Читать онлайн книгу «The Billionaire′s Nanny» автора Melissa McClone
The Billionaire's Nanny
Melissa McClone
TEMPORARY ASSISTANTFULL-TIME FIANCE Just when he thinks "problem solved," internet billionaire AJ Cole realizes he needs more than a temp. He needs a fiance to show off when he returns home to Haley's Bay for the first time in ten years. His family has a habit of matchmaking, and AJ doesn't need the drama. But as soon as Emma Markwell agrees to his assignment, he learns that pretend love can feel oh-so real. Once a nanny, Emma's played many games of make-believe. This shouldn't be any different - until a few hot kisses meant for show blur the line between fantasy and reality! AJ doesn't do commitment, but Emma has always longed for true love and refuses to settle for less. AJ can't resist a challenge, and soon, he can't figure out if he's just trying to get into her bed...or keep her from getting into his heart.
Its time we acted like a real couple.
Crackling with electricity, she averted her gaze. Afraid of she didnt know what, but AJ made her uncomfortable. His confidence, his strength, his wealth intimidated her. Two people couldnt be more different. But theres no one around to see us.
If you cant be comfortable with me close to you, touching you, well never be able to pull this off with an audience. He stroked her skin, sending her pulse rate climbing. Is this so bad?
No. Her hand snuggled against his, their fingers laced together in a natural way. Though shed die before admitting that.
If were going to sell being a couple, theres something else we need to practice. Kissing in public.
Her heart slammed against her chest. You want to kiss me now?
Holding hands worked. Kissing seems the next logical step.
AJs lips touched hers. Soft. Warm. Yummy.
Remember, hes not your boyfriend.
But the truth was so easy to forget when the kiss felt this good.
The Billionaires
Nanny
Melissa McClone
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
With a degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University, the last thing MELISSA McCLONE ever thought she would be doing was writing romance novels. But analyzing engines for a major US airline just couldnt compete with her happily-ever-afters. When she isnt writing, caring for her three young children or doing laundry, Melissa loves to curl up on the couch with a cup of tea, her cats and a good book. She enjoys watching home decorating shows to get ideas for her housea 1939 cottage that is slowly being renovated. Melissa lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon, with her own real-life-hero husband, two daughters, a son, two lovable but oh-so-spoiled indoor cats and a no-longer-stray outdoor kitty that has decided to call the garage home.
Melissa loves to hear from her readers. You can write to her at PO Box 63, Lake Oswego, OR 97034, USA, or contact her via her website, www.melissamcclone.com (http://www.melissamcclone.com).
To the authors, readers and friends who helped me save Miss Mousie, a foster cat, who now has a forever home with us.
Special thanks to Sarah for sparking an idea about a nanny heroine, and Lisa Hayden, Terri Reed and Teresa Morgan.
Contents
Cover (#u427b47f1-5714-5f8e-90bd-af304d2350a0)
Introduction (#u1c93cf06-445d-5725-852a-1cb653028ed9)
Title Page (#u38a96036-d26a-54d9-80aa-94874d64d196)
About the Author (#uaa8561c9-f73c-5417-a492-dfd46fb7b943)
Dedication (#u0df401d0-3464-5c45-9843-3647b9c5f699)
Chapter One (#uac13318b-c41f-5746-9d90-3dd0560ef458)
Chapter Two (#u7532d902-2eb8-5526-a2fc-59306ad63e99)
Chapter Three (#u7563985b-732d-5415-8361-3ecc008e5e4e)
Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One (#ulink_f3da52db-6704-5d76-86ec-187a44c847ff)
Mmmeorrrrrooooowwwrrrrreeee.
The cats mournful they-left-me-here-to-die wail grated on Emma Markwells frazzled nerves. She wiped her sticky palms on her serviceable knee-length gray skirt. Her gaze dropped to the cat carrier on the floor of the small airport catering to corporate and private planes in Hillsboro, Oregon. I know you dont want to be here. Me, either. But well be on our way to Haleys Bay soon.
Blossom hissed. The sound echoed across the waiting area.
Emmas shoulders were hunched, as if she could hide from the people looking at her. But with the slasher movie sounds spewing from the she devil in the cat carrier, no one would ignore them now.
Perspiration dampened the back of Emmas neck. The brown plait of French braid felt heavy and sticky. If she wasnt careful, anxiety might create a perspiration crisis before she set foot on the private jet. Not good. She wanted to meet her new boss, Atticus Jackson AJ Cole, looking professionala perfect temporary personal assistantnot show up on his plane smelly and wet.
So what if she hadnt flown in five years, two months and seventeen days? The flight to AJs hometown in Washington, where the Columbia River met the Pacific Ocean, would be short. Time to pull herself together. Blossom, too. Emma peered into the crate.
The eight-year-old orange tabbys backside greeted her. The cats tail trembled.
Poor kitty. Last night, Blossoms first at Emmas studio apartment in southeast Portland, hadnt gone well. The foster cat had shredded two rolls of toilet paper. Now the cat stared at the crate wall as if she were in a time-out. Adjusting to a new environment was difficult when you were alone in the world. Emma had been old enough to understand what being a foster kid meant and learned to adapt, unlike this frightened feline.
She reached toward the carriers door. Sixteen years without any family to rely on and six years being a nanny made her an expert caretaker, no matter what the age or species of her charge. Hey, no worries. I wont let anything happen to you. Promise.
The cat responded with a banshee yowl. Three men in business suits glared. A woman pressed her lips together and narrowed her gaze.
Emma rubbed her fingertips along the strand of fake pearls hanging over the neckline of her pink short-sleeved sweater set. She leaned closer to the crates door. You might not agree, but traveling with me is your best option. Otherwise, youd be stuck in a metal cage at a vets office while they repair the shelter. Kitten season means foster homes are full of little ones. I called each and every person on the foster list to see if they had room.
None did. With such short notice, no pet sitter was available. That meant Blossom was coming along with Emma.
Traveling was difficult for animals, but especially cats. Still, the shelter director thought flying by a private jet and staying with Emma, who Blossom tolerated unlike the other shelter volunteers, would be less stressful than being crated at a clinic.
A name sounded over the PA system. Not Emmas. Her relief was palpable.
A man with salt-and-pepper hair and a black messenger bag swung over his shoulder walked toward the door.
Not our turn, Blossom.
Thank goodness. Emma glanced around the waiting area full of orange upholstered chairs. People sat, working on tablets or laptops. Others stood, talking or texting on cell phones. No one looked nervous about flying. She hoped she didnt. She crossed her fingers.
Always appear cool and confident even if youre not, an instructor had told the class at the Rose City Nanny Academy. Emma lived by those words whether she was rushing bleeding or sick kids to the ER, speaking about a childs behavior on behalf of a parent with a school principal or giving statements in custody battles. Today should be no different. Not should, would.
A security guard passed in front of her. A chain jiggled from his belt loop.
Blossom hissed.
Stupid cat, he muttered, walking away with a disapproving look.
Stop acting like a grumpy diva, Emma said to the cat. Blossoms antisocial behavior had kept her from being shown at any of the Portland Paws Rescues adoption events. However, the cat did better one-on-one. No one wants an unfriendly kitty. And you dont want to spend the rest of your life at the cattery. Being in a forever home with a loving family would be so much better for you.
She dreamed of owning a home and having a family herself. She would take care of her own house and children, not be an employee who never quite fit in or belonged. Someday...
Libby Hansens catchy ringtone sounded.
Emma grabbed her phone and hit Answer, eager to talk to her best friend recovering in a New York hospital. How are you?
I could be better.
Her pulse accelerated. Complications from the ruptured appendix?
I wish. Libbys voice sounded dry, scratchy. A smokin hot resident made rounds today. He didnt give me a second glance. All he cared about was reading my chart.
Emma released the breath shed been holding. He was wowed speechless by your beauty.
I look like a zombie from a high school kids horror movie project. Enough about me. Youre at the airport, right?
Im here with Blossom. Libby and her parents were Emmas final foster family, the closest thing she had to living relatives. She would take Libbys place as a personal assistant for the next five days, even fly, to give her friend the rest and recovery time she needed. Attila hasnt arrived yet.
Libby sucked in a breath. Dont you dare call AJ that to his face.
Emma hadnt met Libbys boss, but the nickname fit the photographs shed seen of AJ. Over six feet with a beard, he looked more like a conquering warrior than computer geek turned billionaire. Libby described her boss as gorgeous. The guy might be attractive with a hot body, but Emma had never been a fan of tall, dark and dangerous men with facial hair. You call him Attila.
Only when Im hungry or PMSing or overworked.
Libby sounded exhausted. But recovering from emergency surgery while on a business trip to the East Coast would wear a person out. So that leaves what? Two days a month?
Ha. Ha. AJs a good boss who pays me extremely well.
A good boss does not wake you up in the middle of the night to order flowers for his woman du jour. Or make you spend Christmas on an airplane instead of with your family. Or put his interview on CNBC ahead of your abdominal pains. All that money he pays you is worthless if youre dead.
Hey, Im very much alive.
No thanks to Mr. Atticus Jackson Cole. The what-ifs surrounding Libbys appendix turned Emmas stomach into enough knots to make a Boy Scout proud. Im thankful youre alive.
Im thankful youre filling in for me on such short notice. Libby, who focused on what her boss might need before he realized he needed something, didnt miss a beat. Even when connected to an IV and on painkillers. Did you have a shot of tequila?
Its still morning.
Remember what happened when we flew to Mexico?
Of course. Flying for the first time on a spring break trip to Puerto Vallarta had nearly turned into a one-way trip. Boarding a plane...no big deal. Accelerating along the runway...no big deal. Feeling weightless when the wheels lifted off the tarmac... Emma tapped her toe, a race-walk patter catching up to her marathon-run pulse. Well, except for the flight home. You got me so drunk I passed out before the plane left the gate.
I did that on purpose, and my plan worked. You didnt throw up. Go down a shot. For medicinal purposes. You need to settle your nerves for the flight.
Getting drunk at ten in the morning on the first day of a new job wasnt an option today. Emma would have to tough out the flight without alcohol. Shed survived worse, right? My nerves are fine.
Your voice sounds an octave higher.
Bad connection.
I hope so, because AJs jet just landed.
The phone slid from Emmas sweat-slicked hand. She tightened her grip. How do you know that?
Im paid to know these things. Libbys words had a sharp edge, the way she sounded when handling a rare mishap. But dont worry. The majority of your work will be party planning. But you might have to remind AJ that hes on vacation.
Libbys new tone and her old tales told Emma that caring for a dozen kids in training pants running with open pots of finger paints might be easier than assisting one billionaire while he tried to relax on a trip to his hometown. I cant believe Im going to be doing your job.
Youre perfect. Youve dealt with angst-ridden teens, tweens with horrible attitudes, tantrum-throwing kindergartners, pampered preschoolers and toddlers with death wishes. You can handle anything, including AJ.
I dont know about that. Emma watched a little girl carrying a stuffed dog and her mother talking into a cell phone walk into the restroom. A bachelor billionaire with no kids doesnt need me.
AJ needs you. Certainty filled Libbys voice. Dont let his type A personality get to you. Billionaires arent that different from toddlers except they know how to use silverware and occasional manners. Sometimes. Trust me, they need direction and supervision.
Youd think he could pull together his grandmothers birthday party.
AJ doesnt make his own dinner reservations, Libby said matter-of-factly. Arranging his grandmothers soiree on his own is out of the question.
Emmas insides twisted. Soiree sounds fancier than a party.
Semantics. Stop worrying. You threw a spectacular birthday party for the twins.
Abbie and Annie. Cute six-year-old twins Emma had cared for the past year.
Trey Lundberg. Their handsome, widowed father who was about as perfect as a dad could be.
A weight pressed against Emmas chest. Shed stopped working for Trey three months ago. Hed made his personal interest in her clear and suggested they go out without the girls. Everything Emma wanteda family of her own and the house with the white picket fencehad been within her grasp. But something had felt off. The idea of a ready-made family appealed to her, but Trey was still grieving the loss of his wife. Any feelings he had for Emma couldnt be real. Not that soon after burying the mother of his children. The more Emma had thought about going after her dreams with Trey, the more wrong doing so had felt. So she quit.
She shifted the phone to her other ear. The twins were easy. Theyre little.
AJs grandmother is little. Barely five feet tall from what Ive heard.
Emma sighed. Libby.
What? You have all the skills needed for my job. I could never do yours because of the crud and ick factor.
True. Libby didnt do crud or ick. She moved ten feet away from people who sneezed. She used two napkins during meals. She carried hand sanitizer at all times.
Emma never minded the messes kids made. Holding tissues during nose blowing. Wiping jelly spots off Abbies cheeks. Helping Annie change her sheets before anyone noticed her wet bed.
A lump formed in Emmas throat, pressed upward. No regrets. She couldnt work for the Lundbergs when she didnt have the same feelings for Trey as he had for her. Shed helped find her replacement, trained the new nanny and told the girls to call if they needed anything...anytime.
A wistful, but not unexpected, sigh escaped. She wanted to find that special someone who would take care of her the way she took care of everybody else. Too bad happily-ever-after endings happened only in storybooks, not real life.
Emma cleared her throat. The cruddy stuff isnt so bad. Theres lots of fun to be had on the playground, believe it or not.
Except on the swings. She hated swings.
Ill take your word for it, Libby said.
Emmas name sounded over the PA system. Every muscle group bunched, including ones shed never met. Her stomach jangled, a mix of worry and trepidation.
Shed ridden enough elevators and carnival rides to know her tummys reaction to weightlessness. Antigravity was her proven enemy, its falling sensation her greatest fear.
She blew out a puff of air. Time to go.
Good luck, not that you need it.
She swallowed. Thanks.
Have a good flight.
The line disconnected.
Emma tucked her phone into her tote bag, hand trembling. She swung the leather strap over her shoulder then picked up the cat carrier. Here we go, Blossom.
The cats snarl sounded like a combination of moan, hiss and spit. An omen of things to come? Emma hoped not.
* * *
The jet taxied on the tarmac in Hillsboro, Oregon. Except for a slight movement of AJs tablet on the table in front of his seat and a glance out the window, he wouldnt have realized theyd landed. Not surprising. His flight crew consisted of top-notch, former military pilots. AJ never worried what was happening in the cockpit. But he was worried about the stranger, a nanny with a cat, who would be his assistant for the next five days. AJ rubbed his chin.
Emma is my best friend. Shes smart and conscientious. A hard worker. She doesnt like to fly, but trust me. Shes the perfect person, the only person, to take my place while youre in Haleys Bay.
Libby had been his personal assistant for two years. He had no reason to doubt her. Relying on her recommendation made more sense than yanking an employee away from other duties or hiring an untested temp from a service. A nanny should be able to follow directions, entertain his brother Elliss kids at their grandmothers birthday party and, most importantly, deal with AJs family. He wasnt a fan of cats, but he hoped the feline would be a distraction. The more attention his family gave the cat, the less they would give AJ. A win-win situation for all involved. Mostly him.
Dad wouldnt say much, if anything, unless forced to talk by Mom. The man would never forgive AJ for leaving Haleys Bay and the family business after graduating from college. The fact that hed bailed out the fishing company during the economic downturn had only made his father resent AJ more. As if hed had any other choice.
What was he supposed to do? See his family bankrupt and out of work, especially Ellis with a wife and two kids? No way. AJ had the means. Not helping would have been worse. Unthinkable.
He would never apologize to his father or anyone in his family for choosing to make billions with a computer instead of breaking his back working on a boat. AJ regretted nothing. He doubted his dad could say the same thing, if Jack Cole ever decided to talk to his oldest son again.
AJ wasnt sure how his four younger brothers would react to his being home. Only Grady, the youngest of the family, kept in touch. At least AJ wouldnt have to worry about the female members of the Cole family.
The Cole women would welcome him home with smiles and hugs. His grandmother, mom and two sisters called, texted, Skyped and visited him as much as they could. Though the four would likely be butting their noses into his life and asking much too personal questions while he was there. His stomach tightened.
Why had he wanted to come back? Oh, yeah. His grandmothers eightieth birthday.
An alarm sounded. The buzzing filled the cabin and made him glance at his tablet.
A message illuminated the screen. Conference CallMarketing Department. Libby must have set his clock when he said goodbye at the hospital. The woman was the definition of competent, vital to his success for keeping his life running smoothly.
If only Libby were here with him. Damn appendix. Striking her down in New York. He balled his hands. AJ couldnt believe Libby had hidden her condition from him until it was almost too late. A foolish move, but one done out of loyalty to him. She knew how much he relied upon her. Or had until leaving him stuck with a nanny from Portland, Oregon.
If AJ didnt know better, he would think his father planned this. But nothing, not a hospitalized assistant or a cat-carrying nanny, would stop AJ from showing his family how far hed come. Nothing was going to stop him from making a triumphant return to Haleys Bay.
Nothing at all.
* * *
Emma stepped outside the terminal, a sunny August sky overhead. Flying was safer during good weather, right?
