Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 104288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
It all seemed to be working out beautifully. Until I actually tried teaching and, well, hated it.
The velvety smell of coffee hits me the second I step into the kitchen. Tuck is standing at a gleaming espresso machine on the counter, his back to me. He has an earbud in, and it doesn’t take me long to figure out he’s leading a meeting.
“Twelve Row Boat Row should be the model,” he’s saying. “But we scale it down for more affordable iterations. Yep, right, Chris, that’s it exactly it—same level of craftsmanship, same architectural style. If you look at the plans for the renovation of the inn, you’ll see what I’m talking about. Amanda, you lead the charge on this. Chris and Laura, I want y’all to do some digging on those covenants. See if there’s not some language there about the kind of structures we could build on those lots.”
Tuck turns, a cup of steaming coffee in each hand. Our gazes collide and he draws up short. My heart does that thing where it skips a beat.
Could the man get any more handsome?
Any hotter with his smooth, easy confidence? And that deep rumble of a voice, it’s as big and beautifully made as the rest of him.
What’s his story? With women, I mean. He’s divorced, I know that much. Does he have a girlfriend? I imagine there’s no shortage of women lining up for a date with him. He’s gorgeous. Successful.
And the tats. They’re just . . . God, chef’s kiss.
“All right, y’all, Katie’s about to be home so I’m gonna run.” Tuck holds out one of the cups. I take it. “I’ll be in the office shortly. Okay. Great. Great, yes. Thank y’all. Oh, and don’t forget Riley and I will be in and out of the office Wednesday through Friday, thanks to our friends Cooper and Goldie’s wedding.”
He taps the earbud, ending the call, and looks at me. “How do you take it?”
Any way you want to give it to me.
“My coffee?” I blink, willing that thought to disappear. “Just milk, please.”
He pours a good bit into each of our cups. I sip. He sips. The coffee is delightfully strong, more silky than bitter. Silence settles between us. Is it just me, or does it feel charged?
Definitely just me. The guys I’ve dated in the past are . . . not at all on the same level as Tuck. He’s way, way out of my league, and much older too.
There’s not a chance in hell he’s attracted to me. I’m the nanny, for crying out loud. His employee, just like Amanda and Chris and Laura.
Nothing more.
“I’ll make dinner tonight,” Tuck says. “Usually have it on the table by six. You okay with shrimp?”
“I love shrimp,” I say. “You cook?”
He nods. “Every night. My dad taught me. He’s a fisherman here on the island.”
The alarm system chirps, and a commotion sounds from downstairs.
“Daddy!” a little voice cries out. “Daddy, I’m hooooome!”
Immediately Tuck’s eyes light up, his mouth moving into a handsome smile. “Kathryn Dear?” He sips his coffee again before setting it down on the counter. “Is that you?”
“Cute nickname,” I say.
Tuck shakes his head. “That’s her actual name—Dear is an old family name I wanted to use, so it became Katie’s middle name.”
“I’m not Kathryn Dear, Daddy, I’m Koala Bear!”
“All right, Koala Bear, come upstairs and get a special snack.”
A high voice singsongs back, “special snack, special snack.”
A little girl with long, blonde hair and smudges on her cheeks spills into the kitchen. Tuck darts across the room and scoops her into his arms, damsel-in-distress style. She screams with delight when he kisses her cheeks.
“Daddy! Daddy, that’s enough kisses.”
Tuck adjusts his grip so he’s holding her underneath her armpits, his face an inch or two from hers. “How about you give me some instead?”
“Koala Bear don’t do kisses.”
“What?” Tuck screws his face up in pretend shock. “But everyone does kisses.”
“Okay. Just two kisses, then.”
“Three? Pretty please?”
Katie does a fake grimace that turns into a smile when Tuck tickles her side. She lets out the most delicious giggle, then puckers her lips and gives him three kisses on his cheek. “Ew, Daddy, your yuckies hurt my mouth.”
I don’t mean to be a cliché, but how could my heart not melt seeing Tuck’s silly, sweet, side come out with his daughter? He’s completely transformed from the broody, grumpy guy who answered the door half an hour ago. His smile touches his eyes, making the skin at their edges crinkle.
That kind of joy is infectious. One of the thousand reasons I love being around kids. Not only because kids themselves are bright little lights, but because they bring out the light in others around them.
Being around that kind of positive energy is refreshing. Kids Katie’s age are just so damn happy to be alive. It’s a feeling that’s sometimes hard to come by as an adult.