Page 12 of An Unexpected Match
“Hailey asked if you liked spaghetti. It’s her favorite dinner,” Arden said. Her voice was calm, but fire flashed in her eyes.
“It is?” He looked at Hailey and smiled. “I love spaghetti, sweetheart. It was my favorite meal when I was a kid.”
“Arden let me help,” she said proudly.
“Good for Arden.”
His gaze met hers across the table and he nodded once. At least the girls seem to like her, and the first day was always difficult. Things would work out. They’d discuss the children and get things settled tonight. He would make this arrangement work. What choice did he have?
Some time later, Arden slipped from the girls’ bedroom and headed down the stairs. Brendan had come up to tuck them in, after all, and she wanted to give him this private time with his daughters. They were freshly scrubbed and looked adorable in matching nightgowns. The contrast between the small, feminine little girls and their rugged daddy tugged at her heart. She’d love to paint the three of them.
Maybe in that scenario, Brendan would be a warrior at rest, with adoring children at his side. In a garden, with his honed masculine body in stark contrast to the gentle flowers and serene setting.
She sat in a chair in the living room, truly relaxing for the first time that day. She missed her aunts. Maybe she’d run out tomorrow and see them. And take the girls. They’d love Eugenia and Love. She’d have to ask Brendan if she could have her aunts visit when he was gone. Aunt Love missed her kitchen, and Arden knew no one could resist her aunt’s baking. The girls would find it a special treat to bake cookies with her. Arden always had.
“What did you do with them today? They’re so tired, I think they were asleep before I closed their door. Didn’t they nap?” Brendan asked as he walked into the living room.
Marched in, more like it, Arden thought, sitting up and going on alert. Her fatigue fled. Suddenly, she felt more alive than ever.
“Of course, they took naps, but they had a busy day. We played in the yard this morning. Hide-and-seek is still lots of fun for them and with all the shrubbery and lawn furniture in the back, we had lots of places to hide.”
Brendan sat on the sofa, stretched out his long legs and leaned his head back, closing his eyes
“Hide-and-seek wore them out?”
“No. We also went for a walk to explore the neighborhood. I was hoping to find a park within walking distance so we could have a change of scenery from time to time, but we didn’t find one.”
Arden stopped and looked at him.
“Am I keeping you up? We could talk tomorrow if you’d rather.”
He opened one eye, shook his head, and closed it again.
“I’m not tired, I’m listening to you. I can concentrate better with my eyes shut. So no nearby park.”
“No, but it was a long walk. Then we had lunch and I read their new books while they lay on my bed. That’s when they fell asleep and slept for a couple of hours. After they woke up, we played ball in the backyard until I started dinner. I can get you some coffee or something. I didn’t bake today, but will once I get to the store and buy the ingredients. You have little in the cupboards.”
Brendan raised his head and opened his eyes.
“Did Ella show you where I keep the money for household expenses? Cash for groceries. I usually write checks for the bills. We need to get an account for you to sign on for the times when I’m gone.”
His gaze drifted down to her legs.
Arden shifted uneasily. Maybe she should have taken time to put on her stretch pants or a skirt. But the shorts were comfortable in the Virginia heat. The house was cooler now, but during the day, she’d left the windows open for the fresh air. It wasn’t yet full summer when it’d be too hot to ignore the air-conditioning.
Brendan’s gray eyes locked on hers.
“I’ll take a long lunch hour tomorrow and we’ll meet at the bank. Now about those ground rules you wanted to discuss,” Brendan said.
“It’s a matter of philosophy, I guess,” Arden said slowly. “You threw me for a loop with your comment about woman’s work tonight.”
“And hit a hot button.”
She nodded. “I was raised by two aunts who did everything at home, so I guess I believe everyone should pitch in. If you have different ideas, maybe we need to discuss them. If I can’t fit in, we should discover this before the girls become attached to me.”
Brendan nodded.
“Their mother and my own were full-time homemakers.”
