to find Will’s chef working at a counter.
Short, stocky, an apron around his waist, the man paused and smiled. “Good morning.”
Before she could answer, Will entered the room and for seconds as her gaze met his, she forgot all else. In a knit shirt and chinos, he looked casual, more appealing than ever. “Good morning,” he said, gazing warmly at her. He touched her arm lightly and his tone became brisk.
“Ava, meet my very fine chef, Rainey Powers. Rainey, meet Miss Ava Barton, a teacher who will be working with Caroline.
“Good morning,” she said, smiling at the man who had thick red curly hair and big brown eyes.
“What’s your preference for breakfast, Ava?” Will asked. “Rainey has a specialty—omelets. If you would like one, just tell him what kind.”
“I usually have some fruit.”
“You can have that, too,” Will said, “but don’t pass up a chance to have one of his amazing omelets.”
After she decided on spinach and mushroom, Will led her to a casual dining area overlooking the veranda and pool.
“You look gorgeous today,” he said, pulling a chair out for her, his eyes on her blue cotton shirt and matching pants.
“Thank you,” she said, aware of how close he stood. When his gaze lowered to her mouth, her heartbeat quickened. He sat across the table where a newspaper lay folded neatly and his coffee cup was half full.
He picked up a pitcher. “Orange juice?”
“Yes, please,” she said. “I’m surprised Caroline isn’t here.”
“Occasionally, she sleeps late.”
“Maybe she’s dreading the day and being with someone new.”
He paused in his pouring. “Maybe. You’ll never know. I have no idea what runs through her mind. Good or bad. She accepts everything, comments on nothing. It’s that total unresponsiveness that will hurt her in school.”
“Have you considered home schooling or a special school?”
“I’m afraid with home schooling she would become more withdrawn and antisocial. I don’t want a special school. At least not for now. I’d rather try to find someone who can break through the guard she keeps. If I ever do, I think all the withdrawal will vanish.”
“I imagine you’re hopeful with each thing and person you’ve tried,” she said, watching him nod. “Don’t get too hopeful with me. I’m out of my element here. I have never worked with a child who had problems like this.”
“I understand. But no one has higher recommendations than you in this field. I know a happy little girl is locked away somewhere inside her. I want her back again.”
“I’ll do my best with her.”
“I’m sure you will. How did you sleep?” he asked, changing the topic abruptly.
“Fine,” she answered, yet her cheeks grew warm because she instantly thought about their kisses.
He looked amused. “About as well as I did.”
“I met your housekeeper in the upstairs hall this morning.”
“Edwina. My staff are all here on Tuesdays and Fridays and then some of them are just here when I ask them to be or when I’m in town.”
“So you travel a lot.”
“Yes. I hear Rosalyn.” He stood, and in seconds Rosalyn and Caroline walked through the door.
“Good morning,” Will said, greeting them both and picking up Caroline to hug her. The girl’s pigtails swung. She wrapped her arm around his neck and hugged him in return, Ava noticed.
“Rosalyn, go give your order to Rainey and then come join us. He knows Caroline’s. I already have places set.”
As Rosalyn left, Will set Caroline in one of the chairs.
“So Rosalyn joins you for breakfast. That’s nice.”
“Rosalyn is like a relative. Actually, all of my staff have worked for me long enough now that I feel like they’re my family. And you’ll have to adjust your view of me again.”
“I shouldn’t have told you what I expected.” He was one continual surprise, and she promised herself never to prejudge anyone again. “The articles and press about you just present a different type person—not quite so down-to-earth and caring. I’m impressed,” she said.
“Good. That’s a step in the right direction.”
Rosalyn joined them and conversation became impersonal, polite, chatty among the three adults, swirling around the silent child as if she didn’t exist.
After breakfast they divided up, Rosalyn leaving, Will heading to his office while Ava went to the upstairs playroom with Caroline. “Come to my room, Caroline. I want to get a package I brought. I have a new game for you.”
Obediently, Caroline followed and Ava retrieved a large colorful sack that held gift bags and books. She pulled out a gift to hand to Caroline, seeing no spark of interest in Caroline’s eyes.
“This is for you,” Ava said, setting it in front of the girl, who glanced up at Ava and then looked at the sack. After pulling out tissue paper, she picked up a game that she turned in her hands.
“Thank you,” she whispered politely and set it on the floor.
“I’ll show you how to play it. All right?”
Caroline nodded.
“Before we do, here’s another little present I got for you.”
Caroline opened a small gift sack and once again tossed aside blue and red tissue paper to reveal a small brown teddy bear.
“Thank you,” she said, looking intently at it.
“You’re welcome. Now I’ll show you how to play this game. Let’s go to the playroom.”
In the playroom, Ava put her things on a sofa and turned to Caroline. “I think you’ll like this game. We can sit on the floor to play.” Ava kicked off her shoes while she got out cards.
“See these, Caroline,” she said, glad when she noticed that the girl still held the small bear. Was she grasping at straws about Caroline’s responses the way Will did? “Each card has a letter. We’re going to place them all facedown,” Ava added, putting cards facedown in a row. “Then we’ll take turns. Each of us can turn over two cards and the object of the game is to match the letters. If you turn over an A and a C, the next time if you turn over an A, try to find the matching A again. The one with the most pairs of matching letters wins the game. Is that clear?”
When Caroline nodded, Ava continued, “As soon as I put out all the cards, you can go first. Do you want to help me put the cards facedown?”
Caroline shook her head no, so Ava placed the cards in silence. As soon as she finished, she told Caroline to go ahead.
During the game, Ava glanced around to see Will standing in the doorway. As soon as she looked up, he left and she wondered how long he had been there.
Other than her silence, Ava thought she could be playing with any first grader she had known, and Caroline was just going into kindergarten.
Midmorning they paused for a snack and watched a short movie Ava had brought. Still holding the teddy, Caroline watched intently, never laughing or even smiling at the funny spots, and Ava didn’t think she was going to get to know the solemn little girl even a degree better. Ava’s satisfaction over Caroline’s abilities with letters and words was offset by her growing frustration at being unable to get a glimmer of emotional response.
The person who would get the job of working with Caroline had a big task