LITMIR.BIZ

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Ava to read one of your new books to you?” Will asked when they finished the board game.

      Without looking at Ava, Caroline nodded. The three of them sat on a sofa with Caroline between them while Ava read and let Caroline turn the pages.

      Giving her a pleasant surprise, Ava realized Caroline was reading with her enough to know when to turn a page without being told. She looked at the child’s tiny hands, so dainty and frail. Caroline smelled sweet, something that held a hint of apples, and her hair was shiny. Ava could see why Will loved her so much and was doing what he could for her.

      By the time Ava finished both books, dinner was served by Will’s chef, who then disappeared back into the kitchen.

      After dinner they played more games with Caroline and then walked outside to sit near the pool.

      “Will, this is grand,” she said, looking at a covered area with an outdoor stainless-steel kitchen and a patio with upholstered furniture. “You have another kitchen and living room out here. This is incredible.”

      “It’s comfortable like the rest of the house,” he said. They talked while Caroline sat at a desk to paint and draw pictures. When she finished, Will praised each picture. Rosalyn arrived to get Caroline ready for bed and the two left.

      “She’s precious, Will. I can see why you worry so about her.”

      “She’s shut away in her own world where I can’t get through to her. No one can.”

      “Why don’t you leave her in my care tomorrow?” Ava suggested. “I’ve never dealt with a child in this situation before, but I need to get to know her before I talk to the likely tutors.”

      “Fine. If you’re ready for that. If you want just half a day, let me know. If at any point it isn’t going well, Rosalyn will be here, so summon her.”

      “You can give Rosalyn the day off and let me take care of Caroline. We’ll be fine.”

      “I’m sure you will, but you’re unaccustomed to that kind of responsibility and a child can wear you down.”

      She smiled. “I don’t think Caroline will.”

      He stood. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go see Caroline. If I’m home, I always read to her before she goes to bed for the night.”

      “Of course.”

      He left and Ava turned to watch him walk away. He’d been telling her the truth about his devotion to Caroline—when he was home he read to her at night. Another plus in Ava’s view of him.

      Taking the stairs two at a time, Will hurried to Caroline’s room. Rosalyn was brushing Caroline’s long black hair. His heart felt squeezed that he was here when it should be his brother Adam with her.

      “Rosalyn, I’ll read to her and I’ll call you when I’m ready to go back downstairs.”

      “Yes, sir,” Rosalyn said, looking at Caroline in the mirror. “How pretty you look, Caroline. Here’s Uncle Will.”

      As Rosalyn left the room, Caroline turned to look at him. He wondered if anyone would ever be able to reach her, and if he would ever stop hurting over the tragedy in her life. “You do look so pretty, Caroline.” He picked her up. “I’ll read to you. You find the book you want, okay?”

      She looked at the bookcase as he approached it and set her on her feet. She smelled sweet, fresh and clean, a faint lilac scent left from soap. Her pink pajamas covered in kittens were soft. She touched a book and he pulled it out.

      “Ah, good choice,” he said, picking her up again and holding the book. He carried her to the rocker to sit with her on his lap.

      “Caroline, my friend Miss Ava would like to spend the day with you tomorrow. I’ll be home, but I’ll be in my office some of the time. Will this be all right with you?”

      She gazed at him solemnly and nodded.

      “Good. She wants to help you with your reading and she’s trying to find a reading tutor for you.”

      As Caroline focused her big brown eyes on him, he marveled at the length and thickness of her lashes.

      “Caroline, Miss Ava has sad moments sometimes because she has lost someone she loved just as you have. She was married, but her husband is no longer alive and there are times this makes her sad.”

      Caroline gazed at him wide-eyed and solemn. How much did she understand? Did she feel any sympathy or a bond with Ava?

      “Now let’s look at this book you picked about the brave puppy and the rescued kitten.”

      He held Caroline, rocking her as he read to her, his mind wandering to Ava and back to Caroline. Halfway through the book Caroline’s breathing deepened. He continued reading a few more pages until he saw her dark lashes on her cheeks. He carried the sleeping child to bed and covered her lightly, brushing a kiss on her cheek and standing over her.

      “Adam, I’m sorry,” he whispered, hurting and feeling helpless, something he was unaccustomed to in his life.

      Ava looked around to see Will walk up and pull a chair close to hers.

      “Sorry to leave you so long. Caroline is asleep now and Rosalyn is with her.”

      “How many nannies has she had?

      “Actually, Rosalyn is the only nanny we’ve had. She was her nanny when Adam was alive. Rosalyn had fifteen years’ experience, plus her own kids and grandkids. She had great references.”

      “I’m surprised she didn’t become a substitute mother to Caroline, someone your niece would relate to emotionally.”

      “Rosalyn has tried—sometimes I think too hard. She comes on too strong and it makes Caroline withdraw. Rosalyn means well and loves Caroline. She’s very good to her. I told her your plan to stay with Caroline tomorrow, and I’ll be home, so I gave her the day off. Still want to do that?”

      “Yes, I do. I’d like to get to know her. I don’t expect to need you,” she said, smiling at him.

      “I know, but just in case.”

      “We’ll be fine, and I appreciate your concern. It’s only a day, perhaps two at the most.” She gazed into his dark eyes and could tell he was assessing her, trying to decide whether she could take care of Caroline or not. “By the way, you were right about her ability to read. The two books I read to her today are both beginner reading level and I know she can read them. I realized after a few pages she knew when to turn the page without being told, so she had to be reading along with me. Then I began to do things to make certain, like pausing on the last line and looking at the picture. Little things, but she had to be reading with me to know, because otherwise she would turn before I indicated I was through.”

      “That’s a plus, but not too great if she won’t participate at school.”

      “Let’s see what happens this summer. Time helps some on loss.”

      He focused on her again. “Sorry about yours. I told Caroline. As always, I got no reaction from her except a stare, but she knows about your husband.”

      “I don’t know if she’ll bond, but I feel a tie of sorts with her. As for my coping, I keep busy and am involved with children and coworkers, so I don’t think about it as much.”

      “Maybe you need to get out and socialize more,” he said.

      She smiled. “I socialize plenty. And I know you do. If there’s someone in your life and you want to see her tomorrow evening, go right ahead.”

      His eyes twinkled. “Don’t try to get rid of me. There’s no one in my life and the only woman I’m interested in seeing tomorrow night is you. Aside from Caroline, I have a life. Go to dinner with me Friday night and I’ll show you.”

      Her heart skipped a beat. For the first time since Ethan’s loss,

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