Concentrating on something concrete, she said in a whispery voice, “The vet says Fiesta could deliver in ten days or less. The three P’s have spent most of the day in the room with her.”
“Doing what?”
“You really aren’t a cat or dog person, are you?” Emma asked with a frown, hoping that would break the magnetic pull between them.
Apparently, Daniel didn’t take her frown seriously. “I’ll certainly find out soon if I’m a cat person.”
She couldn’t hold the frown. “They’ve been petting her, watching her nap, playing games on their electronic devices while they keep her company. Pippa took her coloring book and crayons into the room with her. I think Penny was devising new soccer plays.”
“You know, we could put a cat cam or even one of those baby monitors in the room. Then you’ll know or hear what’s going on,” Daniel suggested.
“I don’t want to feel like I’m spying on the girls.”
Daniel shook his head and smiled, and then took Emma’s chin in his hand. “You would think of that. I was just imagining watching and hearing Fiesta—then we’d know when she delivers.”
Emma felt her face heat. “I guess you’re wondering why I jumped to that conclusion.”
“That I’d want to spy on my daughters?”
Emma nodded. She hesitated because she didn’t share personal information easily. Especially since her disastrous relationship. But she was feeling close to Daniel and so she explained, “After my mom died, my father watched me like a hawk. I think he was afraid something would happen to me, too, especially as I grew older. I hated the feeling that he was hovering all the time. I never really had fun when I went to a party or even a gathering of friends because I was worried he was worrying.”
“You couldn’t just be a kid, a normal teenager.”
“I’m not sure how normal teenagers are,” Emma commented.
Gazing into her eyes, Daniel said, “You’re one of the most down-to-earth women I’ve ever met.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I’m not sure that’s a compliment.”
“Oh, it is,” he assured her. For a moment—just a moment—she thought he was going to kiss her. Did she want him to?
The thought was interrupted by a rap on the front door.
Startled, they both stepped apart. When Daniel saw who was at the door, he groaned. “It’s my sister, Shannon. She said she wanted to meet you. I told her we’d invite her for dinner some night, but I haven’t done it yet.”
Emma heard the chagrin in his tone and rushed to reassure him. “There will be plenty of taco shells and filling. She’s welcome to join us.”
“She has her three-year-old with her.”
“I like children,” Emma reminded him.
Emma peered through the glass of the storm door and saw Shannon holding her little boy’s hand. “He’s adorable.”
“Ian is three. Ever since Shannon lost Cameron a year ago, she’s devoted all of her time and attention to Ian.”
“She’s jiggling the doorknob.”
Daniel grimaced. “I better let her in before she breaks the door down. That’s the kind of woman Shannon is.”
Emma was suddenly glad she had a thumbnail sketch of Daniel’s sister. Hopefully that would help her avoid any faux pas.
* * *
Preparing dinner, Emma tried to keep her mind on what she was doing. That was tough when she felt both Daniel’s and Shannon’s eyes on her. They hadn’t called Penny, Pippa and Paris into the kitchen yet. Emma had started referring to them as the three P’s, and Daniel seemed to like it.
He also seemed to like the sizzle between them. That was the only word she could think of.
As she brought down the knife blade on the lettuce, she almost cut her finger. She had to keep her attention focused on chopping up tomatoes and lettuce for the tacos and not on her handsome boss.
“Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do?” Shannon asked.
Emma glanced at Shannon, who had beautiful auburn curls and a ready smile for her son. Ian was opening up Daniel’s bottom kitchen cupboards.
Should she give his sister something to do? “Would you like to grate the cheese?”
“I usually buy the packs where they’re already grated,” Daniel’s sister told her.
“I do sometimes,” Emma agreed.
“And not others?” Shannon questioned.
Pushed by Shannon, Emma responded, “I think the cheese tastes fresher and has more flavor when I buy the block and then grate it.”
“I see,” Shannon said thoughtfully, and Emma saw her exchange a look with her brother.
Trying to turn the conversation back to Shannon, Emma commented, “Daniel told me you work at home. You design adult coloring books, the ones with the mandalas and flowers and patterns, right?”
“That’s right. I’ve been fortunate,” Shannon said. “I found a company who likes my work.”
“I’ve always wanted to try coloring,” Emma said.
“You will have to try it sometime,” Shannon replied.
Emma went to the refrigerator, found the block of cheese, unwrapped it and set it on a cutting board with the grater. “I think we make time for what’s most important to us. I always volunteered at animal shelters and that takes up my spare time.”
“I see. Daniel said you brought a cat home.”
Daniel had been sitting by, watching the interplay. Now he cut in. “We did. It was what the girls wanted, so we all agreed. Fiesta’s in the upstairs bedroom. Maybe we can take Ian up to see her after supper.”
“A cat?” Shannon wrinkled her nose. “I’ve always considered dogs, but he’s not old enough to have much responsibility for an animal.”
“That’s why I agreed to let the three P’s bring home Fiesta.”
“The three P’s?” Shannon asked. “Since when did that start?”
