The Family Plan

by Gina Wilkins

  “That must be the housekeeper,” Nathan said, his voice husky.

  “You let her in. I’ll, uh, go check on Isabelle.”

  Caitlin almost bolted from the entryway. There was no way she could meet Irene Mitchell’s sister without first splashing some cold water on her face.

  Maybe it was because his brain was still rattled from kissing Caitlin that Nathan wasn’t as sharp-witted as usual when he saw the woman standing on his doorstep. “Irene?” he said blankly. “What are you—”

  “Irene is my twin sister,” the thin-faced, flame-haired woman replied crisply. “I’m Fayrene Tuckerman. I assume you’re Nathan McCloud?”

  “Yes, I—”

  She stepped past him, holding her handbag in front of her, and looked around the entryway in assessment. “Lovely house. Shouldn’t be too difficult to keep it up.”

  “Well, it’s—”

  “The kitchen is this way, I presume?”

  He shouldn’t have been surprised that she guessed correctly on the first try. “Yes, it’s—”

  She was already moving, leaving him no choice but to follow behind her.

  “Mrs. Tuckerman—”

  “You may call me Fayrene. Ah. Nice kitchen. Good appliances. Efficient positioning. We’ll want to move the coffeemaker and toaster over to this counter, of course, and I’m sure the cabinets and drawers could be rearranged, but it’s very workable. Where are the washer and dryer?”

  “Through that door. Can I—”

  Because she had poked her head into the laundry room, her voice was a bit muffled when she overrode him again. “I’ll need a brighter light in here. And a surface for pre-treating stains and folding laundry. A small table should fit nicely into that corner. Please see to that quickly. With a small child, stains are a constant battle.”

  “Yes, I’ve noticed she—”

  Fayrene closed the laundry room door and turned to face him. “I live only fifteen minutes from here, so I should have no problem being here by six forty-five each morning to prepare breakfast for you and the little girl. Is that early enough?”

  “Plenty early. I—”

  “I’ll have dinner ready by six, and I’ll leave shortly after that unless you have plans and need me to stay later to watch the child. I’m available most evenings except Sundays and Wednesdays, when I attend church services. And every third Tuesday evening of each month, my bridge club meets, so you’ll need to make other arrangements if you have plans. If six is too early for you to eat, I’ll prepare the meals and leave them in the refrigerator so you’ll only have to warm the food when you’re ready. I expect my duties to include cleaning, laundry, cooking and childcare, but I don’t do yard work or exterior windows.”

  “I wouldn’t expect you to—”

  “My sister said the little girl starts preschool tomorrow. When does she need to be dropped off and picked up?”

  “The program starts at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 2:00 p.m. After that, there’s a day care program until early evening for the students with working parents.”

  “I’ll pick her up at two. No need for her to stay later if the remainder of the afternoon is merely day care. I can do errands as necessary while I’m out, such as picking up the cleaning. I’ll need a safety seat for my car, of course. I assume she still uses one.”

  “Yes, at her age and weight she’s still required to ride in a safety seat.”

  “Very wise. I’m appalled at the number of people who allow children to ride in a vehicle completely unrestrained. Aren’t they aware that those precious little bodies are thrown like missiles in accidents? And as far as the excuse that their children don’t like being restrained—poppycock. Parents are supposed to be adults, not playmates. I don’t believe in taking any risks when it comes to a child’s safety.”

  Okay, he liked that philosophy. He wanted to know that Isabelle would be watched over by someone who made her safety a top priority. “I completely agree. But—”

  “I really should meet the child now, don’t you think? She needs to get comfortable with me before I pick her up at Miss Thelma’s tomorrow afternoon. I assume you’ll be taking her there on her first morning of school?”

  “Yes. I’m sure there will be some paperwork they’ll want me to fill out.”

  Because he had become so accustomed to having her interrupt him, he was almost surprised when she allowed him to complete that comment. And then, when she still didn’t speak, he realized she was waiting for him to follow through on her suggestion—or had it been a command?—that he take her to meet Isabelle.

