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of his neck. Caroline studied Haney thoughtfully. Didn't he realize the seriousness of his wife's disability? Now that she thought about it, Caroline was sure that he didn't. But how could he not? Unless he just didn't want to. She lifted an eyebrow at that, wondering if Jesse realized that Haney was doing his very best to ignore the seriousness of his wife's condition. Jesse, it seemed, was too concerned himself to notice.

"It won't hurt anything to check out the spa," he was saying. "Why don't you make an appointment?"

Sarah's hand fluttered stiffly around the roll of hair on the back of her head. "I don't know. It's been years since I last wore a bathing suit."

Caroline laughed. "You don't have anything to worry about there. I bet you'll look great."

"I don't know," Sarah said again. "I wouldn't want to go by myself."

"Of course you wouldn't," Jesse said.

"I'll go," Caroline volunteered. "I've always wanted to. They say it's very relaxing."

"What about you, Haney?" Sarah asked lightly, and Caroline knew suddenly that it was a very important question for the older woman. Haney, however, didn't seem to get it.

"Not likely," he scoffed, getting up from the table. "If I wanted to loll around in scalding water, I'd do it in my own bathtub upstairs. For free."

"It's more than the heat from the waters," Caroline said gently. "It's the natural minerals and these special creams they ma.s.sage you with. It's a whole treatment"

"Sounds goofy to me," Haney said, shaking his head. "But you all do whatever you want. I've got work to do." With that he left the room.

The naked pain-and disappointment in Sarah's eyes shone clearly before she turned away, busying herself at the sink. Caroline looked at Jesse and saw her own concern mirrored on his face. "I'll go," he said a little too enthusiastically. "Heck, a little relaxation never hurt anyone. I might even make a standing appointment."

Sarah sent a smile over one shoulder. "You don't have to go just for my sake."

"No, I want to go," he insisted. "I really do."

Sarah turned away from the sink, interest sparking in her eyes.

"All right. If you want to go, then I will, too." "Great!" Jesse said. "You make the appointment and just tell me when." "All right," Sarah decided firmly. She looked at Caroline. "Do you have the number?"

Caroline nodded. "I'll make the call, if you want." "Fine. An appointment for the three of us then." "The three of us," Caroline echoed, sneaking a look at Jesse.

He was smiling, but she could tell that he was regretting this already. He would go, nevertheless, for his mother. And Caroline would make the most of it. Oh, yes, she would.

Jesse tossed his small bag into the back seat next to Caroline and closed the door, then walked past his mother sitting in the pa.s.senger seat and around the front end to the driver's side door. He opened it and folded himself into place behind the wheel. His mother's car was a full-size top-of-the-line domestic model, but he still felt as though he were packing himself into a sardine can whenever he settled down into it. He preferred stepping up into his truck, but he didn't want to subject his mother to climbing up into her seat, and it would have been close quarters with Caroline tucked in between them. The last thing he needed was to be in close quarters with Caroline. So they were making this short trip in his mother's car.

Spreading his arm out along the back edge of the seat, he backed the car away from die garage and into the drive, guiding it carefully around Caroline's pitiful little pile of junk in the process. He'd had a new battery installed for her, but he had his doubts that would do much. A few minutes later they were driving through Durango and heading north. Twenty minutes after that, they turned into the icy lot of a low, unimposing brick-and-gla.s.s building and parked near the door.

"I don't know about this," Sarah said, gripping the armrest with her k.n.o.bby hand.

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"What's to know?" Jesse said lightly. "You're going to have a nice ma.s.sage, and then we're all going for a relaxing swim."

"I don't know," Sarah said again, as Caroline got out of the car.

She walked around to Sarah's door, opened it and stooped down to look inside. She took one of Sarah's hands in hers. "I'll be right here with you the whole time," she promised warmly. "You'll feel better after. At the very least, your back won't bother you so much."

Her back? Jesse looked a question at Caroline. He hadn't known about his mother's back. Caroline telegraphed a silent message with her eyes. Don't worry, it said. She'll be okay.

