“How’s it going?” Nellie stopped by with two pieces of huckleberry pie.
“I don’t know how you did it, but looks like she’s hired.” Holt didn’t smile, but the tension that had been hovering around us had eased a little.
Nellie clapped her hands together. “I just knew the two of you would make a good team. Maybe next time I have a suggestion, you won’t fight me tooth and nail?”
Holt rolled his eyes. “Let’s be honest. Not all of your suggestions have been good ones. Remember that time you sent me and my brothers to pick huckleberries when we were supposed to be doing fire training?”
“How was I to know a mama bear had decided to have her cubs next to my secret huckleberry patch?” Nellie shook her head and shrugged. “One bad idea, and he’ll never let me forget it.”
I tried not to smile. My Grandma Alice and Nellie had been best friends since first grade. I’d always enjoyed spending time with Nellie and her husband when I came to town to visit my grandparents. Even though she’d never had kids and her husband had passed years ago, she still mothered everyone in town. Always had, and probably always would.
“Now, you two finish hashing out the details. I’m going to get Lane a piece of pie of his own. Take your time.” She bustled off toward the pastry case.
“No whipped cream,” Holt called out after her. Then he shifted his gaze toward me. “Lane doesn’t like the texture. He’s got some quirks like that.”
“We all have quirks, right?” I smiled, hoping to dissolve a little more of the tension between us. “Some kids have issues with taste or texture when it comes to certain foods. Do you have a list of the things he likes and doesn’t like?”
He stabbed the piece of pie with his fork and stared at his plate. “I’ll write it all down for you.”
“That would be great. When would you like me to start?” I needed to be careful with Holt. It could be difficult for a parent to let someone else come in and help take care of their kid. Especially when the kid had extra challenges. I’d seen moms and dads get very defensive when they thought someone might be judging them for the way they handled things at home.
“How about tomorrow?” He slid the fork into his mouth, and his lips closed around the bite of pie. A shiver raced down my spine as I watched him chew. Was I really about to take a job for a man who sent my ovaries into overdrive?
Forcing any hint of attraction deep down in my gut, I nodded. “Tomorrow works great. Can you text me your address, so I know where to go?”
“What’s your number?” He pulled out his phone. It looked like a kid’s toy in his giant palm.
I rattled off my number and a few seconds later, my phone pinged.
“See you at seven?”
“Sounds good.” I was just getting ready to ask for more information about Lane’s routine when Holt picked up his plate and fork.
“Now that we’ve got that settled, I’m going to head back to Lane. See you tomorrow.” He stood, half-eaten piece of pie in hand, that distant cold look back in his eyes.
“Do you want to introduce us now? Having a stranger show up in the morning and telling him we’re going to be spending the whole day together could throw him off.” And I’d really rather start off on the right foot. It would make it easier for all of us.
“I’d rather fill him in this afternoon and let him get used to the idea before the two of you meet. And I can work from home in the morning, so he has a chance to get comfortable before I leave.” He slid his phone into his back pocket, confident in his decision. “ See you then.”
Holt walked away, and I told myself I wouldn’t check out his backside as he went. I tried really hard. Even forced myself to focus on cutting off a bite of pie with the edge of my fork. But when I looked up, he was still moving away, his jeans stretched tight around muscular thighs. And the way they cupped his ass… my face flushed, and I reached for my water.
Nellie slid into the seat Holt had vacated. “Well? What do you think, hon?”
I thought I was in trouble, but I wasn’t about to admit it to Nellie. “Seems like he could use some help.”
“That man doesn’t need help, he needs a lifeline. Ever since Lane’s mama left, Holt’s been raising that boy by himself and trying to keep his head above water. Lane’s the sweetest kid, but he gets so overwhelmed. And we all know what happens when kids don’t get enough sleep.” She patted my hand. “You’re a godsend, Calla.”
I glanced over at Holt’s table. Lane had finished his lunch and was marching a toy dinosaur around the table, pretending to feed it the few fries left on his plate.
“Can you tell me anything I should know about Lane? Like what’s he interested in? Holt said he’d make me a list, but I’d rather show up prepared.” Nellie had told me she’d babysat Lane every once in a while, so I was counting on her to give me some insight.
“If you can talk about dinosaurs, you’ll have him from the get-go. That boy knows everything there is to know.” Nellie glanced over to the counter where an older man had lifted his hand. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to go refill some coffee.”
I sat there after she left and finished the best piece of pie I’d had in years while trying to keep my gaze from straying to the booth where Holt and Lane sat. I’d figured being a summer nanny in Hard Timber would be an easy gig. But there wasn’t anything easy about Holt Thorne.
While I watched, the two men stood, and Holt reached over to pick Lane up out of his chair. My heart squeezed as Lane threw his arms around his dad’s neck and rested his head on Holt’s shoulder. I had a tendency to get way too emotionally invested in the kids I’d worked with in the past. That wasn’t an option in this situation.
I had about six weeks to figure out how best to help Lane before school started. All of a sudden, that felt like not nearly enough time. But when I pictured being in Holt’s space, in his house, and spending time around his kid while trying to ignore his hot mountain man vibes, it felt like the summer might stretch on forever.
