Captured In Ink (Art of Love Series) by Donna McDonald Page A

the situation.”
    Reesa looked at the ceiling and refused to meet Shane’s wicked gaze that she knew would match his laughter. Finally, she brought it back to Will who was rubbing his lower back.
    “Will, please sit and let me get you another cup of coffee.”
    Will nodded. “I won’t say no to that offer. Jessica drinks tea and I’ve been trying to do instant at her house. I wait until she goes to work and sneak over to Michael’s for real coffee.”
    Michael slid under the sink, his smaller mass allowing him to get far enough into the cabinet to do what was necessary. A couple grunts and two minutes later Michael slid back out. “Ta da—water is turned off and the valve is working again.”
    “Thank you all,” Reesa said happily, practically sagging with relief.
    A horn blew outside and Reesa walked to the door to open it for Sara who was home from school.
    “Aunt Teresa, there are big bikes at our house! Did you see them?” Sara asked, her backpack trailing behind her on the ground being dragged by a single strap.
    “Pick up your backpack, sweetie,” Reesa said. “You’re getting it dirty.”
    Sara picked it up and walked into the house, her head still turned trying to get a look at the bike parked in the driveway.
    “Are they our bikes?” Sara asked.
    “No, baby,” Reesa said. “The one by the house is Shane’s bike. The big one on the street belongs to his father.”
    “ Shaney’s father? ” Sara asked, confused, walking the living room.
    Shane walked out of the kitchen and bowed. “Princess Sara—very good to see you, Your Majesty. How was school today?”
    “Shaney!” Sara said, running and throwing herself at him. “You came back.”
    Shane bent and hoisted her up. “Of course I came back,” he said, laughing. “Didn’t you think I would?”
    Sara shrugged. Shane looked at Reesa, who swallowed and looked away.
    Oh hell, he thought. Not everyone always came back. Missed that one , Shane decided, mentally cringing at his joking manner.
    “Princess Sara—I brought my family to meet you. Would you like to go put on your dancing shoes first?” Shane asked, changing the subject quickly.
    “Is your mommy here?” she asked.
    “No,” Shane answered. “My mother was busy. You’ll have to meet her another day.”
    He hoped the universe forgave him for the tiny lie this time.
    “Is your daddy here?” Sara asked.
    “Yes,” Shane confirmed. “And he would very much like to meet you.”
    “Will he take me for a ride on the big bike?” she asked.
    “Well, not yet. You have to have a motorcycle helmet and they don’t make them your size. But he would probably let you sit on the bike and pretend to ride. He used to do that for me when I was little like you,” Shane told her.
    Sara considered that for a moment. “Okay. I would like to sit on it. Can I wear my dancing shoes and my princess dress?”
    “I’m sure that would be fine,” he said seriously, setting her down, and watching her run down the hall.
    When Sara was out of earshot, Shane looked at Reesa. “Is she still asking when her parents are coming home?”
    “Every night when she wakes up and forgets what’s going on,” Reesa said quietly.
    “I can’t imagine how you’ve dealt with all four of them grieving by yourself,” Shane told her.
    “I have Jillian. She helps a lot when she’s home,” Reesa said.
    But Jillian wasn’t able to be there all the time, Shane thought. And Jillian hadn’t been the one who gave up her job to take care of the kids.
    Obviously, the “dweeb” had been no help at all.
    Even if he and Reesa had been only friends, Shane would still have wanted to help her with the kids now and again. They were great. The whole family was great.
    Grief was a bitch to deal with, especially alone. He’d done volunteer grief counseling for two years in college. Shane couldn’t imagine losing his mother and father the way the kids had theirs. Thinking about it sure made his parent’s divorce seem