  He motioned toward the doorway, trying to regain at least a semblance of control over this bizarre interview. “Isabelle’s in the den with my business partner. Shall we?”

  She nodded and swept through the doorway.

  Caitlin and Isabelle were seated cozily on the big leather sofa in the den, watching a cartoon on television. Isabelle had apparently been educating Caitlin about the names of all the characters on the animated series. Nathan had heard her chattering as he’d approached the room.

  Caitlin looked up when Nathan and Fayrene entered. Her expression when she spotted the woman looked very much the way his own must have earlier.

  Before she could make the same embarrassing mistake he had made, he spoke quickly, “Caitlin Briley, this is Irene Mitchell’s twin sister, Fayrene Tuckerman.”

  Caitlin stood to greet the woman. “It’s very nice to meet you. I didn’t realize you and Irene were twins.”

  Fayrene nodded, but her attention was already focused on Isabelle. Her rather stern face softened with a smile warmer than Nathan had ever seen from her sister. “You must be Isabelle.”

  Isabelle blinked. “You’re Ms. Mitchell’s sister?”

  “Yes, her twin sister. That’s why we look alike.”

  Isabelle cocked her head. “You don’t look exactly alike,” she decided. “Your smile is different.”

  Nathan decided he had better intercede before the conversation turned too personal. “Isabelle, Mrs. Tuckerman is going to come help us out around here. She’ll pick you up at preschool tomorrow and stay with you until I get home from work.”

  “You won’t mind that, will you, Isabelle?” Fayrene smiled confidently. “We’ll have a very nice time.”

  Isabelle glanced at Nathan. “You’ll come home after work?”

  She still needed a great deal of reassurance that he wouldn’t be leaving her, he realized. He tried to give her that security with his smile. “Of course I’ll come home, poppet. I’ll be anxious to hear all about your first day at preschool.”

  She nodded and looked back at Fayrene. “Okay. What’s your name again?”

  “The last family I worked for thought it was amusing to call me Mrs. T. You may do the same, if you like.”

  Definitely not like her sister, Nathan realized then. Although identical in appearance and equally intimidating at first impression, they were quite different in other ways. And while he was still wary about taking yet another new person into his life and his home, he was becoming convinced that he couldn’t have found a more qualified housekeeper. Now that Isabelle had given her seal of approval, it seemed they were all set.

  Caitlin seemed to come to the same conclusion. “It was very nice to meet you, Mrs. Tuckerman.”

  “Mrs. T.,” Isabelle whispered loudly, tugging at Caitlin’s dress.

  Caitlin smiled before adding, “I really should be going now. I have a meeting tonight.”

  Nathan took a step toward her. “I’ll walk you out.”

  She didn’t meet his eyes when she said, “That’s not necessary.”

  “Certainly you should walk her out,” Fayrene said to Nathan. “Isabelle and I will get to know each other. Do you like hot cocoa, Isabelle?”

  The little girl nodded eagerly. “Especially with marshmallows.”

  “Then come with me to the kitchen and we’ll see what we can find. While I make the cocoa, you can tell me how you feel about going to school tomo
rrow.”

  Isabelle willingly skipped out of the room at Fayrene’s side, already beginning to chatter. Nathan and Caitlin were left standing in awkward silence, he trying to read her expression and she seemingly intent on keeping him from doing so.

  The memory of the kiss they had shared hung almost palpably in the air between them.

  Chapter Eight

  Caitlin had every intention of making her escape as quickly as possible. She needed to do a great deal of thinking—away from Nathan.

  “There’s really no need for you to walk me out,” she said. “You wanted me to meet Mrs. Tuckerman and I did. I heartily approve of her, by the way. You’re lucky she was available.”

  Ignoring her less-than-subtle hint, he moved to the doorway, where he paused and motioned for her to precede him. Short of dashing past him and trying to outrun him to her car, there didn’t seem to be any way to avoid having him walk her out. Holding her head high, she swept past him, keeping her gaze focused ahead.

