3. Rachel
3
Rachel
S ince my first day fell on Friday, I have the weekend to get settled into the guesthouse. Preston had made it clear he likes to have the weekends with Lilly. So I am free to do what I want. I really don’t have anything to do, so I sleep in and it felt good. That is until I am awoken by a knock on my door.
I put a long cardigan sweater on over my T-shirt and pajama pants, then went to the door and call through it. “Who is it?”
“It’s Preston.”
Interesting. Why is he knocking on my door on a Saturday morning? Perhaps something came up, and he needs me. Open the door and find out.
I run a hand through my hair, then pull the sweater closed and open the door a few inches. “Hey.”
He takes a step back. “I woke you.”
“It’s okay. Is something wrong?”
“Um…yes. It’s Lilly.”
“Is she alright?”
He clears his throat. “She insists you come with us today on our outing.”
“Oh. Well, I don’t want to intrude on your weekend time. ”
“I agree with you on that, but she’s currently having a bit of a breakdown over it. I don’t generally give into her when she goes full Carrie on me.”
I smile. “Is she moving things with her mind?”
He laughs. “No. Maybe that was a bad analogy.”
“Well, good. Otherwise, I’d need to ask for more money.”
My comment stops him for a moment. “I’d appreciate it if you’d consider coming. I think it’s finally sinking in that her grandmother isn’t here, and she’s formed quite an attachment to you already.”
“Of course. Um…what type of outing are we talking about?”
“Hiking to the creek. It’s about a half-mile. Picnic lunch. Catching various creepy-crawlies.”
“Sounds fun.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I’d love to come. As long as you’re okay with it.”
“It’s fine. You don’t mind the creepy-crawly aspect?”
I laugh. “Anything but snakes. I just need some time to get ready.”
“Will an hour work?”
“That’s perfect.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll see you in an hour.”
I close the door. Okay. I’m spending the day with Lilly and her very good-looking dad. I can do this. I am having trouble picturing Preston catching bugs and playing in the creek. But maybe he’ll surprise me.
I get dressed in jean shorts and a T-shirt, and I put my hair in two braids. I’m comfortable and ready for whatever this adventure brings. I eat a quick breakfast, then leave the guesthouse. Preston and Lilly are on the front porch of the main house, and when she sees me, she runs down the steps and across the yard to me, a beaming smile on her face.
“Rachel. You’re coming!”
“Yes, sweetheart. Thanks for inviting me.” She is holding Sugar, and I give the puppy a pet.
“Sugar is coming with us, too.”
“Awesome.”
Preston comes down off the porch in cargo shorts and a T-shirt, not looking anything like the businessman I’d met yesterday. My eyes trace his physique, noticing the not-so-subtle contours of his muscles beneath his T-shirt. He must spend some time on those tennis courts or in the pool. He doesn’t see me ogling him, does he?
I quickly shift my eyes to his. It seems he is scanning me as well, though I’m not sure. He looks away quickly. It’s probably the braids, they make me look like I’m sixteen. Not the best way to prove to Preston that I’m an adult.
He glances back at me. “So, are you ready?”
“I’m ready.”
He slips on a backpack. “Okay, let’s go.”
He heads across the yard toward an open field beyond the house. I fall in step beside him while Lilly runs ahead about ten feet with Sugar at her heels. The puppy tries to keep up with her but has to stop every few feet to sniff something or bark at noises and shadows.
Preston glances at me. “It’s an easy hike. Mostly flat. Shady. About a half-mile to the creek.”
“No problem.”
We walk on in silence and I can’t tell if he is unhappy I am with them or if he just isn’t used to holding conversations with people outside of his business world. I conclude it’s probably both. It’s fine though. I’m not used to holding conversations with wealthy businessmen. Cute or not.
About twenty minutes later, I can hear water rushing, and Lilly turns around and smiles at Preston. “Can I go ahead to the creek? ”
“Yes. Just don’t go near the water until I get there.”
“Yes, Daddy.”
He glances at me. “She loves the water.”
“It seems you have an outdoorsy girl.”
“Yeah. Not sure how that happened. She lived in the city until three years ago.”
“She’s very happy out here.”
“That’s all that matters to me. I have an hour commute every day, but it’s worth it to see her embracing country life.”
“She’s a lucky girl.”
“How do you figure?”
“She has a dad who puts her happiness first.”
He sighs. “I try. But I’ve made my fair share of mistakes.”
I smile at him. “We all do. Nobody’s perfect.”
He nods as we reach the creek. Lilly is standing as close as she can to the creek without being accused of getting too close. She looks at Preston and he waves at her.
“Go ahead.” She runs to the edge of the water and starts picking up rocks. “Pace yourself with the rock collecting. I don’t want to be hauling too many of them back to the house.”
Sugar finds a shady spot and lays down to rest. A half-mile hike for her is a momentous undertaking. Preston removes his backpack and goes to the water next to Lilly. She shows him her collection of rocks and he admires each one like it’s the best rock he’s ever seen. I am beginning to see another side of Preston Michaelson. And I like it.
