What a Woman Needs (13 page)

Kelsey, of course, then had to have
her
friends over, and Mark and Tommy had to have
their
friends over, so Maggie did, too, and, well, at least obsessing about keeping the dozen and a half kids in her home separated by gender and age kept her from obsessing about Bryan all night.

At least until the phone calls started.

B
RIGHT
and early—too damn early—the next morning, Beth was fielding phone calls. She shouldn’t have been surprised, given the circus in the grocery store, but that didn’t mean she had to like it.

And after the fifteenth call, she’d had enough. She called all the sleepover kids’ parents, gave them her cell number, then unplugged the house phone.

That only escalated things. By noon, the news vans were parked on her street.

Beth called all the parents back and let them know what was about to descend upon her home and suggested they pick up their kids in front of the neighbor’s house behind her, then called her neighbor to warn her about the teens crossing her yard, rounded all the kids up, and instructed Jason and Kelsey to lead them out the back while she went to the front porch as if this were some covert operation. Her neighbor, Jillian, would keep the kids there until the coast was clear.

In theory, it would work. In reality, Beth was a mass of shaking nerves. She didn’t want to talk to these people. It was no one’s business what Bryan was doing at her house. There was no reason this should make news, and while it wasn’t the scandal that Mike’s death had been, it didn’t make it any less invasive.

She did, at least, manage to button her blouse correctly and make sure she was wearing makeup and clothing with no stains, but that didn’t make her feel any better. Microphones were shoved in her face and questions shouted at her as if this were a national emergency that everyone needed the answers to immediately.

“Does Bryan really clean or is he doing this for a movie role?”

“Is this a publicity stunt?’

“How were you chosen?”

“What do your kids think of you having a man in the house again?”

That was the question that made her freeze. The one that shut her down. And almost made her cry.

“Bryan is
not
the man in my house and even if he were, that’s none of your damn business. Can’t you people leave me alone? Leave him alone? Why does it matter what he’s doing in his time off? He’s helping out his sister and that helps me. It has nothing to do with what happened to my . . . my husband or my life and I want you to leave my kids out of this and get off my property. Now.”

She didn’t wait for the questions to stop because, of course, they didn’t. Those people were out there doing their jobs, having no real grasp of what that job was doing to her.

She closed the door behind her and leaned against it, her head thudding on the hard wood.
I won’t lose it, I won’t lose it, I won’t lose it.

She kept repeating it until her stomach settled, her breathing returned to normal, and the burning behind her eyes stopped.

Then her cell phone rang. She didn’t recognize the number, so she didn’t answer it. The call went through to voice mail but before she could listen, it rang again. Then she got a text.

Beth, it’s Bryan. Please pick up. Let me know you’re okay.

Bryan? Bryan was calling her? How’d he get her number?
Why’d
he get her number? And how did he know what was going on?

“Are you okay?” He didn’t even give her time to say hello when she answered his call.

“I am.”

“Did they leave?”

“I don’t know. I don’t want to look.”

He cursed inventively. “You should
not
have to deal with this. I told Mac I didn’t want this happening. I’m really sorry, Beth. I should have just given them a sound bite and been done with it. I should’ve realized I couldn’t get away with it. Anonymity doesn’t go with the territory. I’m really sorry.”

Beth had to shake her head to clear it. What was he apologizing for? “This isn’t your fault, Bryan. You didn’t send them here.”

“I might as well have. Anything I do these days makes the news and I should have seen this coming. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to drag you and the kids into it again. How are they?”

“The kids? They’re fine. They’re at my neighbor’s house. I got them out before the questions started.”

“And you? How are you?”

“I’m . . . fine.” She was lying. Her knees were wobbly, her stomach was still queasy, and a cold sweat was dampening the back of her neck.

“Look, I know I have no right to ask you this, but if you want to tell them I’m holding a news conference at three today at the Manley Maids’ office, that’ll get them off your case. They just want some info. I’ll give it to them.”

She sucked in a shaky breath. She didn’t know if she could face them again. Didn’t want to open the door to that pack of wolves.

“Beth? Did you hear me, honey?” His voice was so soft and low just like it’d been last night when he’d said he’d wanted to kiss her.

