Tall, Dark and Cranky. Kate Little

name should I be reasonable? You’ve purposely tricked me. The both of you. Just because I’m in a wheelchair, does that mean you have a right to control and manipulate me? To completely ignore my opinion?” He backed his wheelchair away from the table, then came directly toward Rebecca and Nora.

      His dark hair looked longer and shaggier than at their first meeting, Rebecca thought. And his glowing lion’s eyes burned bright and wild. Even in his anger, Rebecca still felt that irksome tug of attraction she tried so hard to deny.

      He was acting like a child, she told herself. Still, she understood his side of the situation. He was a proud man, now forced to rely on others for every need. It was a question of self-respect. She was sorry she had not been aware of his objection. She would have confronted him directly about it, as an equal. Now he seemed to believe she was in on the deception.

      “I wasn’t aware that you didn’t want to hire someone with a child,” she said honestly. “It’s a big house. Nora will do her best to stay out of your way. If that’s not a satisfactory solution, we can go.”

      He rolled the chair closer, glaring at her. “I would like you to go,” he announced in a low, harsh tone. “Today, if at all possible.”

      “Grant—come on now,” Matthew urged. “Rebecca has a contract.”

      “What’s the difference? Pay her out. Pay her for the whole damn summer. What do I care?”

      “But why must she go?” Matthew persisted. “It was all my fault. You can’t just—”

      “Don’t tell me what I can and cannot do!” Grant turned toward his brother and pounded his fist on the tabletop. The plates and silverware clattered. “I’ll do as I damn please! Do you understand that?”

      Clinging to Rebecca’s side, Nora suddenly burst into tears and buried her face in her mother’s skirt. Rebecca was overwhelmed by a wave of protective instinct.

      “Nora, sweetheart,” she crooned. “It’s okay.” She crouched and wrapped her arms around the little girl in a sheltering embrace.

      “Can’t we go, Mommy? He’s…scaring me,” Nora whispered between sniffles.

      “Don’t be afraid, sweetie. We’re going right away,” she promised.

      She scooped Nora up in her arms, though the child was well past the age of easy lifting. Nora clung to her and buried her face in her mother’s shoulder. If this was the atmosphere Grant would create, then perhaps it was best if she took Nora away. As she turned to leave the terrace, Rebecca glanced at Grant with a searing look.

      “Proud of yourself?” she asked, though she didn’t know how she dared to be so insolent to him.

      The look he gave her in answer stopped her cold in her tracks. His eyes flashed, and he looked away, quickly turning his chair so he didn’t have to face her.

      “You don’t have a clue about me, Rebecca Calloway,” he said in a hushed, almost apologetic tone. “It’s best you get away now, while the going is good. Best for your little girl, too.”

      Rebecca stood stone still for a moment, feeling dazed and confused. But before she could think of anything to say in reply, Grant turned his chair, and she was suddenly facing his back. Matthew glanced at her and made a small motion with his head, indicating that she should leave them.

      Hugging Nora close, she made her way through the study and down the labyrinth of hallways to their rooms. Nora had calmed down considerably and didn’t need to be carried all the way—which Rebecca considered a small blessing, since her back was already sore from moving, and she faced repacking many boxes and loading her car again.

      Once in their rooms, Rebecca explained that Grant was not a bad person and that his outburst didn’t have anything to do with Nora personally. She told her daughter he was terribly unhappy because of his accident and slow recovery. Nora seemed to understand.

      A few minutes later, Matthew brought them some lunch on a tray. Nora immediately ran over and chose a sandwich. Rebecca had lost her appetite and picked up a cold drink. Matthew moved a few boxes to the floor, then sat on the small sofa and sighed.

      “I need to apologize,” he began. “This whole mess is all my fault. I knew Grant would object to having your daughter here, but I’d hoped that once you arrived, he’d get used to the idea,” he explained.

      “What does he have against children?” she asked. “Does he think having Nora with me will distract me from my work?”

      “No, it’s not that.” Matthew met her gaze then looked away. “I’m not free to say. But maybe you can talk to him about it. He might explain it to you.”