Ready for Marriage?. Anne Marie Winston

free from his and walked around him to scoop up Mollie for a tickle and a kiss. ‘‘Thanks for making me dinner.’’ But she didn’t look at him again. ‘‘See you, squirt.’’

      ‘‘Bye, Mommy.’’ His daughter threw her arms around Kristin’s neck when she knelt and threw herself into Kris’s arms so wholeheartedly that Kristin had to put a hand hastily to the floor to keep them both from being pushed right over backward.

      Mollie put her hands on either side of Kristin’s face and peered deep into her eyes. ‘‘Tiss.’’

      ‘‘Okay. A nice big kiss and then Daddy will take you home.’’ Kristin suited the words to the action.

      Derek opened his mouth to remind Mollie not to call Kristin ‘‘Mommy.’’ But then he shut it again without speaking. His throat grew tight and he had to swallow the lump that rose as he watched his little girl hug Kristin. The love in their embrace was undeniable.

      Mollie was right. For all practical purposes, Kris was her mother, the only one his child had ever known. Kristin had devoted herself to Mollie since her birth, because Deb had been too sick to handle the demands of a healthy infant, and she’d probably spent more time with his daughter than many working mothers did with their own offspring. Already, Mollie had known more of a mother’s love than Kristin had in her entire life.

      Funny, he’d never really thought of the parallel before. Kristin’s mother had died of a cerebral hemorrhage hours after a fall on a patch of ice before Kristin was even a year old. Kris, better than anyone, knew what it was like to be motherless, and she’d devoted herself to making sure Mollie had never felt the same lack.

      Was he crazy for refusing to consider a marriage between them?

      Kristin rose, taking Mollie’s hand. He was prepared for her to avoid eye contact as she had in the past when things had gone wrong between them, so it was a shock to see her smiling at him as she handed off his daughter. An unpleasant shock. The smile was friendly and completely impersonal, as if they’d never kissed, never discussed anything more vital than the weather. And while he was trying to figure out what to say to her in this new mood, she herded them both out her front door. ‘‘See you around.’’

      She shut the door and he heard the lock snick into place before he was even off the stoop. As he strapped Mollie into her car seat, he realized she hadn’t said she would see them Saturday night. Was she going to cancel on him?

      She met the treasurer of the board of the sanctuary for lunch again on Friday. Rusty was a few minutes late and they ordered immediately, then he sat back and smiled at her.

      ‘‘So,’’ he said, ‘‘I guess you’re not keeping Dr. Mahoney’s little girl any more now that you’re working full-time for us.’’

      She shook her head and smiled. ‘‘No.’’ She refused the urge to elaborate and waited for him to speak.

      He studied her for a moment, and she wondered what he was thinking. ‘‘Kristin,’’ he finally said, ‘‘I’ll be honest. I’d like to ask you out. I just always thought that you and Derek—’’

      ‘‘—are both very aware that Mollie needs to grow up in a family atmosphere,’’ she finished when he hesitated. ‘‘Her mother died just months after she was born, remember?’’

      He nodded. ‘‘Yes. So would you like to—’’

      ‘‘Rusty,’’ she said, ‘‘I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to go out with someone who’s employing me.’’

      ‘‘So that means I’d better hurry up and find a permanent executive director, I guess,’’ he said. ‘‘Unless I can talk you into accepting the position on a permanent basis. You’ve stepped in like you’ve always done the job and I know you’d be an asset to the sanctuary.’’

      ‘‘Not a chance,’’ she said, smiling at him. ‘‘I’ve got plans for myself and they don’t include the AAS. Even if it was my father’s dream come true.’’

      ‘‘Everyone should have the chance to pursue their own dreams.’’ He gave her his most charming smile and not for the first time, she wondered why she couldn’t be head-over-heels for someone like Rusty. He was good-looking and athletic and he liked animals. He had his own business that apparently did quite well, judging from the sleek sports car he drove and his membership at the local country club. He had flirted with her since the first time they’d met, but she’d never been interested. She’d never been able to see beyond her feelings for Derek.

      Cathie, on the other hand, hadn’t liked Rusty at all. He’d asked her out several times when she’d first come to town, but she’d brushed him off consistently. Rusty was a player, she’d always said. And she didn’t want a man she’d have to watch for the rest of her life. All she wanted was a good guy who would treat her like precious china and give her children.

      ‘‘I still can’t believe Cathie’s gone sometimes,’’ she said.

      Rusty sobered immediately. ‘‘I can’t, either. She was terrific in that position.’’

      ‘‘She was a lovely person,’’ Kristin said quietly.

      ‘‘Well, sure, that goes without saying,’’ Rusty said.

      She hated to have to tell him what she’d found but she had no choice. ‘‘Rusty,’’ she said, ‘‘I’ve found a serious problem in the sanctuary’s financial statements.’’

      ‘‘Oh?’’ His gaze sharpened. ‘‘We’re in pretty good shape, thanks to the income from that anonymous trust that came in just before your dad passed away.’’

      ‘‘It’s not that.’’ Now that she had his attention, she went on to explain about the missing funds.

      Rusty looked shocked. ‘‘Are you sure?’’ he asked several times. ‘‘Cathie couldn’t have done that. Could she?’’ But there was a kernel of doubt in his tone.

      ‘‘I can’t believe it, either,’’ Kristin said.

      ‘‘Jeez.’’ He smoothed a hand over his thick, wavy copper hair. ‘‘Have you told the police?’’

      ‘‘Not yet.’’

      ‘‘So you haven’t told anyone else. That’s probably a good thing.’’ His tone assumed she hadn’t, and she didn’t correct him. It hadn’t really been a question. Derek was the only other person who knew, and since he was going to be sitting on the board, he would have to know soon anyway.

      ‘‘I brought a summary of the information along.’’ She handed the folder across the table.

      Rusty stashed it in his briefcase as though it might contain illegal drugs. ‘‘God, Kristin, be careful with that. The last thing we need is negative publicity for the sanctuary. Can you imagine what would happen to donations if this gets out?’’

      She shuddered. ‘‘I don’t even want to think about it. I’ve been having nightmares already.’’

      ‘‘I don’t think we should tell anyone yet,’’ he said. ‘‘You haven’t found anything linking her to this?’’

      ‘‘Not yet,’’ she said.

      ‘‘Could you possibly be wrong? Could it just be a clerical error with transposed numbers or something?’’

      She shook her head. ‘‘That was the first thing I was hoping for, too.’’

      Rusty sighed and plunged both hands into his hair, resting his elbows on the table. ‘‘God, it makes no sense. Why would she have done it? Was she having financial problems?’’

      ‘‘Not that I know of.’’ She shrugged helplessly. She knew how he was feeling. She’d been through all of these thoughts a million times.

      ‘‘All