Loving Miss Libby (11 page)

He turned to answer her and apparently slipped on a
rock.  As Libby had done earlier, he was unable to stay upright.  He
instinctively reached for something to grab hold of and caught Libby’s arm. 
His grasp was unexpected and she tumbled into the water along with him.  They
both went under water and came up gasping, but to Libby’s surprise, she was
wrapped in Dan’s arms.

The kids stood nearby, laughing and pointing at the
soaked adults. 

Dan seemed to register he was holding Libby and
released her.  He struggled to stand.  The slippery rocks were unforgiving and
he was unable to gain purchase.  It was Libby who managed to stand first and
she extended a hand to him, biting back a chuckle at the same time.

“It’s not funny,” he said, mock testily, and when he
grasped her outstretched hand, he gave a slight tug and she tumbled into the
water, practically landing on top of him.

The kids howled with laughter. 

“Daddy pulled Miss Libby into the water!” Marky
cried, and danced around delightedly.  Unfortunately, he too slipped.  He
reached blindly for something and managed to grab Kate’s arm.  She lost her
balance and fell into the water after him.

The foursome was now in the icy cold water, limbs
tangled, and all struggling to stand upright.  “Stop!” Libby cried, biting back
laughter.  “One at a time…”

She stood first, extending a hand to Dan—accompanied
by a warning glance—and he obediently took her hand without any further
horseplay.  He managed to regain his footing and helped each of the kids to
stand up.

“Dad pulled Miss Libby into the water,” Marky
giggled.

“And he’d better not do it again,” Libby said
sternly.

“He won’t,” Dan said, biting back a chuckle.

The group gathered on the bank and Dan passed out
towels.  “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m going to get dressed.  I’m
freezing.”

Libby nodded.  “I think I will too.”

The kids glanced at one another and nodded.  “Are we
going to eat soon?” Marky asked.

Dan ruffled his damp hair.  “You son, are a
bottomless pit.  Didn’t you eat a bag of almonds on the way up here?”

He gave a shrug.  “I’m a growing boy.”

Libby laughed and Kate said, “I’m hungry too. Dad.”

“Well, all right then.  Let’s get into some warm
clothes and then we’ll roast some hot dogs.”  He clapped his hands together. 
“Hurry up!”

The kids charged ahead.  They scaled the wooden
stairs and reached the cabin’s porch.  They burst inside.

Dan glanced around, spotted the swim mask a few feet
away, and retrieved it.  His eyes did a final pass, and he sought Libby’s
eyes.  He suddenly looked sheepish.  “Sorry for pulling you in,” he said.

She smiled.  “I lived.”

To her surprise, he draped an arm around her and
walked with her up the stairs and to the cabin.  Despite the fact that they
were soaking wet, she felt his warmth and had to resist the urge to ply herself
against him.  She almost chuckled at the imagery.  No doubt he would misread
her intention, mistaking her attempt to warm herself as a romantic gesture.

She caught sight of him out of the corner of her
eye.  Who was she kidding?  She felt an urge to be close to him.  There was no
denying she was attracted to him.  He was a handsome man, but he was also
decent and kind, and a wonderful father.  His fine qualities seemed endless.

She suddenly remembered seeing a car leaving his
house early one morning.  Had Cherise been the driver of that car?  The mere
thought was enough to squelch any romantic ideas about her handsome neighbor.

She was being ridiculous even contemplating a
relationship with Dan.  Her role in the family was that of babysitter.  Dan was
grateful to her for helping him with the kids and probably regarded her as a
friend.  And that was great.  Good enough.  One couldn’t have too many friends.

When they reached the cabin, she stepped inside,
smiled awkwardly his way, and disappeared into a room where she’d left her
clothes earlier.  She hurriedly dressed in the shorts and top, but still felt
chilled to the bone.  She was rubbing her arms briskly as she stepped out of
the room.

Dan spotted her and she read the concern in his
eyes.  He retrieved a jacket from the small coat closet beside the front door
and passed it to her.  “We can’t have you catching a cold,” he said.

She smiled her thanks, warmed by his concern.  But
then, she was his childrens’ babysitter, and he’d be in a real bind if she
became ill.  That was the extent of his concern.  Self-preservation, really.

Dan glanced around, spotted the kids, and announced
it was time to fire up the grill.

“Aren’t we going to roast the hot dogs over the
fire?  In the fire pit?” Marky asked.

“Son, I think we’ll use the grill, since it’s so
much work hauling all the food down to the lake bank.”  When he saw Marky
looked disappointed, he smiled.  “How ‘bout we roast marshmallows down by the
lake after supper.  How do smores sound to you?”

“Great,” the little boy cried, clearly placated.

“Who wants to get the hog dogs out of the cooler?”
Dan asked.

Kate hurried to retrieve the package and carried
them to her father.  “Thanks, Sweetie,” he said, and then set them aside as he
turned on the gas grill.  He allowed it to heat up, and then adjusted the flame
before arranging the hot dogs on the grill.

“What can I do to help?” Libby asked.

Dan smiled.  “Take a seat on the porch and put your
feet up.  You’ve earned a break.”

She looked uneasy, and he noticed.

“Really, take a break.  We’ve brought along potato
salad, chips, and assorted condiments, paper plates and plastic cups and
utensils.  We’ve made it easy.”  She still hesitated and he smiled, shaking his
head ruefully. 

“Miss Libby, will you help me open the plates?”
Marky asked.

“I’ll be right there,” she said, grateful for
something to do.  It wasn’t like her to sit back and allow others to do the
work.  It wasn’t her nature.  She appreciated Dan suggesting she take it easy,
but she just wouldn’t feel right lazing in a chair, while everyone else
contributed to getting supper on the table.