“Since Emma arrived. She adds imagination to their days. She even got them to help her clean the house.”
“Wow, you must be a miracle worker.”
Emma shrugged. “A little music goes a long way in livening up chores that usually aren’t a whole lot of fun. We made a game of it. They’d each pick a task and whoever got done first got to pick the next type of music.”
“And they danced,” Daniel added. “I would have liked to have seen that.”
This time Emma’s gaze collided with his, and she knew he meant those words. The idea of him watching her dance, if you wanted to call it that, was highly sensual.
Shannon looked from one of them to the other as Emma turned back to slicing tomatoes. Emma caught sight of Shannon elbowing her brother. Shannon didn’t seem very happy with Emma’s presence here. She hoped she wasn’t going to cause a rift between them.
Shannon’s little boy came running over to her with a small saucepan in his hands that he’d pulled from the cupboard. He tapped on Emma’s leg.
She wiped off her hands and crouched down to his eye level. “How can I help you, little man?”
“Spoon,” he said, pointing to the ceramic jar that held kitchen utensils.
Daniel explained, “He uses a spoon and the pot to create music.”
Emma selected a wooden serving spoon, then crouched down again and handed it to him. “How about this one? It will make a thumping noise instead of a clanging sound.”
Ian took it, smiled mischievously at her, then banged the spoon on the pot. It didn’t make the sound he expected and he looked totally surprised.
“I told you she was smart,” Daniel said to his sister.
Shannon’s little boy thumped the spoon on the pot again and then giggled.
“Not only is she a miracle worker with your girls, but she seems to have the magic touch with toddlers, too,” Shannon commented. “What did you say you did before you came to North
Carolina?”
Emma returned the little boy’s smile and then straightened. “I was an office manager, but I also supervised local playground activities for a couple of summers. Running a household doesn’t seem that much different to me.”
“If you were a mom, it might,” Shannon suggested.
“Shannon—” Daniel warned. Then, to cut the tension in the room, he pushed back his chair and stood. “I’ll call the girls. I’m sure they’d like to help fill the tacos.”
“By all means,” Shannon said. “We’ll see how Emma handles the three-ring circus in the kitchen.”
Emma could have responded but she didn’t. She knew when to hold her tongue. She also knew when to concentrate on kids rather than adults. Shannon was obviously testing her. Daniel kept looking her way and Emma felt confusion at that.
Yes, it was better to concentrate on the children. She wouldn’t get into trouble doing that.
* * *
Emma tossed and turned that night. She knew if she fell asleep she’d dream about Daniel. She’d never had X-rated dreams before, and she shouldn’t be having them now. Should she quit as his nanny? But she needed the income, and it was a good position, even including housing so she could mostly save her salary.
The following morning after Daniel left, Emma made breakfast for the girls—bacon and pancakes. Then she sat down with them to go over the camps that the community college was offering and to register them. The sessions would start on Monday. Daniel thought the camps were important for out-of-the-box educational experiences. As Emma looked down over the list, she saw exactly why. She read off the camps in different age groups.
Pippa made a choice without hardly thinking about it—“Jewels to wear and share.” She was jumping up and down with excitement just thinking about it. “I can make a bracelet for each of us, or maybe necklaces, too.”
“Maybe you’ll just be making one thing for you. You’ll have to wait and see,” Emma suggested.
“I’m sure whatever it is, it will be pretty and special.”
Next, Emma read off the list for Penny’s age group. Emma was surprised when Penny didn’t choose sports camp but selected “Making Duct-Tape Art.”
“That will really stretch your imagination,” Emma said, holding back her smile.
“It will be cool,” Penny said. “Did you see all the colors and patterns they make duct tape in now? I can’t wait.”
“I guess I have to look at the list, too,” Paris said with no enthusiasm. “I just want to belong to the swim team and go swimming at the community pool.”
“Let’s make a deal,” Emma advised. “In addition to your team practice sessions and your camp, we’ll all go swimming one day a week, weather permitting, if you choose a camp, too.”
Paris gave a very loud but ultimately resigned sigh. However, when she looked down the list on Emma’s tablet, she pointed to one right away. “I’ve always wanted to make a video game. Do you think I could really learn that?”
“The description on the website says every camp student will complete a project.”
Paris motioned to Emma’s tablet screen. “Are we finished with the registering now?”
“What would you like to do?”
“I’d just like to go upstairs and spend some time with Fiesta. She’s got to be lonely up there alone.”
“Maybe she is. I’m sure she’ll be glad for your company, and you can keep an eye on her and watch for signs that she might have her kittens soon. Remember what the signs are?”
“Meowing more,” Penny said.
“Nesting,” Paris added. “Pawing into the paper or the towel we have in her bins.”
“Looking around for someplace to have her babies,” Pippa said.
“That’s all correct—good job remembering. We should probably put a sheet under the bed just in case she does start looking for another nesting place. Come on, I’ll find one for you.”
The day passed quickly until Daniel came home. As always, Penny and Pippa ran to hug him. Paris just said, “Hi, Dad.”