But the roar of engines weighted her feet like chimney bricks.
For Libby. Step by dragged step, Emma crossed the tarmac toward a new-looking jet. Her heart pounded in her throat.
For Libby. Emma clasped the jets railing. Her legs trembleddont stumbleand she forced herself to climb the short staircase, one step, then another, followed by two more.
For Libby. Emma stepped into the plane. The hair on the back of her neck and arms prickled, ramrod straight beneath her sweater.
Noise from planes taking off and landing faded. Air-conditioning cooled her skin. The jets interior muted tones exuded calm comfort. The plush carpet and cushioned chairs were a hundred and eighty degrees different from flying on a packed 737 with zero legroom and no empty seats. This time might be different.
Welcome aboard, Miss Markwell. An attractive woman with long blond hair, a light blue blouse and navy slacks greeted her with a bright, white-tooth smile. Im Camille. Ill be your flight attendant today.
Hi, Im Emma. She forced a first impression smile and raised the cat carrier, welcoming the distraction. Is there a place this should go?
I have the perfect spot. Camille took the carrier. Whats your cats name?
Not my cat. Shes a foster. Long story. But her name is Blossom. Thank you.
Camille peered into the carrier. Hello, Blossom.
The cats growl, a hair-raising, guttural sound, made Emma cringe.
Eyes wide, the flight attendant drew back. Her at-your-service smile faltered. She lifted the carrier away from her body as if radioactive waste filled the inside, then tipped her head to her left. AJs in the cabin.
Thank you.
Emma passed between two forward-facing leather-covered captains chairs. Each seat contained a television screen and game controller. The understated look was more luxurious man cave than flashy flaunt of wealth.
The next row faced backward. Someone with a head of thick brown hair occupied the seat to her left.
Attila. Atticus. AJ. This had to be him.
Libby thought the world of her boss, when she wasnt complaining about AJ. She described him as exacting. Workaholic was how Emma imagined him, based on how many hours he kept Libby working. And prompt. Libby said he would fire a manager if a project went over schedule, break up with a woman if she arrived late for a date and eviscerate a chef if forced to wait between courses.
Not everything Emma had heard about AJ Cole was awful. He paid employees well, was a philanthropist and doted on his grandmother, who visited him in Seattle at least once a month. The guy couldnt be all bad if he was throwing his grandma an eightieth birthday partymake that a soiree.
Voices sounded. Three or four.
Emma didnt see anyone else on board. She stepped closer.
The brown-haired man sat with a tablet in front of him. Three other faces appeared on the screen. One, a woman, spoke about branding.
Emma glanced from the tablet to her temporary boss. Whoa. A six-foot-plus mass of male hotness sat in the seat. A guy with no beard.
She blinked. Refocused. Still hot. Definitely AJ. She recognized his intense green eyes from the photographs.
Yum. Libby called her boss a nice piece of eye candy, but now that Emma was standing next to AJ Cole, he seemed more like a five-pound box of gourmet chocolates. Mouthwateringly delicious.
His gray suit jacket, expertly tailored, accentuated straight, wide shoulders. Unruly brown hair, curly at the ends, fringed the starched collar of his white dress shirt. His ruggedly handsome features fit perfectly together, making her heart accelerate like a car on a racetrack.
His smoldering gaze met hers.
Her throat tightened. She wished he hadnt shaved his beard so she wouldnt find him attractive. Then again, she still might. A photograph couldnt capture the 3-D version of the living, breathing man.
He motioned with his finger to the seat facing him. A small table separated the two chairs.
Emma removed the tote bag strap from her shoulder and sat. She ignored the conversation from the conference chat, not wanting to eavesdrop. She pressed each button to see what it did. Peering inside the pouch on the side of her seat, she saw a barf bag. She hoped she wouldnt need it.
The decibel level of the conference call rose. Voices talked over one another. Not quite a debate, but a lively discussion.
Her gaze fell on AJs face. Talk about stunning. He laughed at a joke, softening the planes, angles and lines of his face. She focused on his mouth, zeroed in on his lips. Bet he was a good kisser.
What in the world was she doing? Thinking? AJ wasnt only her boss. He was also Libbys boss.
Emma looked at her lap. The seat belt ends lay on either side of her. She fastened the buckle and tightened the strap, as if the pressure could squeeze out her nonsensical thoughts before she embarrassed Libby and herself.
So what if the real-life AJ Cole was more attractive than his photographs? He was her boss, not a random guy she could flirt with at Starbucks then breeze out the door without a look back. Besides, he wasnt her type. She preferred a family man. Not a guy who, according to Libby, hadnt visited his family in ten years.
Dont do that. AJs hard tone made Emma jump. If any of you disturb Libby while Im away, you wont have a job when I return. Understood?
Not so bad. Emma hadnt expected him to stick up for Libby.
See you on Monday, he added.
The words Dont bother me were implied.
He tucked his tablet into the side pocket of his seat. Emma Markwell.
His deep voice flowed through her veins like warm maple syrup. She fought the urge to melt into her seat. Hello, Mr. Cole. Its nice to meet you.
His critical gaze ran the length of her, scrutinizing, as if she were a line of bad computer code wreaking havoc with his program. This was the man she expected minus the gorgeous face and athletic physique.
Libby tells me youre a Martha StewartMary Poppins mash-up, able to master home, hearth and heathen children.
I dont have anything magical to pull out of my tote bag, but I do have a few modern-day equivalents for tricks and can spell supercalifragilisticexpialidocious backward. Something shed learned being the nanny of a gifted child one summer.
So you have no magic, but you brought a homeless cat.
His eyes were flat, no glint of humor or spark of amusement. Was this the intimidator Libby told Emma to ignore?
Libby assured me that bringing Blossom was acceptable. Emmas voice sounded hoarse. She cleared her throat.
If it was a problem I would have hired you a cat sitter. He shrugged off his suit jacket, tossed it onto the seat across the aisle, then buckled his seat belt. My niece, nephew and cousins children will play with the cat. Just keep the beast away from me.
Allergic?
No.
Camille picked up the jacket, glanced at the seat belts fastened across their laps, then headed to the front of the jet.
The silence made Emma bristle, reminding her of the impending takeoff. She needed to distract herself. Not a fan of cats?
His lips narrowed, reducing their kissability factor by 70 percent. Not that she would ever kiss him.
If you must know, theyre pampered, vile creatures. I dont see the appeal.
His good looks had sparked an initial attraction, but his fire-extinguishing personality was making sure no flames erupted. She, as his employee, should let his words drop and discuss what her job responsibilities would be. But the cat lover in her couldnt do that. Nor could the friend in her, either. His lack of warmth and understanding he displayed with the cat probably also translated to his overworking Libby to the point of her almost dying.
Blossom is not a pampered cat, Mr. Cole. Her owner died. The family didnt want to be bothered so surrendered the cat to an animal control facility in California. She ended up on a kill list. The shelter I volunteer for in Portland stepped in to rescue her. Blossom lived with thirty-five other cats until the space flooded yesterday. She had to come with me as a foster or spend the next week in a metal cage at a vets office.
Not pampered. He sounded more amused than irritated. I stand corrected.
Thank you for admitting that.
I hear a but coming.
Libby had said AJ didnt like being wrong. Emma didnt want to annoy him or upset him, but she had more to say. She scraped her teeth across her lower lip. Ive said too much.
Perhaps, but Id like to know.
Libby had told Emma to do what he requested without asking too many questions. But this probably wasnt what her friend meant.
Go on, he urged.
Well...Im sorry, but youre wrong about cats. Theyre intelligent, independent and inquisitive. Theyre amazing pets and have made innumerable people happier for their company.
His eyes widened, then narrowed. He pressed his steepled hands against his lips.
Uh-oh. He didnt seem to like her answer. Remember, you wanted to know, she reminded.
I did. He lowered his hands. Are you as passionate about the children you care for as felines?
Yes.
Do you express your views with their parents as you have with me?
Emma wasnt about to lie. She raised her chin. If warranted.
What is their response?
In one case, I was let go.
Fired for speaking your mind?
I wasnt hired to spout my opinions, she admitted. But by that point, the only reason I hadnt quit was the children. I was staying on for their sake.
A closed-mouth smile curved his lips. Lucky kids to have you on their side.
He didnt sound upset. That surprised her. I do my best, but I expect kids to behave, so maybe they arent so lucky to have me.
What happens if they dont behave?
Depends on the child. Some kids need to talk it through. Be heard. Others dont understand why they act out. Emmas ability to read people had helped her survive in one foster home after another, but she couldnt read Mr. Cole. A billionaire shouldnt be interested in her job as a nanny. Maybe one of his colleagues needed to hire child care. With certain children, more tangible consequences like a time-out or chores are necessary. But I prefer using kindness and a loving hand if at all possible.
What will my consequence be?
Yours?
If I misbehave.
Playful images of how he might misbehave flitted through her mind. Unwelcome ones. Ones that made her cheeks burn. I...Im your personal assistant. Not your nanny.
If you were my nanny.
Emma would have to resign due to naughty thoughts. Wrong answer. She cupped the side of her neck with her palm, shaken by her reaction to the sudden change in him. Her skin didnt feel warm to the touch. Maybe only her cheeks were red. But a blush was too much. Mr. Cole
AJ. His smile, full of sex appeal and devilish charm, stole her breath. Were going to be working together for the next five days. Putting on a birthday party and surrounded by my family. Humor me, Emma.
Her name rolled off his tongue and heated her insides twenty degrees. A flame reignited deep within her. So not good. And 100 percent unacceptable.
Get a grip. AJ wasnt flirting. A rich, gorgeous man would never be attracted to a simple, unremarkable nanny. More likely he was testing her. Libby had mentioned something about AJs tests.
A test Emma could handle. Shed been a good student, mostly As, a few Bs. But shed grown up since then. Emma straightened, book-on-top-of-her-head posture. She had no doubt she would pass this test with an A-plus no matter what Attila threw at her.
She looked across the table at him. Awareness of the mans good looks and power shivered through her. At least she hoped she would pass his test.
Chapter Two (#ulink_215b88cb-4ced-5ea2-9a20-a8d4de8b29ce)
What was Emma thinking? Of course she would pass any test her new boss threw at her. She stared at AJ, seated across from her, noting the devilish smile on his face.
What would I do if you misbehaved? She tilted her head to the right and made a stern face, something she rarely used with children. Id start by talking to you.
Im not a big talker. His mouth quirked, a sexy slant of his lips she tried to ignore. I prefer action to words.
Libby hadnt called her boss a player, but implied as much. Emma could tell he knew the rules of the game and how to break them. Especially when the game was business. I imagine you know exactly when youre behaving badly.
Thats part of the fun.
No doubt. A time-out wouldnt work with you.
Id only get into more trouble if I had time to think.
Or he might come up with a way to make another few million dollars. Then I would do something else.
He leaned forward, a movement full of swagger though he was sitting. What?
Emma took her time answering. She studied his hair, lowered her gaze to his intensely focused eyes, followed his straight nose to those sensual lips, then dropped to his strong jaw and square chin. Handsome, yes, but calculating. She made her own assessment of what might mean the most to him. Id take away your electronics.
His model-worthy jaw dropped. What?
A satisfied smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Her answer surprised him. Good. Id confiscate your cell phone, computer, tablet. That might teach you a lesson.
Sounds a bit harsh.
Not if its for your own good.
He rubbed his chin. Then Id better behave.
Yes, you should. His bank account didnt impress Emma. He didnt, either. Not much anyway. Dont make me go all Supernanny or Nanny McPhee on you.
The plane lurched.
Here we go. Emma gripped the seat arms and glanced out the window. A small single-propeller aircraft taxied in front of them.
Please prepare for takeoff, a male voice announced from overhead speakers.
Must be the pilot. Her gaze traveled to AJ. He looked blurry. The rest of the cabin, too. She adjusted her glasses, blinked, but her vision remained fuzzy, the air surrounding her hazy and white.
Emma?
She squinted, trying to bring his face and body into focus. Yes.
Youre pale. Libby told me you dont like flying.
Emma didnt blame her friend for warning her boss. Its the moment the wheels lift off that gets to me the most, but I should be okay.
Please let me be okay. The engines revved, louder and louder.
No big deal. She dug her fingers into the butter-soft leather. Pressed her feet against the floor. Leaned her head against the seat.
No big deal. The jet bolted forward, as if released from a slingshot, accelerating down the runway. Dread crept through her stomach and hardened into stone, an uncomfortable heaviness settling in. She burned again, her skin, her insides, immune to the blasts of cool air.
No big deal. Emma squeezed her eyes shut. Darkness didnt keep the sickening, familiar sensation of weightlessness at bay. The moment the wheels lifted, her stomach plummeted to her toes, then boomeranged to her throat.
Memories bombarded her. The choking smell of smoke. The scorching heat of the flames. The terrifying screams of her brother.
Nausea rose inside her like the jet climbing in the sky. She opened her eyes. Oh, no.
AJs hands rested on his thighs. What?
Emmas stomach constricted. Her mouth watered. She reached into the seat pocket. Im going to be sick.
* * *
Damn. AJ stared at Emma, who held on to a white barf bag as if it were the Holy Grail. He pushed himself forward in his seat, difficult to do facing backward and strapped in with the plane climbing, but hed achieved the impossible before.
He reached for her, uncertain how to help, but needing to do something. Emma.
She raised her left hand, an almost imperceptible movement he took to mean not now. He didnt blame her, but sitting here unable to do anything brought back a dreaded sense of helplessness, of uselessness. He remembered being out on the water with his father during a storm. More than once AJ figured they would have to abandon ship. More than once he thought they would die. More than once he vowed to do something different with his life if they survived.
Youll never amount to anything if you leave Haleys Bay.
His fathers words pounded through AJs head like high tide against the harbor rocks. Hed spent the past ten years proving his dad wrong. In spades.
Except AJs private jet, fifteen-hundred employees and a net worth of eleven billion were irrelevant at the moment. None of those things could help Emma.
Her greenish complexion worsened. Her white-knuckled fingers, clutching the barf bag, trembled.
The plane continued climbing. If he unbuckled, he might end up on top of Emma. Better to wait until the plane leveled.
The least he could do was give her privacy. Not easy in this confined space, but he glanced out the window.
Tendrils of fluffy white clouds floated in the blue sky. A good day for flying, unless you suffered airsickness.
A moan filled the cabin.
The cats stop-theyre-torturing-me cry irritated AJ. Who was he kidding? Everything about felines, especially how much bandwidth people wasted posting cute cat pictures on the internet, bugged him. He wanted the cat to be a distraction when they reached Haleys Bay, not during the flight. AJ drummed his fingers against the armrest.
Emmas retching stopped. The cat kept howling. He suppressed a groan.
AJ wanted to start his day over. Nothing about his trip was turning out as expected. He wanted to make a triumphant return to Haleys Bay. He wanted everything to go smoothly during his five-day stay. He wanted Libby with her anal-retentive organizing skills accompanying him, not some...nanny. Hed joked with Emma to see her response and glimpse her social skills.
What in the world was he going to do with an uptight, vomiting Mary Poppins? Libby had warned him about Emmas problem with flying. If hed known her issue involved bodily fluids, he would have asked his chauffeur Charlie to drive Emma to Haleys Bay instead. A car ride would have been easier on her, on AJ, on the annoying cat.
He flexed his fingers. Libbys brain must have been foggy after her appendectomy. He didnt understand why she thought her best friend was the perfect person to take her place. Emma might be good with kids. She hadnt been bad at bantering. But she didnt seem up for the rigors of the job. Or his family.
Something clicked. The sound came from Emmas direction. He glanced her way.
She held on to the barf bag with one hand and a wipe with the other. Her hands shook. Her face looked deathly white.
AJs chest tightened. He needed to do something. Ill call Camille.
Im fine. Emmas words sounded strangled. She stared at her lap.
You need help.
She gave a slight shake of her head, washed her face, then tossed the wipe into the barf bag. Im doing better.
Emma removed another wipe from her bag and cleaned her hands. No hesitation, no wasted movement, no hunching her shoulders trying to disappear.
Youre doing great under the circumstances, he said.
Her self-sufficiency and resiliency intrigued AJ. She was no damsel in distress waiting to be rescued by a handsome prince. Not that he was a prince. More like a black knight or the devil himself, according to his father. But please let Camille assist you. Thats her job.
My job is to assist you, not cause anyone extra work.
AJ studied the woman. Emma Markwell was not unattractive, in spite of her pallor. He would call her...unfinished, an artists sketch on a piece of canvas waiting to be painted. Her braided hair accentuated her heart-shaped face and clear complexion. Smart-girl glasses hid a pair of wide-set bluish-gray eyes and rested on a straight, pert nose. Tight lines hovered at the corner of her full lips.
Of course they did. Shed thrown up breakfast. But the way she handled herself impressed him. AJ had judged her too quickly and she was earning his respect now. Hed gotten seasick on a boat when he was younger and not handled himself nearly as well. Maybe she was up for the job.