Oh God, what if someone had seen him kiss her and taken a picture and now
that
would be plastered all over the news along with the story that he was cleaning her house? She could just hear the headlines now about
playing
house with her. Oh God. She couldn’t do this. Not again. She couldn’t live through this circus again. Couldn’t face the stares and the looks and the pointing fingers and the questions—always with the questions as if they had the right to delve into her life, her most personal thoughts there for public edification.

“Beth, are you with me, honey?”

Through a fog of panic, she heard Bryan’s voice.

“Beth, please answer me.” There was an edge to his voice now. One she could totally relate to.

“I’m here.” Just the act of saying those words, of acknowledging him, of communicating with someone who wasn’t trying to suck out her soul, helped Beth calm down.

“Good. I’ll fix this, sweetheart. I promise. You won’t have to worry about reporters again. I promise. I’ll have Mac assign someone else to you for the rest of the month and you won’t have to deal with this or see me again.”

“No.” The word was out before she thought about it.

“What?” He sounded just as surprised as she was. “But if I’m not there, they won’t bother you.”

“You can’t run out on the kids. You can’t teach them to cower.” Even though that was what she was doing right this very minute—at least they weren’t witnessing it. “I can’t let the press dictate my life. My kids’ lives. They like you, Bryan. My kids like having you around. Do you know Jason has done something to his hair? I can see his face because of something you said. I’ve tried for two years to get through to him and I couldn’t. You can’t walk away from them now because of this.”

Okay, she was laying a lot at Bryan’s feet, but she’d do whatever she needed to for her kids. Maggie had shown him that special hug thing she’d had with Mike. Tommy and Mark were finishing each other’s sentences again. Kelsey was enjoying the prestige at school, and Jason . . . She hadn’t seen her son’s face full-on since before the funeral. She’d deal with the aftermath of Bryan leaving when his month was done, but for now, he couldn’t
not
be here. What would that teach the kids about dealing with problems? That you walk away?

“But Beth, if I’m there, it’ll only continue.”

“So you give them what they want at your press conference. You’re the story, not us. But after that, we want you to come back.”

 • • • 

B
RYAN
wanted to come back, too, but Beth didn’t have a clue what could happen. Sure,
he
was the draw, but a beautiful widow of an airline pilot with five kids and him in the house? Cleaning? The story was perfect for the tabloids
and
the legitimate press. The perfect romantic storyline with the movie star and the housewife. His agent had seen the possibility the minute he’d told him what he was going to be doing for Mac, which was why Bryan wanted to keep a low profile.
Especially
after he’d read about Mike’s death. He should have pulled out then. Should have told Mac to find someone else before the kids had gotten attached.

Attached
.

Oh hell.

They weren’t the only ones. And it was the worst and best feeling in the world. He liked her kids and he’d be lying if he said that he wasn’t the tiniest bit proud that what he’d said to Jason had caused him to not only clean up, but do something about that hair. He’d heard in Beth’s voice how happy it’d made her. That one little thing and he’d had a hand in it.

Hell, he ought to have Mac get someone else just
because
of that little hitch in Beth’s voice.

But he wouldn’t. He didn’t want anyone else in here, seeing Beth’s bedroom or Maggie’s stuffed animals or the twins’ figurine collection, or telling Kelsey she looked nice and seeing her big, beautiful beaming smile that was so like her mother’s, or helping Jason grow into a man.

Helping Jason—? Holy
hell
. When had the Hamilton family crawled beneath the armor he wore around his heart?

This was so not what he needed in his head as he went out to face the media that afternoon. He prayed his thoughts weren’t plastered all over his face.

“So, Bryan,” asked one of the reporters, “does this mean you’re backing out of
The Pause Button
?”

The romantic comedy had been generating buzz even before the script had been finalized, every actor in Hollywood vying for the leads. When he’d won the role, his agent had sent him a case of Dom. At some point he’d drink it—when the film had wrapped and he felt good about his performance.

“No, I’ll be on schedule for shooting. This cleaning gig is temporary. My sister, Mary-Alice Manley’s cleaning business, Manley Maids, is booming and she needed help. Since my brothers and I have the same reference for what constitutes a clean house—our grandmother—Mac had a ready-made crew for the new jobs.”

“You mean that you clean your own home?” asked another reporter.

“Not now, obviously. I’m never there. As a matter of fact, I’m also a Manley Maids’ customer.”

