asked as she came running up to join her.
“Uh, sure, I’d love to,” Piper replied. “But, could you show me where the bathroom is first?”
“Okay!”
When Piper emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, she could hear Kyle talking to his daughter. She headed in the direction of his voice and found them in the kitchen, a small but decidedly modern room with cupboards painted white, a countertop in deep Wedgwood blue and walls the color of the sun.
A small pine table with four chairs already set for three, sat in a corner by the window overlooking the street. Kyle glanced up from the counter and flashed another of his killer smiles.
“Lunch is almost ready.”
“Can I do anything?” she asked, trying to ignore the leap her pulse had taken.
“You can put these on the table for me, and I’ll bring April’s hot dog.” He handed Piper two plates.
April had already scrambled into her chair and booster seat. Piper sat down next to April and Kyle joined them, placing a hot dog and bun in front of his daughter.
Piper bit into her sandwich surprised to discover she was starving. Kyle was right. The sandwich was delicious. He’d added crisp lettuce, slivers of sweet onion as well as a hint of Dijon mustard.
As she savored the tangy taste she studied Kyle from beneath lowered lashes. Two weeks ago she’d never have dreamed she’d be having lunch with Kyle Masters, the man she’d had a giant-size crush on eight years ago, the man who’d rejected her so coldly and completely.
He’d brought her crashing down to Earth, deliberately humiliated her, telling her he didn’t go in for eighteen-year-old virgins who thought sex was a game. With a few choice words and several cutting phrases, he’d sent her packing.
That he’d found her lacking was an understatement, and she could only speculate that blue-eyed brunettes were definitely not his type. Beautiful blondes like Elise had been much more to his liking.
But according to Spencer, Elise had walked out shortly after April was born. Did he still yearn for her? she wondered.
Kyle suddenly glanced up and caught her staring at him. For a heart-stopping moment their gazes locked and she felt her breath snag in her throat as his stormy gray eyes held her captive.
“Daddy, can I have some ketchup?” April asked, effectively breaking the spell.
“Sure!” Kyle rose and opened a cupboard nearby.
Piper let her breath out in a slow and silent exhale and took another bite of her sandwich. Her thoughts drifted back to the summer she’d first noticed the devilishly handsome Kyle Masters. She’d been sixteen and she and a few girlfriends had been hanging around the local hamburger stand when Kyle walked by carrying a stack of books. One of her friends shoved her, and she’d accidentally collided with him. The books had tumbled to the ground, and Piper herself would have fallen had it not been for Kyle’s quick action.
With lightning reflexes, he grabbed her and hauled her against him, knocking the breath out of her. Embarrassed, she’d started to apologize, but the words had fizzled and died in her throat when she found herself gazing at the most gorgeous male specimen she’d ever set eyes on.
She could have sworn her heart did a cartwheel, and when she’d glimpsed the twinkle of amusement in the depths of his silvery-gray eyes, she’d been a goner.
A shiver danced across Piper’s nerve endings at the memory.
“Want me to…” Kyle began as he returned to the table with the ketchup bottle.
“I can do it!” April reached for the bottle.
Kyle gave his daughter the ketchup bottle and was about to resume his seat when the phone rang.
He spun on his heel and picked up the receiver from the counter nearby.
“Kincade Veterinary Clinic, Kyle Masters speaking,” he said. He listened for a moment. “Yes. No problem, I’ll leave right away. Walk him around till I get there.” Frowning, he replaced the receiver.
“Something wrong?” Piper asked.
“When it rains, it pours,” he commented. “A sick horse, possibly colic.”
“Not at the ranch…?” Piper began, knowing how dangerous colic could be.
Kyle shook his head. “No, that was Shannon out at Nelson’s Riding Stables. She boards a few horses now and then, and one of her newest additions is showing typical signs of abdominal stress.”
“I see.” Nelson’s Riding Stables was located fifteen miles east of town.
“Listen, I know it’s a lot to ask,” Kyle began. “But could I impose on you to—”
“Stay with April?” Piper finished for him.
“Is that a problem? Did you have other plans?”
“Uh…no, I don’t have other plans,” she spoke hesitatingly. “When will you be back?” she asked trying not to sound anxious.
“An hour, maybe two.” He responded. “I realize your offer to help out at the clinic didn’t include baby-sitting, but with Vera over at the hospital, I’m really in a bind,” he concluded, urgency in his tone.
“I understand,” she said. “And yes, I’ll stay,” she added and was instantly rewarded by a smile that sent her pulse racing.
“Thanks!” He sounded relieved. “I’ll be as quick as I can.”
Piper glanced at the little girl, oblivious to their conversation, immersed in the task of smearing ketchup on every inch of the half-eaten wiener.
Kyle was already on the move. Gathering his keys and cellular phone from the counter, he reached for his jean jacket.
“I’ll pick up what I need downstairs,” he said. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.” He turned to April. “Sweetheart, Daddy has to go out and see a sick horse. Piper is going to stay here with you till I get back. All right?”
“Okay,” April replied, unperturbed by the news, no doubt accustomed to her father being called out at short notice. “The number for my cell phone is on the fridge if you need me,” he said. “I’ll call if I think I’m going to be longer than two hours.”
“Fine,” Piper said.
“April sometimes needs a nap in the afternoon, but only if she gets cranky.”
“Right. A nap if she’s cranky,” Piper parroted and felt her heart pick up speed. What constituted cranky she wondered? She hoped she wouldn’t have to find out.
“What do you and your Nana do when your daddy isn’t here?” Piper asked a few minutes later as she began to clear away the dishes.
“Sometimes we walk to the park, and sometimes she reads me a story,” April replied. “Could you read me a story?”
“Sure,” Piper said, liking the idea immensely.
April grinned. “My storybooks are in my room. I’ll get one,” she said as she started to climb down from the table.
“Oh…hang on a minute,” Piper said, realizing April’s hands and face were smeared with ketchup. “I think we should clean you up a little first.”
April grimaced and wriggled like an eel while Piper attempted to wipe away all traces of ketchup from the child’s face. “You’re very lucky to have someone to read to you and help take care of you,” Piper said as she washed first one sticky hand then the other.
“Nana is nice, but I wish I had a mommy of my very own.” April’s tone was wistful.
Piper’s heart went out to the child. “Maybe one day you will have a new mommy,” she said after