A woman who dressed practically would be a refreshing change from stilettos and tight pencil skirts. The nanny was pretty. If Emma unbraided her brown hair and wore makeup to highlight her cheekbones and lips, she could be beautiful. She lacked the sophistication and worldliness of most women he knew, but a nanny didnt need to dress to impress and show off flawless beauty. He imagined that Emmas fresh young face and prim appearance earned her more jobs than looking like a sexy supermodel. She might not be a high-flying businesswoman, actress or socialite, but she reminded him of the women in his familydown-to-earth, practical, strong. So far shed been less nosy than his grandmother, mom or sisters. He hoped Emmas lack of interest in his personal life continued.
She tucked another wipe into the airsickness bag, folded the ends, then secured the flap with wired tabs.
Competent and capable. Resilient with an underlying toughness. Those traits would serve her well.
He wondered if shed been disappointed by someone she loved. Perhaps someone shed trusted had failed her. AJs skill at assessing staff had been key to his success, and he understood her qualities from his own experience. Setbacks made you stronger, if you didnt allow them to win. And he knew how to help her. By putting what she needed within reach.
Its obvious youre fine, but is there anything Camille can bring you? A glass of water? Ginger ale?
Pink tinged Emmas cheeks, the blush bringing much-needed color to her face. No, thanks. The planes no longer climbing. Im going to go to the lavatory and put myself back together.
She sounded confident, but she hadnt looked him in the eye since being sick. She might not be as in control as she appeared. The bathroom is at the front of the jet.
Emmas gaze met his. Her vulnerability would have knocked him flat on his ass if he were standing. She was twenty-six, the same age as Libby, but Emma looked younger, like a naive college freshman away from home for the first time.
A protective instinct welled inside him. Em...
Thank you, Mr. Cole.
Her polite tone jerked him back to reality. She didnt want pity. But he wasnt offering that.
She unbuckled her seat belt. He did the same. Dont feel bad. Libby warned me you didnt like flying. Im assuming she spoke with Camille about adding airsickness bags to the seats.
I appreciate Libbys foresight. Shes a good friend who knows me well. Ill do my best to fill her shoes. In spite of the past few minutes, Im up to the task. Emma stood. She placed the strap of her large purse over her shoulder and held on to the barf bag. Now if youll excuse me.
AJ jumped to his feet. She walked past him toward the front of the plane. His gaze followed, zeroing in on the sway of her hips and the purse bouncing against her thigh. Nice. Feminine. Sexy.
Whoa. What was he thinking? He didnt want anything to do with Emma except to comfort and reassure her. He considered employees assets, efficient resources, not playthings. Besides, she reminded him of the girls back in Haleys Bay, rather than the glamorous women he dated in Seattle, San Francisco or wherever else he might be working. The next-door neighbor types werent the kind of women he was attracted to now. Not that he found Emma...okay, he found her attractive, which surprised him.
With a towel in hand, Camille stood next to his seat. Emma said she was sick.
Yes, but remarkably neat about it.
Camille checked the seat and floor anyway. Libby was right.
She usually is. He glanced toward the front of the plane. Make sure Emma is okay.
Of course.
The cat screeched.
Camille shook her head. Not your typical uneventful flight.
No.
Things might not be uneventful until AJ was back home in Seattle. Five days. Five days until his visit would be over. Five days until he would say goodbye to Haleys Bay for another decade. He couldnt wait.
* * *
Emma couldnt wait to get off this airplane. Hitting rock bottom less than fifteen minutes after meeting a new boss had to be a record. But at least things couldnt get worse.
Unless the plane crashed.
She returned her toothbrush to her toiletry bag. Given her luck so far this morning, that was a distinct possibility. But the odds against crashing after throwing up had to be astronomical, right?
Surveying her reflection in the mirror, she tucked stray strands back into her braid. Her Goth-white complexion had disappeared. Good. She would rather look human than like a vampire wannabe.
She pinched her cheeks to give them more color. Reapplying the makeup shed wiped off was beyond her. But she looked better, passable, no longer green.
She straightened her glasses, wanting to present a confident, unflappable air. Mr. Cole never needed to know she was dying of embarrassment. Neither did Camille, who kept knocking every minute and a half to see if Emma needed help. She opened the lavatory door.
Blossoms ear-hurting screeches could wake the dead, officially starting the zombie apocalypse.
Emma followed the racket.
The cat faced forward, screaming her lungs out as if doing her best T. rex impersonation.
Emma knelt in front of the cat carrier. Shhhh. I know you dont like this, but were almost there.
Blossom barked, sounding more like an ankle-biting dog than a pissed-off feline.
Your cat doesnt sound happy.
Emma felt AJs presencea potent mix of heat, strength and confidencebehind her. Blossom doesnt like to fly, either.
You look good as new.
She glanced over her shoulder, her gaze at crotch level. Lingering on his zipper. Her cheeks burned. No need for pinching cheeks or makeup now. She looked up at him. I am. Flying doesnt really get to me. Taking off is the culprit. The weightlessness.
Your stomach cant handle the feeling.
Nope. And the flashbacks nearly did her in each time, but nobody needed to know about those. The landing will be a breeze. But Im guessing Blossom wont quiet down until shes out of her carrier.
AJ kneeled. The left side of his body brushed hers, sending sparks shooting across her skin. The scent of his aftershave, something musky with a touch of spice, enveloped her.
She sucked in a breath. Oh, boy. He smelled so good, fresh, like the first spring day after months of dreary winter rain.
He peered into the carrier. Whats its name again?
Blossom. Her name is Blossom.
He tapped on the carrier. Be quiet, Blossom.
Cats dont respond to
The cat stopped meowing. Blossom rubbed her head against the carrier door.
He stuck his finger through the grating and touched the cat. Dont respond to what?
Logic.
Blossom, however, didnt make another noise. She soaked up the attention. Purred. Unbelievable. The cat hadnt purred at the shelter or at Emmas apartment. At least not that any of the volunteers had noticed. Yet this guy, a non-cat-lover guy, had the feline purring like a generator. Blossom likes you.
She likes the attention.
Attention from you. This is the first time Ive heard her purr.
AJ yanked his hand away, plastered his arm against his side. Im not a fan of cats. She wouldnt like me.
Tell that to Blossom. The cat pressed against the crate door, fur squishing through the grating. She stared up at AJ as if he were her sun, stars and moon.
Thanks to AJ Cole, Blossom had transformed from she devil to sweetheart. Emma grinned, something she never expected to do after getting sick in front of her new boss. She does like you.
AJs gaze bounced from the cat to Emma. The cat needed someone to tell her what was expected.
Cats do what they want.
Perhaps the cat needed to have a higher bar set for its behavior.
He didnt use Blossoms name, but the feline didnt seem to mind. She was trying to get out of the cage and closer to AJ. Perhaps. But this gives me hope.
Hope?
That Blossom will find her forever home. Theres been concern she might be unadoptable. She doesnt seem to like many people.
He looked at Blossom, but he didnt touch her. Much to the cats dismay. I dont know anything about cats, but she seems fine to me. Not so annoying now that shes quiet.
Camille approached. She handed AJ a glass with a straw sticking out. Your protein shake.
Thanks. His fingers circled the glass.
The flight attendant handed a small juice-sized glass to Emma. A little ginger ale for you.
Thank you, Emma said.
Well be landing soon. Camille motioned to the back of the plane. Please return to your seats.
Emma did and buckled her seat belt. The engines whirred. She waited for Blossom to meow, but the cat remained quiet.
AJ sat across from her. Sipped from the straw. You okay?
She nodded.
If you feel bad again, Camille restocked the side pocket.
Two more airsickness bags were inside. Thanks, but Ive never had trouble during landings. At least not the one Emma remembered.
Were beginning our descent into Haleys Bay, the pilot announced. Please remain seated.
She gripped the armrests, a combination of anticipation of wanting to be on the ground and apprehension over what the rest of the week would hold.
AJ stared at her over the rim of his glass, his eyes full of concern. The pilots very good.
You dont have to reassure me.
His gaze narrowed, darkened. Why not?
Its not your job.
I get to write my job description. One benefit of being the boss.
Do you like being the boss?
He stiffened. Stared into his drink. Toyed with the straw.
No ones asked me that. People assume... He shifted in his seat. But yes, of course. Whats not to love?
He was bluffing, hiding something, like a child who said swim lessons were fun when dunking his head under water terrified him. What other secrets was AJ hiding?
None of Emmas business. She didnt need to go looking for AJ Coles demons. She had enough of her own. But she hoped this vacation went well for him because the only thing worse than having no family would be having a family that didnt get along. Best to make sure she knew what AJ needed from her.
She removed a half-inch binder and a mechanical pencil from her tote bag. Libby sent me your tentative itinerary. Any changes to todays schedule I should know about?
He waved his hand, as if brushing aside Emmas question. Relax until we land.
Lets confirm todays agenda first. She adjusted her glasses. Then Ill relax.
AJ took another sip of his drink. Read whats on your list.
Lunch with your grandmother while I arrange meetings with the party rental company and florist and check into the Broughton Inn. A conference call at two, another one at three, followed by an interview at four with a technology blogger. Then you have a break until dinner with your family at seven.
Easy afternoon.
Three calls on the first afternoon of your vacation sounds more like youre working.
He raised a brow, as if surprised by her words. Guess Libby didnt speak to him like that. Well, Emma wasnt like her best friend. Not even close.
This is a light day. He placed his empty glass on the table between them. Ive limited whats on my schedule.
Emma guessed she had a different definition of limited from his. If there arent any changes
There is one.
She readied her pencil.
A muscle ticked at his jaw.
She leaned forward. What?
Were staying at my grandmothers house. Itll be easier with the party planning, and my grandma thought it would be better for the cat.
Disappointment shot through Emma. Shed been a live-in nanny so she knew what staying at someones house as an employee meant. But the arrangement made sense, even without the cat factored in. She pasted on a smile. Thats generous of your grandmother.
He leaned back against his seat, but his gaze never left her. My grandmother loves playing hostess. Shes thrilled Im bringing company, not to mention a cat.
The noise level of the engines changed. She clasped her hands together. Im sure your grandmothers more excited to have you staying with her. Ten years is a long time to be away.
What has Libby told you?
Not much. A glance out the window told Emma the plane was descending. I know youre throwing your grandmother an eightieth birthday party. Very nice of you to do.
Just holding up my end of a deal.
Emma looked back at him. Excuse me?
His gaze, warm and clear, met hers. When I was eight, I wanted a space-alien birthday party. My dad said no, so my grandma offered to throw me a party if I agreed to do the same for her when she turned eighty. We shook on it.
Emma tried to picture AJ as a boy, but looking past the handsome man sitting across from her was impossible. You remembered that after all these years?
No. He half laughed. The charming sound sent a brush of tingles across Emmas tummy. My grandma did. She reminded me in February.
She rubbed her stomach. Maybe she was feeling the aftereffects of being sick earlier. Still nice of you.
Shes my grandma. I wasnt about to say no.
Would you be returning to Haleys Bay if it werent her birthday?
Probably not, which she knows. Affection filled his gaze. My grandmothers a sly one. But Im on my way so shes happy. I want the party to go smoothly. Thats what Im counting on you for, Emma.
She wrote the words anticipate and prevent problems in her binder. Yes, Mr. Cole.
AJ.
The man had seen her vomit. The only other people to see her do that were her parents, God rest their souls, and Libby. AJ.
He smiled. She smiled back. The moment lingered. Filled her with heat. She looked at her binder. Anything else I should know?
My family is big and crazy and loud. AJ sounded amused, not annoyed. I have four brothersEllis, Flynn, Declan and Gradyand two sistersBailey and Camden. Not to mention my sister-in-law, Risa, and more aunts, uncles and cousins than I can count.
That is a big family.
The single Cole men will hit on you because youre new in town and their reputations havent been sullied yet. Theyve done that in the past. Youre under no obligation to them, and let me know if they annoy you. AJs dark eyes and serious tone told Emma he wasnt joking. What you do on your own time is none of my business, but dont let your actions affect your ability to get the job done.
His words irritated her. Okay, he didnt know her, but she wasnt about to sleep around because good-looking guys were giving her attention. She imagined his brothers were attractive, AJ in multiples, like the Hemsworth brothers. That could be dangerous. To her job and her heart. She jotted a note in the margin. Stay away from Cole males.
Ill keep my distance.
A lopsided grin formed. Smart.
She hated the way her body responded to his compliment. Its been my experience that business and pleasure dont mix well.
Mine, too.
At least they agreed on something.
But business has to be fun, AJ added. All work and no play...
Would be boring. Emma recalled Libbys description of the Cole corporate headquarters in Seattle with a game arcade, gym, massages, errand service, and free meals, snacks and drinks at the employee cafeterias. Fun seemed to be the operative word at his company. Not surprising given that he developed a photography-based blogging platform and created a social media gaming site for friends to compete. I wouldnt last long as a nanny if I didnt play. Having fun means everything to children.
What about you?
I like to have fun.
He drummed his fingers against the chair arm. What do you do for fun?
Play tag, dress-up, bicycle, hunt for treasure, bake, board games, and go to the Oregon Zoo, the childrens museum or OMSI.
His fingers stilled. I meant what do you do when youre not being a nanny.
Oh. Sorry. I like to read, watch movies, hike, volunteer at an animal rescue center.
Quiet pleasures.
Its not always quiet at the rescue shelter, but the noise is different there. I love being a nanny. The children are wonderful, but theyre loud and full of energy and want your undivided attention. A little quiet is nice.
Alone time is fun for you.
She bit back a smile. AJ wasnt grilling her, but he seemed to want to know more about her. She would have expected a billionaire to brag and make sure the conversation centered around him. Not that she knew any billionaires, but shed worked for a millionaire. Escaping inside a dark theater with a bucket of popcorn, a soda, a box of candy and no one to take to the bathroom at the best part of a movie is the definition of superfun.
Theres a theater in Haleys Bay.
Thanks, but I doubt youll be screaming and tugging on my shirt to get attention all day long.
No screaming. He winked. And Ive found persuading a woman to take off her shirt works better than tugging.
Im surprised you have to persuade them. The mans smile could charm a snake out of its skin. I assumed women flashed you, like at Mardi Gras.
Only in my dreams. With a wry grin, he settled back in his seat. But theyre very nice dreams.
I imagine so.
What do you dream about, Emma?
I... Um, a lot of things.
Like what?
She fiddled with her seat belt. Cats. Children. Family.
Nanny things?
A lump the size of a Super Ball burned in Emmas throat. She swallowed, kept her smile from wavering and looked AJ straight in the eyes. Yes, nanny things.
Cat lover things. Mommy things. Wife things. Things a man who had a family, albeit an estranged one, would never understand. Things she dreamed about. Things she wanted...desperately.
Chapter Three (#ulink_c354aea5-d007-5a39-b5f7-49ec925f5a39)
Charlie, AJs chauffeur for three years, cut five minutes off the drive from the minuscule airport to Haleys Bay. AJ rubbed his thumb against his fingertips.
He liked being on time. He preferred arriving early. Charlie was doing his job, getting AJ to his destination as quickly as possible. But this once, he wouldnt have minded being late.
Still, he didnt lower the glass panel and tell Charlie to slow down. Not until AJ had a reason, one beyond his wanting to prolong the inevitable.
Music played from the speakers. Stock quotes ran across the bottom of a television screen. The bar called to him, but he needed to be stone-cold sober when he faced his family. AJ glanced at Emma, seated next to him, the cat carrier at her feet.
She stared out the window. Her serious expressiondare he say dourtook prim and proper to the next level. So different from how shed been right before landing. Her sense of humor had disappeared. Her smile, too.
She might be upset over getting sick earlier. She might be nervous about her new job. Or she might be acting the way she always did. Whatever the reason, she was his employee, his responsibility. The least he could do was help her relax after a rough flight and coax a smile out of her. Lets take a detour. Check out a lighthouse or two.
Her lips twisted. Youre expected at your grandmothers house.
I wouldnt be a gracious host if I didnt show you the sights.
Youre not my host, she countered. Youre my boss.
Being her employer was easy to forget. Libby had hired Emma. I dont mind playing tour guide.
Her nose crinkled. You have a schedule
Subject to change.
True, but as your personal assistant Im supposed to keep you on schedule.
True, but youre also supposed to do what I ask.
Even if doing so isnt in your best interest? I mean, you havent been home in ten years. Your grandmother might be peeking out the window waiting for you to arrive.
He pictured Grandma doing that. Ill concede the point.
Thank you.
Youre welcome.
His gaze met Emmas. She removed her glasses to blow on the right lens. Pretty blue eyes surrounded by long, thick lashes. He hadnt noticed her eyelashes before. Does your grandmother do the same when you visit?
My grandparents are dead. Emma put on her glasses and stared out the window. Looks like were here.
A wooden sign on the side of the two-lane road welcomed visitors to Haleys Bay. The sign was new. The churning in AJs stomach wasnt.
After a decade, the town had likely changed. In that same time, his life had also changed. His familys opinion of him might never change. That could take a century. Or longer.