  Nathan stayed close behind her, his voice low when he said, “Can you believe how much she looks like Irene? Gave me a shock when I answered the door.”

  “I felt the same way when you and she walked into the den. I had no idea Irene had an identical twin sister.”

  “They even dye their hair the same color. Wonder whose idea that was?”

  “Who knows?” She started to reach for the front doorknob, but Nathan beat her to it, opening the door with a chivalrous flourish.

  Hearing the door close behind them, she felt an urge to babble as she strode down the landscaped walkway toward her car. “It’s starting to get cooler at night, isn’t it? And beginning in a couple of weeks, when we turn our clocks back an hour, it will be dark almost by the time we close our office. Hard to believe it’s almost winter already.”

  She was fully aware that she sounded like an idiot, but Nathan politely refrained from treating her like one. “This month is passing quickly,” he agreed. “Probably because so much has been going on. So many big changes.”

  His words made her rather wistful. Things had been so much easier a month ago. Back before Nathan had brought Isabelle home and had pulled Caitlin into his life because there had been no one else to turn to.

  Before he had kissed her.

  She tried to keep her attention focused on the conversation she had started, banal though it may be. “Guess you’ll be going trick-or-treating in a couple of weeks?”

  He chuckled. “I always do that, anyway,” he boasted, though she didn’t believe him. And then his amusement faded. “It’s the holidays after Halloween that concern me.”

  She nodded somberly, thinking of how difficult those holidays would be for him if he was still estranged from his family, which certainly seemed likely at this point. She was sure he had always considered Thanksgiving and Christmas as times to spend with his mother and siblings. She was just as sure that he would not spend those celebrations with them now if Isabelle wasn’t welcome to join them.

  Because she simply didn’t know what to say about his family dilemma, she decided to let his comment pass. She pulled her car keys from the outside pocket of her black leather purse. “I’ll be in court in the morning, so it will probably be tomorrow afternoon when I see you. I hope Isabelle’s first day at preschool goes well.”

  “I’m sure she’ll do fine. She’s a pretty remarkable kid.”

  “Yes, she is. I haven’t spent much time with children, but I can tell that your little sister is very special.”

  “Thank you.” He seemed genuinely pleased by her words, as proud, she thought, as any new father. “I think so, too.”

  She pushed the button that automatically unlocked her car and opened the door. “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow. Good night.”

  “I would like to kiss you again.”

  The quiet words made her cling to her car door for support. “Please don’t say that.”

  Nathan took a step closer to her, his voice just loud enough to reach her ears. “Not saying it doesn’t make it any less true.”

  Shaking her head, she pressed against the car as if instinctively trying to put as much physical distance between herself and Nathan as possible. Her heart was pounding again now, as swiftly as it had been before, when he’d stunned her with that unexpected kiss.

  “You’re just overwhelmed by everything that has happened in the past week. You’re feeling cut off from your family and grateful because I’ve tried to help you.”

  “It isn’t gratitude, even though I am appreciative of all you’ve done. I felt this way before Alan Curtis called. I just hadn’t gotten around to doing anything about it yet, though I certainly intended to.”

  “I really wish you wouldn’t. It’s too…complicated.”

  “Would you have reacted differently before Isabelle moved in with me?”

  Thinking of the women who would back off because of his new circumstances, she shook her head. “This has nothing to do with Isabelle. I don’t believe in office dalliances. They’re risky and awkward and ultimately messy. It’s best to avoid those complications whenever possible.”

  “I’m not talking about an ‘office dalliance,’” he replied, obviously taking exception to the term she had chosen. “Yes, I’m physically attracted to you, but it’s more than that. I care about you.”

  Sheer panic made her heart jump and then start pounding even harder. At least she assumed it was panic and not anything more dangerous. “Let’s…not talk about this now. As you said, there’s a lot going on in your life and at work now. It’s the wrong time to start something else.”

