Page 11 of An Unexpected Match
Arden’s indignation died instantly at the bleak tone in his voice. It sounded to her like the women in Brendan’s life had spoiled him rotten. But she hadn’t been hired to be a maid. Just to watch the girls and take care of them. And teach them.
One thing she’d be sure to teach them was they were not on this earth to wait on men.
Unless, of course, they wanted to. Like his Lannie apparently had. And his sister.
“Well.”
She didn’t know what to say. Her temper was quick to flare, but never stayed hot for long.
“If setting the table becomes an issue, I’ll do it when I’m home. But you can’t quit.” The steel in his voice warned her not to push her luck.
“Okay.”
Clearing her throat, Arden tried to smile. “Sometimes I get a bit hot-headed and blurt out things I don’t always mean. Not that I didn’t mean that about not working for a Neanderthal because I did, but maybe there are extenuating circumstances here.”
“Run that by me again?” Brendan said, looking perplexed.
She laughed nervously and shook her head. Picking up the spoon, she stirred the sauce once more, checked on the noodles and glanced at the oven. The savory aroma of hot garlic bread filled the room. She prayed the heat in her cheeks didn’t show.
“Never mind. It’s not important, except I’m sorry I jumped to conclusions. Dinner is ready,” she said quickly.
In the end, everyone picked up forks and plates in the kitchen and each carried their own to the table.
Wondering what other pitfalls lay ahead, Arden waited until the children began to eat before looking at Brendan from beneath her lashes. She couldn’t react so impetuously every time something came up. She needed this job. He paid her salary. He had the right to dictate the rules of his household.
And she had signed on for three years.
“Maybe we should get together tonight after the children are in bed and go over some ground rules. Ella reviewed their schedule with me, but I have some questions and suggestions. And obviously I need to learn a bit more about you and how your family operates before I make another gaff like earlier,” she said in what she thought was a reasonable tone.
He nodded. “Fine. As soon as you get the girls in bed, come back down and we’ll talk.”
“Aren’t you going to tuck them in, or is this another aspect of woman’s work? Exactly what do you do with these kids, Mr. Ferguson?”
Chapter Three
Brendan looked at Arden, feeling the condemnation in her gaze. Who was she to pass judgment on the way he ran his household? She had only moved in yesterday.Sheworked forhim. It was up to her to accommodate herself to his schedule, not for him to change his ways.
“Lannie took care of child raising. She said that was her job, just as I have mine. Besides, if I start routines, then disrupt them because of being called away, it’s more unsettling for the girls.”
“Kids are resilient, they can adapt.”
“The way we have things set up works for us,” he said with finality.
If he’d spoken to one of the men at work in that tone, they’d have immediately complied, not talked back.
“Maybe it works, but it doesn’t sound real joyful,” she muttered.
Brendan refrained from making a reply. Arden was nothing like his wife. Lannie had been the first to suggest his unscheduled departures could disrupt young lives. Nothing had changed when Ella took over. He still made trips, worked late, and couldn't count on being home at the same time every day.
Ironically, Lannie had been the one to die. His job was occasionally dangerous, there was no denying that. But instead of his leaving her a widow, Lannie had left him. And with their two little girls.
He missed the soothing routines she’d established. Her arms greeting him. He missed her.
Now, instead of her warm smile opposite him at the table, he had a stranger glaring at him.
“What?” he asked.
Had he missed something?