The last time he was home his family had tried to shame him into staying in Haleys Bay. That wouldnt happen again, but something else might. He wanted to be prepared. One of your responsibilities is running interference for me.
What do you mean?
If I find myself in a difficult situation, I may need you to get me out of it by texting or calling or physically interrupting me.
She smiled at the sleeping cat before looking up at him. Afraid you might run into old girlfriends who might want to rekindle the flame?
That isnt likely to happen. His high school sweetheart and ex-fiance, Natalie, had dumped him and married one of his closest friends. AJ had been devastated, but recovered. A good lesson learnedimmediate gratification was more important than loyalty to some people. But there will be people around. My family, too.
Emma eyed him warily. Family?
He nodded once. Libby and I have a code word. If I text or say the word, she knows to take action.
Emma removed her notepad from her bag. Whats the code word?
Top secret.
If I dont know what to listen for, Im not going to be able to help you.
He rubbed his chin. We need our own word. Something obscure, but not too random.
Emma tapped her pen against her notepad. How about...lighthouse?
AJ mulled over the suggestion. Ten letters would be a bear to text, but the word could be worked into a conversation without sounding like a non sequitur.
Thatll work. Satisfaction flowed through him. The word played perfectly into his plans. To make sure we remember the code word, well visit one now.
No need. Ill remember.
A few hours spent sightseeing wont make a difference.
Whats really going on? She studied him. You remind me of a kid trying to put off going to the doctors for a shot.
His jaw tensed. Im not scared of needles.
Youre scared of something.
Emmas insight made him squirm. She had zero qualms pinpointing and commenting on what was going on in his head, trying to fix what was upsetting him. He was used to having people try to fix things for him, but not with nurturing concern, as if she really cared. AJ didnt like it.
Im not scared of anything. The words flowed quickly, one after the other without any breaks. Not like him. But then again, he was back in Haleys Bay. That changed everything. Okay, thats not quite true. The threat of an EMP, electronic magnetic pulse, making every electrical device obsolete has given me nightmares.
Youre not scared about coming home?
Nope. Damn. He sounded like a kid, a scared little kid trying to put on a good front, and Emma seemed to know that. I lived here for eighteen years. I might be a little on edge, but thats because I havent been here in a while.
Ten years is a long time.
Ive been busy. A stupid excuse, but she didnt need to know the real reasons. But Im free now. Lets take in a few sights on our way. This is my first vacation in over a year.
Emmas not-going-to-happen-on-my-watch shake of her head stopped him cold. Youll have a free block of time after your calls this afternoon, she said. Plenty of time to see the sights over the next five days.
Her friendly tone, as though she was using extra patience for her recalcitrant charge, made him feel like an idiot for bringing this up again. He must be back in his hometown. Hed felt like the village idiot living here.
Emma leaned toward the limousine window. The shift of position brought a whiff of her citrus shampoograpefruit or maybe lemon. The fresh scent appealed to him like the nanny.
Wow. She pressed closer to the glass. This place is beautiful.
He followed her gaze to the sparkling expanse of water and the heart of the town hugging the shoreline. Pride welled. Foolish, irrepressible pride he buried in a no-nonsense response. The town hugs the waterfront. Most of the shops and restaurants are on Bay Street near the harbor.
Is Haleys Bay named after an original settler?
Yes. AJ didnt know if she was making conversation or wanted to know the answer. Given her occupation, hed guess the latter. She seemed the type to pay attention and ask questions of white-haired docents leading museum tours. He wouldnt mind taking her through a couple of the historic sites around here. Haley was a trader who anchored in the bay during his voyages. Thats according to the Lewis and Clark expedition. The bay was renamed Baker Bay, after a British merchant, but the original town name stuck.
You know your history.
Her praise made him sit taller. A stupid reaction, but returning to his hometown was a stupid move. He should have thrown a royal extravaganza for his grandmother on his turf, in Seattle. Rented the Space Needle. Staged a massive fireworks display. But shed wanted the party here in the town where shed been born and lived her entire life. I learned Washington state history in school, but the old folks around here bring the past alive, especially the fishermen. They love sharing every legend about Haleys Bay.
Im usually the one telling stories. Id love to hear some tales.
The excitement in her voice made him want to offer to introduce her around. Talk about a stupid move. She would be more welcome here than him. But something about Emma made AJ want to help her. Maybe he was feeling sorry for her after the rough flight, but he didnt like it. She worked for him, not the other way around.
Make friends with the locals, he suggested. Youll hear them all.
Must have been fun growing up here.
When I was a little kid. He studied the buildingsstores and cafs he didnt recognizealong the inland side of Bay Road. Maybe that would take his mind off the woman sitting next to him. A wrought iron wind vane of a sailboat faced west. On the sidewalk, two people walked hand in hand. An unleashed golden retriever trotted next to them. Not so much when I became a teenager.
Its a charming town.
If you like small and boring.
I do. She stared across him. Her lips parted, spreading into a wide grin that made him want to smile. Look at the boats.
Sailboat masts teetered on the harbor. Flags fluttered in the breeze. Empty moorings meant most boats had headed out to sea for the day. Fishing used to support this town. Now I hear the biggest catch is tourists. A couple of my brothers take them deep sea fishing.
That must kill his dad, who believed the only way to make money was building boats and catching fish. Hed called tourists barnacles and a few other choice words he wouldnt say in front of his wife or mother.
With her eager gaze, Emma looked like a tourist herself. All she needed was a camera, sunglasses and a guidebook. I could see coming here for vacation.
Hed taken days off work, but he couldnt relax here. Still, talking about Haleys Bay with Emma wasnt so bad. Being so aware of her movements and expressions, however, was making him uncomfortable. He focused on the towns geography. Cape Disappointment is next door with campsites, yurts and hiking trails. Theres the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. Long Beach is a coastal resort community to the northwest and Astoria, Oregon, is south across the Columbia River. I guess if I hadnt grown up here...
Youd come for fun.
I might. AJ tried hard not to think of this place. But I always thought of Haleys Bay as the place I couldnt wait to leave when I went to college.
Back east, right?
Libby must have prepped Emma with his background info. He assumed only the basics. All he knew about Emma was that shed been in the foster care system before moving in with Libby and her parents during high school. MIT.
Boston must have been a big change with the crowds and skyscrapers.
My first week it took me three days to fall asleep because of the noise, but I loved living there. Compared to a city, this place is dead.
You might view your hometown differently now that youre an adult. Emma pointed to the Captains Caf, a multistory restaurant complete with weathered front, crows nest, anchor and captains wheel. Do they have good food?
Ive never seen the place. He searched his memory for what had been there before. The doughnut shop, no...that wasnt right. That used to be Stus Sandwich Shop, a hole-in-the-wall storefront. But no one could top their pastrami on rye.
I love a good Reuben.
AJ imagined her biting into a big sandwich, a dab of Thousand Island on the corner of her mouth. He wouldnt mind licking it off and tasting more than the dressing.
Whoa. Where had that come from? He didnt lick, let alone kiss, employees.
And she was his employee. Smart. Observant with journalist-writing-a-travel-piece insights, opinions and questions. Qualities he searched for when hiring staff. The other things he looked for were initiative and loyalty. Always, after what hed gone through in Haleys Bay, loyalty.
She gestured to the passing scenery, giving him another whiff of her shampoo. What other places are new?
Ignoring how good she smelled, he took in the street, noting the differences from his memory to reality. The Coffee Shack, Donut Heaven, Berts Hardware, the Bay Mercantile Store and the barbershop were here before, but the building facades are updated. The Candy Cave, the Buried Treasure and Raging Waters are new. They appear more for tourists than locals. But Ill bet the new store owners have the same small-town mentality as everyone else.
That so-called mentality is part of the appeal.
Her oddalmost disapproving?expression jabbed at him. Libby wasnt a yes-person, but if her opinion differed from his she wasnt vocal like Emma. The nanny had no problem speaking up. He wasnt used to people doing so and wasnt sure if he liked it or not. The mentality is difficult to take growing up.
You feel that way, but many people didnt grow up in a small town. They want to experience what thats like. Thats why tourists like visiting. Haleys Bay has to be a popular destination or wed see the effects of a downturned economy, empty businesses and for lease signs in the windows.
Interesting. A nanny with a keen sense of business. She wasnt a carbon copy of Libby, and that was surprisingly okay. He leaned toward Emma, wanting to know more about her. What was your major in college?
I didnt go to college. Not an ounce of regret sounded in her voice. She raised her chin with a hint of pride and determination, two more traits that appealed to him. I attended a thirty-month nanny certification program in Portland. But I loved my economics class in high school. I like to read and stay up on current events. Nannies are a childs second teacher, after their parents. I aim to enhance a childs natural interests.
Initiative in the flesh, plus confidence and curiosity. All packaged as a prim, proper, mousy nanny who had a pretty smile when she let it show. Emma would work out nicely. The more she dealt with, the more he could retreat.
You might not like your hometown, but I love the quaint shops and cafs. She rested her head against the back of the seat, her shoulder brushing his. Quintessential Pacific Northwest coastal town.
Her wistful, romantic tone annoyed him. So did the tingle racing down his arm from where shed touched him. Forest and water, Emma. Please. Dont get all rose-tinted on me, okay? This is Hicksville and being here held me back, badly. I never would have amounted to anything if Id stayed in Haleys Bay. This place was suffocating.
The words rushed from his mouth before he could stop them. Hed never said these thoughts before. Weird. He was more careful and reserved around strangers. Around people he knew, too.
She tilted her head, attention fixed on him. Her focus unsettled him. He was used to being deferred to. Most bosses were. Emma must not have gotten the memo.
Of course she hadnt. She consulted with parents and left when they didnt agree. A free agent unused to following the chain of command. Like him when hed started his business. How unexpected.
What? he asked finally.
You... She pursed her lips, full and unglossed.
He prepared for a lecture. Wanted to hear what she had to say if she didnt drag on for more than a minute or so.
...couldnt have done a better job at getting away and making something of yourself.
The praise filled him with unexpected warmth. Most people complimented him, but AJ never knew if they meant the words or were trying to suck up to him. Emma didnt seem to be the kind of person to belong in that second group. Thanks. Theres more
She nodded to him, as if encouraging him to continue. More what?
Damn. AJ balled one of his hands. He didnt know why he kept telling Emma things. He didnt let his guard down around anyone, friend or employee. Fresh-smelling hair and pretty smile aside.
More I want to do. Places to visit. Not what he intended to say, but the words were true and the perfect way to change the subject. Are there places youd like to travel?
Anywhere.
In the world?
She nodded. The farthest from Portland Ive been is Puerto Vallarta. Its hard to get around the flying.
You flew today.
To help Libby. Emmas gaze returned to the view out the window. The limousine followed the road along the bay toward his grandmothers house. I should have suggested driving myself and meeting you here, but I was so worried about Libby I wasnt thinking straight.
He knew the feeling being with Emma. When its time for you to return to Portland, my driver will take you home.
She glanced around the limousine, taking in the multiple screens, leather seats, bar. This is your, um, car.
AJ nodded. Charlie drove down from Seattle this morning. I never intended on flying to Haleys Bay, but I didnt want to leave Libby alone in New York. Shes too valuable to me. If Id known she hadnt been feeling well before wed left on the trip, I never would have taken her along, but she hid her abdominal pains until they became acute. I waited for her mother to arrive, made sure she was settled and comfortable, then flew here with a couple stops along the way.
Oh.
The surprise in the one word spoke volumes. Emma Markwell had thought the worst of him. She wasnt the only one, especially here in Haleys Bay. You assumed I left Libby in the hospital alone.
Maybe.
That means yes.
Emma stared up at him through her eyeglasses, her cheeks red and a contrite look on her face. Its nice to know you didnt. Leave Libby, that is.
Not a full compliment, but better than being slammed for something he didnt do. Still, he liked the idea of making Emma squirm since shed done the same to him. Youre backpedaling.
Not really.
Im a nice guy.
Emma raised an arched brow. Are you always nice?
Damn. I try to be.
Trying doesnt always work.
No, but I can tell myself I didnt set out to be a jerk.
Is this something you tell yourself often? she teased.
Her sense of humor had returned. She would need every funny bone with his family. Youll be able to answer that question on Sunday.
That sounds like I should be worried.
Maybe.
Emma laughed. Guess I deserve that.
The limousine pulled to a stop. The engine turned off.
AJ glanced to his right. His grandmothers Victorian stood peacock-blue and proud across a lawn of manicured grass and blooming flower beds. His heart beat like a halyard on a mast. Were here.
Wow. Your grandmothers home is perfect. Even with the water right here, the house is what shines.
He recognized the awe in Emmas voice. A familiar sense of reverenceof homebrought an unexpected smile to his face. The house has been in our family for generations.
Emmas eyes widened. Thats a long time to stay in one place.
Coles have lived in Haleys Bay since the Civil War.
Her gaze bounced from the house to him. The house isnt that old.
My great grandfather bought the house ninety years ago. He liked the view of the bay.
Let me guess, he was a fisherman.
And boat builder.
Emma looked over her shoulder at the bay. She took her time, allowed her gaze to absorb what she saw. Lovely.
The dreamy haze in her eyes and a soft smile on her face made her lovely, too. He shook the thought from his head. The view from the second floor is better. You can see the harbor.
Charlie opened the door.
AJ motioned for Emma to go first.
She slung her bag over her shoulder and clasped the plastic handle on the cat carrier. Moving toward the open door, she looked like she might topple out of the car. He didnt need her to get hurt. One personal assistant in the hospital was enough.
He took the carrier from her. Ive got the cat.
Her gaze met his then she looked away. Thank you.
AJ followed her out and stood on the sidewalk. Vividly painted terra-cotta flowerpots full of colorful pink, purple and yellow blossoms sat on each step leading to the wraparound porch. His sister Baileys creations, he was sure, the sight comforting as his grandmas crocheted afghans. He only hoped his dad wasnt part of the welcoming committee.
AJ gestured to the steps. After you.
Halfway up, Emma stopped. Theres a swing.
The breathless quality to her voice surprised him. He peered around her to see the white slotted-back, two-person bench hanging from thick silver chains. Looks like my grandmother replaced her old swing. She used to love to drink tea out here and watch the boats. Guess she still does.
We had a swing. Emma took the last two stairs. Boy, did we abuse that thing. My mom got so mad at us.
A bright, toothpaste-ad smile lit up her face.
AJs chest tightened. Emma looked so lighthearted and happy. She should smile more.
He joined her on the porch. Us?
Somethingnot panic, perhaps surpriseflashed in her eyes. My, um, older brother.
My younger brothers and I played on Grandmas old swing all the time. Had to fix it more than once after climbing and hanging off the chains. He set the cat carrier on the porch. We used to stand on the backrest and swing to see how high we could go. We also jumped off the seat to see if we could clear the porch rail and bushes.
She leaned over the rail as if estimating the distance down to the lawn. Sounds dangerous.
He bit back a laugh. You sound like a nanny.
Occupational hazard. Her amused gaze met his. But you cant tell me no one got hurt.
He pointed under his chin. I have a scar to show for the fun we had. My youngest brother, Grady, has two.
Your poor grandmother.
She didnt mind. Now our mom
The front door opened.
Youre here. His grandma stood in the doorway. She wore a pair of light blue pants and a white peasant blouse. All five feet of short gray curls and sharp blue eyes barreled toward him like a stampeding water buffalo, albeit a baby one. Youre finally home.
Not his home. He lived in Seattle. But the excitement in her voice reminded AJ that this visit wasnt about him.
AJ hugged his grandmother. Her rose-scented perfume smelled sweeter than when shed visited him in Seattle. Its not like you gave me a choice, Grandma.
She tsked, stepped back and assessed him from head to toe. I like the long hair, but you need the ends trimmed. Go visit Monty at the barbershop. Hell fix you right up.
AJ shook his head. Nice to see you, too, Grandma.
Emma laughed under her breath.
Grandmother. He motioned to his new assistant, who stood with a patient smile on her face and her arm half-extended toward his grandmother. Id like you to meet
Is he here? A high-pitched female voice called from inside the house. Grandmother Cole? Is he?
AJ is here. Grandma leaned closer, lowering her voice. Risa has been waiting for you to arrive all morning. Her youngest sister is here, too. And she cant wait to meet the illustrious and incredibly wealthy AJ Cole.
Danger-up-ahead infused his grandmothers tone. His gut clenched. Hed heard about his sister-in-laws matchmaking from his sister Bailey. Two brothers and his youngest sister, Camden, had been targeted over the holidays last year, making Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners uncomfortable. I thought her sister lived far away.
Hawaii, Grandma said. But I suppose meeting a billionaire was worth the expense of a trip to the mainland.
Crap. AJ blew out a puff of air. Matchmaking friends and relatives were as bad as a case of chicken pox. Enough women wanted a piece of his bank account. He didnt need an in-law giving one of her sisters a push or inside access to him. On a rare vacation. That he already dreaded. This was not-not-not going to happen.
.