On some level, Emma wondered if Paris blamed Daniel for her mom leaving. Did they know the full story? Did they know why Lydia had left?
After supper that evening, the three P’s were watching TV. Emma took the sign-up sheets she’d printed from her tablet. Daniel had given her permission to use his printer. She found him in his office. His door was wide open, but she still rapped lightly.
He swiveled around in his chair. “Hi, Emma. What’s up?”
“I have the confirmation sheets for the girls’ camps.”
He took the papers from her hand. “Let me see what they chose.”
As he looked over the classes, he grinned. “Pippa’s is the only one that makes real sense. She likes shiny crystals. Duct-tape art for Penny? That’s surprising. And how much argument did Paris give you about going at all?”
“We made a deal.”
“My guess is you got the short end of the stick.”
Emma laughed. “Not necessarily. In addition to her swim practices, I told her we’d go to the pool one day a week. She seems to be into the idea of making a video game. The camps last until 2:00 p.m. Does all of this work with your schedule?”
“Yes, it does.” After he set the printouts on his desk, he said, “I have something I want to ask you, too.”
Her gaze collided with his and her heart started bumping a phenomenally loud rhythm—so loud that she wondered if he could hear. He’d changed into a black-and-white football jersey and black jean shorts. His feet were bare and so were hers. But her tank top and shorts felt kind of skimpy as he studied her. Sometimes she felt as if he could see right through her. That scared her as much as it excited her.
She found her voice and asked, “What did you want to know?”
“Do you think you’ll have any spare time?”
She didn’t exactly know how her schedule was going to work out yet. “Why do you want to know?”
“My secretary is leaving for two weeks to visit her sister in Arkansas. They’re going to look at retirement homes for their parents. During those two weeks I really need an office manager, not only for an organized office, but to start a search for an associate in the firm. I’d bump up your salary if you can do that while the girls are at camp.”
Working in Daniel’s law office would give her more job experience for her résumé, and she’d be able to put more money in the bank. Not only that, but it would also sound more stable than being a nanny when she told her father about it. The last time she spoke with him she hadn’t told him about the boyfriend fiasco, but she had informed him she was searching for a job. Of course, he’d wanted her to come home. She was determined not to do that.
“So I’d be working the front desk?”
“Yes, you would. I can teach you how to work the intercom system. Why do you ask?”
Feeling awkward, she didn’t know what to say. She felt her cheeks getting red.
She had ducked her chin and now Daniel inched toward her and looked up into her face. “Come on, Emma, tell me what’s wrong.”
“Nothing’s wrong, exactly.”
“But you’d rather work in the reception area than next to me in my office?”
Now she’d done it. She’d insulted him. However, when she lifted her chin and looked at his face, he didn’t look insulted.
“What are you afraid of, Emma?”
“We’ve kissed, and...” She stumbled over her words, feeling foolish. “I just want to make sure that while I’m working with you we have a professional relationship.”
“We’ll have a strictly professional relationship, Emma, if that’s what you want.”
The truth was...she wasn’t sure what she wanted. She did know, however, she wasn’t going to do anything impulsive. Their professional relationship would keep them both safe from a broken
heart.
“I’m sorry if I insulted you,” she apologized.
“No, you haven’t. I’m glad you’ve made your feelings clear. That way, we won’t have any misunderstandings. I admire you for doing that, Emma. So you will become my office manager for two weeks, at least in the mornings?”
“That sounds good.” In order to leave his office, she came up with an excuse. “I’m going to call my dad now. I never gave him my new address. He’ll be glad to know I’m settled and working.”
When she turned to go, he caught her arm. She liked the feel of his fingers on her skin. She liked the way he smelled of leather and pine. She liked the twinkle in his eyes when he interacted with the three P’s. And she loved the way she’d felt when he’d kissed her.
She looked up at him, not knowing what to expect.
“Emma, this situation is new to both of us. I’ve never had a housekeeper or a nanny like you.”
“Like me?”
This time his cheeks took on a ruddiness that wasn’t there before. “Yeah, like you. Pretty and smart and attractive to me in a way a woman hasn’t been in a long time. I don’t want you to ever feel uncomfortable. If something isn’t to your liking, I want you to tell me.”
“I will,” she murmured as he released her arm. As she walked down the hall to her suite, she knew what was to her liking. Him.
* * *
About an hour later, Daniel thought about the job offer he’d given to Emma. The one thing he didn’t want was for her to feel pressured to say yes. Maybe he should have explained that better.
Walking down the hall to her suite, he saw that her door was closed. He didn’t think she would have gone to bed this early. Even the girls were still up.
He knocked.
She came to the door almost immediately. She was still dressed in her tank and shorts and obviously hadn’t turned in yet. But when she opened the door and he saw her face, he knew she was troubled about something. It was either his job offer or her conversation with her father.
“What’s wrong?” Maybe she’d be honest with him and he wouldn’t have to guess.
The Nanny Clause Page 6
