in being a mom anymore, and Rosie isn’t interested in being left alone with a babysitter after what she went through.” He shrugged. “I took her to a child psychologist. She didn’t seem to think Rosie would remember what had happened, but somewhere inside she knows. I pushed my company to buy the ski resort because I thought a change of scenery would help both of us. I don’t know what I’m going to do if she won’t stay with a nanny. I can’t keep taking a baby to the construction site, and I have to work.”
“Crimson is a great town. You’ll find someone Rosie likes.”
“I hope so.” Shep narrowed his gaze on her. “I’m thinking that someone is you.”
Paige had just lifted the wineglass to her mouth so when her hand jerked in surprise, red liquid sloshed over the rim and down her shirt.
“Sorry,” Shep said although he didn’t sound apologetic.
She placed the wineglass back on the table and wiped at her mouth but ignored the red stain soaking into her T-shirt. “Are you crazy?”
Shep cocked a brow. “Is that a rhetorical question?”
“I’m not going to be your baby nanny,” Paige told him, taking a breath when Rosie flinched in her sleep. She continued in a softer tone, “I have a business to run, Shep. I’m busy.”
“Not for long,” he said casually, glancing around the room. “Shouldn’t you be packing?”
“I’m fighting you. Remember?”
“I can’t manage to forget when you keep reminding me.”
“Because it’s important,” she argued. “This house is important. Not just to me, but for the town. It’s historic.”
“A fancy way of saying old and run-down.”
Paige sputtered, all the sympathy she’d had for Shep evaporating like mist on a hot summer day. “You are crazy. Not just for propositioning me to be your nanny, but for managing to be rude and offensive in the process.”
“Facts aren’t offensive,” he said. “They’re facts.”
“No.”
“You don’t mean it.” He brushed a strand of wispy hair from Rosie’s cheek. “You can’t.”
“I hate to ask but why is that?”
“You’re my only hope,” he said, his voice so hollow it made her chest ache.
She stood, paced to the front window and splayed her fingers on the glass, cool under her touch. One of the things she loved most about Crimson in the summer was the weather. It could be sunny and blazing hot in the midafternoon, but as soon as the sun set the temperature dipped, a welcome evening reprieve.
“What do I get in return?” She pressed her fingertips more firmly to the glass.
“I’ll pay you.”
“I want more.”
The slight creak of the rocker stopped, plunging the room into complete silence. “Why, Ms. Harper, are you propositioning me?” Shep asked after a moment.
“Your ego is astounding,” she said, hating that her voice came out breathless. “I want you to agree not to tear down the inn.” She turned then, gratified to see the look of utter surprise on his handsome features. It would seem very few people saw fit to challenge Shep Bennett.
“I can’t do that,” he stammered. “We need access on this side of the mountain.”
“Then you need to find a different nanny.” She bit down on the inside of her cheek. Why was she trying to make this bargain? So what if Rosie liked her? Paige wasn’t a professional nanny. She was an innkeeper, or at least she was trying to be.
Not for long, a voice inside her head cautioned, if you don’t have an inn to run.
“I’ve tried,” Shep mumbled.
“Exactly.” Warming to her off-the-cuff plan, Paige walked toward Shep and lifted the girl from his lap, cradling Rosie against her shoulder to avoid the wine stain. “Here’s the deal. I’ll agree to one month as Rosie’s nanny. In that time, I’ll interview, hire and train my permanent replacement.”
Shep’s mouth dropped open and his eyes widened like she’d just stripped down naked. Scratch that. No man had ever reacted with such obvious yearning to her body.
“In return,” she continued, “you’ll agree not to bulldoze The Bumblebee and I’ll get to run it as an inn, at least through Christmas. If I’m successful, the revenue will give me enough money to buy the house from you.” She held up a finger when he opened his mouth to respond. “At the same price you bought it from my mother. Those are my terms. Agree or no deal.”
As Shep stood, she backed up a step, her legs hitting the edge of the coffee table. He reached out a hand to steady her, and it felt like being touched by an open flame. Jerking away from his hold, she forced herself to meet his gaze. Despite her heated cheeks, she lifted her chin, unwilling to acknowledge the way he affected her.
She had to be strong or Shep would walk all over her. Paige knew that for a fact because she’d been a doormat most of her life. Not anymore. Her grandmother’s house meant too much.
“Deal,” he said softly, sweeping aside a loose piece of her hair much as he’d done with Rosie minutes earlier.
Suddenly Paige couldn’t draw in a steady breath. She pushed the baby back into his arms, eliciting a soft cry from Rosie. “I think she’ll stay asleep.”
“Probably,” Shep said, wrapping his strong arms around the girl. “We’ll work out the details tomorrow.”
“Sure,” Paige agreed on a squeak, not daring to move until she heard the front door click shut.
Then her knees gave way and she sank down to the edge of the old coffee table.
No more doormat, she repeated over and over in her head, willing her body to return to normal. As mantras went, it was pathetic. Paige didn’t care. She’d just made a deal with her own personal devil, and she was going to need all the strength she could muster.
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