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“Well, then, how about bringing me one? I haven’t even had the chance to find the baby this year.”
Laura Jo walked over “I don’t think—”
Mark looked at her. “It just so happens that your mother owes me a favor.”
“I do?”
“Anna.”
* * *
Laura Jo’s heart fell. She did.
“So how about you and your mother come over to my house tomorrow night and I’ll fix sausage gumbo and you bring the king cake. Better yet, your mother can make it at my house.” He looked at Laura Jo when he said, “She did say my kitchen was the perfect place to make a cake.”
“Can we, Mommy? I want to see Gus. You don’t have to work tomorrow.”
“Great. Then it’s all settled. I’ll expect you at four o’clock.”
“Do you two think I could say something since you’re making plans that involve me?”
Mark looked at her and grinned. “Talk away.”
“Allie, I think we need to take it easy while we have a day off. The next few days are going to be busy.”
Mark leaned forward, making eye contact. “And I think that you owe me a favor that you are trying to welch on.”
Laura Jo shifted from one foot to the other. She did owe him big for helping her with Anna, and the check, and Allie being in the parade. Even so, going to Mark’s house again wasn’t a good idea. “I thought you might be enough of a gentleman that you wouldn’t stoop to calling in a favor.”
He gave her a pointed look. “Sometimes you want something badly enough that the social graces don’t matter.”
She swallowed. The implication was that she might be that “something.” When had been the last time she’d felt wanted by a man? It had been so long ago she couldn’t remember.
Mark looked at Allie and grinned. “Manners don’t matter when you’re talking about king cake.”
Allie returned the smile and nodded.
Why was she letting Mark talk her into it? Because the least she owed him was a king cake for all that he’d done for her. And she had to admit that deep down inside she’d enjoy cooking in his kitchen and spending time with him.
* * *
Mark couldn’t remember the last time he’d looked forward to a king cake with such anticipation. He suspected that it had nothing to do with the cake and everything to do with seeing Laura Jo. She and Allie were due any minute. He gave the gumbo a stir. He’d missed the stew-type consistency of the dish while he’d been in California. As hard as he’d tried, he hadn’t been able to get the ingredients to make good gumbo. What he had used had never tasted like what he was used to having when he was in Mobile.
He slurped a spoonful of gumbo off the tip of the ladle. It was good.
The doorbell rang. Should a man be so eager to spend time with a woman? For his own self-preservation he’d say no. With a smile on his face, Mark opened the door. To his amazement, Laura Jo smiled in return. He hadn’t expected that when he’d given her no choice about coming to his home today. Allie brushed passed his legs.
“Where’s Gus?” she asked as she went.
“He was in his bed, sleeping, the last time I saw him.”
He liked Allie. He’d never spent much time around children but he found Allie a pleasure. She seemed to like him as much as he did her. What would it be like to be a father to a child like her? Maybe if he had Allie as a daughter he’d have a chance of being a good father.
“I hope Gus is prepared for this,” Laura Jo said.
“I wouldn’t worry about Gus. Can I take those?” He reached for the grocery bags she carried in either hand.
“Thanks.” She handed him one of them. “I guess I’d better get started. It’s a long process.”
It occurred to him that she’d be anxious to get away as soon as she had met her obligation. He didn’t plan to let that happen. “We have plenty of time. I have nowhere to be tonight—do you?”
“Uh, no, but I’d still like to get started.”
“Okay, if that’s the way you want it.” To his astonishment, he said, “I’m going to take Gus and Allie outside to play. Gus needs some exercise.” When had he started to think that he was capable of overseeing Allie?
“All right. Just don’t let Allie get too close to the water.”
“I’ll take good care of her.” He was confident he would. He headed in the direction of the living room.
* * *
Laura Jo watched as Mark left the kitchen after he’d placed the bag on the kitchen counter. He headed out as if he’d given her no more thought. For some reason, she was disappointed he’d not worked harder at encouraging her to join him and Allie. She was even more surprised that she trusted him without question to take care of Allie. Was it because she’d seen him caring for others or that she just innately knew he would see to Allie like she was his own?
