you everything will be fine.”
“I’m more concerned about whether or not you still trust me to help you.”
Bianca’s eyes filled with tears again. She crossed to Margot and held her tight. “Honestly, there’s no one I would trust more.”
“Thank you.”
Bianca’s expression turned sly. “Hmm, so you owe me now. I’m going to have to think of how I want to take advantage of that. Maybe we should have your sister over and we’ll do a girls’ spa day or something.”
Margot hesitated, thinking she didn’t want to drag Sunshine into this. “Or we could keep working together to achieve our ultimate goal.”
“You’re no fun, but all right. Let’s get started.”
Margot was still processing her giant blunder. She needed some time to regroup. “If you don’t mind, I need a couple of hours to rethink the plan. Can we meet after lunch?”
“Sure. It’s cold and foggy outside, so I think I’ll just stay in my room and watch a movie. Maybe Raiders of the Lost Ark. I was up for Karen Allen’s part—did you know that? I think I would have been good in that movie and Harrison Ford was so yummy. Oh well. I’ll see you after lunch.”
With that she walked out of the room, leaving Margot behind wondering how on earth she could have screwed up so badly at something she was supposed to be good at.
Chapter Twelve
Sunshine waited until Connor had gone to bed before knocking on the open door of Declan’s study. He looked up from his computer, smiled and waved her in.
“How’s it going?” he asked as she took a seat by his desk. “Please don’t tell me you’re having second thoughts about the ant farm. Connor loves that thing.”
“I have no problem with the ants except possibly the fact that they’re so industrious, I sometimes feel like a slacker by comparison.”
“I know that one. How’s school?”
“Still awkward and difficult.” She was going to the lectures and doing her homework and falling a little more behind each day. “There’s a TA session soon. If that doesn’t help me enough, I guess I’ll go to the math lab.”
“Want me to look over your chapters and see if I can help?”
“Thanks, but I’ll deal with it.”
She in no way wanted her boss figuring out she was a complete idiot. She adored Connor and really wanted to keep her job here. She was comfortable in her surroundings. She felt safe and happy and knew she was making a difference.
“The offer still stands,” he told her.
“I appreciate that.” She thought about the reason for her visit. “So, this is a little awkward, but I met the mother of one of Connor’s friends. Elijah’s mom. Her name is Phoebe, she’s divorced and really funny and nice, and well, I think you’d like her.”
Declan stared at her, his expression completely blank. “Excuse me?”
“I thought you might like to meet her and maybe go out with her. Because the other day you were talking about—”
“Okay, no.” He half came to his feet, then dropped back in his chair. “No. Just no. Why on earth would you try to set me up?”
“I can’t help it. I’m nurturing. If there’s a problem in the house, I try to fix it. You mentioned that you wanted to—”
He winced. “Can we not talk about it? Or repeat what I said?”
“I was just explaining why I thought you might want to call Phoebe. She’s a successful woman with a son Connor knows. I’m pretty sure she would be interested.” How could she not be? “You have a lot in common and you wouldn’t have to worry about where you were going to meet someone. She’s local.”
He groaned. “You have to let this go. Sunshine, I beg you. I can find my own women.”
“Or not.”
He laughed. “Point taken, and stop. However nice or smart this Phoebe woman is, I’m going to pass.”
“Your loss. She seemed really fun.”
He pointed at the door. “You should be going now.”
She grinned as she rose. “All right. I’ll stop. No more comments about Phoebe’s availability. If you’d tell me your type I can be on the lookout for other women.”
She paused by the door, expecting him to tell her to mind her own business or make a crack about her not giving up. What she didn’t expect was the fiery hunger that flashed in his eyes. It was the heat of a man who wants a woman. A specific woman.
Her.
She’d wondered if Declan found her attractive or sexy or both, but she’d never considered