Just One Kiss by Carla Cassidy Page A

back into this house.”
    For an instant, Jack was astonished by her words, then he remembered that on the morning he’d fired Maria she had been going out when Marissa had been coming in.
    â€œWait…I’m getting a vision of my own,” Jack replied. “I see a bingo-losing, nosy housekeeper groveling to her former employer to get her job back.”
    â€œHa, I guess that proves we’re both fakes.”
    â€œSo, are you coming back to work for me?”
    Maria’s gray eyebrows danced up on her forehead. “You are giving me a raise?”
    â€œNope. Not this time. I already pay you twice what the going rate is for housecleaning.”
    â€œBut I’m worth every penny.”
    Jack laughed, wondering how he’d managed to surround himself with mouthy women. First Maria, then Marissa. Both women were stubborn, opinionated and filled with faith. Maria just knew that any day she was going to win the Lotto or win big at bingo. Her faith in big winnings was as devout as Marissa’s was in finding Mr. Right.
    â€œI don’t grovel,” Maria said indignantly. “But if you want, I could work for you right now. My supplies are in the car.” She rose from the sofa.
    â€œThat’ll work,” Jack agreed. “I’m going to packup a few things in Bobby’s room, so make sure you dust and vacuum in there.”
    Maria looked at him in surprise. That room was usually off-limits to everyone, including her. “Okay, then I’ll be right back.”
    Jack remained seated as Maria let herself out the door. He’d vaguely surprised himself with his statement about packing up things in Bobby’s room. But he realized now the idea had been floating around in the back of his head for most of the morning.
    He pulled himself to his feet and went to Bobby’s bedroom. He saw the toys that would never be played with, the clothing that would now be too small to wear.
    There was really no reason to hang on to the stuff. Jack knew that on Bobby’s birth date he would go out and buy something appropriate for an eight-year-old. He would continue to add to the collection, but there was really no reason to hang on to the stuff Bobby would have already outgrown.
    Might as well give it to somebody who could put it to use, he thought. He picked up a small blue sweater with a denim collar and pockets. It was just about the right size for the terminator. A smile curved his mouth as he thought of Nathaniel.
    He wasn’t sure when it had happened, but somehow the kid had gotten under his skin. There was little in the blue-eyed, blond boy to remind him of Bobby, so Jack knew his growing affection for Nathaniel had nothing to do with transference of affections from his own son to a child like his son.
    Nathaniel was simply Nathaniel. He placed the sweater back on the toddler bed, then went to the closet to look for an empty box.
    When he finished boxing up the items, he’d call Marissa and tell her to come and get them.
    He steadfastly refused to acknowledge how his heart leapt with the idea of seeing her one last time.

Chapter Seven
    M arissa awakened with the dawn. With Nathaniel still sleeping in the crib, she quietly got up and made coffee in the coffeemaker the motel provided. As she waited for the brew to finish, she washed and dressed.
    Minutes later, with a cup of coffee in hand, she peered out the window and tried to decide how to spend the day. The sun was already peeking over the horizon, promising another warm, cloudless day, but lazing on the beach held little appeal.
    She and Nathaniel had spent the whole day yesterday at the beach, playing in the sand, building castles and frolicking at the water’s edge. The fresh air and sunshine had exhausted them both and they’d come back to their room, cleaned up and gone to bed early.
    Maybe sight-seeing, she thought and took a sip of her coffee. Although the small town of Mason Bridge didn’t