A Deliberate Father. Kate Kelly

make sure all the sauces are mild,” Mrs. Trembley piped up. “Too much spice gives me gas.”

      That was a detail he could have done without. When no one else offered any objections to him buying dinner, Jordan shoved the flowers in the vase and splashed some water in it, then snagged his jacket and went outside. He was about to dash to his car when he realized he’d left most of his tenants in his apartment. He turned back, held the door open. “If everyone’s finished in here?”

      Mrs. Trembley shuffled out with Rodney following like a faithful dog. Lacey skipped after them, her raincoat draped over her head. Nell stopped at the door, a crease forming between her eyebrows as she frowned up at him.

      “I’m sorry you got pulled into this dinner thing. If you want to bail, I’ll tell the crew you had a former engagement. I can scrounge together enough food for everyone. It’s not a problem.”

      His tough little caretaker was trying to protect him from his tenants. Unbelievable. Or, he narrowed his eyes, she didn’t want him talking to them for some reason. She’d said it herself, Aunt Beulah hadn’t paid attention to anything unless it directly affected her. God knows what Nell had been up to the past two years; charging for repairs that hadn’t been done. Or for building materials never used, then refunded. There were a number of ways for her to skim extra money off the top. Miss Nellie had been running things her way for too long. She was about to discover what it was like to have someone else in charge.

      “As I said, it’ll give me a chance to get to know everyone better. Unless, of course, it’s too much work for you. You didn’t plan on having so many people for supper.” He smiled, waiting to see if she would take the bait and wiggle out of the invitation.

      “I can handle it if you can.” She gave him a quick two-finger salute and scooted out the door.

      She’d passed with flying colors. He didn’t know whether to be reassured or not as he flipped up his collar against the rain and ran for his car. Dinner at Dunstan Lane. Not what he’d call a hot Saturday-night date, but it was a necessary one. He needed to find out if Miss Nellie was as sweet as she seemed or if she’d been lining her pockets with the monthly operating budget. If there even was a monthly budget. What if Beulah had left Nell a pot of money to use at her discretion? Could she have been that batty?

      He climbed into his car and with an unfamiliar weariness, wiped the rain from his face. He also needed to know more about his tenants so he wouldn’t be blindsided by any unsavory details, like an illegal prostitution ring or…at this point, the imagination was the limit.

      As a business consultant he was used to not only assessing tangible assets but personalities, as well. He’d have the tenants of Dunstan Lane categorized, lined up and flying straight before the week was over. Buying dinner was a good place to start.

      SWEAT TRICKLED DOWN THE MIDDLE of Nell’s back as she whipped around her small kitchen. She’d planned to have a long, hot soak in the bath tonight while Jacob and Lacey watched the movie she’d rented for them, not prepare and serve a meal for six—or seven if Melody showed up. And especially not for Jordan Tanner. She grabbed a stack of plates out of the cupboard and placed them on the small table along with the cutlery and napkins. Water, tea or coffee would have to suffice. She could barely afford to buy juice for the kids let alone wine or beer for guests. She placed the coffeepot under the tap and turned on the water.

      For the life of her, she couldn’t understand why she was so stressed about having everyone over for dinner. Mrs. T. had a habit of popping up close to supper time once or twice a week, and Rodney… Nell sighed. Taking on two small children should have been enough for anyone. Melody liked to tease her that she’d taken the role of caretaker to heart. She had to learn how to say no more often.

      And now she had Tanner to deal with. Not that he needed her help, but he was a man who had a certain presence. A man who would take up way too much space in her already crowded life.

      And wasn’t that a shame?

      Three years ago, it might have been a different story. Yeah, right. Who was she kidding? She’d never circulated with the yuppie crowd. She’d always had her hands stuck in the soil or had been cramming in as many lectures as she could after work on landscape design or plant propagation.

      Not that she didn’t still have aspirations. She lingered over the word for a minute; it had such a hopeful sound. But Jacob and Lacey’s welfare came first now, which meant her dreams would have to wait. Anyone with half a brain could see Tanner was going places, expensive places. Dunstan Lane was a means to an end for him. For Nell, Dunstan Lane was familiar and secure, a home for her and the kids.

      “I think you’ve got enough water, Nell,” Jacob commented from his station by the kitchen doorway.

      Startled, Nell pulled the coffeepot from under the stream of water. “Did you make your bed?”

      “Yeah. I don’t know why I can’t have a lock on my door. Mrs. T. always snoops around.”

      She dumped coffee grinds into the machine and turned it on, the muscles in her neck cranking tighter. “We’ve been over this, Jacob. I need to know I can get into your room in case you hurt yourself.”

      “If we bought a lock with two keys, you could have one and go into my room when you want.”

      The child drove her nuts with his logic. In the beginning, she’d tried reasoning with him when they disagreed. But she’d soon learned Jacob could outreason anyone, and much to her chagrin, she resorted more often than not to the dreaded because-I-said-so refrain.

      “That’s a good point. I’ll think about it.” Another empty phrase that didn’t fool either of them. From the corner of her eye, she watched Jacob drum his fist against the doorjamb.

      “Are you upset people are coming for dinner?”

      “No.” Rap, rap.

      “Do you like Mr. Tanner?”

      He rounded one shoulder. “I guess. Do you?”

      Nell blew out her breath and leaned against the counter. “I haven’t made up my mind yet.” Truth was there was way too much to like about him. Other than trying to bribe Jacob, he’d been unfailingly kind and courteous. When everyone else had heard the mention of food, they’d lined up at the trough. Tanner, on the other hand, had offered to help by paying for the meal. A meal she wouldn’t have to prepare other than dumping it into serving dishes. Imagine having someone like that to lean on once in a while.

      She straightened her spine. No need to get carried away. Tanner was taking advantage of the opportunity to check them out. How long would it take for Mrs. T. to insult him or Rodney to let slip that he’d been staying in the bedsit rent-free? Now that he’d moved in, she’d have to be on guard all the time, and the only way to get rid of him was if the house sold. Lord, she wasn’t ready for any of this. “We probably won’t see too much of him,” she said to Jacob. “He’s a busy man.”

      “Yeah.” Jacob started to leave the room but turned back. “Nell?”

      Finally they were going to get down to what was bothering her little man. “What is it, sweetie?”

      “Dad called. You said to tell you if he did.”

      Nell stopped short of slamming the cupboard door shut. The closer Tony got to his parole hearing the more often he phoned. She tried to intercept his calls, but he was their father and her lawyer had cautioned her to treat him with kid gloves until the adoption went through. Especially now, because of the complaints he’d lodged with Child Welfare.

      Nell had never understood what her sister had seen in him. Tony had the uncanny ability to know within minutes of meeting someone exactly how to hurt that person the most. But he was careful whom he chose to abuse.

      Jacob and Lacey were often sullen and withdrawn after talking to him, and no wonder. The man was poison. The day her sister died, she promised herself she would do whatever was necessary to keep her niece and nephew in her custody. That promise was