Chapter Three
Nora
Stay calm. Breathe. In and out. Out and in.
He winked. It could’ve been a reflex. It could’ve meant a million different things. Not everyone winks because they’re into someone. Some people wink playfully or… I don’t actually know why people wink.
I pull out my phone and ask Google.
‘Why did my father’s best friend just wink at me?’
She comes up with as little as I do, going on and on about the context of the situation.
I consider writing lady Google an essay and asking for her advice, but I’ve only got an hour to get the house in order before Ellie gets home, and I don’t want to fail at my first day on the job—even if it is late notice to start.
It would be far too embarrassing to fail in front of Colton.
I need him to know how capable I am at taking care of his daughter and his home.
I need him to know what a good partner I’d make, how good I’d be at making him a warm meal, and—
No! My internal voice gets louder.
Why, Nora? Why do you need him to know you’re capable? It’s not because you’re looking for a promotion.
Well, technically it is because you’d like a promotion.
Promotion to his wife. It’s because you want him to dick you down.
Stop! I need to stop!
I open the fridge door and take note of how little is inside.
Aside from condiments, a few drinks, and a bag of apples, there’s nothing of much use.
The freezer and the pantry are the same way.
What the heck have these two been eating? I add making a menu for tonight’s dinner to the list of things I need to accomplish as I make my way through the old farmhouse to check for things that need to be done.
After seeing the state of the food, I expect the rest of the house to be neglected as well, but it’s pretty clean.
Toys are put away in a box next to the fireplace, and pillows are neatly set on the couch.
There are even photos on the mantle of Ellie and Colton at the beach with wide smiles and bright eyes as they throw a stick for Blue Bell.
I’m desperate to ask him what happened between him and Ellie’s mom, but I don’t want to pry.
My parents never talked about it, and I’m sure if my sister knew, she’d have told me.
Maybe his wife died.
Probably not.
If she’d have died, he’d have pictures of her everywhere.
There’s no sign of a woman in this house at all, not even a girlfriend.
Then again, maybe he’s seeing someone who doesn’t feel the need to redecorate his home.
I need to get these questions and that wink out of my head.
It’s none of my business.
Not now, not ever.
The floors creak as I step onto the first step of the staircase and follow my way up, holding the wooden banister.
It’s here that the old farmhouse begins to show its age with worn, floral wallpaper and dust settled onto the frames.
The pictures are of people I don’t recognize.
Still no women that would fit the description of a woman Colton would’ve been married to.
The one woman on the wall is short with dark gray hair spun in tight curls and the picture is in black and white.
I’m guessing it’s his grandmother, or maybe his mom.
It’s hard to say.
Upstairs, there are four bedrooms sprawled down a long hallway with tall white doors.
I only open the doors I was told about, though I’d love to go through each room and find as much information as I can.
To the left is Ellie’s space.
She’s decorated with unicorns and rainbows, and aside from the stuffed animals strewn everywhere, the place is clean.
Truthfully, aside from caring for Ellie and cooking meals, I’m not sure what this place really needs.
For a single father running a farm, this guy is doing well for himself.
I expected a train wreck.
I close the door to Ellie’s room and turn right into the space I was told was for me.
The door springs open and a rush of cool air hits me in the face with the soft scent of citrus and wildflowers.
The bed is made up with an olive green quilt, and there’s a side table with a dim lamp and a vase of daisies.
I get the feeling Colton knew all along I’d be staying tonight.
My heart squeezes and my chest does the flipping-flop thing again as I add that thought to the way he looked at me at the kitchen table.
His gaze rose and held with mine for a solid second before he looked away, seemingly flustered.
We were only talking about where I’d sleep.
If he didn’t think of me like that, would he have been nervous?
My phone comes to life in my pocket.
It’s my sister.
I need to tell her tonight is off.
It’s for good reason, but I feel a little guilty ditching her, considering her overall mental state lately.
She’s really been struggling since her divorce, and I think she liked the extra company the last few days.
“Hey… how’s your morning going?”
She drags in a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “Just finished with my ads. I’m babysitting the new guy for a bit to see if he can handle the tech board before I head home. How’d the interview go?”
“I got the job! It started like twenty minutes ago. Can we take a rain check on tonight?”
“Of course. I’ve got research to do for tomorrow’s show, anyway. Did you manage to keep it in your pants, or have you made giant, life altering mistakes already?”
She laughs after her statement. “You know you could call into the show, and I could give you some official advice.”
I laugh. “Official? Are you sure? Last week you went on for ten minutes about the color of the gazebo on Main Street.”
“It’s purple. There should never be a purple gazebo… anywhere.”
I can almost hear her eyes roll. “Anyway, have you’ve kept your panties on or not?”