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, (https://www.litres.ru/melissa-mcclone/the-billionaire-s-nanny/) .
Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, , , , PayPal, WebMoney, ., QIWI , .
Melissa McClone
TEMPORARY ASSISTANTFULL-TIME FIANCE Just when he thinks "problem solved," internet billionaire AJ Cole realizes he needs more than a temp. He needs a fiance to show off when he returns home to Haley's Bay for the first time in ten years. His family has a habit of matchmaking, and AJ doesn't need the drama. But as soon as Emma Markwell agrees to his assignment, he learns that pretend love can feel oh-so real. Once a nanny, Emma's played many games of make-believe. This shouldn't be any different - until a few hot kisses meant for show blur the line between fantasy and reality! AJ doesn't do commitment, but Emma has always longed for true love and refuses to settle for less. AJ can't resist a challenge, and soon, he can't figure out if he's just trying to get into her bed...or keep her from getting into his heart.
Its time we acted like a real couple.
Crackling with electricity, she averted her gaze. Afraid of she didnt know what, but AJ made her uncomfortable. His confidence, his strength, his wealth intimidated her. Two people couldnt be more different. But theres no one around to see us.
If you cant be comfortable with me close to you, touching you, well never be able to pull this off with an audience. He stroked her skin, sending her pulse rate climbing. Is this so bad?
No. Her hand snuggled against his, their fingers laced together in a natural way. Though shed die before admitting that.
If were going to sell being a couple, theres something else we need to practice. Kissing in public.
Her heart slammed against her chest. You want to kiss me now?
Holding hands worked. Kissing seems the next logical step.
AJs lips touched hers. Soft. Warm. Yummy.
Remember, hes not your boyfriend.
But the truth was so easy to forget when the kiss felt this good.
The Billionaires
Nanny
Melissa McClone
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
With a degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University, the last thing MELISSA McCLONE ever thought she would be doing was writing romance novels. But analyzing engines for a major US airline just couldnt compete with her happily-ever-afters. When she isnt writing, caring for her three young children or doing laundry, Melissa loves to curl up on the couch with a cup of tea, her cats and a good book. She enjoys watching home decorating shows to get ideas for her housea 1939 cottage that is slowly being renovated. Melissa lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon, with her own real-life-hero husband, two daughters, a son, two lovable but oh-so-spoiled indoor cats and a no-longer-stray outdoor kitty that has decided to call the garage home.
Melissa loves to hear from her readers. You can write to her at PO Box 63, Lake Oswego, OR 97034, USA, or contact her via her website, www.melissamcclone.com (http://www.melissamcclone.com).
To the authors, readers and friends who helped me save Miss Mousie, a foster cat, who now has a forever home with us.
Special thanks to Sarah for sparking an idea about a nanny heroine, and Lisa Hayden, Terri Reed and Teresa Morgan.
Contents
Cover (#u427b47f1-5714-5f8e-90bd-af304d2350a0)
Introduction (#u1c93cf06-445d-5725-852a-1cb653028ed9)
Title Page (#u38a96036-d26a-54d9-80aa-94874d64d196)
About the Author (#uaa8561c9-f73c-5417-a492-dfd46fb7b943)
Dedication (#u0df401d0-3464-5c45-9843-3647b9c5f699)
Chapter One (#uac13318b-c41f-5746-9d90-3dd0560ef458)
Chapter Two (#u7532d902-2eb8-5526-a2fc-59306ad63e99)
Chapter Three (#u7563985b-732d-5415-8361-3ecc008e5e4e)
Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One (#ulink_f3da52db-6704-5d76-86ec-187a44c847ff)
Mmmeorrrrrooooowwwrrrrreeee.
The cats mournful they-left-me-here-to-die wail grated on Emma Markwells frazzled nerves. She wiped her sticky palms on her serviceable knee-length gray skirt. Her gaze dropped to the cat carrier on the floor of the small airport catering to corporate and private planes in Hillsboro, Oregon. I know you dont want to be here. Me, either. But well be on our way to Haleys Bay soon.
Blossom hissed. The sound echoed across the waiting area.
Emmas shoulders were hunched, as if she could hide from the people looking at her. But with the slasher movie sounds spewing from the she devil in the cat carrier, no one would ignore them now.
Perspiration dampened the back of Emmas neck. The brown plait of French braid felt heavy and sticky. If she wasnt careful, anxiety might create a perspiration crisis before she set foot on the private jet. Not good. She wanted to meet her new boss, Atticus Jackson AJ Cole, looking professionala perfect temporary personal assistantnot show up on his plane smelly and wet.
So what if she hadnt flown in five years, two months and seventeen days? The flight to AJs hometown in Washington, where the Columbia River met the Pacific Ocean, would be short. Time to pull herself together. Blossom, too. Emma peered into the crate.
The eight-year-old orange tabbys backside greeted her. The cats tail trembled.
Poor kitty. Last night, Blossoms first at Emmas studio apartment in southeast Portland, hadnt gone well. The foster cat had shredded two rolls of toilet paper. Now the cat stared at the crate wall as if she were in a time-out. Adjusting to a new environment was difficult when you were alone in the world. Emma had been old enough to understand what being a foster kid meant and learned to adapt, unlike this frightened feline.
She reached toward the carriers door. Sixteen years without any family to rely on and six years being a nanny made her an expert caretaker, no matter what the age or species of her charge. Hey, no worries. I wont let anything happen to you. Promise.
The cat responded with a banshee yowl. Three men in business suits glared. A woman pressed her lips together and narrowed her gaze.
Emma rubbed her fingertips along the strand of fake pearls hanging over the neckline of her pink short-sleeved sweater set. She leaned closer to the crates door. You might not agree, but traveling with me is your best option. Otherwise, youd be stuck in a metal cage at a vets office while they repair the shelter. Kitten season means foster homes are full of little ones. I called each and every person on the foster list to see if they had room.
None did. With such short notice, no pet sitter was available. That meant Blossom was coming along with Emma.
Traveling was difficult for animals, but especially cats. Still, the shelter director thought flying by a private jet and staying with Emma, who Blossom tolerated unlike the other shelter volunteers, would be less stressful than being crated at a clinic.
A name sounded over the PA system. Not Emmas. Her relief was palpable.
A man with salt-and-pepper hair and a black messenger bag swung over his shoulder walked toward the door.
Not our turn, Blossom.
Thank goodness. Emma glanced around the waiting area full of orange upholstered chairs. People sat, working on tablets or laptops. Others stood, talking or texting on cell phones. No one looked nervous about flying. She hoped she didnt. She crossed her fingers.
Always appear cool and confident even if youre not, an instructor had told the class at the Rose City Nanny Academy. Emma lived by those words whether she was rushing bleeding or sick kids to the ER, speaking about a childs behavior on behalf of a parent with a school principal or giving statements in custody battles. Today should be no different. Not should, would.
A security guard passed in front of her. A chain jiggled from his belt loop.
Blossom hissed.
Stupid cat, he muttered, walking away with a disapproving look.
Stop acting like a grumpy diva, Emma said to the cat. Blossoms antisocial behavior had kept her from being shown at any of the Portland Paws Rescues adoption events. However, the cat did better one-on-one. No one wants an unfriendly kitty. And you dont want to spend the rest of your life at the cattery. Being in a forever home with a loving family would be so much better for you.
She dreamed of owning a home and having a family herself. She would take care of her own house and children, not be an employee who never quite fit in or belonged. Someday...
Libby Hansens catchy ringtone sounded.
Emma grabbed her phone and hit Answer, eager to talk to her best friend recovering in a New York hospital. How are you?
I could be better.
Her pulse accelerated. Complications from the ruptured appendix?
I wish. Libbys voice sounded dry, scratchy. A smokin hot resident made rounds today. He didnt give me a second glance. All he cared about was reading my chart.
Emma released the breath shed been holding. He was wowed speechless by your beauty.
I look like a zombie from a high school kids horror movie project. Enough about me. Youre at the airport, right?
Im here with Blossom. Libby and her parents were Emmas final foster family, the closest thing she had to living relatives. She would take Libbys place as a personal assistant for the next five days, even fly, to give her friend the rest and recovery time she needed. Attila hasnt arrived yet.
Libby sucked in a breath. Dont you dare call AJ that to his face.
Emma hadnt met Libbys boss, but the nickname fit the photographs shed seen of AJ. Over six feet with a beard, he looked more like a conquering warrior than computer geek turned billionaire. Libby described her boss as gorgeous. The guy might be attractive with a hot body, but Emma had never been a fan of tall, dark and dangerous men with facial hair. You call him Attila.
Only when Im hungry or PMSing or overworked.
Libby sounded exhausted. But recovering from emergency surgery while on a business trip to the East Coast would wear a person out. So that leaves what? Two days a month?
Ha. Ha. AJs a good boss who pays me extremely well.
A good boss does not wake you up in the middle of the night to order flowers for his woman du jour. Or make you spend Christmas on an airplane instead of with your family. Or put his interview on CNBC ahead of your abdominal pains. All that money he pays you is worthless if youre dead.
Hey, Im very much alive.
No thanks to Mr. Atticus Jackson Cole. The what-ifs surrounding Libbys appendix turned Emmas stomach into enough knots to make a Boy Scout proud. Im thankful youre alive.
Im thankful youre filling in for me on such short notice. Libby, who focused on what her boss might need before he realized he needed something, didnt miss a beat. Even when connected to an IV and on painkillers. Did you have a shot of tequila?
Its still morning.
Remember what happened when we flew to Mexico?
Of course. Flying for the first time on a spring break trip to Puerto Vallarta had nearly turned into a one-way trip. Boarding a plane...no big deal. Accelerating along the runway...no big deal. Feeling weightless when the wheels lifted off the tarmac... Emma tapped her toe, a race-walk patter catching up to her marathon-run pulse. Well, except for the flight home. You got me so drunk I passed out before the plane left the gate.
I did that on purpose, and my plan worked. You didnt throw up. Go down a shot. For medicinal purposes. You need to settle your nerves for the flight.
Getting drunk at ten in the morning on the first day of a new job wasnt an option today. Emma would have to tough out the flight without alcohol. Shed survived worse, right? My nerves are fine.
Your voice sounds an octave higher.
Bad connection.
I hope so, because AJs jet just landed.
The phone slid from Emmas sweat-slicked hand. She tightened her grip. How do you know that?
Im paid to know these things. Libbys words had a sharp edge, the way she sounded when handling a rare mishap. But dont worry. The majority of your work will be party planning. But you might have to remind AJ that hes on vacation.
Libbys new tone and her old tales told Emma that caring for a dozen kids in training pants running with open pots of finger paints might be easier than assisting one billionaire while he tried to relax on a trip to his hometown. I cant believe Im going to be doing your job.
Youre perfect. Youve dealt with angst-ridden teens, tweens with horrible attitudes, tantrum-throwing kindergartners, pampered preschoolers and toddlers with death wishes. You can handle anything, including AJ.
I dont know about that. Emma watched a little girl carrying a stuffed dog and her mother talking into a cell phone walk into the restroom. A bachelor billionaire with no kids doesnt need me.
AJ needs you. Certainty filled Libbys voice. Dont let his type A personality get to you. Billionaires arent that different from toddlers except they know how to use silverware and occasional manners. Sometimes. Trust me, they need direction and supervision.
Youd think he could pull together his grandmothers birthday party.
AJ doesnt make his own dinner reservations, Libby said matter-of-factly. Arranging his grandmothers soiree on his own is out of the question.
Emmas insides twisted. Soiree sounds fancier than a party.
Semantics. Stop worrying. You threw a spectacular birthday party for the twins.
Abbie and Annie. Cute six-year-old twins Emma had cared for the past year.
Trey Lundberg. Their handsome, widowed father who was about as perfect as a dad could be.
A weight pressed against Emmas chest. Shed stopped working for Trey three months ago. Hed made his personal interest in her clear and suggested they go out without the girls. Everything Emma wanteda family of her own and the house with the white picket fencehad been within her grasp. But something had felt off. The idea of a ready-made family appealed to her, but Trey was still grieving the loss of his wife. Any feelings he had for Emma couldnt be real. Not that soon after burying the mother of his children. The more Emma had thought about going after her dreams with Trey, the more wrong doing so had felt. So she quit.
She shifted the phone to her other ear. The twins were easy. Theyre little.
AJs grandmother is little. Barely five feet tall from what Ive heard.
Emma sighed. Libby.
What? You have all the skills needed for my job. I could never do yours because of the crud and ick factor.
True. Libby didnt do crud or ick. She moved ten feet away from people who sneezed. She used two napkins during meals. She carried hand sanitizer at all times.
Emma never minded the messes kids made. Holding tissues during nose blowing. Wiping jelly spots off Abbies cheeks. Helping Annie change her sheets before anyone noticed her wet bed.
A lump formed in Emmas throat, pressed upward. No regrets. She couldnt work for the Lundbergs when she didnt have the same feelings for Trey as he had for her. Shed helped find her replacement, trained the new nanny and told the girls to call if they needed anything...anytime.
A wistful, but not unexpected, sigh escaped. She wanted to find that special someone who would take care of her the way she took care of everybody else. Too bad happily-ever-after endings happened only in storybooks, not real life.
Emma cleared her throat. The cruddy stuff isnt so bad. Theres lots of fun to be had on the playground, believe it or not.
Except on the swings. She hated swings.
Ill take your word for it, Libby said.
Emmas name sounded over the PA system. Every muscle group bunched, including ones shed never met. Her stomach jangled, a mix of worry and trepidation.
Shed ridden enough elevators and carnival rides to know her tummys reaction to weightlessness. Antigravity was her proven enemy, its falling sensation her greatest fear.
She blew out a puff of air. Time to go.
Good luck, not that you need it.
She swallowed. Thanks.
Have a good flight.
The line disconnected.
Emma tucked her phone into her tote bag, hand trembling. She swung the leather strap over her shoulder then picked up the cat carrier. Here we go, Blossom.
The cats snarl sounded like a combination of moan, hiss and spit. An omen of things to come? Emma hoped not.
* * *
The jet taxied on the tarmac in Hillsboro, Oregon. Except for a slight movement of AJs tablet on the table in front of his seat and a glance out the window, he wouldnt have realized theyd landed. Not surprising. His flight crew consisted of top-notch, former military pilots. AJ never worried what was happening in the cockpit. But he was worried about the stranger, a nanny with a cat, who would be his assistant for the next five days. AJ rubbed his chin.
Emma is my best friend. Shes smart and conscientious. A hard worker. She doesnt like to fly, but trust me. Shes the perfect person, the only person, to take my place while youre in Haleys Bay.
Libby had been his personal assistant for two years. He had no reason to doubt her. Relying on her recommendation made more sense than yanking an employee away from other duties or hiring an untested temp from a service. A nanny should be able to follow directions, entertain his brother Elliss kids at their grandmothers birthday party and, most importantly, deal with AJs family. He wasnt a fan of cats, but he hoped the feline would be a distraction. The more attention his family gave the cat, the less they would give AJ. A win-win situation for all involved. Mostly him.
Dad wouldnt say much, if anything, unless forced to talk by Mom. The man would never forgive AJ for leaving Haleys Bay and the family business after graduating from college. The fact that hed bailed out the fishing company during the economic downturn had only made his father resent AJ more. As if hed had any other choice.
What was he supposed to do? See his family bankrupt and out of work, especially Ellis with a wife and two kids? No way. AJ had the means. Not helping would have been worse. Unthinkable.
He would never apologize to his father or anyone in his family for choosing to make billions with a computer instead of breaking his back working on a boat. AJ regretted nothing. He doubted his dad could say the same thing, if Jack Cole ever decided to talk to his oldest son again.
AJ wasnt sure how his four younger brothers would react to his being home. Only Grady, the youngest of the family, kept in touch. At least AJ wouldnt have to worry about the female members of the Cole family.
The Cole women would welcome him home with smiles and hugs. His grandmother, mom and two sisters called, texted, Skyped and visited him as much as they could. Though the four would likely be butting their noses into his life and asking much too personal questions while he was there. His stomach tightened.
Why had he wanted to come back? Oh, yeah. His grandmothers eightieth birthday.
An alarm sounded. The buzzing filled the cabin and made him glance at his tablet.
A message illuminated the screen. Conference CallMarketing Department. Libby must have set his clock when he said goodbye at the hospital. The woman was the definition of competent, vital to his success for keeping his life running smoothly.
If only Libby were here with him. Damn appendix. Striking her down in New York. He balled his hands. AJ couldnt believe Libby had hidden her condition from him until it was almost too late. A foolish move, but one done out of loyalty to him. She knew how much he relied upon her. Or had until leaving him stuck with a nanny from Portland, Oregon.
If AJ didnt know better, he would think his father planned this. But nothing, not a hospitalized assistant or a cat-carrying nanny, would stop AJ from showing his family how far hed come. Nothing was going to stop him from making a triumphant return to Haleys Bay.
Nothing at all.
* * *
Emma stepped outside the terminal, a sunny August sky overhead. Flying was safer during good weather, right?
