Page 25 of Always Be Mine
Craig looked at Lucy as she studied the list he’d made. He watched as her brows wrinkled together a little. He took in the way she tapped her finger against her temple as she read.
Yes.
His gut told him this was a good thing. He needed to trust it.
The only other option was to go through a nanny service to find a candidate, and that could take months, with no guarantee that they’d find anyone better suited. Besides, both his sisters were on call in case anything went sideways—which it wouldn’t—but it made him feel better knowing they were there.
“Do you have any questions?” He nodded toward the list.
“Yes.” She looked up at him, her blue eyes wide. “Lots.”
“Lots?”
“Oh yeah.” She slid the paper away. “I mean, I don’t really know much about how this all works, but…I do think I should know things like what Meri’s favorite foods are. What types of things she likes to do after school. Maybe, who her friends are.”
“Oh.”
He’d written down the names and phone numbers of his brothers and sisters, the family doctor and the school. He’d noted the start time and pick-up times for school every day, and he’d even remembered to write down what days Meri needed to bring a snack. But he hadn’t considered any of the details Lucy was asking about.
“I didn’t even think about?—”
His voice caught in his throat when Lucy placed her hand on his arm. “I’m teasing,” she said with a smile that lit up her face. “I’m sure Meri and I are going to be just fine, and we’ll figure out all the little things together. It’s going to be fun.”
Craig looked at his arm, and her hand resting there, but didn’t pull away. When was the last time a woman besides his sisters touched him like that? Too long to even begin to remember. And even longer since he’d felt that flip in his stomach.
He swallowed hard and pulled his arm away. The last thing he needed on top of everything else going on was to feel any kind of flips when it came to Lucy.
“Look at the time.” He glanced at the clock on the microwave. “It’s time to wake up the little princess now. And you’ll see firsthand how chaotic the morning can be.”
Lucy tipped her head in question. Or was it doubt? The last thing Craig needed was for her to second-guess this entire arrangement before it even began.
“Ninety percent of the time, Meri is a total sweetheart.”
“And the other ten?”
He grinned. “Let’s just say that every once in a while, I get a vision of what her teen years might be like.” Craig winked and gestured for Lucy to follow him down the hall to Meri’s room to start the wake-up process.
Lucy watched from the door while Craig flipped the switch on the wall, flooding the room with bright light before pulling the curtains to the side. “Rise and shine, kiddo.”
The little figure piled under a mountain of stuffed animals groaned and flipped over. “Nooo.”
He’d hoped for Lucy’s sake that maybe this would be one of the mornings when Meri jumped out of bed with a smile on her face, but it only took a few seconds to realize that wasn’t the case. Oh well, maybe it was best for Lucy to witness the darkest side of his little princess right off the bat.
“Come on, Meri. We don’t want to be late for school again. Besides, we have a special visitor today.”
Mid-groan, Meri stopped, and he watched as her little head lifted from her pillow in curiosity. Craig had spent the weekend telling his daughter about how Lucy was going to be spending more time with them and hanging out with her before and after school. She’d been excited about thepurple ladywhen they discussed it. He hoped she remembered that excitement now, or it would be a very long morning.
“Good morning, Meri.” Lucy walked across the room, dodging the toys that had been left out the night before. Craig watched as she crouched next to the bed and lifted an elephant from the pile of stuffies on Meri’s bed. “This little guy is so cute. What’s his name?”
It was the right thing to say. Meri popped up instantly and began to introduce Lucy to each of her plush animals. Craig tried not to look at his watch, but they’d already spent too much time talking in the kitchen, and despite his best efforts, they were once again running late.
As if she’d read his mind, or maybe the low-level anxiety in the room, Lucy shifted gears easily. “How about after school, you can tell me all about them and maybe we can have a tea party with your favorites.”
“They’re all my favorites,” Meri said with complete seriousness.
“Of course they are. Now, why don’t we get ready for school while your dad gets some breakfast ready?” Lucy glanced in Craig’s direction for confirmation, but he was already nodding as a smile crept across his face.
Yes.He’d made a very good decision.
