Free Rock Him by Rachel Cross Page A

feet.
    But it wasn’t okay. There were those reports from his investigator. Apparently she’d
     left college between her junior and senior years due to health problems. Mrs. Anderson
     had spent a small fortune in medical bills. Medical bills that had led to a bankruptcy
     and ongoing financial problems. Was Maddy having a flare up of the disease? He knew
     what rheumatoid arthritis was, or he thought he did. He’d researched it soon after
     meeting her on the plane because he needed to be sure it wouldn’t get in the way of
     caring for Ella. So far it hadn’t. Until this morning, he hadn’t realized the million
     little things that were difficult for her. There must be
something
that could be done.
    He snapped his attention back to the scene in the kitchen as he realized Maddy was
     speaking to him. “Asher, will you take Ella to the bus stop this morning?”
    He nodded and held out his hand to help Maddy up. He ran his thumb over the tops of
     her small hands. Hands that must give her pain.
    She scowled and tugged it away. “Don’t pity me,” she hissed.
    “I don’t pity you,” he replied, his eyes searching hers, astonished by the tenderness
     that swept through him. “Does it hurt?”
    She cut her gaze to Ella, gave a quick negative shake of her head then turned to grab
     Ella’s lunch from the counter.
    “Backpack,” she reminded, following them to the front door. She kissed Ella on the
     cheek and knelt to give her a hug. “Have a good day, honey.”
    “Can we go for frozen yogurt after school?”
    “We’ll see.”
    Ella’s face fell and she whispered to Asher, “That means no.”
    Maddy smiled. “It means maybe.”
    It was impossible to keep pace with a five-year-old. She was either skipping ahead
     or dawdling behind, all the while keeping up a steady stream of chatter about her
     reading buddy, a fourth grader named Olive, and what she wanted Santa to bring her
     for Christmas. Christmas! It wasn’t even Thanksgiving. In the past, he’d taken off
     and headed to Cabo or Hawaii with a girlfriend or group of friends. Last year he’d
     taken someone — Natasha, if memory served — to a tiny island in the South Pacific;
     he had vague memories of scuba diving, sailing, and squabbles.
    Family holidays were out of the question after that disastrous Vegas Christmas three
     years ago. Dee had spent half of the time pleading with him to stop baiting his father,
     and the other half telling Sterling to quit being so argumentative. Asher had made
     an effort — the first day. But the continual tension had left them all on edge and
     he’d flown back to LA before things could come to a head with the old man. His stomach
     churned. If only Dee hadn’t reconciled with Sterling. If only he’d had more time with
     her.
    This year he’d be celebrating with someone who still believed in Santa. He made a
     mental note to talk to Justin about getting a tree, lights, ornaments — the whole
     shebang. It would be lonely with just him and Ella since Justin and his partner had
     plans to go on a cruise that week and Maddy was going home to Virginia.
    Asher walked up the steps to his house, entered and closed the front door. He was
     going to trash every last pair of lace up shoes Ella owned and replace them with ones
     with Velcro. After he made a phone call.
    He came down the stairs thirty minutes later and deposited the paper bag with three
     pairs of lace up shoes near the front door. “Maddy?”
    She stepped out of the living room into the hallway, a mug in hand.
    “Can we talk? I have a couple of things I want to discuss with you.”
    “Sure.” She followed him across the gleaming wood floor to the enormous chocolate
     suede sectional and tucked herself into the corner.
    Had she winced just then?
    He seated himself a foot away, turning to study her. Odd. When he’d met her on the
     plane, he could have sworn she wasn’t beautiful. Barely pretty. Now? He was … attracted.
     No, more than that.