Another reporter shoved his mic in Bryan’s face as he elbowed his way through the others. “So why
this
house? Was it because of the beautiful widow?”

Bryan glared at the kid reporter. Even a few of the veterans moaned. They might smell a story, but they’d never get the real one if they pissed off their target, and it didn’t take a brain surgeon to see Bryan wasn’t happy with the question.

“I’m here to do a job for my
sister
. That’s the only play that went into any of this.” He didn’t deny that Beth was beautiful—he’d never do that, because she was—but he had to put an end to the speculation here and now. He wasn’t about to bring any more publicity to her doorstep. He’d watched the news bites from when her husband had died, had seen the panic on her face, had heard it in her voice earlier; she didn’t need that nightmare again.

He fielded a few more questions, threw in a couple of plugs for Manley Maids, mentioned the movie, and prayed that the scandal that’d been brewing had resolved itself.

Luckily, he’d had the forethought to wear the hideous uniform and agreed to pose for pictures afterward. Mac couldn’t get better publicity than that. Give them what they wanted and hopefully they’d leave Beth and the kids alone.

Just like he’d volunteered to do.

But she
hadn’t
wanted him to leave. And not for herself, but for her kids. He would’ve argued with her, but when she’d brought it up as being in the best interests of her children, he couldn’t. What kind of man would he be if he left at the first sign she needed help?

Not the kind of man he prided himself on being.

M
OM
is going to be so mad at you, Mags.”

“No she’s not. I’m making this for Bryan. Mommy likes Bryan.”

Bryan was about to walk into Beth’s kitchen when Maggie’s words stopped him. What was Maggie making? Why would Beth be mad? And just how much
did
Beth like him that
Maggie
had picked up on it?

And why did it matter? As that reporter had reminded him yesterday, filming was due to start in three weeks and he had to be there. This little sojourn into suburbia was only temporary.

“Well duh, Mom likes him. Every woman likes him.” Kelsey sounded much older than twelve.

“Like you, Kels?”

Bryan could picture Maggie sticking her tongue out at her sister, and it made him smile. How well he remembered teasing his brothers.

“Don’t be a dork. I’m too young to like him.”

“Then why do you act all silly when he’s around?”

Bryan wanted to sigh. He’d been dealing with teenage girl crushes his whole life, but he’d never been more bothered by one than he was at this moment. Kelsey couldn’t have a crush on him. He didn’t want to hurt her. Especially since
his
crush was definitely on her mother.

“I don’t act silly. At least I don’t go making some stupid collage thing that’s got glue all over the table that he’s never going to hang up anywhere anyway.”

“He will, too. Bryan likes me. He’ll ’ppreciate the picture.”

He certainly would. Right after he got over choking on the emotion clogging his throat. He’d hang whatever it was on the door to his dressing room on every set he would ever be on.

“Mom’s not going to appreciate the glue, Mags. You’re gonna get in trouble.”

“Am not.”

“Are too.”

“Am not.”

This was where he had to step in. It was one thing for the boys to disagree; as twins they had a bond that would be stronger than the damage their words could inflict, but the seven years separating Kelsey and Maggie would take a lot longer to heal and Bryan didn’t want to be the reason for discord between the sisters.

“Hey, girls.” Bryan tilted the brim of his cap at them and got the giggles he’d hoped for from Maggie. He got the sigh and shy smile from Kelsey he’d been hoping
not
to get.

“Whatcha doing, Maggie?”

Kelsey was right. There was enough glitter glue on the table to decorate Rodeo Drive. In pink.

He hid his smile. He’d take a ton of ribbing on set when he hung whatever it was up, but he didn’t care.

“I’m making you a picture, Bryan. To remember us by.”

Now his throat did close up. Then he looked at the picture and it threatened to choke him. There were the five kids—Jason with the new hairstyle—with a beaming Beth behind them, her arms outstretched over the five of them.

The symbolism was rife in that drawing and it was all Bryan could do to talk. “That’s a great picture, Maggie. I’ll be honored to have it.”

Kelsey sighed.

“But Kelsey’s right. We need to get this cleaned up before the glue dries on the table.” He had a feeling it was too late. He picked up a glitter glue stick and read the fine print. At least it was water soluble. “Kelsey, could you fill a bucket with warm water?” It’d give her something constructive to do and snap her out of the teenybopper phase she was reveling in at the moment.