Sarah nodded and released her safety belt Caroline helped her out of the car while Jesse let himself out and pulled the two bags out of the back. They were whispering together when he came to open the door to the building for them, but stopped as soon as he drew within hearing distance. Sarah went in first, moving a little stiffly, with Caroline right behind her, her hand on his mother's shoulder. Sarah identified herself to the attendant behind the counter and was told politely to wait a moment while her ma.s.seuse came for her. They spent the time looking at the array of products on the shelves around the room. Caroline noticed they were big in aromatherapy here, as well as herbal teas and creams. Some of the supplements were pretty silly sounding: mugwort and lady's mantle, evening primrose and marigold. What on earth was saw palmetto?

A very strong-looking middle-aged woman in a pale green lab coat arrived with a clipboard. She led Sarah to a rattan chair and asked a few questions, after which she felt the joints in Sarah's hands and neck. She promised no miracles, but a.s.sured Sarah that she would feel better after the treatment.

"If you'll follow me," the ma.s.seuse said to Sarah, "we'll get down to work." She looked at Jesse and Caroline. "The two of you can change and enjoy the waters if you want. We won't be long, only about twenty minutes."

Sarah said haltingly, "I think I ought to visit the ladies' room first."

She sent a desperate look at Caroline who immediately said to the ma.s.seuse, "I'd like to come along for the ma.s.sage if you don't mind. Maybe you can show me something I can do to help at home."

The ma.s.seuse nodded. "That's fine. Room six in, say, five minutes?" She pointed down a hallway next to a door marked "Ladies'Locker Room."

"Great," Caroline said, and Sarah nodded, obviously relieved. Caroline smiled at her as the ma.s.seuse walked away. "You go on. I'll meet you in room six in a minute."

Sarah nodded and hurried toward a sign that pointed toward the rest rooms. Jesse noticed that her shoulders were a little more stooped than usual. Caroline turned to him.

"She's feeling self-conscious. I helped her try on her bathing suit yesterday, and she said she looked like a dumpy old lady. I told her she has a great figure, and she does, but she says that she's getting old while Haney remains youthful and strong. Jess, I know it's none of my business, but I know you saw how Haney acted the other day. He doesn't seem to realize how hard this is for her. I think you should talk to him."

Jesse sighed. "And say what exactly? That he ought to pay more attention to Mom's aches and pains?"

"That he ought to pay more attention to her, period. She needs to feel attractive, Jesse. She needs to know that having arthritis doesn't mean she's turning into a little old lady. And one more thing."

He almost groaned aloud. She didn't expect much! Take Mom to the spa. Talk to Dad about something that was clearly none of his business! Now what? "Let's hear it."

"I'm going to try to get Sarah to go for a makeover, nothing dramatic, just some subtle makeup and maybe a haircut. That bun has to go."

Jesse barked a laugh. "Good luck! Mom's had her hair like that forever."

"Well, forever is too long in this case," Caroline said mili-tantly. "I mean it, Jesse. She needs a younger look, something more sophisticated. Something that will make your father sit up and take notice for a change."

Jesse shook his head. "I'll speak to Dad if you think it'll help, ARLENEJAMES.

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but I wouldn't count too heavily on that makeover stuff, if I were you."

"But you're not me," Caroline said confidently. "You just do your part and let me worry about the rest."

Taking one of the bags from him, she marched off as if to battle. Chuckling, he shook his head. A makeover! Cut her hair, put on makeup. It would never happen. As for the other, he would speak to his father about his mother's feelings, but he doubted he would be telling Haney anything he didn't already know. Still, it couldn't hurt if he kept it casual and light.

He carried his bag to the men's locker room, changed into a pair of navy blue shorts, which were the closest thing he had to a bathing suit, looped a towel around his neck and walked out to the pool.

Actually, it was plural. There were three pools. An attendant came to meet him, explaining that the temperature in the pools were cool, warm, and hot. The springs spilled into the hot pool.

The water in the cool pool was piped in and mixed with water from the springs in the warm pool. Swimmers took them in dif ferent order, depending upon their objective. For first-timers they recommended ten minutes in the warm pool, followed by five minutes in the hot pool and five minutes in the cool, but he had a full hour and could do with it what he pleased. Jesse figured he might as well follow the recommendation, and the attendant as signed him a timer. '

The air was chilly in the big room, despite the tendrils of steam rising off the hot pool, and the warm pool was a welcome change. It felt just like a big bathtub with too many people in it, not that it was actually crowded, though there were more swimmers here than in the other two pools. The smell of sulphur was fairly strong at first, but he quickly adapted and began to relax. He was feeling pretty good by the time he mdved to the hot pool.