But the roar of engines weighted her feet like chimney bricks.
For Libby. Step by dragged step, Emma crossed the tarmac toward a new-looking jet. Her heart pounded in her throat.
For Libby. Emma clasped the jets railing. Her legs trembleddont stumbleand she forced herself to climb the short staircase, one step, then another, followed by two more.
For Libby. Emma stepped into the plane. The hair on the back of her neck and arms prickled, ramrod straight beneath her sweater.
Noise from planes taking off and landing faded. Air-conditioning cooled her skin. The jets interior muted tones exuded calm comfort. The plush carpet and cushioned chairs were a hundred and eighty degrees different from flying on a packed 737 with zero legroom and no empty seats. This time might be different.
Welcome aboard, Miss Markwell. An attractive woman with long blond hair, a light blue blouse and navy slacks greeted her with a bright, white-tooth smile. Im Camille. Ill be your flight attendant today.
Hi, Im Emma. She forced a first impression smile and raised the cat carrier, welcoming the distraction. Is there a place this should go?
I have the perfect spot. Camille took the carrier. Whats your cats name?
Not my cat. Shes a foster. Long story. But her name is Blossom. Thank you.
Camille peered into the carrier. Hello, Blossom.
The cats growl, a hair-raising, guttural sound, made Emma cringe.
Eyes wide, the flight attendant drew back. Her at-your-service smile faltered. She lifted the carrier away from her body as if radioactive waste filled the inside, then tipped her head to her left. AJs in the cabin.
Thank you.
Emma passed between two forward-facing leather-covered captains chairs. Each seat contained a television screen and game controller. The understated look was more luxurious man cave than flashy flaunt of wealth.
The next row faced backward. Someone with a head of thick brown hair occupied the seat to her left.
Attila. Atticus. AJ. This had to be him.
Libby thought the world of her boss, when she wasnt complaining about AJ. She described him as exacting. Workaholic was how Emma imagined him, based on how many hours he kept Libby working. And prompt. Libby said he would fire a manager if a project went over schedule, break up with a woman if she arrived late for a date and eviscerate a chef if forced to wait between courses.
Not everything Emma had heard about AJ Cole was awful. He paid employees well, was a philanthropist and doted on his grandmother, who visited him in Seattle at least once a month. The guy couldnt be all bad if he was throwing his grandma an eightieth birthday partymake that a soiree.
Voices sounded. Three or four.
Emma didnt see anyone else on board. She stepped closer.
The brown-haired man sat with a tablet in front of him. Three other faces appeared on the screen. One, a woman, spoke about branding.
Emma glanced from the tablet to her temporary boss. Whoa. A six-foot-plus mass of male hotness sat in the seat. A guy with no beard.
She blinked. Refocused. Still hot. Definitely AJ. She recognized his intense green eyes from the photographs.
Yum. Libby called her boss a nice piece of eye candy, but now that Emma was standing next to AJ Cole, he seemed more like a five-pound box of gourmet chocolates. Mouthwateringly delicious.
His gray suit jacket, expertly tailored, accentuated straight, wide shoulders. Unruly brown hair, curly at the ends, fringed the starched collar of his white dress shirt. His ruggedly handsome features fit perfectly together, making her heart accelerate like a car on a racetrack.
His smoldering gaze met hers.
Her throat tightened. She wished he hadnt shaved his beard so she wouldnt find him attractive. Then again, she still might. A photograph couldnt capture the 3-D version of the living, breathing man.
He motioned with his finger to the seat facing him. A small table separated the two chairs.
Emma removed the tote bag strap from her shoulder and sat. She ignored the conversation from the conference chat, not wanting to eavesdrop. She pressed each button to see what it did. Peering inside the pouch on the side of her seat, she saw a barf bag. She hoped she wouldnt need it.
The decibel level of the conference call rose. Voices talked over one another. Not quite a debate, but a lively discussion.
Her gaze fell on AJs face. Talk about stunning. He laughed at a joke, softening the planes, angles and lines of his face. She focused on his mouth, zeroed in on his lips. Bet he was a good kisser.
What in the world was she doing? Thinking? AJ wasnt only her boss. He was also Libbys boss.
Emma looked at her lap. The seat belt ends lay on either side of her. She fastened the buckle and tightened the strap, as if the pressure could squeeze out her nonsensical thoughts before she embarrassed Libby and herself.
So what if the real-life AJ Cole was more attractive than his photographs? He was her boss, not a random guy she could flirt with at Starbucks then breeze out the door without a look back. Besides, he wasnt her type. She preferred a family man. Not a guy who, according to Libby, hadnt visited his family in ten years.
Dont do that. AJs hard tone made Emma jump. If any of you disturb Libby while Im away, you wont have a job when I return. Understood?
Not so bad. Emma hadnt expected him to stick up for Libby.
See you on Monday, he added.
The words Dont bother me were implied.
He tucked his tablet into the side pocket of his seat. Emma Markwell.
His deep voice flowed through her veins like warm maple syrup. She fought the urge to melt into her seat. Hello, Mr. Cole. Its nice to meet you.
His critical gaze ran the length of her, scrutinizing, as if she were a line of bad computer code wreaking havoc with his program. This was the man she expected minus the gorgeous face and athletic physique.
Libby tells me youre a Martha StewartMary Poppins mash-up, able to master home, hearth and heathen children.
I dont have anything magical to pull out of my tote bag, but I do have a few modern-day equivalents for tricks and can spell supercalifragilisticexpialidocious backward. Something shed learned being the nanny of a gifted child one summer.
So you have no magic, but you brought a homeless cat.
His eyes were flat, no glint of humor or spark of amusement. Was this the intimidator Libby told Emma to ignore?
Libby assured me that bringing Blossom was acceptable. Emmas voice sounded hoarse. She cleared her throat.
If it was a problem I would have hired you a cat sitter. He shrugged off his suit jacket, tossed it onto the seat across the aisle, then buckled his seat belt. My niece, nephew and cousins children will play with the cat. Just keep the beast away from me.
Allergic?
No.
Camille picked up the jacket, glanced at the seat belts fastened across their laps, then headed to the front of the jet.
The silence made Emma bristle, reminding her of the impending takeoff. She needed to distract herself. Not a fan of cats?
His lips narrowed, reducing their kissability factor by 70 percent. Not that she would ever kiss him.
If you must know, theyre pampered, vile creatures. I dont see the appeal.
His good looks had sparked an initial attraction, but his fire-extinguishing personality was making sure no flames erupted. She, as his employee, should let his words drop and discuss what her job responsibilities would be. But the cat lover in her couldnt do that. Nor could the friend in her, either. His lack of warmth and understanding he displayed with the cat probably also translated to his overworking Libby to the point of her almost dying.
Blossom is not a pampered cat, Mr. Cole. Her owner died. The family didnt want to be bothered so surrendered the cat to an animal control facility in California. She ended up on a kill list. The shelter I volunteer for in Portland stepped in to rescue her. Blossom lived with thirty-five other cats until the space flooded yesterday. She had to come with me as a foster or spend the next week in a metal cage at a vets office.
Not pampered. He sounded more amused than irritated. I stand corrected.
Thank you for admitting that.
I hear a but coming.
Libby had said AJ didnt like being wrong. Emma didnt want to annoy him or upset him, but she had more to say. She scraped her teeth across her lower lip. Ive said too much.
Perhaps, but Id like to know.
Libby had told Emma to do what he requested without asking too many questions. But this probably wasnt what her friend meant.
Go on, he urged.
Well...Im sorry, but youre wrong about cats. Theyre intelligent, independent and inquisitive. Theyre amazing pets and have made innumerable people happier for their company.
His eyes widened, then narrowed. He pressed his steepled hands against his lips.
Uh-oh. He didnt seem to like her answer. Remember, you wanted to know, she reminded.
I did. He lowered his hands. Are you as passionate about the children you care for as felines?
Yes.
Do you express your views with their parents as you have with me?
Emma wasnt about to lie. She raised her chin. If warranted.
What is their response?
In one case, I was let go.
Fired for speaking your mind?
I wasnt hired to spout my opinions, she admitted. But by that point, the only reason I hadnt quit was the children. I was staying on for their sake.
A closed-mouth smile curved his lips. Lucky kids to have you on their side.
He didnt sound upset. That surprised her. I do my best, but I expect kids to behave, so maybe they arent so lucky to have me.
What happens if they dont behave?
Depends on the child. Some kids need to talk it through. Be heard. Others dont understand why they act out. Emmas ability to read people had helped her survive in one foster home after another, but she couldnt read Mr. Cole. A billionaire shouldnt be interested in her job as a nanny. Maybe one of his colleagues needed to hire child care. With certain children, more tangible consequences like a time-out or chores are necessary. But I prefer using kindness and a loving hand if at all possible.
What will my consequence be?
Yours?
If I misbehave.
Playful images of how he might misbehave flitted through her mind. Unwelcome ones. Ones that made her cheeks burn. I...Im your personal assistant. Not your nanny.
If you were my nanny.
Emma would have to resign due to naughty thoughts. Wrong answer. She cupped the side of her neck with her palm, shaken by her reaction to the sudden change in him. Her skin didnt feel warm to the touch. Maybe only her cheeks were red. But a blush was too much. Mr. Cole
AJ. His smile, full of sex appeal and devilish charm, stole her breath. Were going to be working together for the next five days. Putting on a birthday party and surrounded by my family. Humor me, Emma.
Her name rolled off his tongue and heated her insides twenty degrees. A flame reignited deep within her. So not good. And 100 percent unacceptable.
Get a grip. AJ wasnt flirting. A rich, gorgeous man would never be attracted to a simple, unremarkable nanny. More likely he was testing her. Libby had mentioned something about AJs tests.
A test Emma could handle. Shed been a good student, mostly As, a few Bs. But shed grown up since then. Emma straightened, book-on-top-of-her-head posture. She had no doubt she would pass this test with an A-plus no matter what Attila threw at her.
She looked across the table at him. Awareness of the mans good looks and power shivered through her. At least she hoped she would pass his test.
Chapter Two (#ulink_215b88cb-4ced-5ea2-9a20-a8d4de8b29ce)
What was Emma thinking? Of course she would pass any test her new boss threw at her. She stared at AJ, seated across from her, noting the devilish smile on his face.
What would I do if you misbehaved? She tilted her head to the right and made a stern face, something she rarely used with children. Id start by talking to you.
Im not a big talker. His mouth quirked, a sexy slant of his lips she tried to ignore. I prefer action to words.
Libby hadnt called her boss a player, but implied as much. Emma could tell he knew the rules of the game and how to break them. Especially when the game was business. I imagine you know exactly when youre behaving badly.
Thats part of the fun.
No doubt. A time-out wouldnt work with you.
Id only get into more trouble if I had time to think.
Or he might come up with a way to make another few million dollars. Then I would do something else.
He leaned forward, a movement full of swagger though he was sitting. What?
Emma took her time answering. She studied his hair, lowered her gaze to his intensely focused eyes, followed his straight nose to those sensual lips, then dropped to his strong jaw and square chin. Handsome, yes, but calculating. She made her own assessment of what might mean the most to him. Id take away your electronics.
His model-worthy jaw dropped. What?
A satisfied smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Her answer surprised him. Good. Id confiscate your cell phone, computer, tablet. That might teach you a lesson.
Sounds a bit harsh.
Not if its for your own good.
He rubbed his chin. Then Id better behave.
Yes, you should. His bank account didnt impress Emma. He didnt, either. Not much anyway. Dont make me go all Supernanny or Nanny McPhee on you.
The plane lurched.
Here we go. Emma gripped the seat arms and glanced out the window. A small single-propeller aircraft taxied in front of them.
Please prepare for takeoff, a male voice announced from overhead speakers.
Must be the pilot. Her gaze traveled to AJ. He looked blurry. The rest of the cabin, too. She adjusted her glasses, blinked, but her vision remained fuzzy, the air surrounding her hazy and white.
Emma?
She squinted, trying to bring his face and body into focus. Yes.
Youre pale. Libby told me you dont like flying.
Emma didnt blame her friend for warning her boss. Its the moment the wheels lift off that gets to me the most, but I should be okay.
Please let me be okay. The engines revved, louder and louder.
No big deal. She dug her fingers into the butter-soft leather. Pressed her feet against the floor. Leaned her head against the seat.
No big deal. The jet bolted forward, as if released from a slingshot, accelerating down the runway. Dread crept through her stomach and hardened into stone, an uncomfortable heaviness settling in. She burned again, her skin, her insides, immune to the blasts of cool air.
No big deal. Emma squeezed her eyes shut. Darkness didnt keep the sickening, familiar sensation of weightlessness at bay. The moment the wheels lifted, her stomach plummeted to her toes, then boomeranged to her throat.
Memories bombarded her. The choking smell of smoke. The scorching heat of the flames. The terrifying screams of her brother.
Nausea rose inside her like the jet climbing in the sky. She opened her eyes. Oh, no.
AJs hands rested on his thighs. What?
Emmas stomach constricted. Her mouth watered. She reached into the seat pocket. Im going to be sick.
* * *
Damn. AJ stared at Emma, who held on to a white barf bag as if it were the Holy Grail. He pushed himself forward in his seat, difficult to do facing backward and strapped in with the plane climbing, but hed achieved the impossible before.
He reached for her, uncertain how to help, but needing to do something. Emma.
She raised her left hand, an almost imperceptible movement he took to mean not now. He didnt blame her, but sitting here unable to do anything brought back a dreaded sense of helplessness, of uselessness. He remembered being out on the water with his father during a storm. More than once AJ figured they would have to abandon ship. More than once he thought they would die. More than once he vowed to do something different with his life if they survived.
Youll never amount to anything if you leave Haleys Bay.
His fathers words pounded through AJs head like high tide against the harbor rocks. Hed spent the past ten years proving his dad wrong. In spades.
Except AJs private jet, fifteen-hundred employees and a net worth of eleven billion were irrelevant at the moment. None of those things could help Emma.
Her greenish complexion worsened. Her white-knuckled fingers, clutching the barf bag, trembled.
The plane continued climbing. If he unbuckled, he might end up on top of Emma. Better to wait until the plane leveled.
The least he could do was give her privacy. Not easy in this confined space, but he glanced out the window.
Tendrils of fluffy white clouds floated in the blue sky. A good day for flying, unless you suffered airsickness.
A moan filled the cabin.
The cats stop-theyre-torturing-me cry irritated AJ. Who was he kidding? Everything about felines, especially how much bandwidth people wasted posting cute cat pictures on the internet, bugged him. He wanted the cat to be a distraction when they reached Haleys Bay, not during the flight. AJ drummed his fingers against the armrest.
Emmas retching stopped. The cat kept howling. He suppressed a groan.
AJ wanted to start his day over. Nothing about his trip was turning out as expected. He wanted to make a triumphant return to Haleys Bay. He wanted everything to go smoothly during his five-day stay. He wanted Libby with her anal-retentive organizing skills accompanying him, not some...nanny. Hed joked with Emma to see her response and glimpse her social skills.
What in the world was he going to do with an uptight, vomiting Mary Poppins? Libby had warned him about Emmas problem with flying. If hed known her issue involved bodily fluids, he would have asked his chauffeur Charlie to drive Emma to Haleys Bay instead. A car ride would have been easier on her, on AJ, on the annoying cat.
He flexed his fingers. Libbys brain must have been foggy after her appendectomy. He didnt understand why she thought her best friend was the perfect person to take her place. Emma might be good with kids. She hadnt been bad at bantering. But she didnt seem up for the rigors of the job. Or his family.
Something clicked. The sound came from Emmas direction. He glanced her way.
She held on to the barf bag with one hand and a wipe with the other. Her hands shook. Her face looked deathly white.
AJs chest tightened. He needed to do something. Ill call Camille.
Im fine. Emmas words sounded strangled. She stared at her lap.
You need help.
She gave a slight shake of her head, washed her face, then tossed the wipe into the barf bag. Im doing better.
Emma removed another wipe from her bag and cleaned her hands. No hesitation, no wasted movement, no hunching her shoulders trying to disappear.
Youre doing great under the circumstances, he said.
Her self-sufficiency and resiliency intrigued AJ. She was no damsel in distress waiting to be rescued by a handsome prince. Not that he was a prince. More like a black knight or the devil himself, according to his father. But please let Camille assist you. Thats her job.
My job is to assist you, not cause anyone extra work.
AJ studied the woman. Emma Markwell was not unattractive, in spite of her pallor. He would call her...unfinished, an artists sketch on a piece of canvas waiting to be painted. Her braided hair accentuated her heart-shaped face and clear complexion. Smart-girl glasses hid a pair of wide-set bluish-gray eyes and rested on a straight, pert nose. Tight lines hovered at the corner of her full lips.
Of course they did. Shed thrown up breakfast. But the way she handled herself impressed him. AJ had judged her too quickly and she was earning his respect now. Hed gotten seasick on a boat when he was younger and not handled himself nearly as well. Maybe she was up for the job.
