she walked over and sat on the couch as he’d requested.
He plopped down on one of the recliners. “You crossed a line when you questioned me about the kids’ nap time.”
She winced. “Technically, I didn’t question you. I said, ‘oh, dear.’”
“Which is worse. You might as well have come right out and said, ‘Hey, Chance. You’re doing everything wrong.’”
“Sorry.”
“These are my kids. I’ve spent two weeks with them all by myself. And though I’m not perfect, I don’t want to be constantly reminded that I don’t always know what I’m doing.”
Her head snapped up. He didn’t know what he was doing? He had twins and he didn’t know what he was doing?
“I didn’t hire a nanny because I want my kids to be raised by me. But I’m willing to give you a shot because quite honestly I could use some help. Plus, I’m not staying here forever. Only for a visit.”
Only for a visit? Her attention perked up even more. If he wasn’t staying forever, only for a visit, then this job was temporary. She wasn’t making a life decision or a life choice or even abandoning Jason. She was working temporarily.
Giddy relief swamped her.
“But I have to tell you, if you’re going to criticize me, we can end this right now.”
With her situation in perspective, she studied him as all the puzzle pieces of his situation began to fall into place in her head. Gwen had told her that the twins’ mother had left his babies with him, saying she didn’t want them back—which explained his trust issues. He didn’t want a nanny. He wanted to raise these kids on his own. Admirable. But he didn’t know how. And because he was sort of failing he was supersensitive.
He wasn’t a grouch. Just a supersensitive daddy who needed somebody to help him.
Suddenly being that person didn’t seem so god-awful.
“Are we clear?”
Crystal. “Yes.”
“Great.” Even as he said the word, one of the babies began to cry. He rose from his seat.
Tory also rose. Okay. She might not be quitting. But the job was far from perfect. She still wasn’t sure she could advise him without insulting him.
Walking to the nursery he said, “Here’s the only reason I might not—and I stress might not—mind having you around. I can’t seem to get Sam and Cindy to sleep for more than twenty minutes, and when they get up they’re like little cats climbing all over me. I don’t get a minute’s peace.”
“You’ve been holding these kids for two weeks?”
“Sort of. Sometimes they play on the floor.”
“What about your job?”
“I own a construction company so I could pretty much do what I wanted for the first week. But once I realized I had my hands full with the kids, I turned everything over to my general manager.”
She carefully caught his gaze. His blue eyes were no longer angry, but cautious. “You can’t live like that forever.”
He sniffed a laugh. “No kidding.”
“Yet, you don’t want a nanny.”
“I don’t want to be like my dad.”
“He never had time for you?”
He sighed, ran his fingers through his short dark hair. “These kids are just adjusting to losing their mom. I can’t leave them too.”
Gorgeous or not, grouchy or not, deep down inside Chance Montgomery was a nice guy. And he genuinely loved his kids. Surely she could put her own problems on hold long enough to help him. Especially when she needed to earn a little money as much as he needed assistance with his kids.
She cautiously said, “So you want suggestions about some things?”
He sighed. “When I ask? Yes.”
“Are you asking?”
His sigh turned into a growl. “The fact that you think I should be asking means I should be, so, yes, I’m asking.”
“I didn’t see a baby swing or a walker in your car—”
“A walker?” His brow furrowed and he looked at her as if she were crazy. “Like an old person’s walker?”
If he hadn’t been so serious, she might have laughed. But if he didn’t even know what a swing and a walker were, then chances were he hadn’t forgotten to pack them for this trip. He didn’t have them. Which heaped another layer of trouble onto his already troubled daddyhood.
Not wanting to insult him, she carefully said, “A walker is a seat with wheels that you put your babies in. It helps them learn to walk, but it also entertains them.”
“You mean they don’t have to spend every waking minute crawling on me?”
His hopeful tone broke her heart. “Nope.”
“And I suppose the swing is something every bit as useful?”
She winced then nodded. “I’m amazed your ex-wife didn’t give you those things when she gave you the kids.”
“Liliah wasn’t my wife. She isn’t going to be anybody’s wife. And as you can see, she took real well to mothering too.”
He turned and headed for the nursery and Tory squeezed her eyes shut in misery.
Just when it looked like they might have been starting to get along, she said something stupid.
This was never going to work.
CHAPTER TWO
REACHING IN TO lift Sam out of his crib, Chance stopped the anger rolling through him. He shouldn’t be surprised that Liliah hadn’t given him all the things the kids needed. But with a screaming baby on his shoulder and a woman who seemed to know what she was doing standing right behind him, this wasn’t the time to let his brain tumble to his anger with Liliah.
“So why do you think they woke up?”
Tory walked to Cindy’s crib. Chance’s sobbing little girl raised her arms, begging to be held. “Did they sleep on the drive here?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. So they probably just nodded off after you fed them because their tummies were full. They don’t need a nap.” She lifted Cindy out of her crib. “Hey, sweetie.”
Cindy’s sobbing subsided, and Chance watched as a look of wonder transformed Tory’s features. Her brown eyes lit with joy, and for the first time in weeks he felt himself begin to relax. Not only did she know
