think it’s a big dog!” another little boy exclaimed, standing to spread his arms as far as he could. All the children began to speculate and the noise level rose in the room.
Molly suggested Sara rip off the brightly colored paper and reveal the gift before the guessing got out of hand. In no time, Sara had done so. Suddenly the room got quiet.
“A dollhouse, Mommy!” Sara whispered, excitement in her voice. “It’s a dollhouse!” Suddenly she looked up from the box, seeking the giver.
Molly watched, her heart in her throat when Sara found Quinn, watching the proceedings from the table. She flew across the room and threw herself at him, her little arms folding around his neck. “Thank you,” she exclaimed, her lips placing several kisses on his cheek.
“I’m glad you like it, sweetheart,” Quinn assured her, hugging her back.
Q UINN WAS HAPPY his present had been a success, though Sara’s enthusiasm had dimmed slightly when she realized she couldn’t open the box and take it out. The dollhouse was in pieces, waiting for someone to put it together.
Which explained why he was standing in the kitchen waiting for everyone else to leave. Pam had offered to take Martha home, for which he was grateful.
“Thanks for all your help, Pam,” Molly was saying. “And, Martha, we’re so glad you came.”
“I wouldn’t have missed it,” Martha said.
Molly escorted the two of them to Pam’s van, along with five of the children.
Quinn was pretty sure Molly had forgotten he was still there when she came back into the house, a tired look on her face. After feeding the children, serving cake and ice cream, supervising the unwrapping of presents, she had led the children in games.
Sara stood beside Quinn. “Wasn’t that the bestest party ever?”
“It certainly was. And you were a very good hostess, little Sara.”
“Mommy ’splained about being a hostess.” Sara leaned against his leg. The sugar appeared to be wearing off and Sara looked tired.
Molly came back in. “Oh! I hadn’t realized—Sara, did you thank Mr. Spencer for coming to your party?”
“Yes, Mommy, and for my bestest present, too. When can you put it together?”
Quinn smiled wryly at Molly’s effort to remain enthusiastic about his gift. He knew she had a busy schedule between now and Sunday.
“I’m not sure, sweetie, but I’ll do it as soon as I can,” she promised.
“I have a better idea,” Quinn said, watching Molly.
“What?” Sara asked, lifting her face to him.
He bent over and scooped her up in his arms. “How about you go lie down and take a—” he remembered just in time to use the right word “—a rest, and I’ll work on the dollhouse. Maybe when you get up, I’ll have it all put together.”
“Couldn’t I help you?” Sara asked, her arms around his neck.
Quinn swallowed, realizing how hard it was to remain firm when those big blue eyes were pleading with him. “Uh, I think Mommy wants you to have a rest.”
“Quinn—I mean, Mr. Spencer is right, Sara. You’ve had a big afternoon. You need some quiet time.” Molly crossed the room and took Sara from him. “And I suspect Mr. Spencer would like some quiet time, too. We’ll get your dollhouse put togetheranother day. You have lots of toys to play with until I do.”
“But, Mommy—”
“Sara.”
That one quiet word had Sara capitulating. “Okay,” she whispered, and put her head on Molly’s shoulder.
As she walked toward the kitchen door, Molly said, “If you need to leave, feel free to go. I appreciate all the help you gave me.” With a small smile, she disappeared from sight, along with Sara.
Quinn surveyed the kitchen. Molly had kept up with the cleaning as the party progressed. Everything was almost shipshape. In fact, it was hard to tell a party had taken place. He could leave, knowing Molly would be able to rest.
But he wasn’t leaving.
He took out two more paper plates and cut two pieces of Sara’s cake. Then he added
Molly suggested Sara rip off the brightly colored paper and reveal the gift before the guessing got out of hand. In no time, Sara had done so. Suddenly the room got quiet.
“A dollhouse, Mommy!” Sara whispered, excitement in her voice. “It’s a dollhouse!” Suddenly she looked up from the box, seeking the giver.
Molly watched, her heart in her throat when Sara found Quinn, watching the proceedings from the table. She flew across the room and threw herself at him, her little arms folding around his neck. “Thank you,” she exclaimed, her lips placing several kisses on his cheek.
“I’m glad you like it, sweetheart,” Quinn assured her, hugging her back.
Q UINN WAS HAPPY his present had been a success, though Sara’s enthusiasm had dimmed slightly when she realized she couldn’t open the box and take it out. The dollhouse was in pieces, waiting for someone to put it together.
Which explained why he was standing in the kitchen waiting for everyone else to leave. Pam had offered to take Martha home, for which he was grateful.
“Thanks for all your help, Pam,” Molly was saying. “And, Martha, we’re so glad you came.”
“I wouldn’t have missed it,” Martha said.
Molly escorted the two of them to Pam’s van, along with five of the children.
Quinn was pretty sure Molly had forgotten he was still there when she came back into the house, a tired look on her face. After feeding the children, serving cake and ice cream, supervising the unwrapping of presents, she had led the children in games.
Sara stood beside Quinn. “Wasn’t that the bestest party ever?”
“It certainly was. And you were a very good hostess, little Sara.”
“Mommy ’splained about being a hostess.” Sara leaned against his leg. The sugar appeared to be wearing off and Sara looked tired.
Molly came back in. “Oh! I hadn’t realized—Sara, did you thank Mr. Spencer for coming to your party?”
“Yes, Mommy, and for my bestest present, too. When can you put it together?”
Quinn smiled wryly at Molly’s effort to remain enthusiastic about his gift. He knew she had a busy schedule between now and Sunday.
“I’m not sure, sweetie, but I’ll do it as soon as I can,” she promised.
“I have a better idea,” Quinn said, watching Molly.
“What?” Sara asked, lifting her face to him.
He bent over and scooped her up in his arms. “How about you go lie down and take a—” he remembered just in time to use the right word “—a rest, and I’ll work on the dollhouse. Maybe when you get up, I’ll have it all put together.”
“Couldn’t I help you?” Sara asked, her arms around his neck.
Quinn swallowed, realizing how hard it was to remain firm when those big blue eyes were pleading with him. “Uh, I think Mommy wants you to have a rest.”
“Quinn—I mean, Mr. Spencer is right, Sara. You’ve had a big afternoon. You need some quiet time.” Molly crossed the room and took Sara from him. “And I suspect Mr. Spencer would like some quiet time, too. We’ll get your dollhouse put togetheranother day. You have lots of toys to play with until I do.”
“But, Mommy—”
“Sara.”
That one quiet word had Sara capitulating. “Okay,” she whispered, and put her head on Molly’s shoulder.
As she walked toward the kitchen door, Molly said, “If you need to leave, feel free to go. I appreciate all the help you gave me.” With a small smile, she disappeared from sight, along with Sara.
Quinn surveyed the kitchen. Molly had kept up with the cleaning as the party progressed. Everything was almost shipshape. In fact, it was hard to tell a party had taken place. He could leave, knowing Molly would be able to rest.
But he wasn’t leaving.
He took out two more paper plates and cut two pieces of Sara’s cake. Then he added
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