Hot was no overstatement, and the deeper he waded, the hotter it got. By the time he reached the middle, he felt as though his toes were boiling and his sinuses were as open as the barn door after the horse had bolted, but the few other bathers in attendance seemed perfectly at ease, and he figured if they could handle it, so could he. He waded back to the edge and hung his arms over the side, letting his body float upward. Either the water was cooler at the top or he was adjusting quickly. Nevertheless, five minutes was plenty. He still felt toasty warm as he padded the short distance to the cool pool and slid in.

It was all he could do to stay put. The water felt icy cold on his superheated skin. No wonder the warm pool was the most crowded! Before the five minutes were up, he'd gone from chattering teeth to fairly comfortable, but he didn't hesitate to. get back to the warm pool. It felt glorious on his skin, and he actually felt his muscles relax and soften. He was floating at the edge, feeling-rather like a human puddle, when Caroline and his mother came through the double gla.s.s doors.

They were both wearing bathrobes and carrying towels, which they laid on a bench next to his. Caroline looked around, spotted him and waved, then casually took off her robe and tossed it aside. Jesse sank straight to the bottom of the pool, gasping and choking as acrid water flooded his mouth and throat. When he surfaced, Caroline was standing with both arms raised, pinning her long, sleek hair atop her head. He gulped, expecting the top of her bikini to split at any moment. Made of faded blue-and-white-checked cotton, it was at least one size too small. Those perfect pale b.r.e.a.s.t.s literally spilled out of it. Conversely, the bottom seemed to fit perfectly, even if it did stop much too far below mat unbelievably tiny waist. What really stopped his heart, though, were those legs. It was physically impossible to pack all , those curves and that much leg into only five feet five inches.

She motioned sharply with one hand before he realized that he was obviously staring. A repeat of that action told him that he should be looking at something else. He switched his gaze in the direction she indicated and lifted both eyebrows as he took in -what she'd been trying to show him. His mother, too, had laid aside her robe and was walking smoothly toward the warm pool, her chin tilted up. He recognized instantly how self-conscious she was-and with no cause whatsoever. Her shoulders were square, her back straight as a rod, her legs slim and shapely. He was gready surprised by the amount of firm curve in her figure. The sly old girl had been hiding a treasure behind those shirtwaist dresses and baggy pants.

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He went to meet her, stopping when the shallower water threatened to reveal more of his body than was wise, and reached out a hand to her. She came gracefully down the steps, putting her hand in his, and he drew her forward with a low, soft whistle.

"Gosh, Mom, you look great!"

Her cheeks pinked, and her chin came up a notch higher. "Don't be silly."

"I mean it! I always knew you were pretty, but I never realized what a figure you were hiding behind that ap.r.o.n of yours!"

She rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Caroline's arrival commanded his gaze. She was beaming at him as she waded through the sultry water. He quickly switched his attention back to his mother. "Are you feeling as good as you look?"

Sarah laughed and lifted a hand to the back of her neck, rolling her head gently side to side. "Better, I'm sure. The ma.s.sage was heavenly!" She turned to Caroline. "I'm tingling!"

"That's the cream," Caroline said.

Sarah put her hands to her hips and carefully bent at the waist. "I do believe my back is better, too."

' "That would be the ma.s.sage and those spine-elongating exercises she put you through," Caroline surmised.

"Just what is this with your back?" Jesse asked worriedly.

Sarah made a face and flashed a slightly censorial look at Caroline. "The last time I saw the doctor," she said reluctantly, "he told me that the arthritis is in my spine."

"And lately she's been having a good deal of pain there," Caroline revealed unrepentantly.

Jesse sighed and wrapped both arms about his mother's shoulders. "Mom, why didn't you say something?"

Sarah looked away. "Your father doesn't like me to talk about it," she said softly. "It doesn't help, anyway."

Jesse looked at Caroline. Right again. What else was she right about? He looked down at the top of his mother's head, at the heavy wrap of hair atop it. He tightened his hold a bit, absolutely certain what he should say next Whether it would help or not was anybody's guess, but he knew he had to try. "You know,"

he said thoughtfully, "you really ought to update your look a bit."

Sarah stared up at him in shock. "What?"

