A Man Worth Marrying. Phyllis Halldorson

the baby-sitter’s instead of at my house. I hadn’t seen her since I left you yesterday afternoon until she came home from school today. By then it was so late that I decided I’d better wait and talk it over with you. You know better how to handle children than I do.”

      “She doesn’t know why I’m here.” Eve’s voice was filled with chagrin. She felt trapped. This was supposed to be a getting-to-know-each-other meeting to see if she and Tinker could connect as student and teacher. It was important that the child accept being tutored before her father sprang his choice of tutor on her. This wasn’t fair to either student or teacher.

      Gray ran his fingers through his hair. “No, she doesn’t,” he admitted. “I’m sorry, Eve, but it’s just one of those things that snowballed out of my control. I didn’t even have a chance to call you and postpone the meeting. As long as you’re here now, though, I would like you to meet her. She knows you’re coming.”

      Eve glared at him. “You told her about me?”

      He sighed. “I had to. She saw me fixing the coffee things, and asked who was coming.” The corners of his mouth raised in a small smile. “I don’t usually use the best china and silver when I serve coffee to neighbors or the gang I work with.”

      Eve had to admit that sounded reasonable. “What did you tell her about me?”

      “Only that we had some business to discuss,” he assured her. “She didn’t think anything of it. In my profession you meet a lot of new people, so she’s used to strangers coming and going.”

      Eve fidgeted with her purse. “I really don’t see any advantage to meeting her until you’ve told her about the tutoring sessions.” She hemmed.

      She was surprised to discover that she’d actually been looking forward to seeing Gray’s little girl. Eve was curious about how the youngster looked, how she was progressing with her schoolwork, and how she and Gray got along together.

      “Please, Eve, stay for just a little while. I always introduce Tinker to my guests. She expects it, and if you run off without even saying hello to her, it’s going to hurt her feelings.”

      Gray caught himself up short. What was the matter with him anyway? He’d wanted a graceful reason not to hire her. Now here it was, handed to him on the proverbial silver platter, and he was practically pleading with her to stay and get acquainted!

      Meanwhile, Eve could see it was important that she stay at least long enough to meet Tinker and have a cup of coffee. She relaxed and leaned back against the leather upholstery. “All right, if you really think it’s best, I’d love to meet her. But make it plain that I’m just a business associate.”

      “I’m sorry it has to be that way,” he said sadly, “but I understand.”

      He stood up and headed for the hall. “Now, if you’d like to pour us some coffee I’ll go get Tinker.”

      Gray returned in a few minutes with a young girl in tow. She was wearing a black skort and white cotton blouse: the private school uniform. And she showed promise of blooming into an attractive teenager in a few years, but for now she was all arms and legs—bigger than most children her age and lacking the gracefulness of a smaller child.

      Eve felt a twinge of empathy. She’d been too big and awkward at that age, also. She didn’t know what Bambi looked like, but she could see a lot of Gray in his daughter. The girl had his dark brown hair and blue eyes.

      “Tinker, I’d like you to meet Ms. Costopoulos,” Gray said.

      He turned to Eve. “And Eve, this is my daughter, Sarah, but everybody calls her Tinker.”

      The child hung back and looked at the floor shyly, so Eve took the initiative. “I’m very pleased to meet you,” she said softly. “May I call you Tinker?”

      “I...I guess so,” Tinker said unenthusiastically, still not looking up.

      “Fine,” Eve answered, keeping her tone friendly. “My name is Evangeline, but everyone calls me Eve. I hope you will too.”

      Tinker didn’t respond, but for the first time she raised her head and looked up at Eve. There was a strong negative emotion in her eyes. Fear? Resentment? Eve couldn’t tell.

      “Are you going to be my teacher?” Tinker asked angrily.

      That stunned Eve. What was going on here? Gray had just told her that Tinker didn’t know he was making plans to have her tutored!

      Her head jerked up to scan Gray’s face, but he looked as shocked as she was. He scowled and shook his head, then hunkered down beside Tinker and put his arm around her. “Honey, Ms. Costopoulos—Eve—is a teacher, but she teaches third grade at a school on the other side of town. Who told you she was going to be your teacher?”

      Tinker looked at him. “Mom did. She said I’d have to study all summer because you were going to get a teacher to—to come to the house and make sure I did.”

      Her face contorted and there was a sob in her voice. “Please, Daddy, don’t make me do that. I do study. Honest I do, but it’s so hard. I’ll never learn all that stuff.”

      Gray muttered an oath under his breath as he drew his daughter closer. Bambi! If he didn’t know better he’d think she was deliberately sabotaging his efforts to bring Tinker up to the learning level of the rest of her class.

      Unfortunately, it wasn’t that simple. Bambi didn’t mean any harm; she just didn’t understand how important it was to tread softly so as not to further damage Tinker’s already low self-esteem. He should have known better than to tell her what he was planing to do until it was an accomplished fact.

      “Tinker,” he said gently, “I’m afraid your mom misunderstood. What I want to do is find a teacher who will come here for just a couple of hours several afternoons a week, and help you catch up with the rest of your class. She won’t push you, but she’ll teach you all you’ve missed because of your dyslexia. When school starts again next fall, you’ll be able to read, write, and do the arithmetic along with the others.”

      Tinker scrutinized Eve, and there was fear in her eyes. “No, I don’t want her to teach me,” she cried, and threw her arms around Gray’s neck.

      Eve was getting more distressed by the minute. Tinker didn’t want to be tutored, but she clearly needed the one-on-one help.

      Eve spoke before Gray had a chance. “Tinker, you don’t need to be afraid of me. Your father thought you and I should get acquainted because I can help you—but only if you want my help.”

      She glanced around and picked up the glass of cola and ice she’d poured for Tinker. “Here, honey,” she said, and held it out to the youngster. “Your dad said this glass of soda is for you.”

      Tinker hesitated, then raised her head and looked back at Eve. After a moment, she twisted out of her father’s arms and walked across the floor to take the beverage.

      “Why don’t you sit beside me here on the couch,” Eve said, making it a suggestion, not a command.

      Tinker said nothing, but finally did sit down.

      Next, Eve deliberately shifted her attention from Tinker to Gray, giving Tinker a chance to observe her. “How do you take your coffee, Gray? Cream and sugar?”

      “Black,” Gray said, and stood to walk over and get the cup and saucer.

      He pulled up an upholstered occasional chair and sat down next to his daughter.

      For a few minutes there was strained silence, then Gray spoke. “Tinker, I bought cookies at the bakery and put them in the cookie jar, then forgot to bring them out. Would you mind getting them?”

      The child’s eyes lit up. “Peanut butter with chocolate chips?” she asked.

      Gray nodded. “Your favorite.”

      “All right!” she said excitedly as she jumped up