Chapter 2
Chapter Two
ANGELO
I rush through my meeting to get back to Everly.
She should sleep for the next hour, but there's no telling what my spirited youngest daughter could do at any given moment.
I never should've left her with Gracie, but I was desperate.
I couldn't afford to cancel another meeting.
Not if I want this project to finish on time.
And I do. My business and reputation depend on it.
Willow Creek might be a small town with a lot of understanding people, but there's only so many excuses people are willing to accept before they begin to lose faith in a person. Between my mother being sick and an unreliable babysitter, I've used up my allotted defenses.
I pick up my steps when I see a delectable ass sticking up between the front seats of my SUV.
I never envisioned myself owning anything other than a truck, but when my wife died in labor with Everly, I had no choice.
Three girls under the age of eight meant car seats, boosters, and a shit ton of other things people fail to warn you about.
And even though I could've made them fit in my truck, the practicality of it had me pushing me ego off to the side.
Now I'm glad for the forethought as I watch Gracie attempt to crawl into the middle row to soothe my screaming toddler.
If I were a better man, I would go help her. Maybe if the view wasn't so good, I would rush over to save her from the uncomfortable situation I put her in. But there's something about Gracie's peach ass in the air that stops me dead in my tracks.
Besides, Everly is no longer crying.
Nope, my little spitfire is too busy chuckling at the scene unfolding in front of her. And I take a bit of unintended pleasure in seeing her head thrown back in a fit of giggles as her little feet kick a mile a minute in front of her.
Who could blame her?
Unlike her name, there's nothing graceful about the way Gracie is attempting to get back to my daughter.
Her long raven hair is a disaster. It's sticking up every which way, including covering her face.
A face that I'm pretty sure smacks the seat in her effort to scale the space between her and Everly, but I can't be too sure from my current vantage point.
It's a damn good thing for third-row seating and the fact that only two of the car seats are in that row.
Otherwise her face would've landed into a Cheerio-filled car seat.
I continue to watch as Gracie attempts to correct her mistake and eventually fulfills her mission.
The woman is huffing like she just ran a mile, and the prettiest scowl mars her face.
I can't even be mad when she turns it on Everly, because my little girl isn't holding back her enjoyment of what just happened.
Then those crystal blue eyes find mine.
Busted!
Shoving one hand in my pocket, I finish my walk to the SUV and open the back door.
"How long have you been standing there?"
I don't bother to hide my smile.
Gracie crosses her arms over her chest with a huff. "That long, huh? Glad I could amuse the two of you." She rolls her eyes.
My eyes fall down to her shirt and I raise my one eyebrow at the words written there. Lick me till Ice Cream.
"How did I miss that?"
Gracie follows my gaze like she doesn't understand my question. It’s clear when she puts two and two together because her face takes on the same shade of red as the words Ice Cream.
"This is my usual attire. I don't even think about what they say anymore when I throw them on."
So there are more of them. Good to know.
I smirk at her. "I look forward to seeing what the others say."
Who the hell am I? I don't flirt with women. Hell, I don't have time in my life to date, never mind flirt. And yet it somehow comes naturally with Gracie.
"You might regret that statement when your daughters start asking me about them." She rolls her eyes again and I can't help but laugh. There's nothing funny about the fact that Livy, my eight-year-old, will definitely be asking what they mean. She's too smart for her own good.
"Touché." I climb into the driver’s seat and look at Gracie through the rearview mirror. "Do you plan on staying back there?" I tease.
Gracie crosses her arms over her chest. "As a matter of fact, yes. I kinda like the thought of being chauffeured around."
Alrighty then. It isn't like I don't know a thing or two about chauffeuring. I do it for my girls on a daily basis. What’s one more?
"I need to invest in one of those black caps all the fancy chauffeurs wear."
"And a suit. Don't forget a suit. If you're going to look the part, you might as well go all out."
I chuckle at her quick-witted response.
"Yes, can't forget the suit. I'll add it to my shopping list."
"Make sure that you do."
