Chapter 12
twelve
. . .
Winnie
I’d tossed and turned the rest of the night after almost kissing my boss.
My mind was reeling.
I was painfully attracted to the man—but he was my boss.
And that would certainly complicate everything.
He couldn’t even look at me after Melody had come out and stopped things before they’d gone too far.
I stood at the stove flipping pancakes as holiday music piped through Alexa. I’d gotten Melody dressed in the cutest reindeer costume this morning, and her hair was tied up in two little buns with red bows tied around each one.
Today was the final day before holiday break at Melody’s school.
Personally, I couldn’t wait for a break from her grouchy teacher.
Melody and I had baked cupcakes for the party and brought them this morning.
“Winnie, are you excited to see me be a real live reindeer on the stage today?” she asked from where she sat at the table, munching on fruit while I prepared her breakfast.
“I cannot wait to see you in the play today. You feel good about all your lines, right?” I plated the food, wondering where Archer was.
I had this sinking feeling he was going to be uncomfortable around me now.
“Yeppers. We practiced so much,” she said, smiling up at me when I set her plate down, and her eyes grew wide. “Are those reindeer pancakes?”
“It’s a special day today to be a reindeer, right?” I teased.
“Good morning.” Archer’s deep voice boomed as he came around the corner. He paused to kiss Melody’s cheek, then moved past me to pour his cup of coffee.
He didn’t meet my gaze, which was definitely not the norm.
So, he clearly regretted the near kiss.
I turned to pour the syrup over Melody’s pancakes and felt my cheeks heat with embarrassment.
What was I doing? I’d sworn off men, and here I was nearly kissing the man I worked for.
“Are those reindeers?” he asked as he stood behind me and leaned over my shoulder to check out her pancakes.
I quickly moved out of the way. “Yes. It’s a big day today.”
I set plates down for Archer and myself with just regular pancakes.
“I don’t get reindeer pancakes?” he asked, and now his gaze locked with mine, and I saw something there that I couldn’t put my finger on.
Guilt? Maybe shame or disappointment.
Either way, there was no doubt that the near kiss was a massive mistake.
One I’d make sure I wouldn’t repeat again.
“Well, you’re not a reindeer in the school play today, are you?” I asked, forcing a smile.
“Fair enough.” He winked at Melody and took a few bites of pancakes before abruptly pushing to his feet. “Are you still okay taking Melody to school this morning?”
He’d asked a few days ago if I’d be able to take her today, as he was going to get to the office early so he could take a half day to attend her play.
“Yes, of course.” I forked a bite of fluffy goodness and popped it in my mouth.
“Great.” He kissed his daughter’s cheek. “I’ll see you both at school in a few hours.”
“I can’t wait for you to see me up there on the stage, Daddy,” Melody said over a mouthful of pancake.
“Me either. Love you, angel face.” He slipped his coat on, since it was cold as hell outside now, and then turned to me. “Thank you, Winnie.”
I nodded and turned away, because I could feel his discomfort.
I’d done this. I’d come out to the kitchen in my jammies, and he’d been caught off guard. The man probably felt like he couldn’t even come out of his room for a midnight snack now.
I’d clearly made him uncomfortable in his own home.
Had I tried to kiss him?
Had he even been interested?
I was trying to replay the events in my head when Melody grabbed my hand. “I’m going to miss you when you go home.”
I set my fork down and reached for her, pulling her onto my lap.
I’d grown so attached to this little angel in the month and a half that I’d been working here.
We spent a lot of time together. I wrapped my arms around her.
“I’ll miss you, too. But I’ll just be gone for a few days to see my dad.
And that’ll give you and your daddy some time alone, too. ”
“I like when you’re here, too.” She tipped her head back and looked up at me. “I always like when you’re with me, Winnie.”
My chest ached. I needed to remember why I was here.
I was here for Melody.
Not a fling with her father.
This wasn’t a freaking romance; it was real life.
“I like when you’re with me, too, sweet pea.” I sighed and held her close to me. “Okay, we need to get you to school. It’s a big day. I’ll go start the car and load the cupcakes.”
“Yes!” Melody jumped to her feet and did a fist-pump. “It’s going to be the best day.”
I warmed up the car, since Archer was adamant that we not walk in this weather.
He’d come looking for me two days ago, when I’d decided to walk to the grocery store.
He’d freaked out that I could have gotten frostbite, but I reminded him that I grew up in Chicago and was very familiar with cold weather.
The man could be ridiculously protective.
I was still mortified that I’d misread things with him, but I wouldn’t let that happen again.
I bundled up Melody, and we drove the short distance to school.
Sarah Lynn Schwartz did not hide her disappointment when I walked into the classroom this morning. The woman had made an effort to befriend me, but I’d quickly realized she was just trying to find a way to get invited over to the house and had no interest in me whatsoever.
“Oh. You don’t usually do morning drop-off. Where’s Daddy Chadwick?” she purred, and I tried to hide my irritation.
I noticed the way Mrs. Groucher turned her head with disapproval, as she’d clearly heard it as well.
Calling someone a “daddy” in a romance book was one thing, but saying it in the middle of a kindergarten classroom was another.
Especially when it was the man I’d nearly kissed last night.
“Archer is at work. He’ll be here this afternoon to see his daughter in the school play,” I said, my tone coming out harsher than I meant it to, but I wasn’t mad about it.
Mrs. Groucher moved beside me, and I could swear I saw the corners of her mouth turn up when she looked at me.
She’d clearly found the “Daddy Chadwick” comment offensive as well.
“May I speak to you for a moment, Winnie?” she asked, and then she raised a brow at Sarah Lynn as if it was time to excuse herself.
