tremendously. It was a discussion in a relaxed atmosphere with friendly people near his own age, ranging from college students to young marrieds with small children. By the time the class was over, Rick felt a welcome part of the little group. They invited him to go on a horseback riding trip on Saturday.

  “Is Belinda going?” he asked.

  Sam grinned. “Yeah, she’s in charge of reserving the horses. You’ve got it bad already, buddy.” His smile faded. “Just make sure you don’t hurt her. She’s suffered enough.”

  “She doesn’t talk much about her husband. Did she love him very much?”

  Sam shrugged. “He treated her like dirt. Gone all hours, married more to Timeless Treasures than to Belinda. It wouldn’t have surprised me to hear they were heading for the divorce court, but Belinda is a faithful little thing. She kept praying for him and encouraging him. It’s been hard for her since his death. She won’t accept help from the church, but it’s hard to watch her struggle. She’s the little mother of the church. Always ready and willing to step in and help someone out.”

  Rick thought about Sam’s words as he stared thoughtfully at the back of Belinda’s head during the singing. She had hurried into worship late and hadn’t seen him sitting two rows back. Why was he so interested in her? Was it only because he was so taken with Andi, or was it something more? He shrugged the questions aside and focused on the preaching.

  Andi was in junior church, but as soon as worship was over, she spotted him and came running up. “Mr. Ranger! The puppy cried all night. Mommy got him a hot-water bottle and a clock that went ticktock, ticktock, but he still cried. Finally Mommy let him sleep with me.”

  He picked her up and hugged her. “Did he keep you awake?”

  Andi shook her head. “He bited my ear sometimes, but he just wants to play.”

  “Does Toto like him yet?”

  Andi gave another shake of her curly head. “She hates him. Mommy has to keep them apart.”

  Belinda saw them. She hesitated, then came up to them. “I didn’t know you were here.”

  “I went to the Lifebuilders class.”

  He could see she felt awkward and hurried to fill the silence. “Andi says the cat still hates Ranger.”

  She smiled and nodded. “Yesterday I found Toto eating Ranger’s food while the puppy cowered in the corner in abject worship. For some reason, that silly dog loves that mean cat.”

  “We love what we can’t have, I guess.”

  “Oh, how’s your arm?” she asked.

  “Just fine. I got a little ribbing at work about the Barbie bandage, but it was a nice reminder of our day.”

  Dawn came up. “Are you still going to Great Wall with us, Belinda?”

  “Sure,” she said.

  “You want to come, Rick?” Dawn asked.

  “You bet,” he put in eagerly. He saw Belinda hesitate, but he didn’t give her a chance to back out. “Can Andi ride with me?”

  He saw her relax and realized immediately the reason for it. She thought he just cared about Andi. He suppressed a grin.

  “That’s okay. We’ll just meet you there,” Belinda answered. Over Andi’s protest she waved and hurried out the door.

  Dawn was smiling when he turned back to her. “You like her a lot, don’t you?”

  “Guess it shows, huh?” He felt like a schoolboy with his first crush.

  “Just a little.” She eyed him appraisingly. “I think you’ll be good for her. Want some help?”

  His grin widened. “I could use all the help I can get. Got any ideas?”

  She laughed. “I’ve got tons of them. Why don’t you ride to the restaurant with me and Sam, and we’ll talk about it?”

  Monday morning’s cold spell broke the unseasonably hot and humid temperatures. Belinda frowned at the weather forecast. Rain was predicted all week. There probably wouldn’t be many customers. She had Andrew’s school loan coming up next week. Just two more payments, and it would be paid off. Dawn had been appalled when she realized Belinda was still paying it. By all rights, Andrew’s mother should have paid it off, she’d declared. But Belinda hadn’t asked. When she married Andrew, she’d taken on his responsibilities, as he’d taken hers. Besides, she wasn’t about to ask her mother-in-law for anything. Alice already had too much control over her life.

  She sat at the kitchen table with a cup of tea and her Bible for her devotions. Andi was still asleep, and Belinda cherished this quiet time in the morning. She looked up when the buzzer on the door went off. Probably an early customer. She was glad she was already dressed. She hurried out into the front display room. A huge bouquet of flowers sat on top of the fireplace. She saw the Love Bug Greenhouse van pulling out of the parking lot.

  She began to sneeze and backed away from the flowers. Her eyes watered, and her skin itched. She had to get them out of here! She ran back to her apartment and grabbed a long-sleeved jacket and a pair of gloves. Pulling them on, she went back down the hall. The door buzzer sounded again, and she saw Rick standing by the door.

  “I’m so glad you’re here,” she said. “Could you take those flowers outside? The hives are already popping out on my arms.”

  He looked at her doubtfully. “You don’t want them?”

  “I’m allergic! Please, get them out of here!”

  He shrugged and picked up the vase of flowers. “Do you want the card?”

  “I know who sent them,” she said crossly. Why was he arguing with her? She was in no mood for it. She’d had about all she could stand from Alice. “I’m not an idiot.”

  His e
yes sparked dangerously, but he carried the flowers outside. She saw him dump them on the trash heap and breathed a sigh of relief. She still felt itchy, so she went around and opened all the windows.

  He came back in with the crystal vase. “Do you at least want the vase?” His mouth was pinched in a straight line of disapproval.

  “Don’t look like that! You have no idea what that woman is always pulling. I’ve half a mind to call her and tell her she can’t have Andi this afternoon.” She marched toward the phone.

  “Wait,” he called down the hall. “Who do you think sent them?”

  “I know who sent them,” she snapped. “My loving mother-in-law, that’s who! She’s done this before. She knows I’m allergic, but she sends flowers anyway on our anniversary. Then she claims she forgot how allergic I am. Today is my birthday, so she’s evidently expanding her little game.”

  He was silent for a moment. “Uh, she didn’t send them.”

  She stared at him. “Did you see the card?”

  “I didn’t need to. I sent them.”

  “You? Why would you send me flowers? Or were they for Andi?”

  “They were for both of you. Yesterday Dawn told me your birthday was today. When I saw how gloomy it was today, I decided to send them to cheer up your day.”

  He was scowling, and Belinda felt terrible. She’d acted badly, and she had to make it up to him. “Have you had breakfast?”

  His scowl disappeared, and he grinned. “I’m famished.”

  “How about some pancakes? Andi should be up any minute, and you can have breakfast with us.”

  His smile widened. “I haven’t had pancakes since my mother died.”

  “Well, you haven’t eaten pancakes until you’ve eaten mine.”

  Andi was awake and watching Sesame Street when they walked back into the apartment. She had Ranger on her lap while Toto glared at both of them from her perch atop the couch. Toto saw Rick and streaked toward the bedroom in a flash of orange fur.

  Rick nodded toward the departing cat. “Think she’d like me any better if I started bringing some cat treats?” He sat down on the couch and pulled Andi onto his lap. She was still in her pink pajamas with fuzzy bunny slippers on her feet, and she snuggled sleepily against his chest, her eyes glued to the television set where Big Bird was singing about the letter M. He inhaled the little girl scent of her baby shampoo and powder. He glanced at Belinda where she bustled around in the kitchen clanging pots. He didn’t know when he’d felt so content and at peace.