Emily often compared herself to her best friend and found her life wanting. Here she was, nearing thirty, with no husband and no family of her own. She had an art degree but no art career. And now she was starting out in a new field, one that most people wouldn’t take seriously. Was she a failure? Sometimes, in the dark of night, she thought so.

  She was starting to feel the effects of the wine when Nick and the kids walked in. The children were excited about their night out and chattered back and forth between Claire and their dad.

  Sofia came over and gave Emily a hug. She sat down beside her, talking in quick bursts about the movie.

  Emily put her arm around the youngster and listened attentively. Claire’s kids called her ‘Aunt Em’, and she loved it.

  Nick finally shepherded the kids back to their rooms.

  “Sounds like they had a great time. Want a refill, honey?” Claire asked as she came back and sat down.

  “I think I’ve had enough. In fact, I’m getting tired. Mind if I call it a night and hit the sack? That way you and Nick can spend some time together. The guy deserves it after tonight.”

  Claire grinned. “He does, doesn’t he?”

  “Make it worth his while, bestie. I know you can.”

  Claire laughed. “Oh yes, ma’am, I can.” She got up and gave Emily a peck on the cheek. “The guest bath is ready if you want to take a shower.”

  “Nah, I took one before I came over. I’m just going to fall into bed.” She stood up and gave Claire a hug. “I had a great time. Thanks for asking me over. I’ll leave when I wake up in the morning. Feel free to sleep in with your hunk, okay?”

  Claire giggled. “My hunk?”

  “Yep. You know he is.”

  “He does take good care of himself, doesn’t he?”

  “Goodnight, bestie,” Emily said and headed for the bedroom.

  “Night, night, bestie,” Claire said softly.

  A few moments later, Emily turned out the bedside lamp. Her thoughts turned immediately to Sunday afternoon. She should eat dinner before going to Jack’s house. Five was an odd time to arrive. It could be before or after dinner, and she didn’t want to guess wrong.

  Lily was such a beautiful little girl. She had Jack’s coloring, blond and blue-eyed. For all Emily knew, Lily’s mother might be a blonde, though.

  Would Jack be doing the cooking, or would she? Or would they cook together? She kind of liked that idea. She’d been living alone for a year now, and she found the idea of having another adult around the house comforting.

  She suddenly realized that she was happier than she’d been in a very long time. She had a real purpose now, and she couldn’t wait to get started.

  Chapter Two

  Emily pulled into Jack’s driveway Sunday afternoon with her heart pounding. Despite the fact that Jack had seemed nice and she was looking forward to seeing Lily again, she’d been a nervous wreck the entire forty-five-minute drive. Her chest felt tight as a drum as she grabbed her purse and stepped out of her SUV. But it was important to show confidence in situations like this. She strode up to the door and knocked firmly.

  A moment later, Jack opened it, holding Lily in his arms. Smiling, he said, “Come on in. We’ve been expecting you. I have dinner cooking. I hope you’re hungry.”

  “I wasn’t sure, so I ate before I came.”

  “Oh, you should always plan on eating here on Sunday. If you want to, that is.”

  “Thanks, Jack.” She walked into the living room and set her purse down on the couch.

  “Did you bring your stuff with you?” Jack said as Lily patted his face.

  “Yes, they’re in the back of my car. If it’s okay, I’ll start unloading.”

  “I’ll help you. Just let me put Lily in her highchair with a little snack.”

  “Thanks.” Warmed by his offer, she headed for the door.

  At the car, she popped the rear hatch, then got her suitcase out of the back seat. She had a box of shoes and a couple of pairs of boots in the rear, as well as her hanging clothes. Although she planned on going home on the weekends, she didn’t want to drag clothes back and forth every week. Having plenty here in Weslaco would be much more convenient. In the driver’s side back seat was her box of bathroom stuff. She’d get that next.

  Jack passed her on her way in and said, “I bought new linens and a new comforter for your bed. That should make it a bit more comfortable for you.”

  “Thanks, Jack. That’s so thoughtful. I imagine such a nice room will come in quite handy in the evenings.” She smiled and continued on.

