Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
I shook my head. “No, I only have one suitcase. Mostly clothes and a few things that were my mother’s. Everything else, I left behind in Dallas.”
Good going, Emma. Another round of let’s give too much information.
Aiden’s brows furrowed, and I knew he wanted to ask questions, but he let it go, for which I was grateful.
Clapping his hands, Aiden said, “Then we have a move-in date.”
Hadley cheered…while I smiled and prayed that I was going to be able to pull off the full-time nanny job without giving this little girl my heart completely.
I peeked over to Aiden, who gazed at his daughter adoringly. My insides warmed with a feeling I hadn’t had in so long, I was having trouble identifying it. Whatever it was I felt toward Aiden, it was too comfortable, and it needed to stop now. I ruthlessly pushed the feeling away.
Aiden grinned when he glanced at me. “I guess we need to exchange phone numbers, and I’ll text you my address.”
“Oh, right, okay.”
After we exchanged information, I walked with Hadley and Aiden to his park ranger truck. Hadley climbed into the backseat and into her booster chair.
As he buckled Hadley in, Aiden gestured to the seat and said, “You’ll have to share the one my parents have until I can order another one for your car.”
“Okay, sounds good.”
“You’ll meet them tomorrow when you move in.”
A look of confusion swept over my face, and Aiden caught it. “I don’t live with my parents, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
With a giggle, I held up my hands. “I wasn’t going to judge.”
He smiled…another genuine expression. “I do, however, live on their land. I built my house right after college on acreage my parents gave me.”
“Oh wow! That’s pretty exciting.”
Aiden finished buckling Hadley in and turned to me. “I built it off an old log cabin that had been on the property when my folks bought it. It was a fun project.”
“I can’t wait to see it.” And I truly meant it. I was eager to see a home that had been built by someone’s own hands.
He winked—and my knees wobbled.
What in the heck? Oh no. This is not going to happen. He is a man with a daughter… And as of a few moments ago, he’s now your boss.
“I’ll see you tomorrow then. We’ll be home from church around two. How does that sound?”
I glanced at the park logo on the truck door, then it hit me again that he was dressed for work, even though it was Saturday. “Do you work on Saturdays?”
Aiden glanced at his uniform. “No, not usually, but I was covering for someone today. Will it be an issue if I need your help on the weekends? It doesn’t happen that often, but I can’t say that it never happens.”
“No, not at all,” I quickly confirmed.
I could see the look of relief on his face. “Good. See you tomorrow, Emma.”
“Bye, Emma!” Hadley called out before Aiden shut her door.
I waved and replied, “Bye, Hadley!”
As I stepped back and watched them pull away, I drew in a deep breath.
“God, please don’t let me wake up tomorrow to find this is simply a dream. Please.”
A rush of warm air came out of nowhere, causing me to smile and glance skyward. “Quick response. I like it!”
Glancing back to the retreating truck, I sighed. Here goes nothing.
“You have got to be kidding me,” I whispered.
I parked my car, grabbed my bag, and got out, gaping at the log “cabin” in front of me. The red door added the perfect splash of color to the already charming home. The massive front porch held a swing on the very left with a low wood table in front of it. To the right side of the door were two wicker chairs, and to the right of that, another long wooden table.
“This house is huge,” I muttered.
“Don’t worry, you don’t have to clean it. That’s my job.”
Spinning around, I placed a hand on my chest and gasped. An older woman with salt and pepper hair stood behind me.
“You must be Emma.” The note of distaste in her voice wasn’t hard to miss.
“Yes. Yes, I am. I’m sorry, you are…?”
“Alice, Aiden’s housekeeper. He called me last night to tell me you were moving in today. Do you need any help?”
I gave her a warm smile and shook my head. “No, I only have the one piece of luggage.”
She glanced down at my bag, raising a brow. “Travel light, huh?”
“Something like that,” I replied, trying not to sound rude even though she was being pretty unpleasant.
“Well, follow me in. Aiden and his folks are running behind. They went out to lunch after church, then he had to go help his father with something at their place.”
I grinned. “That was sweet of him.”
She huffed and walked around me. “Yes, he’s a gentleman.” She pointed to an even bigger log cabin home that was on the other side of a large, beautiful meadow.