Instantly, she stopped pressing the keys. “I don’t like that.”
“Doesn’t it tickle? Girls like to be tickled.”
She shook her head and moved away from him. “No, and you smell bad.”
“Cigarettes.” The man sat up straighter. “Don’t you want to keep writing your mom a letter?”
“No. I think I’ll read my book instead.” She slid away from him and climbed into the other chair.
The man gave her a sidelong glance and went back to his own work.
Cecelia watched him for several minutes as he typed. Then she left the office and took the empty juice bottle to Beatrice. When her mother walked out of the conference room, Cecelia was standing near Beatrice’s desk, watching her work on her computer and asking her questions. She didn’t want to be alone with that man again—he did strange things. But how could she convince her mother?
Over dessert and coffee at the marina, Marcus leaned toward Amanda, curious to know more about her.
“Why isn’t Cecelia’s dad part of her life? I can’t imagine a father who wouldn’t want to be.”
“Dylan died long before she was born,” she replied without a hint of emotion.
“Oh. That must have been tough.”
He watched her suck in her lower lip, as ifto prevent herself from saying more.
“So she’s never known her father?”
Amanda shook her head.
Somehow, he was glad of that. “And it hurts to talk about it? To think about him? Cecelia’s father?”
For an instant, her expression seemed to indicate she still grieved, but then she pursed her lips and replied, her words so matter-of-fact.“When I found out I was pregnant, I finished my master’s and moved back home, near enough to satisfy my mother’s desire to be a grandmother when she wanted to act like one. When I worked and couldn’t keep Cece with me, she watched her for me. Her way of helping.”
“Wasn’t she happy to have a grandchild, a granddaughter, especially one as cute as Cecelia?”
“I wasn’t married. That she didn’t like. Still doesn’t.” Amanda paused. “Cecelia was an unintended consequence of unthinking behavior, though I’ve never described it that way to her.”
“Of course not.” He looked deeply into her eyes, wanting her to tell him more. “You’ve done well by her—and yourself.” He took a quick sip of his coffee. Keeping his tone light, he asked, “So what’s your life plan?”
“My life plan?” She leaned back in her chair and looked out at the boats, many festooned with tiny white lights. “That’s a deep topic. Let’s see. Pay off my school loans so I can build a savings account. I’d like to get more magazine articles written and published, enough that I am regularly asked to do them. Develop some new courses, get great teaching evaluations, and obtain tenure … and maybe even buy a house—something I can truly call my own. Is that enough?” She gave him a quick grin.
“Except for buying a house, most of what you mentioned are things relating to work. What about your personal life?” Or are you afraid to talk about that, beautiful Amanda?
“I need to concentrate on work in order to have a personal life.”
He decided to take a chance. “You didn’t mention a husband or a family.” He refilled her wineglass.
“I already have a family, Marcus. Cece is my family.”
What was that little catch in her breath before she answered?
She gave him a sidelong glance.
“I didn’t mean that the way it sounded, Amanda.” He was pleased when she reached out and placed her hand on his, as if in apology.
“I know you didn’t. Perhaps I’m more sensitive than I ought to be about such things. After Dylan died, I stopped believing the usual definition—you know, two parents, two kids and a dog—was something I would ever have.” She looked down at her unfinished dessert, picked up her fork to take a small bite, and looked back at him, the glint of a challenge in her eyes. “What about you—what’s your life plan?”
“As if everyone has one.” He decided on a joking response. “I think I’d like to marry someone like Cecelia.”
Amanda started to laugh. “She’s a bit young for you.”
“True, but she is a bold one, that daughter of yours. And, I like blondes who like puzzles.” He touched his fingers as he ticked off other reasons. “She likes to read—which is important to me. And she’s outdoorsy—with her soccer. That’s a good thing, too. Given her age, I’d probably have to pay for her college if we got married right after she finishes high school. Do you think she’d have me?”