Mr. Smithfield - Louise Bay Page 0,13

means I can still take my wife to dinner tonight.”

I hadn’t realized he was married. “You can thank me later.”

“I’m not sure my wife will thank you. I’m sure she would have preferred the jewelry I’d planned to buy her to make up for missing dinner.”

I chuckled. “I’m sure she’ll be delighted to meet you again. No doubt it’s been awhile. I’m going to get this deal done and then we can enjoy our respective weekends. Have a good one, Mike.”

I tucked my phone in my pocket and found the tickets I’d bought and pulled them out. Two tickets to the matinee of a Sound of Music singalong this coming Wednesday. I stared at them, not quite recalling why I’d bought them. I’d never made suggestions of activities for Bethany to previous nannies she’d had, but I knew when Autumn saw these tickets, her eyes would light up like I’d just made all her dreams come true. She was unlike any woman I’d ever met. Overenthusiastic about everything. Always smiling. She seemed happy just to wake up in the world. She was also stunningly beautiful. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d noticed what a woman wore, but I couldn’t ignore her red dress last Saturday night. The dinner at Dexter and Hollie’s was also the first time I’d seen her a little unsure of herself, and I’d found myself feeling oddly protective of her. I didn’t want her spending the night fending off the competitive flirting between Joshua and Tristan.

I felt an urge to shield her from that.

But I shouldn’t have touched her. For a few seconds I’d forgotten myself and given in to the desire I had to feel her—just my leg against hers. The call from Gillian was a stark reminder of why such behavior was foolish. I wasn’t going down that path again.

The cab came to a halt outside the house. I settled the fare and took my keys from my pocket.

I could hear the sounds of strangled cats before I’d even opened the front door. I stood in the hallway, trying to make out what they were singing about. Oh yes, even I’d heard the dulcet tones of Dolly Parton, belting out “9 to 5.” I just hadn’t heard it overlaid by the two worst singers in history.

I opened the door to the main family area. “Good afternoon,” I said, a little taken aback by the scene in front of me. Autumn’s long dark hair was divided into various bobbles and clips and bows, and her face was blobbed with color. Was that paint?

“Daddy!” Bethany screamed as she ran toward me and jumped into my arms.

My daughter’s face looked like she was also in training for clown school, although her hair seemed to have fared better than Autumn’s.

“What’s going on in here?” I asked, needing an explanation for why my daughter looked like she was starring in a Steven King film.

Thankfully, Autumn turned off the music before I had to ask.

“We’re playing makeup parlor, Daddy. Do I look pretty?”

Bethany was the only person in my life I lied to. “You look gorgeous.” Somewhere underneath all that color.

“And Autumn looks pretty, doesn’t she?” Bethany pointed at her nanny, clearly wanting me to agree with her.

The fact was, it was easy to see past the smeared lipstick, comically red cheeks and lopsided hair that made her look like she’d had a fight with a puppy. There was no doubt Autumn was more than pretty.

“You like my eye shadow?” Autumn asked, grinning at me. “Bethany’s a natural, isn’t she?”

“You both look pretty. Very . . . colorful.”

Autumn laughed and took Bethany’s hand from around my neck and wiped it of something gloopy. I wasn’t sure whether or not it was perfume, but Autumn’s scent reminded me of sunshine. Of spring blossom and roses. She winced and dabbed my shirt collar. “I think she got you,” she said, pressing her fingertips into my neck. “Sorry.”

“It’s not a problem.” It had been a long time since a woman had touched me that way. Our eyes locked. We were just a few centimeters apart, so close I could feel her body heat, feel myself wrapped in her scent. For just a moment, those promises I’d made to myself years ago and reminded myself of just a few minutes ago in the cab disintegrated. I wanted her.

Autumn looked away first.

“You think your Daddy would like a makeover?” Autumn asked.

Bethany’s eyes went wide. “Yes!” Before I had a chance to object, she’d slid