“Sure, Bryan. Anything else?”

He bit his lip at the hero worship in her eyes. “If you can find a sponge with a scrubber thing on the back, that’ll help.”

“I think we have some in the pantry.”

“Great. Thanks.” He looked at Maggie. “Come on, Maggie. Let’s get this cleaned up before it dries. You want to be able to use it again.”

“Mommy says you’re going on location. What’s that mean?”

“It means I’m going to go to the place where we’re filming the movie.”

“I thought movies got made in Hollywood?”

“Not all. Sometimes it’s easier and less expensive to go to a location, like the seashore or the mountains or a city than to build it in Hollywood.”

“Do you have telephones there?”

“Sure. It’ll be as if we were filming here in town.”

“With all the people and all the cameras just like when Daddy died?”

He sucked in a breath. He’d heard the panic in Beth’s voice at the cameras, so he hadn’t expected Maggie to be so nonchalant about it, but then, she’d only been three. Maybe it hadn’t made as big an impression.

“I told your mom I was sorry about that. I didn’t think people would care that I was here.”

Maggie shrugged. “Well,
I’m
glad you’re here. You make me and Mommy smile. But Kelsey . . . she’s just acting weird. Maybe you could get her to stop being weird.”

“Maggie!” Kelsey banged the bucket on the counter, sloshing water over the side, and sent a stricken look at Bryan right before she ran out of the kitchen. “I hate you!”

“Stay here, Maggie, and start cleaning up. I’ll be right back.” He had to nip this in the bud before Kelsey let it grow to gargantuan proportions.

Of
course
she’d run to her room. Great.

Bryan heard her crying on the other side of her door and took a deep breath before knocking.

“Go away, runt.”

“It’s me, Kelsey.”

There was silence. Then a sniffle. Then a hiccup. Feet dragging across the floor, then the lock turning.

A distraught face appeared in the crack in her door. “Maggie doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”

“Can we talk, Kelsey?”

She closed her eyes, then swung the door open. “I guess.”

“Let’s go sit on the porch.”

She nibbled her lip and preceded him down the stairs and out to the wooden rockers, hanging her head so her hair covered her face.

“About what Maggie said—”

“She’s a dork.”

“She’s your sister and little sisters like to tease. Trust me, I know. I’ve got one.”

There was the hint of a smile.

“I don’t think you’re acting weird. What you’re feeling is normal for a girl your age. And I’m flattered. But I’m too old for you.”

Her face was blazing, but she was definitely Beth’s daughter, facing him down with the same grit. “Yeah, I know. Plus, all the moms like you.”

He refrained from pointing out that the moms
were
his age.

“So do you like my mom?”

He hadn’t seen that one coming. “Uh, well, yeah. Your mom’s a nice woman. And with what she’s been through, with what you’ve all been through, your mom’s a special lady.”

“Yeah, but do you
like
like
her?”

How had this conversation veered down the path he hadn’t wanted it to go? He’d thought approaching Kelsey’s feelings would be the delicate part . . . “I like your mom a lot, Kelsey. But I’m not going to be here long. I have a movie coming up in a few weeks and I’ll be gone for months. Then there will be more. My career takes me all over the world. I can’t be here. And your mom deserves someone who’ll be around. Who’ll be there for her.”

“Oh.”

And he better remember this. Because for a while there in the kitchen with Maggie, and the other night in the gazebo, he’d let his mind wander. Imagine. Pretend.

His
professional
life was all pretend; he didn’t need that in his
real
life. And the reality was, no matter how much he was attracted to her, no matter how much he was enjoying being with her and her family, Beth was a reality he couldn’t have.

 • • • 

B
ETH
stepped away from the front door. She shouldn’t be listening in, but when she’d seen the two of them head out there, she’d been about to ask what was going on until Kelsey’s body language had kept her back. And then she’d heard what Bryan had said. He’d dealt with Kelsey’s crush beautifully.

And what he’d said about her . . .

He was right. Every word was right—he was going away. He couldn’t stay here and she had to remember that.

But he liked her. She was “a special lady.” A tingle had run through her when he’d said that. A tingle she hadn’t felt in years—until the night in the gazebo.

Bryan was leaving. He wasn’t hanging around. Tingles didn’t matter when it came to that. Her kids needed stability and so did she. Bryan’s lifestyle wasn’t good for any of them.