A woman who dressed practically would be a refreshing change from stilettos and tight pencil skirts. The nanny was pretty. If Emma unbraided her brown hair and wore makeup to highlight her cheekbones and lips, she could be beautiful. She lacked the sophistication and worldliness of most women he knew, but a nanny didnt need to dress to impress and show off flawless beauty. He imagined that Emmas fresh young face and prim appearance earned her more jobs than looking like a sexy supermodel. She might not be a high-flying businesswoman, actress or socialite, but she reminded him of the women in his familydown-to-earth, practical, strong. So far shed been less nosy than his grandmother, mom or sisters. He hoped Emmas lack of interest in his personal life continued.
She tucked another wipe into the airsickness bag, folded the ends, then secured the flap with wired tabs.
Competent and capable. Resilient with an underlying toughness. Those traits would serve her well.
He wondered if shed been disappointed by someone she loved. Perhaps someone shed trusted had failed her. AJs skill at assessing staff had been key to his success, and he understood her qualities from his own experience. Setbacks made you stronger, if you didnt allow them to win. And he knew how to help her. By putting what she needed within reach.
Its obvious youre fine, but is there anything Camille can bring you? A glass of water? Ginger ale?
Pink tinged Emmas cheeks, the blush bringing much-needed color to her face. No, thanks. The planes no longer climbing. Im going to go to the lavatory and put myself back together.
She sounded confident, but she hadnt looked him in the eye since being sick. She might not be as in control as she appeared. The bathroom is at the front of the jet.
Emmas gaze met his. Her vulnerability would have knocked him flat on his ass if he were standing. She was twenty-six, the same age as Libby, but Emma looked younger, like a naive college freshman away from home for the first time.
A protective instinct welled inside him. Em...
Thank you, Mr. Cole.
Her polite tone jerked him back to reality. She didnt want pity. But he wasnt offering that.
She unbuckled her seat belt. He did the same. Dont feel bad. Libby warned me you didnt like flying. Im assuming she spoke with Camille about adding airsickness bags to the seats.
I appreciate Libbys foresight. Shes a good friend who knows me well. Ill do my best to fill her shoes. In spite of the past few minutes, Im up to the task. Emma stood. She placed the strap of her large purse over her shoulder and held on to the barf bag. Now if youll excuse me.
AJ jumped to his feet. She walked past him toward the front of the plane. His gaze followed, zeroing in on the sway of her hips and the purse bouncing against her thigh. Nice. Feminine. Sexy.
Whoa. What was he thinking? He didnt want anything to do with Emma except to comfort and reassure her. He considered employees assets, efficient resources, not playthings. Besides, she reminded him of the girls back in Haleys Bay, rather than the glamorous women he dated in Seattle, San Francisco or wherever else he might be working. The next-door neighbor types werent the kind of women he was attracted to now. Not that he found Emma...okay, he found her attractive, which surprised him.
With a towel in hand, Camille stood next to his seat. Emma said she was sick.
Yes, but remarkably neat about it.
Camille checked the seat and floor anyway. Libby was right.
She usually is. He glanced toward the front of the plane. Make sure Emma is okay.
Of course.
The cat screeched.
Camille shook her head. Not your typical uneventful flight.
No.
Things might not be uneventful until AJ was back home in Seattle. Five days. Five days until his visit would be over. Five days until he would say goodbye to Haleys Bay for another decade. He couldnt wait.
* * *
Emma couldnt wait to get off this airplane. Hitting rock bottom less than fifteen minutes after meeting a new boss had to be a record. But at least things couldnt get worse.
Unless the plane crashed.
She returned her toothbrush to her toiletry bag. Given her luck so far this morning, that was a distinct possibility. But the odds against crashing after throwing up had to be astronomical, right?
Surveying her reflection in the mirror, she tucked stray strands back into her braid. Her Goth-white complexion had disappeared. Good. She would rather look human than like a vampire wannabe.
She pinched her cheeks to give them more color. Reapplying the makeup shed wiped off was beyond her. But she looked better, passable, no longer green.
She straightened her glasses, wanting to present a confident, unflappable air. Mr. Cole never needed to know she was dying of embarrassment. Neither did Camille, who kept knocking every minute and a half to see if Emma needed help. She opened the lavatory door.
Blossoms ear-hurting screeches could wake the dead, officially starting the zombie apocalypse.
Emma followed the racket.
The cat faced forward, screaming her lungs out as if doing her best T. rex impersonation.
Emma knelt in front of the cat carrier. Shhhh. I know you dont like this, but were almost there.
Blossom barked, sounding more like an ankle-biting dog than a pissed-off feline.
Your cat doesnt sound happy.
Emma felt AJs presencea potent mix of heat, strength and confidencebehind her. Blossom doesnt like to fly, either.
You look good as new.
She glanced over her shoulder, her gaze at crotch level. Lingering on his zipper. Her cheeks burned. No need for pinching cheeks or makeup now. She looked up at him. I am. Flying doesnt really get to me. Taking off is the culprit. The weightlessness.
Your stomach cant handle the feeling.
Nope. And the flashbacks nearly did her in each time, but nobody needed to know about those. The landing will be a breeze. But Im guessing Blossom wont quiet down until shes out of her carrier.
AJ kneeled. The left side of his body brushed hers, sending sparks shooting across her skin. The scent of his aftershave, something musky with a touch of spice, enveloped her.
She sucked in a breath. Oh, boy. He smelled so good, fresh, like the first spring day after months of dreary winter rain.
He peered into the carrier. Whats its name again?
Blossom. Her name is Blossom.
He tapped on the carrier. Be quiet, Blossom.
Cats dont respond to
The cat stopped meowing. Blossom rubbed her head against the carrier door.
He stuck his finger through the grating and touched the cat. Dont respond to what?
Logic.
Blossom, however, didnt make another noise. She soaked up the attention. Purred. Unbelievable. The cat hadnt purred at the shelter or at Emmas apartment. At least not that any of the volunteers had noticed. Yet this guy, a non-cat-lover guy, had the feline purring like a generator. Blossom likes you.
She likes the attention.
Attention from you. This is the first time Ive heard her purr.
AJ yanked his hand away, plastered his arm against his side. Im not a fan of cats. She wouldnt like me.
Tell that to Blossom. The cat pressed against the crate door, fur squishing through the grating. She stared up at AJ as if he were her sun, stars and moon.
Thanks to AJ Cole, Blossom had transformed from she devil to sweetheart. Emma grinned, something she never expected to do after getting sick in front of her new boss. She does like you.
AJs gaze bounced from the cat to Emma. The cat needed someone to tell her what was expected.
Cats do what they want.
Perhaps the cat needed to have a higher bar set for its behavior.
He didnt use Blossoms name, but the feline didnt seem to mind. She was trying to get out of the cage and closer to AJ. Perhaps. But this gives me hope.
Hope?
That Blossom will find her forever home. Theres been concern she might be unadoptable. She doesnt seem to like many people.
He looked at Blossom, but he didnt touch her. Much to the cats dismay. I dont know anything about cats, but she seems fine to me. Not so annoying now that shes quiet.
Camille approached. She handed AJ a glass with a straw sticking out. Your protein shake.
Thanks. His fingers circled the glass.
The flight attendant handed a small juice-sized glass to Emma. A little ginger ale for you.
Thank you, Emma said.
Well be landing soon. Camille motioned to the back of the plane. Please return to your seats.
Emma did and buckled her seat belt. The engines whirred. She waited for Blossom to meow, but the cat remained quiet.
AJ sat across from her. Sipped from the straw. You okay?
She nodded.
If you feel bad again, Camille restocked the side pocket.
Two more airsickness bags were inside. Thanks, but Ive never had trouble during landings. At least not the one Emma remembered.
Were beginning our descent into Haleys Bay, the pilot announced. Please remain seated.
She gripped the armrests, a combination of anticipation of wanting to be on the ground and apprehension over what the rest of the week would hold.
AJ stared at her over the rim of his glass, his eyes full of concern. The pilots very good.
You dont have to reassure me.
His gaze narrowed, darkened. Why not?
Its not your job.
I get to write my job description. One benefit of being the boss.
Do you like being the boss?
He stiffened. Stared into his drink. Toyed with the straw.
No ones asked me that. People assume... He shifted in his seat. But yes, of course. Whats not to love?
He was bluffing, hiding something, like a child who said swim lessons were fun when dunking his head under water terrified him. What other secrets was AJ hiding?
None of Emmas business. She didnt need to go looking for AJ Coles demons. She had enough of her own. But she hoped this vacation went well for him because the only thing worse than having no family would be having a family that didnt get along. Best to make sure she knew what AJ needed from her.
She removed a half-inch binder and a mechanical pencil from her tote bag. Libby sent me your tentative itinerary. Any changes to todays schedule I should know about?
He waved his hand, as if brushing aside Emmas question. Relax until we land.
Lets confirm todays agenda first. She adjusted her glasses. Then Ill relax.
AJ took another sip of his drink. Read whats on your list.
Lunch with your grandmother while I arrange meetings with the party rental company and florist and check into the Broughton Inn. A conference call at two, another one at three, followed by an interview at four with a technology blogger. Then you have a break until dinner with your family at seven.
Easy afternoon.
Three calls on the first afternoon of your vacation sounds more like youre working.
He raised a brow, as if surprised by her words. Guess Libby didnt speak to him like that. Well, Emma wasnt like her best friend. Not even close.
This is a light day. He placed his empty glass on the table between them. Ive limited whats on my schedule.
Emma guessed she had a different definition of limited from his. If there arent any changes
There is one.
She readied her pencil.
A muscle ticked at his jaw.
She leaned forward. What?
Were staying at my grandmothers house. Itll be easier with the party planning, and my grandma thought it would be better for the cat.
Disappointment shot through Emma. Shed been a live-in nanny so she knew what staying at someones house as an employee meant. But the arrangement made sense, even without the cat factored in. She pasted on a smile. Thats generous of your grandmother.
He leaned back against his seat, but his gaze never left her. My grandmother loves playing hostess. Shes thrilled Im bringing company, not to mention a cat.
The noise level of the engines changed. She clasped her hands together. Im sure your grandmothers more excited to have you staying with her. Ten years is a long time to be away.
What has Libby told you?
Not much. A glance out the window told Emma the plane was descending. I know youre throwing your grandmother an eightieth birthday party. Very nice of you to do.
Just holding up my end of a deal.
Emma looked back at him. Excuse me?
His gaze, warm and clear, met hers. When I was eight, I wanted a space-alien birthday party. My dad said no, so my grandma offered to throw me a party if I agreed to do the same for her when she turned eighty. We shook on it.
Emma tried to picture AJ as a boy, but looking past the handsome man sitting across from her was impossible. You remembered that after all these years?
No. He half laughed. The charming sound sent a brush of tingles across Emmas tummy. My grandma did. She reminded me in February.
She rubbed her stomach. Maybe she was feeling the aftereffects of being sick earlier. Still nice of you.
Shes my grandma. I wasnt about to say no.
Would you be returning to Haleys Bay if it werent her birthday?
Probably not, which she knows. Affection filled his gaze. My grandmothers a sly one. But Im on my way so shes happy. I want the party to go smoothly. Thats what Im counting on you for, Emma.
She wrote the words anticipate and prevent problems in her binder. Yes, Mr. Cole.
AJ.
The man had seen her vomit. The only other people to see her do that were her parents, God rest their souls, and Libby. AJ.
He smiled. She smiled back. The moment lingered. Filled her with heat. She looked at her binder. Anything else I should know?
My family is big and crazy and loud. AJ sounded amused, not annoyed. I have four brothersEllis, Flynn, Declan and Gradyand two sistersBailey and Camden. Not to mention my sister-in-law, Risa, and more aunts, uncles and cousins than I can count.
That is a big family.
The single Cole men will hit on you because youre new in town and their reputations havent been sullied yet. Theyve done that in the past. Youre under no obligation to them, and let me know if they annoy you. AJs dark eyes and serious tone told Emma he wasnt joking. What you do on your own time is none of my business, but dont let your actions affect your ability to get the job done.
His words irritated her. Okay, he didnt know her, but she wasnt about to sleep around because good-looking guys were giving her attention. She imagined his brothers were attractive, AJ in multiples, like the Hemsworth brothers. That could be dangerous. To her job and her heart. She jotted a note in the margin. Stay away from Cole males.
Ill keep my distance.
A lopsided grin formed. Smart.
She hated the way her body responded to his compliment. Its been my experience that business and pleasure dont mix well.
Mine, too.
At least they agreed on something.
But business has to be fun, AJ added. All work and no play...
Would be boring. Emma recalled Libbys description of the Cole corporate headquarters in Seattle with a game arcade, gym, massages, errand service, and free meals, snacks and drinks at the employee cafeterias. Fun seemed to be the operative word at his company. Not surprising given that he developed a photography-based blogging platform and created a social media gaming site for friends to compete. I wouldnt last long as a nanny if I didnt play. Having fun means everything to children.
What about you?
I like to have fun.
He drummed his fingers against the chair arm. What do you do for fun?
Play tag, dress-up, bicycle, hunt for treasure, bake, board games, and go to the Oregon Zoo, the childrens museum or OMSI.
His fingers stilled. I meant what do you do when youre not being a nanny.
Oh. Sorry. I like to read, watch movies, hike, volunteer at an animal rescue center.
Quiet pleasures.
Its not always quiet at the rescue shelter, but the noise is different there. I love being a nanny. The children are wonderful, but theyre loud and full of energy and want your undivided attention. A little quiet is nice.
Alone time is fun for you.
She bit back a smile. AJ wasnt grilling her, but he seemed to want to know more about her. She would have expected a billionaire to brag and make sure the conversation centered around him. Not that she knew any billionaires, but shed worked for a millionaire. Escaping inside a dark theater with a bucket of popcorn, a soda, a box of candy and no one to take to the bathroom at the best part of a movie is the definition of superfun.
Theres a theater in Haleys Bay.
Thanks, but I doubt youll be screaming and tugging on my shirt to get attention all day long.
No screaming. He winked. And Ive found persuading a woman to take off her shirt works better than tugging.
Im surprised you have to persuade them. The mans smile could charm a snake out of its skin. I assumed women flashed you, like at Mardi Gras.
Only in my dreams. With a wry grin, he settled back in his seat. But theyre very nice dreams.
I imagine so.
What do you dream about, Emma?
I... Um, a lot of things.
Like what?
She fiddled with her seat belt. Cats. Children. Family.
Nanny things?
A lump the size of a Super Ball burned in Emmas throat. She swallowed, kept her smile from wavering and looked AJ straight in the eyes. Yes, nanny things.
Cat lover things. Mommy things. Wife things. Things a man who had a family, albeit an estranged one, would never understand. Things she dreamed about. Things she wanted...desperately.
Chapter Three (#ulink_c354aea5-d007-5a39-b5f7-49ec925f5a39)
Charlie, AJs chauffeur for three years, cut five minutes off the drive from the minuscule airport to Haleys Bay. AJ rubbed his thumb against his fingertips.
He liked being on time. He preferred arriving early. Charlie was doing his job, getting AJ to his destination as quickly as possible. But this once, he wouldnt have minded being late.
Still, he didnt lower the glass panel and tell Charlie to slow down. Not until AJ had a reason, one beyond his wanting to prolong the inevitable.
Music played from the speakers. Stock quotes ran across the bottom of a television screen. The bar called to him, but he needed to be stone-cold sober when he faced his family. AJ glanced at Emma, seated next to him, the cat carrier at her feet.
She stared out the window. Her serious expressiondare he say dourtook prim and proper to the next level. So different from how shed been right before landing. Her sense of humor had disappeared. Her smile, too.
She might be upset over getting sick earlier. She might be nervous about her new job. Or she might be acting the way she always did. Whatever the reason, she was his employee, his responsibility. The least he could do was help her relax after a rough flight and coax a smile out of her. Lets take a detour. Check out a lighthouse or two.
Her lips twisted. Youre expected at your grandmothers house.
I wouldnt be a gracious host if I didnt show you the sights.
Youre not my host, she countered. Youre my boss.
Being her employer was easy to forget. Libby had hired Emma. I dont mind playing tour guide.
Her nose crinkled. You have a schedule
Subject to change.
True, but as your personal assistant Im supposed to keep you on schedule.
True, but youre also supposed to do what I ask.
Even if doing so isnt in your best interest? I mean, you havent been home in ten years. Your grandmother might be peeking out the window waiting for you to arrive.
He pictured Grandma doing that. Ill concede the point.
Thank you.
Youre welcome.
His gaze met Emmas. She removed her glasses to blow on the right lens. Pretty blue eyes surrounded by long, thick lashes. He hadnt noticed her eyelashes before. Does your grandmother do the same when you visit?
My grandparents are dead. Emma put on her glasses and stared out the window. Looks like were here.
A wooden sign on the side of the two-lane road welcomed visitors to Haleys Bay. The sign was new. The churning in AJs stomach wasnt.
After a decade, the town had likely changed. In that same time, his life had also changed. His familys opinion of him might never change. That could take a century. Or longer.
