I tucked Tommy in, then went across the hall to do the same for Sarah, but she wasn’t in bed. With a frown, I searched the house for her. Just when I was beginning to worry, I found her asleep in my bed. She was clutching the picture of Telissa I kept on my nightstand.
I sighed and made my way over to her. The last thing I wanted to do was disturb her sleep, but I couldn’t let her get in the habit of sleeping in my bed. When she was a toddler, she would only sleep sandwiched between Telissa and me. When Telissa was in the hospital, it was impossible to get Sarah down without hours of tears. I didn’t want to start that process all over again.
Carefully, I lifted her out of the bed and carried her to her room. She was still holding tight to the picture of her mom. My heart felt heavy at the sight of her precious little fingers holding the photo. I thought about pulling it from her grasp, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. She needed it more than I did.
I kissed her forehead and then tiptoed out of the room, grateful to finally be alone in a quiet house. As I made my way downstairs, my mind turned once again to thoughts of Emily. Her voice was so enticing. I could have sat on the phone with her for hours, just listening to the rise and fall of her words. As I remembered our conversation, I felt that same tug in my stomach from before, and I quickly pushed it away.
Sinking down on the couch, I sighed and shook my head. There was no use daydreaming about Emily or her voice. No matter how sexy she sounded or even how sexy she might look, I couldn’t date again. I had thought that Telissa was the love of my life, but then she broke my heart and left us. All of it fucked me up on so many levels.
After everything I’d been through, I didn’t have it in me to let someone else in. I wasn’t sure I ever would or could.
My back slowly relaxed into the couch, and my eyes began to droop. I thought about dragging myself upstairs, but I was too comfortable to move. My mind was still racing as I flashed between what I imagined Emily to look like and my memoires of Telissa. Just picturing my wife’s face was enough to make me forget about Emily completely. Emily’s voice had piqued my interest, but one thing would always be true: she wasn’t Telissa.
I finally fell asleep, with thoughts of my wife floating through my mind. I didn’t know if I would ever move on or let go of her memory, but I did know that dating just wasn’t in the cards. Not for me. Not yet. Not for a very long time.
CHAPTER FOUR - EMILY
Tuesday morning arrived, and I found myself parked outside the Evans’s house. Given my current financial situation, I was relieved in the prospect of locating a stable job that involved children. I was also a little shocked that the very man Janie and I were joking about called me to offer me a job in his home. In any other part of the country, it would be a farfetched scenario, but in my tiny town, it was actually plausible.
The house was a beautiful, large colonial. It was evident that whoever this man was, he had good taste and was loaded. I still had ten minutes before Sean was expecting me, so I waited in my car for the time to pass.
The garage door opened so hard it slammed against the house’s exterior. The sound of it made me jump, leaving me to feel a little foolish. I was just glad no one else had seen my reaction.
An incredibly handsome guy with thick shoulders and a well-trimmed beard emerged from the doorway with trash bags gripped in both fists. The garbage must have been heavy because I could see his muscles flexing beneath his thin white T-shirt. He threw the bags easily into the garbage bins.
He must have been finishing up some last-minute tidying up around the house before my arrival. He pulled his arms behind him like he was stretching his back, and it had the pleasant effect of making his shirt cling to him like a second skin. His broad, masculine chest lit a warmth inside me.
Fuck. How long had it been since I’d been close to a hot guy? Shit, any guy for that matter? I sure as hell hadn’t ever been with a guy that hot, or ripped. Only in my dreams.
My eyes followed the hard lines of his torso down to where the hem of his shirt had risen above his stomach. His jeans hung low on his hips, exposing the V-shaped muscles of his abdomen.
My mouth watered at the sight of him and I couldn’t help but wonder how he looked with the jeans thrown in the corner and his undies pooled on the floor beneath him.
Get ahold of yourself, Emily.
I giggled to myself at my train of thought. Clearly, I needed a boyfriend if the mere sight of a good-looking guy got me all hot and bothered.
The man turned his face in my direction. “Hello?” he called out.
Oh God.
I hoped he hadn’t noticed me eye-banging him from my car like some pervert.
He walked toward me.
“You must be Sean,” I said when he arrived to my car door.
“Right,” he said gruffly. “Emily?”
“Yes.” I nodded but my voice faltered slightly. Janie’s description of him didn’t do him justice. Sean was incredibly handsome. His dark hair was cut casually, and his eyes were a deep, probing blue. He had an air of confidence about him that I found both incredibly sexy and also a little intimidating. I didn’t quite know how to behave around someone who came from a big city, they always seemed more worldly than anyone from this tiny town.
“You brought your resume I assume?”
“Yes, I have it right here.” I took the sheet of paper out of the folder in my purse and handed it to him. “I typically find that the best way for you see if I’d be a good fit for your family, is just to jump in and show you what my routine with the kids would be,” I said.
He flicked his eyes briefly to my face before returning them to my resume. Jesus, this guy was a tough sell.
As he read of the paper, I sat in my car awkwardly and I couldn’t help but feel like he regarded me with some suspicion, or was I imagining it? His voice had been near desperate on the phone yesterday, but now that I stood in front of him, his tone and demeanor suggested arrogance and borderline annoyance even.
“Come in,” Sean said shortly.
I smiled and exited my car, then followed him inside, my eyes roaming over his body. He was tall, much taller than me. It was obvious he took care of himself. As I looked at him, my cheeks flushed. I shook my head and tried to pull myself together. Marveling at the sexiness of my potential boss was not the best way to start my new job. His attitude was probably for the best. It would keep me focused on what I was there for, which was the kids.
“How’s your morning going so far?” I asked, keeping my voice light and casual.
Sean shrugged. “Fine. The kids only just woke up.”
Sure enough, when we walked into the living room, I saw the kids sitting at the kitchen table. They were both still in pajamas. When they turned to look at me, there was trepidation in their eyes that I wasn’t used to. Most kids either looked overjoyed to meet the new caretaker, or they had a troublemaking glint in their eyes. These kids possessed neither. Instead, they simply eyed me closely, waiting for me to speak.
“Tommy,” Sean said. “Sarah. This is Emily.”
I smiled and walked over to sit down with them at the table. I’d found that it was easiest to just make myself comfortable. If I dawdled around awkwardly, the kids became more nervous.
“It’s so nice to meet you guys,” I said brightly.
“You too,” Tommy said politely. His cheeks were red, and his eyes darted between the table and my face.
“So,” I said. “Anyone hungry? How about some breakfast?”
“You can cook?” Tommy asked, surprised.
“I can,” I said proudly. “In fact, don’t tell anyone this, okay?”
“Okay.” Tommy nodded eagerly.
“I make the best french toast in Telluride,” I said, keeping my voice low and conspiratorial.
“You do?” Tommy asked, his eyes wide.
“Why’s that a secret?” Sarah asked sharply.
I looked at her with a smile, happy that she was finally speaking.
“Because,” I said. “If anyone else found out, they would break down my door every morning just to get some. I can’t have that, can I?”
“I bet they aren’t that good,” Sarah said.