"I'm serious. Get yourself a haircut and a new outfit or two. Stop hiding behind that ap.r.o.n all the time. Heck, I'm thirty-seven years old, and I just realized my mom's a babe! I think it's time you strutted your stuff a bit."

Sarah's mouth fell open. Then she laughed and swatted him playfully with her hand. "Jesse Dean, what has gotten info you?"

He hugged her a little tighter. "A guy can be proud of his mom, you know, even of how she looks, and you look great. Why not let everyone know it?"

Sarah waved away the idea. "I'll settle for feeling better." But as she lowered herself further into the water and began to swim away, the glimmer of interest sparkled in her eyes. Caroline stepped closer to Jesse through the swirling water. Her eyes seemed bluer than normal, shining with something deep and frightening. "Thank you," she said softly.

He shrugged, trying desperately not to react to her nearness. He told himself that he'd gotten over his shock at seeing all that luscious female skin. "When you're right, you're right," he said lightly.

"And when you're wonderful, you're wonderful," she told him huskily, her hand brushing across his chest as she moved after his mother. That was all it took. Suddenly, he was hard as stone again.

As soon as her back was turned he gulped a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm a saint," he muttered through his teeth, and immediately headed for the cool pool, hoping he could get there before anyone noticed that his shorts were suddenly much too tight.

Was it selfish of him to wish he'd never laid eyes on Caroline Moncton, even when she was undisputedly the best thing that had happened to his mother in a very long while? Sarah was much better, even if it was only temporary. Jesse could see it in her posture and face. Without Caroline, he would never have known that the arthritis had been found in his mother's spine, he wouldn't have seen her silent suffering, at least not until it had become unbearable for her. Without Caroline, that time would have come 120.

much sooner than it would now, if they couldn't prevent it, and he meant to try. Caroline took the burden of the household ch.o.r.es off Sarah and ran the house as smoothly as silk into the bargain. Their meals had never been better balanced, tasted finer or cost less. He had just seen a sparkle in his mother's eye that he had never seen before. Yes, it was definitely selfish of him to wish he'd never laid eyes on Caroline Moncton, but couldn't he at least have been spared the sight of her in that bikini bathing suit?

And now she was living right there in the house with him! Thank G.o.d his parents were there, too. He didn't want to think what might happen if he and Caroline spent too much time alone. ,One thing was certain, he had to get a grip on himself where little Miss Moncton was concerned. Otherwise, he was going to get a grip on her, and then heaven help them both.

Chapter Eight.

J esse let himself into the house and stomped straight down the hall without bothering to first divest himself of his outerwear. He went straight to the kitchen and found there just what he feared he would. His mother stood at the sink, her back to him, tightly hugging herself. He didn't have to see her face to know that she was crying. Caroline stood helplessly to one side, her expression stricken, her lower lip trembling. Jesse curbed the impulse to go to her and instead asked of either of them, "Where is he?"

"Upstairs, I think," Caroline whispered, but Sarah rounded on him.

"What did you say to him?"

Jesse tamped down his temper. It wasn't her fault, bless her. .."Nothing that should have brought on this." He backed out of the room, muttering, "Stubborn, hardheaded, stupid son of a-" He was heading down the hall when he heard Sarah and Caroline follow him into the hall. He stopped and turned. Sarah's face was contorted with worry.

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this. Just leave him alone!" She lifted her hands to hide the tears trickling down her face.

In that moment Jesse could have stomped his dear old dad right into the floorboards, but he knew that would accomplish nothing. Haney's overreaction to Jesse's careful admonition to treat his mother with more concern and appreciation told Jesse that there was more going on here than one partner in a long-term marriage taking the other a bit for granted. Haney had erupted in a blaze of anger, shouting that he knew a sight more about Sarah Wagner than anyone else. He had told Jesse, among other things, that he'd loved "that woman" for forty years, that he was an excellent husband, that all she could think about anymore was her "little aches and pains," and that even if it had been any of Jesse's "goldarned" business he wasn't about to take "no lessons" from him! Then he'd stormed off to the house, muttering about their business being their business, "by d.a.m.n!" Jesse had been left to stable a horse before he could follow, and in that short a time, the harm had been done. And it was clearly up to him to smooth it all over again.

Jesse addressed himself to a morose Caroline. ' 'Take care of her."