The last time he was home his family had tried to shame him into staying in Haleys Bay. That wouldnt happen again, but something else might. He wanted to be prepared. One of your responsibilities is running interference for me.
What do you mean?
If I find myself in a difficult situation, I may need you to get me out of it by texting or calling or physically interrupting me.
She smiled at the sleeping cat before looking up at him. Afraid you might run into old girlfriends who might want to rekindle the flame?
That isnt likely to happen. His high school sweetheart and ex-fiance, Natalie, had dumped him and married one of his closest friends. AJ had been devastated, but recovered. A good lesson learnedimmediate gratification was more important than loyalty to some people. But there will be people around. My family, too.
Emma eyed him warily. Family?
He nodded once. Libby and I have a code word. If I text or say the word, she knows to take action.
Emma removed her notepad from her bag. Whats the code word?
Top secret.
If I dont know what to listen for, Im not going to be able to help you.
He rubbed his chin. We need our own word. Something obscure, but not too random.
Emma tapped her pen against her notepad. How about...lighthouse?
AJ mulled over the suggestion. Ten letters would be a bear to text, but the word could be worked into a conversation without sounding like a non sequitur.
Thatll work. Satisfaction flowed through him. The word played perfectly into his plans. To make sure we remember the code word, well visit one now.
No need. Ill remember.
A few hours spent sightseeing wont make a difference.
Whats really going on? She studied him. You remind me of a kid trying to put off going to the doctors for a shot.
His jaw tensed. Im not scared of needles.
Youre scared of something.
Emmas insight made him squirm. She had zero qualms pinpointing and commenting on what was going on in his head, trying to fix what was upsetting him. He was used to having people try to fix things for him, but not with nurturing concern, as if she really cared. AJ didnt like it.
Im not scared of anything. The words flowed quickly, one after the other without any breaks. Not like him. But then again, he was back in Haleys Bay. That changed everything. Okay, thats not quite true. The threat of an EMP, electronic magnetic pulse, making every electrical device obsolete has given me nightmares.
Youre not scared about coming home?
Nope. Damn. He sounded like a kid, a scared little kid trying to put on a good front, and Emma seemed to know that. I lived here for eighteen years. I might be a little on edge, but thats because I havent been here in a while.
Ten years is a long time.
Ive been busy. A stupid excuse, but she didnt need to know the real reasons. But Im free now. Lets take in a few sights on our way. This is my first vacation in over a year.
Emmas not-going-to-happen-on-my-watch shake of her head stopped him cold. Youll have a free block of time after your calls this afternoon, she said. Plenty of time to see the sights over the next five days.
Her friendly tone, as though she was using extra patience for her recalcitrant charge, made him feel like an idiot for bringing this up again. He must be back in his hometown. Hed felt like the village idiot living here.
Emma leaned toward the limousine window. The shift of position brought a whiff of her citrus shampoograpefruit or maybe lemon. The fresh scent appealed to him like the nanny.
Wow. She pressed closer to the glass. This place is beautiful.
He followed her gaze to the sparkling expanse of water and the heart of the town hugging the shoreline. Pride welled. Foolish, irrepressible pride he buried in a no-nonsense response. The town hugs the waterfront. Most of the shops and restaurants are on Bay Street near the harbor.
Is Haleys Bay named after an original settler?
Yes. AJ didnt know if she was making conversation or wanted to know the answer. Given her occupation, hed guess the latter. She seemed the type to pay attention and ask questions of white-haired docents leading museum tours. He wouldnt mind taking her through a couple of the historic sites around here. Haley was a trader who anchored in the bay during his voyages. Thats according to the Lewis and Clark expedition. The bay was renamed Baker Bay, after a British merchant, but the original town name stuck.
You know your history.
Her praise made him sit taller. A stupid reaction, but returning to his hometown was a stupid move. He should have thrown a royal extravaganza for his grandmother on his turf, in Seattle. Rented the Space Needle. Staged a massive fireworks display. But shed wanted the party here in the town where shed been born and lived her entire life. I learned Washington state history in school, but the old folks around here bring the past alive, especially the fishermen. They love sharing every legend about Haleys Bay.
Im usually the one telling stories. Id love to hear some tales.
The excitement in her voice made him want to offer to introduce her around. Talk about a stupid move. She would be more welcome here than him. But something about Emma made AJ want to help her. Maybe he was feeling sorry for her after the rough flight, but he didnt like it. She worked for him, not the other way around.
Make friends with the locals, he suggested. Youll hear them all.
Must have been fun growing up here.
When I was a little kid. He studied the buildingsstores and cafs he didnt recognizealong the inland side of Bay Road. Maybe that would take his mind off the woman sitting next to him. A wrought iron wind vane of a sailboat faced west. On the sidewalk, two people walked hand in hand. An unleashed golden retriever trotted next to them. Not so much when I became a teenager.
Its a charming town.
If you like small and boring.
I do. She stared across him. Her lips parted, spreading into a wide grin that made him want to smile. Look at the boats.
Sailboat masts teetered on the harbor. Flags fluttered in the breeze. Empty moorings meant most boats had headed out to sea for the day. Fishing used to support this town. Now I hear the biggest catch is tourists. A couple of my brothers take them deep sea fishing.
That must kill his dad, who believed the only way to make money was building boats and catching fish. Hed called tourists barnacles and a few other choice words he wouldnt say in front of his wife or mother.
With her eager gaze, Emma looked like a tourist herself. All she needed was a camera, sunglasses and a guidebook. I could see coming here for vacation.
Hed taken days off work, but he couldnt relax here. Still, talking about Haleys Bay with Emma wasnt so bad. Being so aware of her movements and expressions, however, was making him uncomfortable. He focused on the towns geography. Cape Disappointment is next door with campsites, yurts and hiking trails. Theres the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. Long Beach is a coastal resort community to the northwest and Astoria, Oregon, is south across the Columbia River. I guess if I hadnt grown up here...
Youd come for fun.
I might. AJ tried hard not to think of this place. But I always thought of Haleys Bay as the place I couldnt wait to leave when I went to college.
Back east, right?
Libby must have prepped Emma with his background info. He assumed only the basics. All he knew about Emma was that shed been in the foster care system before moving in with Libby and her parents during high school. MIT.
Boston must have been a big change with the crowds and skyscrapers.
My first week it took me three days to fall asleep because of the noise, but I loved living there. Compared to a city, this place is dead.
You might view your hometown differently now that youre an adult. Emma pointed to the Captains Caf, a multistory restaurant complete with weathered front, crows nest, anchor and captains wheel. Do they have good food?
Ive never seen the place. He searched his memory for what had been there before. The doughnut shop, no...that wasnt right. That used to be Stus Sandwich Shop, a hole-in-the-wall storefront. But no one could top their pastrami on rye.
I love a good Reuben.
AJ imagined her biting into a big sandwich, a dab of Thousand Island on the corner of her mouth. He wouldnt mind licking it off and tasting more than the dressing.
Whoa. Where had that come from? He didnt lick, let alone kiss, employees.
And she was his employee. Smart. Observant with journalist-writing-a-travel-piece insights, opinions and questions. Qualities he searched for when hiring staff. The other things he looked for were initiative and loyalty. Always, after what hed gone through in Haleys Bay, loyalty.
She gestured to the passing scenery, giving him another whiff of her shampoo. What other places are new?
Ignoring how good she smelled, he took in the street, noting the differences from his memory to reality. The Coffee Shack, Donut Heaven, Berts Hardware, the Bay Mercantile Store and the barbershop were here before, but the building facades are updated. The Candy Cave, the Buried Treasure and Raging Waters are new. They appear more for tourists than locals. But Ill bet the new store owners have the same small-town mentality as everyone else.
That so-called mentality is part of the appeal.
Her oddalmost disapproving?expression jabbed at him. Libby wasnt a yes-person, but if her opinion differed from his she wasnt vocal like Emma. The nanny had no problem speaking up. He wasnt used to people doing so and wasnt sure if he liked it or not. The mentality is difficult to take growing up.
You feel that way, but many people didnt grow up in a small town. They want to experience what thats like. Thats why tourists like visiting. Haleys Bay has to be a popular destination or wed see the effects of a downturned economy, empty businesses and for lease signs in the windows.
Interesting. A nanny with a keen sense of business. She wasnt a carbon copy of Libby, and that was surprisingly okay. He leaned toward Emma, wanting to know more about her. What was your major in college?
I didnt go to college. Not an ounce of regret sounded in her voice. She raised her chin with a hint of pride and determination, two more traits that appealed to him. I attended a thirty-month nanny certification program in Portland. But I loved my economics class in high school. I like to read and stay up on current events. Nannies are a childs second teacher, after their parents. I aim to enhance a childs natural interests.
Initiative in the flesh, plus confidence and curiosity. All packaged as a prim, proper, mousy nanny who had a pretty smile when she let it show. Emma would work out nicely. The more she dealt with, the more he could retreat.
You might not like your hometown, but I love the quaint shops and cafs. She rested her head against the back of the seat, her shoulder brushing his. Quintessential Pacific Northwest coastal town.
Her wistful, romantic tone annoyed him. So did the tingle racing down his arm from where shed touched him. Forest and water, Emma. Please. Dont get all rose-tinted on me, okay? This is Hicksville and being here held me back, badly. I never would have amounted to anything if Id stayed in Haleys Bay. This place was suffocating.
The words rushed from his mouth before he could stop them. Hed never said these thoughts before. Weird. He was more careful and reserved around strangers. Around people he knew, too.
She tilted her head, attention fixed on him. Her focus unsettled him. He was used to being deferred to. Most bosses were. Emma must not have gotten the memo.
Of course she hadnt. She consulted with parents and left when they didnt agree. A free agent unused to following the chain of command. Like him when hed started his business. How unexpected.
What? he asked finally.
You... She pursed her lips, full and unglossed.
He prepared for a lecture. Wanted to hear what she had to say if she didnt drag on for more than a minute or so.
...couldnt have done a better job at getting away and making something of yourself.
The praise filled him with unexpected warmth. Most people complimented him, but AJ never knew if they meant the words or were trying to suck up to him. Emma didnt seem to be the kind of person to belong in that second group. Thanks. Theres more
She nodded to him, as if encouraging him to continue. More what?
Damn. AJ balled one of his hands. He didnt know why he kept telling Emma things. He didnt let his guard down around anyone, friend or employee. Fresh-smelling hair and pretty smile aside.
More I want to do. Places to visit. Not what he intended to say, but the words were true and the perfect way to change the subject. Are there places youd like to travel?
Anywhere.
In the world?
She nodded. The farthest from Portland Ive been is Puerto Vallarta. Its hard to get around the flying.
You flew today.
To help Libby. Emmas gaze returned to the view out the window. The limousine followed the road along the bay toward his grandmothers house. I should have suggested driving myself and meeting you here, but I was so worried about Libby I wasnt thinking straight.
He knew the feeling being with Emma. When its time for you to return to Portland, my driver will take you home.
She glanced around the limousine, taking in the multiple screens, leather seats, bar. This is your, um, car.
AJ nodded. Charlie drove down from Seattle this morning. I never intended on flying to Haleys Bay, but I didnt want to leave Libby alone in New York. Shes too valuable to me. If Id known she hadnt been feeling well before wed left on the trip, I never would have taken her along, but she hid her abdominal pains until they became acute. I waited for her mother to arrive, made sure she was settled and comfortable, then flew here with a couple stops along the way.
Oh.
The surprise in the one word spoke volumes. Emma Markwell had thought the worst of him. She wasnt the only one, especially here in Haleys Bay. You assumed I left Libby in the hospital alone.
Maybe.
That means yes.
Emma stared up at him through her eyeglasses, her cheeks red and a contrite look on her face. Its nice to know you didnt. Leave Libby, that is.
Not a full compliment, but better than being slammed for something he didnt do. Still, he liked the idea of making Emma squirm since shed done the same to him. Youre backpedaling.
Not really.
Im a nice guy.
Emma raised an arched brow. Are you always nice?
Damn. I try to be.
Trying doesnt always work.
No, but I can tell myself I didnt set out to be a jerk.
Is this something you tell yourself often? she teased.
Her sense of humor had returned. She would need every funny bone with his family. Youll be able to answer that question on Sunday.
That sounds like I should be worried.
Maybe.
Emma laughed. Guess I deserve that.
The limousine pulled to a stop. The engine turned off.
AJ glanced to his right. His grandmothers Victorian stood peacock-blue and proud across a lawn of manicured grass and blooming flower beds. His heart beat like a halyard on a mast. Were here.
Wow. Your grandmothers home is perfect. Even with the water right here, the house is what shines.
He recognized the awe in Emmas voice. A familiar sense of reverenceof homebrought an unexpected smile to his face. The house has been in our family for generations.
Emmas eyes widened. Thats a long time to stay in one place.
Coles have lived in Haleys Bay since the Civil War.
Her gaze bounced from the house to him. The house isnt that old.
My great grandfather bought the house ninety years ago. He liked the view of the bay.
Let me guess, he was a fisherman.
And boat builder.
Emma looked over her shoulder at the bay. She took her time, allowed her gaze to absorb what she saw. Lovely.
The dreamy haze in her eyes and a soft smile on her face made her lovely, too. He shook the thought from his head. The view from the second floor is better. You can see the harbor.
Charlie opened the door.
AJ motioned for Emma to go first.
She slung her bag over her shoulder and clasped the plastic handle on the cat carrier. Moving toward the open door, she looked like she might topple out of the car. He didnt need her to get hurt. One personal assistant in the hospital was enough.
He took the carrier from her. Ive got the cat.
Her gaze met his then she looked away. Thank you.
AJ followed her out and stood on the sidewalk. Vividly painted terra-cotta flowerpots full of colorful pink, purple and yellow blossoms sat on each step leading to the wraparound porch. His sister Baileys creations, he was sure, the sight comforting as his grandmas crocheted afghans. He only hoped his dad wasnt part of the welcoming committee.
AJ gestured to the steps. After you.
Halfway up, Emma stopped. Theres a swing.
The breathless quality to her voice surprised him. He peered around her to see the white slotted-back, two-person bench hanging from thick silver chains. Looks like my grandmother replaced her old swing. She used to love to drink tea out here and watch the boats. Guess she still does.
We had a swing. Emma took the last two stairs. Boy, did we abuse that thing. My mom got so mad at us.
A bright, toothpaste-ad smile lit up her face.
AJs chest tightened. Emma looked so lighthearted and happy. She should smile more.
He joined her on the porch. Us?
Somethingnot panic, perhaps surpriseflashed in her eyes. My, um, older brother.
My younger brothers and I played on Grandmas old swing all the time. Had to fix it more than once after climbing and hanging off the chains. He set the cat carrier on the porch. We used to stand on the backrest and swing to see how high we could go. We also jumped off the seat to see if we could clear the porch rail and bushes.
She leaned over the rail as if estimating the distance down to the lawn. Sounds dangerous.
He bit back a laugh. You sound like a nanny.
Occupational hazard. Her amused gaze met his. But you cant tell me no one got hurt.
He pointed under his chin. I have a scar to show for the fun we had. My youngest brother, Grady, has two.
Your poor grandmother.
She didnt mind. Now our mom
The front door opened.
Youre here. His grandma stood in the doorway. She wore a pair of light blue pants and a white peasant blouse. All five feet of short gray curls and sharp blue eyes barreled toward him like a stampeding water buffalo, albeit a baby one. Youre finally home.
Not his home. He lived in Seattle. But the excitement in her voice reminded AJ that this visit wasnt about him.
AJ hugged his grandmother. Her rose-scented perfume smelled sweeter than when shed visited him in Seattle. Its not like you gave me a choice, Grandma.
She tsked, stepped back and assessed him from head to toe. I like the long hair, but you need the ends trimmed. Go visit Monty at the barbershop. Hell fix you right up.
AJ shook his head. Nice to see you, too, Grandma.
Emma laughed under her breath.
Grandmother. He motioned to his new assistant, who stood with a patient smile on her face and her arm half-extended toward his grandmother. Id like you to meet
Is he here? A high-pitched female voice called from inside the house. Grandmother Cole? Is he?
AJ is here. Grandma leaned closer, lowering her voice. Risa has been waiting for you to arrive all morning. Her youngest sister is here, too. And she cant wait to meet the illustrious and incredibly wealthy AJ Cole.
Danger-up-ahead infused his grandmothers tone. His gut clenched. Hed heard about his sister-in-laws matchmaking from his sister Bailey. Two brothers and his youngest sister, Camden, had been targeted over the holidays last year, making Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners uncomfortable. I thought her sister lived far away.
Hawaii, Grandma said. But I suppose meeting a billionaire was worth the expense of a trip to the mainland.
Crap. AJ blew out a puff of air. Matchmaking friends and relatives were as bad as a case of chicken pox. Enough women wanted a piece of his bank account. He didnt need an in-law giving one of her sisters a push or inside access to him. On a rare vacation. That he already dreaded. This was not-not-not going to happen.
.
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