Page 53 of An Unexpected Match
Now what was she going to tell him?
She got her phone and quickly dialed him.
“Is everything all right there? I tried calling you several times. All I got was your voice mail or the answering machine.”
“Everything’s fine. I was, uh, studying. I have finals this week, you know. One tomorrow.”
“You can’t be too busy studying to pick up the phone and tell me you can’t talk?”
She was silent. She should have done that.
“I didn’t mean to have you worry. I’m sorry.” There, she had to get that out.
“What’s going on?”
She couldn’t tell him. The last thing he’d want to hear was his children’s nanny was falling for him. That she had to protect her heart the only way she knew. Yet what else would keep him from pressing her?
“Arden?”
“I really don’t have time to talk, Brendan. I really need to study. Everyone is fine. The girls went to bed on time and we had a great day. The mural is almost finished. But I have to go now. Goodnight.”
“Wait. Arden, what time is your final tomorrow?”
“Ten.”
“Good, you’ll be finished before three, right?”
“I’ll be finished before noon. Why?”
“Can you pick me up at the airport? I’ll be arriving at three o’clock on the flight in from Washington. Larry’s staying on until Friday, so I need a ride home,” he said, referring to the employee he’d made the trip with. He gave her the name of the airline he was flying.
“Okay, we’ll be there. I have to go.”
She hung up, her heart racing. He’d be home tomorrow. And then what? All efforts tonight to avoid hearing his voice were futile. What would she do when he was home again?
Arden and the girls arrived at the airport a few minutes past three. They stopped in front of the baggage claim area. She hoped she could stay until he came out. The airport police were strict on the no parking policy.
“Where’s Daddy?” Hailey asked.
“He’ll be coming out of one of these doors any minute now,” she said. Arden had double checked the updated information for his flight and knew it was on time.
She felt anticipation rise as first one, then two and three people began walking out of the automatic doors.
Two businessmen hurried out, briefcases in hand.
A family.
Then Brendan.
He saw the car immediately and headed there.
“Hi, Daddy.” Hailey called, waving.
“Daddy,” Avery shrieked, laughing. “Did you come on an airplane? We saw airplanes flying!”
“I did. It landed a few minutes ago.”
He put his carry-on bag in the trunk and opened the back door to lean over to kiss each daughter, giving them a hug.