“Yes, of course.” I bent down and kissed Melody’s cheek and told her to go unpack her backpack and hang her coat in her cubby.
Sarah Lynn left in a huff, and I turned my attention to Melody’s teacher. “What can I do for you?”
“I just wanted to tell you that whatever you’re doing with Melody at home…” She paused and cleared her throat. “Keep doing it.”
I probably didn’t hide my confusion very well as I studied her. “Keep doing what?”
“I don’t know, but Melody is sounding out words all the time now and asking for books during free time. She’s also writing stories every chance she gets, and I’ve been very surprised, because she’s got quite the imagination.” She chuckled.
My chest squeezed at her words. We read together every day, and she liked writing, so we’d come up with stories in the car ride home or after her riding lessons.
“That’s so wonderful to hear. She’s a talented little girl.” I glanced over at Melody, who was helping her friend Bernice tie her shoes.
This little girl was all heart.
“Agreed. We’ll see you in a few hours?” Mrs. Groucher said, and she winked at me.
Mrs. Groucher winked at me.
I guess I hadn’t completely failed.
I made my way out to the SUV that Bridger had loaned me. I climbed in just as my phone rang, and my father’s name came through the Bluetooth speaker.
“Hey, Dad,” I said, always happy to start my day talking to him.
“Hi, sweetheart. I’m looking forward to seeing you soon,” he said, and just the sound of his voice comforted me.
“Me too. Did two big boxes arrive at the house for me?” I asked, because I’d shipped my Christmas gifts home.
“They did.” He chuckled. “I don’t want you spending money right now while you’re catching up from that asshole ex of yours bleeding you dry.”
“I received my first royalty check since being officially divorced. Luckily Jaden signed off on future earnings if I’d agreed to give him what the books had already earned.”
“Luckily? That shithead doesn’t deserve one penny of that money. He should get off his lazy ass and get a job. It’s despicable that he’s taken your hard-earned money,” he hissed.
My father was ridiculously protective, and I loved him for it, but I didn’t want my divorce to be dragged out for longer than it had to be, and Jaden was a guy who wanted instant gratification.
He saw the money in the account and he wanted it, and he didn’t believe the books would continue to make money.
“It’s over now, and that’s what matters. Now everything that I make is mine, and there’s freedom in that, you know?”
“Proud of you, baby girl. I’d still like to put my fist through his face,” he said.
“That’s the holiday spirit, Dad.” I chuckled.
“All right. Enough about that. You’ve got the holiday show for Melody today, right? She’s going to be a reindeer?”
“Yes. Cutest reindeer around. I’m so excited to watch her onstage. She’s worked really hard on memorizing her lines. She’s just the cutest thing ever.”
“This is good for you. You’re away from all the drama that surrounded your divorce, you can focus on your writing, and you’re enjoying your time with Melody. Uncle Oscar said Archer is a good guy, and you know he rarely has anything good to say about anyone.” He laughed.
“He is a good guy. And a really great dad.”
“It’s nice to hear. See, there are still good men out there. Don’t let the one you married scare you off for the rest of your life.”
I pulled into Archer’s garage. “Are you seriously giving me dating advice?”
He chuckled. “No. I’m just saying, don’t close yourself off completely. Finalizing this divorce and moving away was the first step, but you’re young, and I don’t want you to be so guarded that you’re afraid to be happy just because things didn’t work out with the asshole.”
“Says the man who’s been single most of my life.” I turned the ignition off and held the phone to my ear as I walked inside.
“Hey, I get out plenty. But I’m way too old to be looking for forever. I’m slightly set in my ways. Plus, I have you, so I don’t need anyone else. You don’t have a Winnie, so you need to keep looking.”
I dropped my purse on the counter and turned on the lights to the Christmas tree as I made my way to the kitchen. “Okay. This is starting to feel like an episode of The Bachelor.”
He laughed some more, and I heard a bunch of voices in the background. “All right, sweetheart. I’ll see you in a few days. I’ll pick you up from the airport, and we’re going to meet Nana and Gramps for dinner that night at Carlino’s.”
Carlino’s was my favorite restaurant back home. And I loved my grandparents and couldn’t wait to see them.
“That sounds great, Dad. Love you.”
“Love you.”
I ended the call and pulled out the mixer, because I wanted to make a bunch of cookie dough to refrigerate so Melody and I could make and decorate holiday cookies tonight to celebrate her finally being on holiday break.
Alexa was blasting Mariah Carey through the speaker when my phone vibrated on the counter.
Archie
Hey.
Hi. How’s work going?
I was trying to just act normal. Things had been weird this morning, and I hated it.
Archie
I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable last night.
You didn’t.
Archie
It shouldn’t have happened.
Nothing actually happened.
Archie
It almost happened.
Okay. Well, I’m sorry it almost happened.
That was the best I could come up with. I was clearly the one who wanted it to happen, and he was clearly horrified by the almost kiss.
Archie
I wanted to see if you were available tonight to stay with Winnie. I have plans and thought I’d check with you before I ask my mom if she’s free.
Why would you ask your mom? I’m your nanny. You literally pay me to be available.
Archie
So you’re okay with working late tonight?
Yes. Melody and I are making holiday cookies tonight to celebrate her being on break. I’m happy to stay with her.
Tonight was Friday night. He clearly had a date. Why did I care? He didn’t owe me anything. Nothing had happened between us. He’d admitted he didn’t want it to.
Archie
Thank you. I’ll see you at the show.
I’ll see you there, boss.
Why did I write that? Maybe to remind myself that he was my boss.
And he was completely off limits.