I glance in the rearview mirror and give her a smirk. Then I look over and see that Everly has fallen back to sleep, and sigh. Interrupted sleep means she's going to be a bear for the remainder of the afternoon. Not exactly how I want to spend my day when I should be working.
"So, Ang . . ." Gracie's curious tone pulls me from my thoughts.
"What exactly is it you do? I mean I know you said you had a meeting at the construction site, but what does that make you?
A foreman? Is that the word for people in charge of construction sites?
And how come no one else was there working?
It's the middle of a workday. I expected the construction site to be busy. "
Wow, talk about a lot of questions. The woman can surely talk when she wants to.
"Ummm . . . I'm actually the owner of the construction company, and the person I was meeting with is one of the inspectors for the county. There's no one at the site today because we ran into a little snag. But everything is good now, so work can resume again tomorrow."
If Everly cooperates, that is. Normally, I don't like to have more than one big job going at a time, but it couldn't be helped.
It was either start the second job early or leave my guys without work for a few days while I met with the inspector.
I couldn't do that to my crew, no matter how loyal they were to me.
They have families to feed just like I do.
"The owner, huh? Fancy." Gracie drags out the last word and brings another chuckle to my lips.
I'm starting to realize she has a constant sense of humor.
"I'm not sure fancy is the word I would use. Exhausting would be a better description some days."
"So you're telling me being a business owner isn't all it's cracked up to be?"
I think about her question. I always knew one day I would start my own construction company. I learned everything I knew from a friend’s dad, but he’d learned it working for someone else. I never wanted that.
"I guess it is. I like being my own boss, but I never expected to be doing everything alone. When my wife died, it was either juggle everything or lose the one thing I dreamed about my whole life. I couldn't do that, so yeah, it's been exhausting trying to do it all."
I rarely let myself think about my late wife. It hurts too much. But somehow Gracie makes it easy to open up.
"I'm sorry about your wife."
"Thank you."
The rest of the drive is quiet, but not the uncomfortable kind most strangers endure. Just silent and refreshing.
We pull into my driveway and I just sit in the driver’s seat for a few seconds.
I know from experience I need to get Everly out of her seat before she wakes up—my youngest daughter hates her car seat with a passion—but when Gracie doesn't say anything or attempt to get out yet, I take an extra moment before turning the SUV off and climbing out myself.
I do my best to take Everly out with minimal disruption.
For once, luck is on my side, because she doesn't stir as I use my boot to kick the door closed.
Gracie—who climbed out the other side and is leaning a hip on the front bumper—waits for me to get closer before whispering, "I should head out."
"Why don't you come inside for a minute. Once I get Everly settled, we can discuss you moving in," I counter.
Gracie nods and follows me up the sidewalk. Despite being proficient at opening the door with a sleeping kid in my arms, I hand over the keys to her and let her do it. Sometimes it’s just nice to have help, and I haven’t had that in a while.
I don't wait around once the door is opened to see if Gracie follows me in. I head straight for Everly's room and tuck her into her toddler bed. It's clear my baby is more tired than I realized because she doesn't stir. That or she's getting sick.
Please, God, don't let her be getting sick.
Grabbing the baby monitor, I sneak out of the room and find Gracie waiting for me in the kitchen.
"Thanks for waiting."
Gracie smiles. "No problem. I guess it would help to figure out some details."
We laugh together at the awkwardness that suddenly blankets the room. This was so much easier when Everly, my missing nanny, or even my job was at the forefront of our conversations.
I take a business card out of my wallet and slide it across the island. "Here's my number. Just let me know when you want to move in and I'll make sure the place is left open for you."
She takes the card and slips it into the back pocket of her baggy jeans. "I appreciate it." She looks like she wants to say more, but a shrill sound comes from her phone and puts Gracie on edge. Her relaxed shoulders suddenly tense and her smile slips away.
I watch in wonder as she reads something on the screen before her face pales and she mutters, "I have to go."
Gracie rushes out of the house without so much as a goodbye, and I'm left to wonder what the hell just happened.