didn’t step away but he did lift his hand with one finger raised. “Look after Paris, Penny and Pippa’s physical needs. If a problem crops up or you think there’s something to worry about, I do want you to tell me.”
“You didn’t appreciate me telling you about Paris,” she reminded him.
“I know.” He rubbed his fingers across his jaw—a very chiseled jaw, with a small cleft in the center. “I think I acted defensively because I’ve noticed the same things, but I don’t know what to do about her. She’s not eating as much as she should for a girl of her age. She wants to take part in summer swim-team activities so she doesn’t gain weight.”
“Are you going to let her be part of the team?”
“Yes, and that’s something I’d like you to schedule. I negotiated with her. She’s also to choose one of the camps at the community college. They have them for kids every summer. I’ll give you their website address and maybe you can set that up, too. So the second point on my list of your duties would be arranging activities and chauffeuring them back and forth from the camps to home.”
“When you say camps, do you mean like camping outside in tents?”
He chuckled. “No, not at all, though I suppose there is one that does that. These are educational camps. Someone qualified teaches them. The college accepts only so many children in each camp so the girls might not get their favorites. It’s late to sign them up. Just do the best you can with it. I’ll print out the info you need and give it to you in the morning.”
She pointed to her tablet, where she’d typed in what he’d said. “That’s only two duties.”
“Chauffeuring is going to take up a good bit of your time. The third duty would be to keep the house in order, but that’s a lower priority. If the girls would rather do some activity and you want to do it with them, I’d rather you do that than clean. They’re off school for the summer and have a few chores to do. But mostly I want them to enjoy it. If actually cleaning the house becomes a problem, I’ll hire someone to do that.”
She was close enough to Daniel that she could easily see the lines around his eyes. Were those lines from looking into the sun or from laughing with his girls? From working too hard, poring over legal papers? Or from his divorce? That was too personal to comment on so she thought about the next thing she wanted to ask him. “I’d like to still volunteer at the shelter, if you think that’s possible.”
“I want you to make time for that if that’s what you want to do. When I’m home, don’t feel you have to spend time with my daughters. If there’s something else you’d rather do, even if it’s just reading in your room, then that’s what you should do. I don’t want to be rigid with you, either, Emma.”
She felt her face getting warm because they were gazing into each other’s eyes. Her heart seemed to be beating so loud she wondered if he could hear it. He had a look on his face that made her want to move closer to him, but she didn’t. She wouldn’t. She couldn’t.
Starting tomorrow she’d ignore his attractiveness. She’d try to forget what she felt for him and his life here without his ex-wife and with his girls to raise on his own. Starting tomorrow, she’d truly be starting over. That’s exactly what she wanted.
Emma was surprised the following day when her cell phone buzzed and she saw the caller was Rebekah.
She answered. “Hi, Rebekah. Do you want me to come in? I could probably do an evening shift. I’m working as a nanny for Daniel Sutton now.”
“So you got the job! Congratulations.”
“I moved in yesterday. What can I help you with?”
“I’d like to talk to you about Fiesta. She needs more TLC than the shelter workers can give her. The vet examined her again when we saw her limping. He thinks her back leg was injured at some time. It has healed as much as it’s going to—it still could bother her, though. And the worst part is, she’s not eating as she should. She needs nourishment for herself and those kittens. Is there any way you could take her?”
“I just don’t know. I’d have to talk to everyone here about Fiesta. Daniel isn’t too keen on bringing a pregnant cat in.”
“I understand. See what you can do and then give me a call.”
“Thank you, Rebekah. For everything.”
When Emma put her cell phone back in her pocket, Pippa, Penny and even Paris were standing there looking up at her.
Should she tell them or shouldn’t she?
Paris was the first to speak. “You mentioned Fiesta. Is something wrong?”
“You look upset,” Penny added.
Pippa took hold of Emma’s hand. That simple gesture brought tears to her eyes.
“The situation is that Fiesta needs extra care. The vet says she’s not eating like she should. I’m not sure what to do. Do you think any of your friends would want to take in a pregnant cat?”
Penny jumped up and down. “We want to take her in. We want Fiesta.”
“Your dad doesn’t,” Emma reminded them.
“But if we ask him real nice, he might. And if you back us up, that would clinch it,” Paris added.
Emma wasn’t sure that Paris’s plan was the route to take, but the three girls cared about the cat and she did, too. There was no harm in asking. At least that’s what she thought...until they asked.
* * *
That night no one said anything until after they’d finished dinner. Daniel had appreciated the meat loaf, macaroni and cheese and green beans. They both watched Paris as she nibbled, a little bit of this and a little bit of that.
When Emma served fresh strawberries over vanilla ice cream, Daniel grinned at her. “I haven’t had anything like this in a long time.”
“Then enjoy it,” she said as Pippa, Penny and Paris all gazed at her as if asking, “Can we ask him now?”
Emma gave a little nod.
As the oldest, Paris started. “Dad, we want to talk to you about something.”
He took another bite of ice cream. “Sure. Anything.”
Penny chimed in next. “Emma got a phone call today and it upset her. It upset us, too, when she told us about it.”
Daniel’s gaze shot to Emma’s. “Did you have bad news from home?”
“No,” Emma said softly. “It was Rebekah from the shelter. Fiesta is having a few problems.”
Pippa explained exactly what those problems were. As she did, Daniel frowned, and then he scowled. That scowl was meant for Emma.
“Won’t you let us