  “So we should just pretend nothing happened? Go back to being nothing more than business partners?”

  “We are nothing more than business partners,” she muttered in exasperation. “And I, for one, would like to get back to business!”

  “Damn, you have beautiful eyes,” he mused, gazing at her meltingly.

  Groaning, she jerked the car door open. “I have a meeting to attend. And after that I have a good four hours of research to do on the medical malpractice case, which we still haven’t had time to discuss yet.”

  “I’ll discuss it anytime you like. How about here at my place after your meeting tonight?”

  She frowned, refusing to be swayed by his wicked smile. “We’ll discuss it at the office. Now that your personal life is in order, there’s no reason we can’t get back to having our business discussions in the conference room.”

  “I’ll count the minutes until I see you again.”

  She didn’t know what had suddenly put him in this cheerful, teasing mood, but she didn’t trust it for a minute. “Stop that,” she snapped. “I’m not falling for your notorious charms, so there’s no need to waste them on me.”

  “Thank you,” he said with mock gravity. “I find you charming, too.”

  A low growl escaped her. Before she completely lost what little composure she had left, she slid into her car and shut the door with a loud snap. Nathan stepped back, his thumbs hooked in his jeans pockets, and watched her drive away with what, in her rearview mirror, looked suspiciously like a smug grin.

  It seemed each passing day of the next week made Nathan more aware of how different his life had become.

  Though Mrs. T. worked miracles on the home front, taking the load of cooking, laundry and housework off his shoulders, he still made a point to spend as much time as possible with Isabelle in the evenings. He listened to her stories about school, heard about the new friends she was making there and admired the colorful artwork and carefully drawn alphabet sheets she brought home every day.

  Each night he read her a bedtime story and tucked her into bed. Every morning he woke her with tickles and kisses so that she began each new day with a smile. Even without the extra chores, his life away from the office revolved around Isabelle.

  His mother and sister were barely speaking to him. His brother didn’t seem to be particularly angry with him, but had further distanced himself, saying simply
that he didn’t want to get involved. Nathan’s friends thought he had lost his mind.

  “You’re really going to try to raise a kid by yourself?” his most-frequent fishing buddy, Jim Horner, had asked incredulously. “Dude, are you nuts?”

  “So what would you have done?” Nathan asked over the gas pump where they had met by accident. “Put your own little sister out into the streets?”

  His friend, an unmarried firefighter with notoriously reckless courage and a heart as big as his oversized four-by-four truck, was taken aback by that question. “I don’t know,” he said finally. “But I sure wouldn’t have had the guts to bring her home with me. What is she—five? Six?”

  “She’s three. Almost four.”

  Jim practically shuddered. “Man, she’s just a baby.”

  “Pretty much.”

  “So do you have someone to help you with her? Like a nanny or something?”

  “I’ve hired a housekeeper who helps with child care during the day, but not a full-time nanny. I don’t need that right now.”

  “What about your free time? You still going to be able to go play golf anytime you want? Or head to the coast for a long fishing weekend? Or drive down to N’Awlins for a long party weekend?”

  “Obviously not.” Nathan replaced the gas nozzle on the pump and twisted the gas cap back into place. “I can still take the occasional afternoon or Saturday morning for a golf game, but I’ll need to set it up in advance now so I’ll have time to arrange for a baby-sitter.”

  Jim digested that information in apparent dismay. “Man.”

  Nathan shrugged. “Things change, pal. Guess it’s time for me to grow up and settle down.”

  Jim laid a heavy hand on Nathan’s shoulder and gave him an exaggerated soulful look. “Dude, you’re a better man than I am.”

  “Knock it off,” Nathan had growled in exasperation. “I did what any big brother would do—you included, whether you admit it or not.”

  “So you say. Give me a call someday when you’ve got a baby-sitter, okay? We’ll go play a few holes—see if being a daddy has made you soft.”