Starstruck

Chapter Eighteen

She was going to die — just pull her Bug over somewhere along the banks of the Cold Creek, curl up in the front seat and wither away from absolute mortification.

But Miss Barnes already loves you, Daddy. You just have to fall in love with her.

Oh, this was the most awful moment of Ashley’s life. It was bad enough that he should find out from his daughter about the crush she used to have on him. It was far worse that she had to be sitting three feet away from him when he did!

She forced herself to concentrate on the driving until she had reached the town limits and her own little white clapboard house. Once home, she pulled into her driveway and buried her face in her hands. She felt miserable. Completely wretched. All she could think about was the soft, seductive heat of their kiss and the way she wanted to lean into him and let him hold her forever.

Tears burned behind her eyes. She used to have a crush on a one–dimensional image on the screen, gorgeous and strong and heroic. But she was very much afraid she had lost her heart to the man behind that image. Even through her absolute horror as she had listened to Kendyl’s scheme, as the girl had talked about how much she wanted a mommy — how much she had wanted Ashley for a mommy — she had wanted it, too.

She still did. She ached with it, with the possibilities he had stirred up inside her by the tender heat of that kiss. She indulged in those possibilities — okay, those impossibilities — for only a moment then she dropped her hands and squared her shoulders.

It was over. She had shared one wonderful starlit night with him and with Kendyl and that was all she would ever have. She just needed to put the whole humiliating experience behind her, forget about her teenage crush and the wonderful man she had found in real life, and figure out how to move on.

The weather turned cold and grim the next day as an icy rain blew down to soak the ground. It matched her mood perfectly, but did nothing to help lift her spirits.

As promised, Monday saw a dramatic turnaround in the Kendyl Problem. The girl reverted to the sweet, sunny child she had been the first few days of school. No more belligerence or defiance. She handed in perfect assignments, she answered more questions than anyone else in class, she sat as still as a five–year–old could possibly manage during circle time.

The only black mark Ashley could have put in the Kendyl column was that the girl apparently hadn’t given up her ridiculous matchmaking. Every day at recess, she would hover around Ashley, filling her ears with stories about her father that only made Ashley fall deeper for him. She tried her best to discourage her, but Kendyl wouldn’t be deterred.

She could only wonder what kinds of stories about her Kendyl was carrying back to Jason.

She had to admit, she was always glad to see the last of the girl when her Aunt Kasi arrived to pick her up every afternoon in a sleek Range Rover.

On Friday, though, Kendyl was the last child waiting at pick–up and Kasi and her Range Rover were nowhere in sight. The cold, relentless rain dropped in sheets and even under the awning in front of the elementary school, it was miserable.

"Let’s go inside and wait," she said to Kendyl. "We can go back to the classroom and call your aunt to find out what’s going on."

To her dismay, Kendyl looked thrilled for a little more time in her company and Ashley sighed. She was growing to care far too much about the little girl, too. She set Kendyl up with crayons and paper and looked through her files for Kendyl’s contact information so she could dial Kasi’s cell number. She had just found the right paper and pulled it out when she heard a noise by the door and Kendyl shrieked with delight.

"Daddy! Daddy!"