Susan Crosby - The Single Dad's Virgin Wife

“Do you space out often?” he asked, his voice laced with surprising humor. “Should I worry for my children’s safety?”

Her eyes were dry from not blinking. “You won’t regret that your brother hired me,” she said, wondering if it was true.

“David may have done the prelims, but I hired you. And my children. If any one of us had objected, you wouldn’t be coming back.”

“Of course,” she said, then shifted into reverse. “Until Sunday.”

He backed away, but he was still standing in the driveway when she looked in her rearview mirror before she turned onto the road. Maybe she’d been lying when she’d told him he wouldn’t regret hiring her, because he may well be sorry. She was pretty sure she was different from any other teacher he’d hired before.

And she knew he was different from any boss she’d had.

Standing in the kitchen, Noah watched his children say goodbye to Jessica, who had been their nanny for several months. Usually a changing of the guard, as Tricia had called it, was cause for moping and silent recrimination from the kids, but not this time. This time they said their goodbyes and let her leave, rather than following her outside to wave to her as her car pulled away.

They always liked their nannies. That was never the issue. The problem was that the nannies didn’t usually like him. It hadn’t been any different with Jessica, apparently, although she’d never indicated any problem before quitting. Even then she’d told his brother, not him, that she was leaving.

Noah knew he had a problem dealing with his help. He’d been giving it a lot of thought the past couple of days, analyzing the situation, trying to figure out how not to lose another nan—teacher. He should get used to calling Tricia that, since she seemed to prefer it.

He wondered why none of the other nannies had said anything about the job title. Maybe because they’d just graduated from college and hadn’t taught in a classroom yet. He liked that Tricia had classroom experience. If she could handle twenty kids at one time, she must be able to handle four. Especially four, quiet, easygoing, uniformly bright children.

Not that he was biased or anything….

Margie would’ve liked her. Probably would’ve been a little intimidated by her, too, but his late wife would’ve liked Tricia’s easy way with the kids and her refusal to back down—something he wasn’t sure he liked. He was used to being in charge, at work and at home. There was room for only one boss in any situation. He didn’t tolerate clashes of authority.

“She’s gone,” Adam announced, looking out the window as the car disappeared, then he glanced at Noah. “When will Miss Tricia be here, Father?”

Father jarred Noah now, since Tricia had brought it up. “She said five o’clock.”

Which meant he had to figure out what to do with his children until then. Well, technically after then, too, since she wouldn’t be on the clock. He hadn’t even planned dinner.

He realized all four children were watching him, waiting. “Did you have something to say?” he asked, his gaze sweeping across them then landing on Ashley.

“We would like to have a family meeting,” she said, her expression serious.

He shifted into head-of-the-family mode. “All right. Why don’t we go into the family room?”

Their footsteps sounded behind him, seeming loud in their conversation-free trek. Even Adam was quiet, a rarity.

Noah sat in what was considered his chair, an oversize lounger that faced the television he rarely had time to watch. Each child took his or her usual seat on the sofa and other chairs.

“What’s on your mind?” he asked the room at large.

“We think it’s time for some changes around here,” Ashley answered, all business.

“What kind of changes?”

“We counted up the nannies we’ve had. Seven.”

That many? He knew there’d been a lot. And that didn’t include his mother-in-law coming to stay for the first few months after Margie died.

“We’re kind of tired of figuring out someone new all the time,” Ashley said.

“I understand that. What do you think can be done about it?”

“We think you should smile more,” she said without smiling.

“Smile more?” he repeated, confused.

“Not at us, Father. At Miss Tricia. Miss Jessica was scared of you.”

Scared? Really? He liked order but was surprised he was feared. “I’ll try,” he said, adding it to his mental list of things to be aware of if he didn’t want to lose Tricia as an employee. “What else?”

Ashley continued. “We want Miss Tricia to eat dinner with us, not in her room like Miss Jessica and the others.”

Noah was fascinated with this new, mature daughter of his. “Why?”

“Because we think if she feels like she’s part of our family, she’ll be happier.”

“You like her that much?”

“She seems okay. We just don’t want another change.”

“Yes, I know you’re tired of it all.”

Her hands folded in her lap, Ashley sat up a little straighter. “We also don’t think you should argue with Miss Tricia about anything.”

An improvisation, he decided, trying not to smile. “I can’t guarantee that. We are bound to disagree on some things. And you are my children, not hers. I know what’s best for you.”

They all looked at each other. Had they always done that or was it something recent? They seemed to be more attuned than before. Each set of twins shared a connection that had always been obvious, but not in combination with the other set. He figured they must be desperate, to face him like this, presenting a united front.

“Then please be nice and smile at her when you argue,” Zach said, fixing Noah with a stare.

Laughter rose inside his chest. He couldn’t let it escape or they wouldn’t believe he was taking their concerns seriously. “I’ll be nice.”

“Thank you.”

Noah leaned his arms on his thighs and looked at each of them until they each looked back. “Now. Is there something you’d like different for yourselves, not for Miss Tricia?”

Zoe raised her hand. “I want a swimming pool.”

“Basketball court,” Adam added.

Noah did smile then. How easily their focus changed. “Nice try.”

Zach jumped out of his chair and raced to the window at the sound of a car coming down the driveway. “She’s—Nope. It’s Uncle David.”

“Alone?”

“No. Valerie and Hannah, too.”

Three of the children raced off to greet their uncle, his fiancée and her eight-year-old daughter, Hannah. Ashley lingered, moving more slowly with Noah toward the kitchen.

“Something else on your mind?” he asked.

She shrugged.

“Talk to me,” he said, stopping just outside the kitchen door, his hand on her arm to keep her there, too.

“Can we watch the videos of Mom again sometime soon?”

“You know where they are. You’re welcome to watch them anytime.”

“I mean as a family.”

He didn’t know if he wanted to bring back all that pain. He’d stopped watching the videos when he realized they hurt more than helped. “Do the others want to watch, too?”

“Not Zach.”

Which didn’t surprise Noah. Zach kept the most inside.

“Okay. We’ll do it tonight.”

“Not tonight,” she said in a hurry as the kitchen door opened and everyone came in, talking and laughing. “I’ll tell you when, okay?”

“Sure.” He was grateful for the reprieve.

Suddenly the kitchen teemed with people, then the kids all took off upstairs with their cousin-to-be Hannah in tow.

“We brought dinner,” Valerie said, as David set a covered casserole in the oven and a bowl in the refrigerator.