“Yes, panties are still in place. I’m taking inventory of the house right now. He made a room up for me and picked me flowers from the field.”
“Don’t read into it. Maybe Ellie picked the flowers.”
“Why do you feel the need to crush my fantasies?”
“Umm… because this one needs to be crushed, little sister. Sorry!”
The buzz of a radio hums in the background.
“Do you know what happened to his wife, ex-wife, girlfriend, or… baby mama, whatever? I don’t remember hearing anything about her.”
“Does it matter? You’re just there to work.”
An alarm goes off in the background and she sighs. “Ugh, I gotta run. The new guy hit the wrong button and pulled the next show off air. Small town radio. I’ll call you in the morning. Be good!”
The line disconnects and I go back to studying the thoughtfully designed bedroom.
I hadn’t seen the rocking chair and stack of books until now.
Why would he go to all this trouble for someone he wasn’t into? Then again, why would he be into me?
I need to knock this off.
“Excuse me?”
a soft feminine voice echoes in behind me.
I turn back quickly to see a woman about my age with long blonde hair in perfect ringlets.
I’ve never been attracted to women, but I’m not sure I need to be to appreciate how drop dead insanely gorgeous this girl is.
Her nose is a perfect button, her eyes are bright greenish blue, and her skin is like porcelain.
It’s hard to look away from her.
“Yeah, hi. Umm… I’m sorry. Should I know you?”
“Oh, sorry. No. I, ugh,”
she holds out a perfectly manicured hand with pretty French tip nails, “I’m Brittney. I’m Becca’s mom. Nora’s been at my house this morning. I dropped off some lunch, and I thought I’d come inside and say hi to the new nanny.”
She brought him lunch? Isn’t that nice?
“I’m Nora.”
I notice I’m still holding her hand, so I release it quickly. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt uglier in my life. “Started today.”
“That’s what Colty said.”
Colty?
“I kept telling him he didn’t need a nanny. I’ve got so much time on my hands since my husband left, I’d have been happy to help him out.”
She lands her tiny hand against her tiny hip.
How the hell did this woman have a husband and a child already? She’s young. She’s my age, maybe a year or two older. Also, I’m pretty sure she’s posturing right now.
“Well, he’s close friends with my dad. So,”
I shake my head back and forth, trying not to overthink this very over thinkable situation, “I guess he figured I knew Ellie already.”
The woman smiles and pushes back her long hair.
“That’s cute.
Well, the kids are playing downstairs, so I’ll get out of your hair.
I also left a meal in the fridge for dinner. I’ve been dropping meals off for Colty lately. He’s so overwhelmed. The man is a saint.”
Why do I feel possessive over him? Why do I want to grab this woman by her hair, drag her down the stairs, and toss her into the street? I’m not a violent person.
At least I wasn’t until right now.
‘Colty’ isn’t mine.
He’s the furthest thing from mine.
He’s literally my father’s best friend and my employer.
He’s a lot of things, but being mine is not one of them.
“That’s nice of you. I’m sure he appreciated all the help.”
God, I wish my mother hadn’t raised me to be so damn polite.
The blonde smiles, showing off bright white teeth. “Oh, Ellie’s schedule! Did Colty go over that yet?”
If this woman calls the man ‘Colty’ one more time, I’m going to blow.
“I made a schedule last month for them to follow.
I put it on the fridge downstairs.
I thought it would help him keep track of her playdates and doctor’s appointments with all the school stuff coming up.
The only thing you really need to remember is that Ellie is deathly afraid of the drain in the bathtub. I have to cover it before she’ll get in.”
“You help out with bath time, too?”
Why did I ask that question? I’m trying to get her to leave.
“Oh, yeah. I’ve stayed over a few nights here and there to help out.”
And… they’re fucking. Awesome! Ugh, of course he’s fucking her. Look at her! What single man wouldn’t be interested in her?
Dreams officially crushed. Maybe it’s for the best.
“Well,”
my tone rises, “I appreciate all the help. I should probably get downstairs to see Ellie. It was nice meeting you.”
She smiles and turns down the hall, walking beside me. “It was great meeting you, too. Ya know, I could stay for a bit, just to help get you acclimated to the house and everything.”
“That’s not necessary. I’m totally fine here on my own. I actually think it’s good for Ellie to get some—”
“I insist,”
she presses as we hop down the last step into the kitchen, where the kids are eating a snack. “Besides, I’d love to get to know you better. We’re going to be spending lots of time together.”
The words hang in the air like a razor-sharp warning.
And as her lips curl up into a smile, I feel the ire beneath the surface.
The truth that’s now exposed.
The wildest, most irrational thought another human being could ever have, especially a human being that looks like this one.
She wants Colton, and for some insane reason, believes I’m a threat.