I give them a few minutes alone, then join them. We spend the next thirty minutes finding the best rocks along that section of the creek. Preston told her she had to limit it to ten. So she keeps switching them out until she finds ten perfect rocks. He puts them in the backpack for her .
“Can I get in the water now?”
“Yes. Just stay close to shore. No deeper than your knees.”
She nods and steps into the water with a squeal. “It’s cold!”
“I imagine it is.” He sits down on a tree stump and watches her.
I go to the water’s edge. “Can I come in there with you?”
She grins. “Yes, I’m looking for crawdads.”
“Ohh, nice. Where do you find them?”
“They like to hide under the rocks.”
I wade into the water and we turn over several rocks but don’t find any crawdads. When she goes to a big rock, she scowls at it. “I bet they’re under there.”
“Hmm. That’s a big rock. It looks like a good spot, though.”
She looks at me. “Can you move it?”
“Um…I’ll try.”
I bend down and put my hands under the rock. It’s slippery and heavy, but I really want to move it for her. I give it a concentrated effort and lose my balance. The next thing I know, I am sitting in the cold water.
Preston jumps up and runs over to me. “Are you okay?”
I look up at him. “I’m sitting in a creek.”
He grins. “Yes, you are.”
“It’s not funny.”
“Hmm. It kind of is.”
I splash some water toward him, which he dodges, but then he steps into the water and holds his hand out to me. I take it and he pulls me to my feet. He holds onto my hand a little longer than he needs to and stares into my eyes. Then he clears his throat, lets go of my hand, and takes a step back .
I look down at my wet clothes. “I totally meant to do that, by the way.” I am wet up to a few inches above my waist. I wring out the bottom of my shirt as I walk to shore.
Lilly comes out too and hugs me. “I’m sorry.”
“Oh, sweetheart. It’s not your fault. I just lost my balance.” I rub my backside. “Good thing I landed on something soft and padded.”
Preston is still in the water and he goes to the rock. “Should we see if there are any crawdads under here?”
Lilly jumps up and down. “Yeah!”
Preston flips the rock over like it is nothing, and Lilly squeals as three crawdads swim out from under it.
“I knew it. I was right.” She cheers.
Preston grabs one as it swims by him and comes out of the water to show it to Lilly.
“Do you want to hold it?”
She backs away from it. “No.”
He laughs, then lets it go in the water. They watch it until it swims under another rock.
“Find some more, Daddy.”
“How about we eat the lunch Laura packed for us first? And let Rachel dry out.”
She nods and follows him away from the water.
He looks at me. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
I give him a thumbs up. “We’re not having fun unless someone ends up in the water.”
He laughs. “Better you than me.”
I nod toward his wet shoes. “I got you off your stump and into the water.”
“I guess you did. ”
Once more, I notice his sun-kissed arms and legs. Thoughts of him in the pool cross my mind and the idea of seeing my boss in swim trunks causes a rising heat to my cheeks.
Preston takes our lunch out of the backpack along with a blanket to eat it on. He spreads it out and sits down with Lilly. I stand at the edge of it and he looks up at me.
“Take a seat.”
“I don’t want to get the blanket wet.”
“It’s just a blanket. It’ll dry.”
I smile. “Okay. I guess I will.” I sit, and he hands me a sandwich.
“I hope you like peanut butter and jelly. It’s our sandwich of choice on these adventures.”
I take the sandwich from him. “Love it.” I wonder what his business associates would think about him sitting here, cross-legged on an old blanket, eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He is definitely more than a pretty face and a successful businessman. This is a man who adores his child wholeheartedly, someone who piques my interest. I find myself beginning to like Preston Michaelson.
Lilly giggles at Sugar, who has woken from her nap and is begging for a bite of a sandwich.
Preston points his finger at her. “Don’t feed her. I know she’s cute, but we don’t want her to think she can beg and get food from you.”
Lilly pouts for a moment. “Okay.”
Preston reaches into the backpack. “I did bring her some snacks, though.” He hands a little bag of dog treats to Lilly. “Just a couple of them.”
Lilly holds up a treat in front of Sugar. “Sit. Sit.” Sugar looks at her and whines.
Preston glances at me, then shakes his head. “You’ll have to work on that with Sugar. She’s not quite ready. ”
Lilly lays the snack in front of the dog. “Here you go, my little Sugar Bear.”
When Preston finishes his sandwich, he takes a drink from his bottle of water. “So, what’s next, Miss Lilly?”
“Bugs.”
Preston glances at me again. “Bugs, huh?”
Lilly laughs. “Daddy doesn’t like bugs much.”
I smile. “They’re not my favorite either. I’ll help you look but I’m not going to pick them up.”
Lilly nods. “I just like to look at them, too. Except for ladybugs. I love ladybugs. And caterpillars. And butterflies.”
Preston gathers the bags our sandwiches had been in. “Finish up, then we’ll go look for ladybugs, caterpillars, and butterflies.”
She giggles. “Remember when I used to call them flutterbys?”
“Yes, I do.”
“That’s when I was a baby,” she tells me.
“Yep. Last year when you were a baby.”