  It didn’t take them long to unload her car. She quickly hung her clothes in the walk-in closet and figured she’d put the rest of her things away after Lily went to bed.

  Jack went in to check on the Crock-Pot dinner and to let Lily out of her highchair. The little girl wandered into Emily’s room, lifting box lids and talking to herself. It was obvious that she was used to making her own entertainment.

  Emily picked her up. “How about we read a book, huh?”

  Emily put her finger in her mouth and then said, “Wanna book.”

  They went into her room and Emily put her down in front of her little bookcase. “Which book shall we read, Lily?”

  Lily instantly reached for The Three Little Pigs. Emily grinned. She loved this new retelling of the old nursery story. It was a large book with wonderful illustrations. It surprised her that Lily wasn’t scared of the big bad wolf pictures. She put Lily on her lap and began to read, adjusting her voice for each character. Rocking back and forth, she slowly turned the pages.

  Lily sat in fascinated silence, her finger in her mouth. Occasionally she’d point and say “wolf”, or “pig,” but otherwise she kept her eyes glued to the pages. She certainly had a long attention span for one so young.

  Emily was impressed by the time the three little pigs overcame the big bad wolf. She said, “The end,” and closed the book.

  Lily reached for it and clutched it to her chest. “Bad wolf.”

  “Yes, he was a very naughty wolf, wasn’t he? Those three little pigs sure knew how to beat him, though, huh? I liked that book, Lily. It was a good choice. Now, let’s go see what your daddy’s up to.”

  When they arrived at the kitchen, Jack was just finishing up making a salad. He said, “I peeked in on you two. I liked how you read the story with different voices, Emily. That’s how Lily likes it. She’ll sit still as long as you’ll read to her.”

  “She’s wonderful at sitting quietly for her age. Can I help with anything?”

  “Nah, everything’s ready. Sure you won’t eat with us?”

  “I’m fine, but I’ll help Lily while you enjoy your dinner. As smart as she is, I’m sure she does pretty well on her own, though.”

  “She does as long as everything’s cut up small.” He dished up some of the Italian casserole from the Crock-Pot into Lily’s bowl and put it into the freezer to cool. Then he ladled a large portion onto a plate for himself and added some salad. “I’m starved. We ate a late breakfast, and I haven’t eaten since.”

  “It smells fabulous. You’re a good cook.”

  He grinned. “Boy, do I have you fooled. I have a Crock-Pot cookbook, and I occasionally look up casserole recipes on the internet. I’m not an innate chef by any means.”

  “That pretty much describes me, too. I learned to cook a lot of my mom’s recipes, but for anything fancy, I look it up online. I’m good at following step-by-step instructions.”

  He set Lily’s sippy cup down on the tray of her highchair. “Here’s your milk, honey.”

  Lily took a drink immediately.

  Emily made a mental note to keep the little girl hydrated. She seemed quite thirsty.

  A couple of minutes later, Jack took Lily’s bowl out of the freezer and cut up the food. Then he put a toddler spoon in it and set it in front of her. “Here you go, honey. That’s just like lasagna. It’s good.”

  Lily grabbed her spoon and, after a couple of tries, had a large spoonful headed to her mouth. She chewed industriously for a while and then swallowed.

  Emily was impressed. Spicy foods often turned toddlers off, but Lily was obviously enjoying her dinner. “She’s a good little eater, isn’t she?”

  “She sure is. I’ll give her a while with the lasagna and then start her on some salad. She likes that, too.”

  Lily ate all her food and, after dinner, Emily said, “I don’t mind giving Lily her bath if you’ll just show me where everything is.”

  “That’s not necessary. You’re not on the clock until tomorrow morning, you know,” Jack said.

  “I’d love to. I think it’ll help Lily and me get to know one another. I’ll bet this little one loves her bathtime.”

  Jack lifted Lily out of her highchair. “That she does. Thanks for offering. I’ll just clean up in here, then, while you’re bathing her.” He set Lily down. “Come on. I’ll show you where everything is.”

  First, Jack started the bath running and Lily said, “Wanna bath!”

  Emily laughed at her enthusiasm and took her by the hand. “We’re going to take a bath right now, honey.”