Libby took the package of paper plates and opened
it.  She pulled out four and passed them to Marky.  She pulled out another one
and carried it to Dan for the hot dogs.  She turned and noted Marky was
uncertain what to do with the plates.

“Honey, give me a minute to wipe down the table, and
then you can set it for us.”

“Okay,” he said obligingly.

Libby hurriedly retrieved a rag and wiped down the
small table on the porch.  “Okay, Marky,” she said, and he trotted over and put
each plate on the table.  Libby left him briefly to retrieve cups and a bottle
of sweet tea from the cooler.

“I’ll get the potato salad and the chips,” Kate
called out.

“Don’t forget a big spoon and napkins,” Marky said.

“Good job, you two,” Libby enthused, proud of the
children for pitching in so seamlessly.

Dan, who was removing the hot dogs from the grill,
smiled.  Libby could see he was proud of the children too. 

Soon they were seated on chairs around the small
table.  “The food looks good,” Marky declared, eager to dig in.

“Grace first,” Dan said.

The children reached out to link hands and Libby
found herself holding Kate’s and Dan’s hands.  She gave Kate’s little hand a
squeeze, and tried not to think about how warm and strong Dan’s hand felt
enveloping her own.  She glanced around the table.  The little ones dropped
their faces.  Dan smiled, turned toward her briefly, and then bowed to pray.

It was a short prayer, thanking God for their many
blessings, and asking Him to bless their meal, but it warmed Libby’s heart. 
Dan was obviously a Christian who retained a strong faith in God.

Libby’s former boyfriend had proclaimed to be a
Christian, but he hadn’t behaved like one.  When she had learned of his
infidelity, he had cited a litany of reasons for it, and the fault, according
to him, had been hers.  “If only she had done…  If only she hadn’t done…”  His
placing blame with her for his actions had put her in a tail spin, and she was
embarrassed now realizing she had almost bought into his accusations.

Seeing Dan with his children, his loving ways, his
kindness to her…  He was a man living Christian principles.

As the thought entered her mind, however, Cherise’s
name popped into her head, as well as the memory of that car leaving his house
during the early morning hour. 

Were he and his former girlfriend still involved?

As if on cue, Dan’s cell phone trilled in his shirt
pocket.  He pulled it out and glanced at the screen.  “I have to take this,” he
said, and rose from the table. 

Libby stood up to help the children prepare their
plates.  Dan was now standing at the other end of the porch, his phone pressed
to his ear, listening.  Finally, he said, “I’m sorry I’m not there.  I know you
need me.”

“Who was that, Daddy?” Marky asked, as he returned
to the table.

“Ah, it was Cherise,” he said with a sigh, and
stuffed his phone back into his pocket. 

“Do we have to leave, Dad?” Kate asked, bracing for
his answer.

He searched her face.  “Not this time,” he said, and
she grinned happily.

“Yay!” Marky cried.

Libby got the distinct impression that when Cherise
called, Dan answered, and she suspected it meant packing up whatever he was
doing with his children, in order to go to her. 

Libby found herself revising her opinion of him. 
She abruptly scolded herself, since she knew she wasn’t privy to the whole
picture, but there was no denying that Cherise was still a fixture in the
family’s life and still held some sway over Dan.

She made a decision to withhold judgment, since it
wasn’t her place to judge him.  She was his childrens’ babysitter.  She wasn’t
a prospective girlfriend or wife.  It was inappropriate for her to speculate
about him or his life—and certainly not his relationship status.

When Dan dropped into the chair beside her and
smiled warmly, she smiled in return, but quickly turned away to help Marky put
mustard on his hotdog.  She was here for Marky and Kate.  Not to make eyes at
her employer.

“How’s
the babysitting going?” Libby’s mother asked her, during a phone conversation. 
A week had passed since she’d accompanied Dan and the kids to the lake.

“Fine,” she said crisply.  “The kids are adorable.”

“And the father?”

“What … about him?”

“I understand he’s adorable too.”

“Mom!”

She chuckled.  “Annie told me.  She apparently
spotted you all when you went out for ice cream.”  Annie was a friend of her
mother’s.

Libby remembered that outing.  “Dan invited me to
join him and the kids for burgers and we had ice cream after.  It was no big
deal.”

“Honey, you sound glum.  Is everything all right?”

“Yes,” she said, attempting to perk up.  “I guess
I’m just feeling tired.”

“Taking care of children is a tough job.”

“Yes, but they are great kids,” she said.  “I love
them.”

“And their father…?”

“Mom!” 

“Well?”

Libby refused to answer.  She was mortified to admit
it, but yes, she had feelings for him. 

“I’ll take your silence as confirmation,” her mother
teased. 

Libby paused for a moment, and finally said, “I’d be
lying if I said I wasn’t attracted to him.  He’s a wonderful father and seems
like a terrific Christian man, but…”

“What is it?”

“I guess he broke up with a former girlfriend, but
it’s apparent he still has feelings for her.  He’s constantly on the phone with
her and she still stops by the house on occasion.”

“Have you met her?”

“No, I haven’t.”  She gave a self-deprecating. 
“Mom, it doesn’t matter.  I’m the babysitter.  Dan doesn’t see me as a
potential love interest, and the truth is, I’m not looking for a relationship. 
After what Tate put me through, I’m just not ready to give my heart away.”

“I understand.  How much longer will you be
babysitting?  Aren’t you nearly done?”

She sighed.  “Well, Doctor Mason isn’t coming back
to work until the end of summer.  His wife called me yesterday and told me.  He
really does deserve a break.  I can’t even recall him ever taking a real
vacation.”

“He provides the bulk of your work, right?”

“That’s right.  Right now, I’m earning less than
half of what I had been when Doctor Mason was still working.  The other two
doctors are doing their best to keep me afloat, but it’s not enough.  I need
the money from babysitting to make ends meet.”