Ami Weaver - The Nanny's Christmas Wish

A joyful bark broke the spell.

“Ah. Well, we’d better get inside,” Josh said and nearly leaped out of the SUV.

She shut her eyes for a moment. The past two weeks had slipped by so smoothly. No awkward moments like this one, where the inappropriate attraction reared its ugly head. She’d managed to convince herself it had gone away.

So much for that.

Maggie inhaled deeply as she got out of the vehicle, as if the extra air would squish the butterflies that rioted in her belly. She needed to settle her pulse before she went in to face Josh’s mother and the woman’s very sharp eyes.

Before she could take two steps, Cody and Riley barreled around the front end of the SUV.

“This is Riley,” Cody announced, his fingers trailing down the dog’s spine. “Wanna pet him?”

Riley plunked his rear down in the gravel and wagged his tail. Maggie rubbed her hand between the dog’s big ears. “He’s a nice boy,” she said. “Isn’t he?”

“Yeah. He’s my friend. C’mon, Riley, let’s go play!” Boy and dog raced off.

She started toward the house and faltered. Josh stood between her and the door, hands in his pockets, his pensive gaze fixed where Cody and Riley had disappeared. For a wild second she wished she could go over and slip her arms around him, but that ended in a wave of guilt. She wanted to bang her head on the nearest hard surface. What was wrong with her? He couldn’t be more off-limits, widowed or not. He’d been married to her half sister. The fact she’d never known Lucy didn’t make it right.

* * *

Josh saw Maggie’s indecision, appreciated it. Best if they forgot about the thing in the truck just now. If he forgot how badly he’d wanted to lean a little closer, capture her lips with his own. See if she tasted as sweet as she smelled.

Too bad it was impossible. Thinking how much Lucy would have loved to see Cody roughhousing with Riley put a quick damper on his inappropriate emotions.

He shook off the melancholy thoughts as Maggie closed the distance between them and tried to act normal.

“Like Riley?”

He sensed her relax a fraction. “I do. What is he, part shepherd?”

“And a lot of other things.” They started walking again and Josh noted she kept a few extra inches between them. Just as well. “At the shelter, they weren’t quite sure what all he had in him.”

“A pedigree’s not all it’s cracked up to be.” Her tone was light, but he caught an undertone of something darker in her words. Referring, maybe, to the ex-husband? That had been a bit of a shock. Not that she’d been married, but that some stupid guy had let her go.

Before he could formulate a reply, Ellen opened the front door and waved. “Hurry up, you two! Cody and Riley will eat all the cookies if you don’t get in here.”

“What, there’s cookies? Before dinner? I’m there.” Josh heard Maggie’s soft giggle at his words and something that had been coiled tightly inside him loosened and warmed.

“Well, we’ve got company, and Halloween is two days away. Good excuse as any to bake.” Ellen gave Maggie a quick hug before stepping aside. “Good to see you, honey. Come on in.”

Josh followed the women inside, took Maggie’s coat and his own to the entry closet. He caught a whiff of her perfume, something light and fruity, from the shearling jacket she’d worn. He resisted the urge to bury his face in it and inhale.

So different from the heavy, provocative scents Lucy had favored.

He shoved the jackets in the closet and closed the door a little harder than necessary. Two things he knew. One, no more guilty comparisons allowed today. And two, leaving his matchmaking mother alone with Maggie for too long was not a good plan.

* * *

Later that evening, Maggie tied the laces of her running shoes, then leaned on the foyer wall to stretch her calves. She needed a good hard run to get the whole afternoon out of her system.

As enjoyable as it’d been, she couldn’t shake the sense she’d been handpicked for Josh as much as Cody. Ellen, bless her, hadn’t exactly been subtle with her comments and questions. The older woman clearly thought the time had come for her son to move on. Maggie knew she wasn’t the right woman for Josh, even if she couldn’t tell Ellen why.

He’d held her at arm’s length all afternoon, clearly wanting to discourage his mother. It hadn’t worked but it had helped Maggie feel better. Sort of. Considering they’d gone from that moment of...whatever it had been in the truck to being simply polite and civil. She felt a little whiplashed and it was her own fault.

So. She needed to clear her head.

She tugged down the hem of her bright pink hoodie and opened the front door. Josh and Cody had settled down in the family room to watch Cars, Cody’s favorite movie. Their laughter and the buttery scent of fresh popcorn followed her outside even as she tried to quash the longing to join them.

She headed down the block, toward town, past houses all decked out for Halloween, with orange lights and scarily fun decorations. A few already sported carved pumpkins.

Josh’s street ended three blocks down at the town square. Another block or so over and she’d be on the water. A trail did follow the lake, but since it was nearing dark she opted to stick to the sidewalks. She reveled in the heat of her muscles and the pound of her shoes as she fell into the familiar rhythm. She let her mind go blank and just enjoyed the moment, the bite of the evening air, the breeze on her face, the bounce of her ponytail on her back.

Four miles later, she spotted another jogger on the same course, coming at her. She dropped to a cool-down walk as the other person approached. Maggie recognized her as the woman who lived down the block from Josh in the house that was undergoing a renovation.

“Hi,” she said, and the other woman smiled and swung around to walk with her.

“Hi. We finally meet, I see.” She held out one paint-splattered hand. “It’s dry, I promise,” she added with a laugh. “I’m Hannah McKay. I meant to get down and introduce myself earlier but I’ve been swamped.”

“Maggie Thelan.” She released Hannah’s hand and shoved a damp tendril of hair off her forehead. “Cody Tanner’s nanny. Do you know the Tanners?”

Hannah nodded. “I do. Mrs. Herman used to bring Cody down to the park on the corner almost every day.”

“We haven’t made it there yet, but I plan to. You’re remodeling?”

Hannah blew out a breath. “I am. I’m hoping to turn it into a bed-and-breakfast by next summer. It needs...well, it needs some love. No other way to put it.”

Maggie pictured the imposing structure with its peeling paint and sagging porch. “I guess it does.”

Hannah followed her train of thought. “The outside looks scary, but it’s in better condition than you think. Anytime you have a few extra moments you should stop over and I’ll show you. I can always use another perspective. Not to mention the help.”

“I’d like that,” Maggie said, delighted. “Are you doing this all by yourself?”

Hannah closed her eyes for an instant. “Yes. Yes, I am,” she said. “Anyway, just knock. I’m always there. Except for when I’m at the home center,” she added thoughtfully. “Which seems to take a good amount of my time. And money.”

Maggie laughed. “Yeah, I bet.”

“All right then. I’m serious. Come down anytime.”

The prospect of a friend was heartening. “You know, I just might take you up on that.”

“Please do. It was really nice to finally meet you.” Hannah gave a little wave and turned around to continue on her run, her short blond ponytail bouncing. Maggie continued to head for home, her heart a little lighter.