  Jack laid out Lily’s pj’s and a fresh diaper, ointment, and wipes on her Minnie Mouse bed, which was quite unique. It sat flat on the floor so that Lily could get out of it without falling.

  “I love her bed. What a neat idea,” Emily said.

  “This little one learned how to get out of her baby bed when she was eight months old. We needed something safe to transition her to, and this fit the bill perfectly,” Jack said.

  Emily carried Lily to her bath. She quickly stripped her down and put her in the water. Lily was perfectly happy to have Emily assisting her. Emily knelt beside the tub as Lily played with her water toys.

  Emily felt herself slowly relax as she talked and played with Lily. Emily believed that bathtime should be a relaxing experience and that children should be allowed time to enjoy themselves. Rushing them should only be done in emergencies.

  After thirty minutes, she told Lily that it was time to wash and get clean. Lily didn’t put up much of a fuss, and Emily soon had her clean and shampooed.

  As she let the water out of the tub, Lily said, “No, no water go.”

  Emily picked her up and then wrapped her in a towel. “We need to dry off and get your jammies on, honey. Bathtime’s over.”

  Lily frowned but cooperated.

  It didn’t take Emily long to get her diapered and dressed. When she carried her into the living room, Jack wasn’t around, so she checked the kitchen. It was sparkling clean. Maybe he’d gone back to shower.

  Lily had a toy basket in the living room, and Emily set the little girl beside it. With a sigh, Emily sat down on the couch. Her back ached from leaning over the tub—and probably because she’d been so tense all weekend.

  Jack came into the room a few minutes later. “How was bathtime?”

  “Lily loved it. She’s such a good-natured child. I’m really impressed, Jack.”

  “Her mom and I got lucky, that’s for sure.”

  “Some of that’s just good parenting, though. She’s a happy, relaxed little girl.”

  Jack smiled. “Thanks, Emily. She sure gets tons of love.”

  “Has her mom always been gone a lot?” Emily asked, hoping that it wasn’t too personal a question.

  “Yes, she has. She often went back and forth to the Houston headquarters, and then to DC occasionally, too. Of course, now that she’s posted in Islamabad, she won’t be back here much. I’m sure we’ll see her, but not often.”

  “How has Lily handled her absence? Does it affect her behavior?” Emily asked.

  Jack shrugged. “She’s never known anything else. I think it’s ‘out of sight, out of mind’ on Lily’s part. Sarah sure misses her, though. This Islamabad posting is going to be hard on her.”

  Emily wondered what Jack felt for Sarah. He didn’t sound angry or bitter toward her, which seemed a bit unusual. After all, Sarah had left him with the entire responsibility of raising their toddler when he himself had a very busy and demanding career. “Two years is a long time to be away from your child.”

  “It sure is. I really hope Sarah can plan some time Stateside so that Lily won’t forget her.” He picked up his daughter. “How about we read some books, little one? Then I’ll rock you to sleep.”

  He glanced at Emily. “I’m sure you want to unpack, but give me about forty-five minutes. I’d like to talk about Lily’s schedule for tomorrow. I’ve also got some wine in the fridge if you’d like a glass while we chat. Does that sound good?”

  Her pulse sped up. Surely he wasn’t making a pass at her? She examined his expression. He didn’t seem to be flirting. “Sure, that sounds great. Just let me know when you’re ready.”

  When she heard a tap on her door, she’d already unpacked her bathroom things and her suitcase, and her shoes and boots were in the closet.

  “I’m ready when you are, Emily,” Jack said quietly.

  “I’ll be right there.” She checked her image in the dresser mirror before leaving the room.

  Jack was in the kitchen pouring her glass of wine. A longneck stood beside it on the counter. He handed her the glass and said, “Lily’s out like a light. She loves being rocked to sleep. It’s what we’ve always done, and I enjoy that special time with her.”

  “I think it’s wonderful that you do that. I’ll bet she’s a good sleeper.”

  “She is. She used to use a pacifier, and when she’d wake up, she’d find it and go right back to sleep. She’s never been a fussy sleeper.”