Running a hand over the granite counter, she looked around the kitchen. It was truly amazing. If she had this kitchen to cook in every day, she might never leave it. But she didn’t. What she had was a small corner one and it was plenty for her and Allie. Mark’s kitchen reminded her of her childhood when she’d stood beside Elsie Mae, their cook, and helped prepared meals.
It was time to get busy. She planned to make the most of Mark’s kitchen while she had it. Shaking off the nostalgia, Laura Jo pulled the bread flour and eggs out of the bag she’d brought. Over the next twenty minutes she prepared the dough and set it aside to rise.
Going to one of the living-room windows, she looked out. Allie was running with Gus as Mark threw a ball. Laura Jo laughed. Gus showed no interest in going after the ball. Seconds later Mark opened his arms wide and Allie ran into them. He lifted her over his head. Laura Jo could hear her daughter’s giggles from where she stood. Her chest tightened.
Allie wrapped her arms around Mark’s neck as he brought her back down. They both had huge smiles on their faces. Laura Jo swallowed the lump in her throat. The man had obviously won her daughter over and Laura Jo was worried he was fast doing the same with her.
She pulled open the door and walked out to join them. Allie and Mark were so absorbed in playing that they didn’t see her until she had almost reached them. Seeing Allie with Mark brought home how much Allie needed a male figure in her life. Had she done Allie a disservice by not looking for a husband or keeping her away from her grandfather? Had she been so wrapped up in surviving and trying to take care of other mothers that she’d neglected Allie’s needs?
“Is something wrong?” Mark asked.
“No, everything is fine.”
“You had a funny look on your face. Was there a problem in the kitchen?”
“No, I found what I needed. Now I have to wait for the dough to rise before I do anything more.”
“Then why don’t we walk down to the dock?” Mark suggested.
“Okay.”
“Come on, Allie,” Mark called.
“So, do you boat or water-ski?” Laura Jo asked.
Mark stopped and looked at her. “You know, I like you being interested in me.”
“Please, don’t make more of a friendly question than there is. I was just trying to make conversation. You live on the water, were raised on the water so I just thought…”
“Yes, I have a small sailboat and the family also has a ski boat.”
She and Mark walked to the end of the pier and took a seat in the Adirondack chairs stationed there.
“How about you?” he asked.
“I don’t sail but I do love to ski.” She watched the small waves coming in as the wind picked up.
“Maybe you and Allie can come and spend the day on the water with me when it gets warmer.”
Allie ran past them to the edge of the pier.
“Be careful,” Mark called. “The water is cold. I don’t want you to fall in.”
“You sure do sound like a parent.”
Mark took on a stricken look that soon turned thoughtful. “I did, didn’t I?”
“I
don’t know why you should act so surprised. You’re great with kids.”
A few minutes went by before he asked, “I know who your parents are but I can’t remember if you have any brothers or sisters.”
“Only child.” Laura Jo wasn’t pleased he’d turned the conversation to her and even less so to her parents. She didn’t want to talk about them. The people who had been more interested in their social events than spending time with her. Who hadn’t understood the teen who’d believed so strongly in helping the less fortunate. Who had always made her feel like she didn’t quite measure up.
“Really? That wouldn’t have been my guess.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re so strong and self-sufficient. You don’t seem spoiled to me.”
“You do have a stereotypical view of an only child.”
He shrugged. “You could be right.”
Laura Jo kept an eye on Allie, who had left the pier and was now playing along the edge of the water as Gus lumbered along nearby.
“So tell me about growing up as a Clayborn with a big silver spoon in your mouth.”
“I had no silver spoon that I can remember.”
She gave him a sideways look. “I remember enough to know you were the golden boy.”
“Well, I do have blond locks.” Mark ran his hand through his hair with an attitude.
“And an ego.”
They watched the water for a while before she stood and called to Allie, “Do you want to help braid the dough?”
“I want to do the colors,” Allie said.
“Okay, I’ll save that job for you.”
Laura Jo headed back along the pier and Mark followed a number of paces behind her. As she stepped on the lawn her phone rang. Fishing it out of her jeans pocket, she saw it was Marsha calling and answered.
“Hey, I’ve just been given tickets to see that new kids’ movie. Jeremy wants Allie to go with him. Would you mind if I come and get her?”
