Small-Town Nanny

He cocked his head to one side, wondering suddenly about her past. “Oh?”

She waved her hand rapidly. “I was engaged once. It...didn’t work out.”

He nodded, inexplicably relieved. “Maybe you should come work for me on a trial basis, then.”

“A...trial basis?” That breathy sound again.

“Yes, since you’re not cut out for family life. It’s a live-in job, after all.”

“I do need a place to stay,” she said, “but no. That wouldn’t look right, would it? Me living in your house.”

Her eyes were wide and suddenly, Sam felt an urge to protect her. “Of course, I wouldn’t want to compromise your reputation. We have a mother-in-law’s suite over the garage. It has a separate entrance and plenty of privacy.”

“Really? You’re offering me the job? Because remember, I can’t cook.”

“You can learn.”

“Maybe, maybe not. I... What made you change your mind? I thought you didn’t like me.” She was nibbling on her lower lip, and right now she looked miles from the confident, brash waitress who’d stood up to a businessman in front of a restaurant full of people.

He smiled down at her. “My sister. My brother. And the way you handled Mindy.”

“But she’s probably not going to have another trauma reaction for a long time. Whereas cooking’s every day. You really don’t want to hire me.”

“Why are you trying to talk me out of it?” Her resistance was lighting a fire in him, making him feel as if he had to have her, and only her, for Mindy’s nanny. “I do want to. The sooner the better. When could you start?”

“Well...” She was starting to cave, and triumph surged through him. “My room is going to be remodeled out from under me starting this weekend.”

“Great,” he said, leaning in to close the deal. “I’ll have a truck sent round tomorrow. You can start setting up your apartment over the garage.”

“You’re sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“Paying what you told me before?”

He flashed a wide smile. “Of course.”

She paused, her nose wrinkling. Looked up at the stars. Then a happy expression broke out on her face. “Thank you!” she said, and gave him a quick, firm handshake.

Her smile and her touch sent a shot of joy through his entire body. He hadn’t felt anything like that before, ever. Not even when Marie was alive.

Guilt overwhelmed him and he took a step back. “Remember, it’s just a trial,” he said.

What had he gotten himself into?

* * *

Of course, everyone and his brother was in downtown Rescue River the next Saturday morning to comment on the moving truck in front of Susan’s boarding house. The truck carrying Susan to her absolute doom, if the scuttlebutt was to be believed.

“So you’re the next victim,” said Miss Minnie Falcon, who’d hurried over from the Senior Towers, pushing her wheeled walker, to watch the moving activities. “Sam Hinton eats babysitters for lunch!”

“It’s just on a trial basis,” Susan said, pausing in front of the guesthouse’s front porch. “If I don’t like the job, I can leave at any time. Don’t you want to sit down, Miss Minnie?”

“Oh, no, I’d rather stand,” the gray-haired woman said, her eyes bright. “Don’t want to miss anything!”

“Okay, if you’re sure.” That was small-town life: your activities were like reality TV to your neighbors, and truthfully, Susan found it sweet. At least everyone knew who you were and watched out for you.

“I’m going to miss you so much,” her landlady, Lacey, said as she helped Susan carry her sole box of fragile items down the rickety porch steps. “I’m really sorry about making you move. It’s just that Buck seems to be serious about staying sober, and he’s looking to make money, and of course, he’s willing to work on this place for cheap because he’s my brother.”

“It’s fine. You’ve got to remodel while you can,” Susan soothed her. “And we’ll still hang out, right?” She’d enjoyed her year at Lacey’s guesthouse, right in the heart of her adopted town. She wouldn’t have minded staying. But sometimes, she felt silly being twenty-five years old and having to use someone else’s kitchen if she wanted to make herself a snack.

“Of course we’ll hang out. I’ll miss you!”

“I know, me, too.” She and Lacey had gotten close during a number of late-night talks. Susan had comforted Lacey through a heartbreaking miscarriage, and they’d cried and prayed together.

“And it’s not just me. The cats will miss you!” Lacey said. “You have to come back and visit all the time.”

As if to prove her words, an ancient gray cat tangled himself around Susan’s ankle and then, when she grabbed the bannister to keep from tripping, offered up a mournful yowl.

Susan reached down to rub the old tomcat’s head. “You and Mrs. Whiskers take care of yourselves. I’ll bring you a treat when I come back, promise.”

They went outside and loaded the box of breakables into the front seat of Susan’s car, only to be accosted by Gramps Camden, another resident of the Senior Towers. “Old Sam Hinton caught himself a live one!” he said. “Now you listen here. Those Hintons are trouble. Just because my granddaughter married one—and Troy is the best of the bunch—that doesn’t mean they’re a good family. I was cheated by that schemer’s dad and now, his corporation won’t let up on me about selling my farm. You be careful in his house. Lock your door!”

“I will.” She’d gotten to know Gramps through the schools, where he now served as a volunteer.

“He wasn’t good enough for that wife of his,” Gramps continued.

“Marie was pretty nearly perfect,” agreed Miss Minnie Falcon.

From what Susan already knew about Sam, she figured any woman who married him would have to be. And yet, for all his millionaire arrogance, he obviously adored his little daughter. And a man who loved a child that much couldn’t be all bad. Could he?

“Is that all your stuff, ma’am?” the college-age guy, who’d apparently come with the truck, asked respectfully.

Gramps waved and headed back to the Towers with Miss Minnie.

“Yes, that’s it,” Susan said. “What do I owe you?”

“Nothing. Mr. Hinton took care of it.”

“Let me grab my purse. I want to at least give you a tip for being so careful.”

The young man waved his hand. “Mr. Hinton took care of that, too. He said we weren’t to take a penny from you.”

“Is that so,” Susan said, torn between gratitude and irritation.

“Money’s one thing Sam Hinton doesn’t lack.” The voice belonged to Buck Armstrong, Lacey’s brother. He put a large potted plant into the back of her car, tilting it sideways so it would fit. The young veteran had haunted eyes and a bad reputation, but whenever Susan had run into him visiting his sister, he’d been nothing but a gentleman. “You all set?”

“I hope so. I’m hearing horror stories about my new boss, is all.” And they were spooking her. As the time came to leave her friendly guesthouse in the heart of Rescue River, she felt more and more nervous.