  Emily sat on the couch while Jack took the recliner. He said, “So tell me a little bit about yourself, Emily. Something that’s not on your resumé.”

  This was unexpected. Where should she start?

  He listened quietly while she told him about attending university as an art major in New Orleans and then staying there for years afterward pursuing her career.

  She continued, “I worked at an art gallery during that time and also volunteered with children in several places. I’ve worked in photography the last couple of years, and I really enjoy it. I had several showings back in New Orleans that went over quite well.”

  “I’d love to see some of your stuff,” he said.

  “I have some pictures on my phone. I’ll show you sometime.” She took a sip of her wine. “Tell me something about yourself now, Jack.”

  “I was raised on a cattle ranch about an hour and a half from here. Ranching in South Texas is really something else. Rain is like manna from heaven. The herds have to be tolerant of heat and drought. We raised Santa Gertrudis cattle, and they handle both well. I grew up rodeoing and working on the ranch.

  My brother, Ryan, runs the ranch with my father now. He’s married—his wife’s name is Teresa—and has a five-year-old son named Jeremy. I don’t get back to the ranch as often as I should. Work always seems to keep me too busy.”

  He rubbed his chin. “Let’s see. What else? I have a degree in criminal justice, and I guess I always knew I wanted to be a Texas Ranger. I worked as a police officer in McAllen for a couple of years because it’s a border town and I wanted to get my feet wet in law enforcement that dealt with the cartels regularly. Then I applied with the Rangers and was accepted. It’s a job I believe in.”

  “I like that you always knew what you wanted to be. I thought I did. I thought I wanted to be an artist. But it turned out that the art world is a lot different than I thought it would be. It’s just not for me. But helping children with my art—now, that I love.”

  Then Jack talked about Lily’s normal daily schedule, which was really quite simple. He added, “I’ll have the baby monitor in my room tonight, but after that, it’ll be with you. And don’t worry about tomorrow. I’m sure you’ll do just fine.”

  There was one more thing she wanted to talk about. “Jack, I did some research this weekend on local parks and things to do around town. I’d like to take Lily places occasionally after we get to know each other better.”

  “That sounds great. Let me buy another car seat first. I think going to the park sounds like a great idea. Just run your ideas past me first, okay?”

  Excited to have his agreement, she smiled. “Sure, no problem.” She finished the last swallow of her wine. “Is there anything else you can think of that might help me tomorrow?”

  He shook his head. “I’m sure you’ve got this. I’ll leave my phone number on the kitchen counter. Add it to your contacts, and just call me if you need anything. I’ve made notes of Lily’s doctor’s phone numbers for Brandi, so I’ve got a copy of that for you, too. I’ll leave that on the counter as well.”

  Emily stood up. “Thanks for the wine. I’ll hit the sack now. If it’s okay with you, I’ll let Lily wake up on her own in the mornings. I think that’s healthy for little ones. Unless she sleeps too late, I’ll just wait until I hear her.”

  Jack smiled. “That sounds perfect.”

  She walked back to her room and decided to finish what little was left of her unpacking the next day. After brushing her teeth and changing into a sleepshirt, she climbed into bed. Jack had obviously bought high-thread-count sheets. They felt fabulous against her skin.

  There was light coming through the closed blinds from the streetlights outside, and she counted the long stripes on the ceiling. Counting was an old habit of hers, and it helped her to relax. Suddenly she realized that she wasn’t feeling uncomfortable anymore. This house was beginning to feel like home.

  Jack headed in for a shower, his mind whirling. It had been great getting to know more about Emily, and what he’d learned had only solidified his surety that he’d made the right decision in hiring her as Lily’s nanny.

  He’d peeked in on them during bathtime, and he’d been happy to see that Emily was letting Lily play and enjoy herself. She obviously believed, as he did, that bathtime should be a fun and relaxing experience. Emily continued to impress him with her kindness and empathy for his daughter.

  That long bath had also allowed him to clean up the kitchen and spend some time on himself. Having another adult in the house was a real godsend. He’d taken care of Lily by himself for so long that he’d forgotten what it was like to have free time. Having Emily around to share the load would be a tremendous help.

 

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