Chapter 2 #3
“What do you think? I’m at Toast of the Town. You should come down and join me.”
“I can’t right now. I’m going to meet the girls.”
“Well, we need to spend an evening together soon. It feels like I haven’t seen you in ages, and I miss you.”
James tried to feel gratified, but mostly he just felt annoyed.
She was the one who’d bailed on their plans to go out on Saturday, and she had a standing invitation to join him and the girls for dinner, which she rarely took him up on.
“Why don’t you come out tonight to meet us?
I know the girls would love to see you.”
“They’ll be in bed by the time I get away, but I can come by to see you if you want.”
“Why can’t you leave now? If you’re just hanging out, I mean.”
“It would be rude to just up and leave. I’ll give you a call when I’m done here though. Where will you be?”
“I’m going now to Rosie’s family house. It’s in the historic district.” He gave her the address.
“Why are they at the nanny’s house?”
James didn’t like how she said “the nanny,” but this wasn’t the time to address it.
“They were playing dress-up or something. Anyway, I’ll be there for a little while but then we’ll probably head home.
Give me a call.” He cleared his throat and tried to sound serious as he added, “I’d like for you to spend some more time with them.
It’s important for them to get to know their future stepmother.
Genevieve must have heard something in his tone because she was silent for a few moments. Then she said brightly, “I’ll get away as soon as I can. Talk to you later, darling.”
James stared at the phone, even though it had already disconnected. He supposed it was always hard to marry someone when you already had children. There would have to be a lot of adjustments—on both sides.
Genevieve filled the slot in his life left vacant by his wife perfectly.
Everything had worked out very clearly in that regard.
Melissa had always loved to shop and go out to parties too.
There was nothing at all wrong with enjoying those things.
He was just stressed lately and making a big deal about nothing.
Plus, his jaw had hurt all day, which was putting him in a bad mood.
Things would get better soon.
He drove over to the Beaufort house, which was a gorgeous old Colonial that had clearly been newly renovated. Even the landscaping was immaculate.
He knocked on the door, but no one answered, so he tried the knob.
It opened easily, so he just let himself in. Obviously he was expected. He’d told Rose that he was coming by.
He hoped they didn’t leave the door unlocked all the time. That didn’t seem very safe.
He heard voices immediately, which gave him the clue about why no one had heard him knock. They were coming from the back of the house, and they were raised in laughter and what sounded like cheering from Julie.
He followed the sound past a sitting room and a dining room and walked back to what looked like a miniballroom with a lovely marbled floor and two chandeliers.
There wasn’t much furniture in the room, making for a wide-open area in the middle, where his daughters and Rose were dancing.
An old woman, probably Rose’s grandmother, was playing a slightly out-of-tune piano.
The girls were in oversized old-fashioned dresses, with a lot of hats and scarves and do-dahs on.
Several creepy stuffed cats were scattered throughout the floor, paired up as if they were supposed to be other dancers.
But his eyes landed on Rose and couldn’t look away. She was dressed in a beautiful white lace dress that molded her figure in a way James had never seen before.
He stared at her, amazed by how gorgeous she looked, how fresh and happy she looked, dancing with his daughters. They were all three dancing together, circling around until Jill saw him.
“Daddy!”
The dancing stopped immediately as both girls ran over to hug him.
He bent over to hug them back, but his eyes were on Rose, who was approaching, looking flushed and a little self-conscious. “Oh, I didn’t realize you’d get here this soon. We can get changed just as quick as you want.”
James could barely move. He couldn’t understand how his quiet, understated nanny had transformed into this lush, sensual creature. His eyes crawled over her quite without volition, taking in every curve and dip of her body.
She had some sort of lace thing covering her neckline, but he still had an ample eyeful of the rich crease and shadow beneath.
His body buzzed with interest in a way he hadn’t felt in a really long time.
“We weren’t finished our dance,” Julie said, frowning in concern. “We’re at a ball.”
He managed to make his eyes move down to his daughter. “Of course. You can finish your ball.”
Her face broke out in smiles. “You can come too,” she announced. “Maybe there’s an outfit for you too.”
“Oh, I don’t know—” James began.
At the same time, Rose said, “Julie, honey, your Daddy might not feel like—”
“Of course,” old Mrs. Beaufort interrupted, speaking over both of them. “There is an outfit for your father.”
“But Grandmama,” Rose began, her face twisting in concern. “He might not want—”
The old woman ignored her, leaving the room for just a minute and then returning with an old-fashioned jacket with tails and a top hat. “You may wear this.”
The girls cheered and danced around in excitement about the idea of his dressing up with them, and they were clearly so happy about it that he couldn’t bear to disappoint them.
So, although he’d had a really long day and wanted to just go home, he pulled on the jacket, which was a little tight in the shoulders, and put on the top hat, which was damned uncomfortable.
“Ooh,” Jill said, “you look very elegant, Daddy!”
“Elegant!” Julie chimed in.
Rose was looking more and more embarrassed. “I’m really sorry,” she murmured. “She’s impossible when she gets an idea into her mind.”
“Don’t worry about it,” James said, trying to keep his eyes from slipping down to her cleavage again.
He really needed to get a grip. Rose was his nanny. He was engaged. He could absolutely not be thinking about her this way.
“Okay,” Jill said, obviously thinking through the situation. “When Mrs. Beaufort starts playing again, I’ll dance with Julie, and Daddy, you can dance with Rose.”
“Oh, but—”
“Begin,” Mrs. Beaufort instructed, cutting off her granddaughter’s objection.
She began playing the song again, and James’s daughters jumped into dancing position, strutting around together in a faint semblance of a waltz.
Rose looked at James and then dropped her eyes. “We don’t have to. I’m sorry I got you into this.”
“Daddy, aren’t you going to dance?” Julie asked, sounding a little disappointed.
James smothered a groan. “Let’s just do it. But I’m warning you, I can’t dance worth a bean, so I apologize in advance for your toes.”
Rose gave a little laugh, and he swung her into dance position, telling himself to keep it together for a few minutes. Then he could leave and his stray, very wrong thoughts would fade into nonexistence.
He’d never been attracted to Rose like this. It obviously wouldn’t last very long.
He just wished she wasn’t wearing that damned wedding dress.
Her body felt warm and soft against his, and he could smell her every time they moved—the scent of her hair, the lotion she used.
He wanted to pull her even closer, but he rigidly controlled his mind and body.
This would be over soon. This was just some random passing fluke.
It didn’t mean anything.
And it didn’t matter that Rose’s big brown eyes and soft lips were the most beautiful things he’d ever seen.
She was gazing up at him, as if she really liked him, as if she thought he was something good.
He wasn’t good. This was just wrong. As wrong as anything he’d ever experienced.
He needed the dance to end. Now.
The dance did end, but not as he’d expected. A voice came from the doorway behind him. A familiar female voice he’d never expected to hear here.
Genevieve’s voice, sounding outraged and angry. “James? What the hell is going on in here?”