“Of course.”
“I ordered a new SUV for our nanny to use. Figured it would be easier for wear and tear and gas mileage. I need to pick it up. I’ve got a credit card for expenses, too.”
My statements weren’t entirely true. When I first saw Hallie’s sedan, a pit had formed in my stomach. It didn’t look like it should’ve survived the trip out here, let alone stay on the road during a winter storm in Cedar Ridge.
Hallie’s eyes widened. “Oh. I guess that makes things easier.”
“You’re welcome to use it all the time. It’ll probably do better in the snow than a sedan, given the specialty tires and four-wheel drive.”
She toyed with her seat belt. “I did kind of wonder about my car’s ability to make it up your driveway in the snow.”
I grinned, grateful I wasn’t facing a battle. “It’s definitely a bit more rustic than Chicago.”
“I should probably trade in my car for an SUV.”
I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel as I turned onto Main Street. “There’s plenty of time for that. And this will give you a chance to test one out.”
The truth was, I wasn’t sure Hallie’s sedan would get much as a trade-in. But I knew that living in the guest cabin with the salary I was paying her, she’d probably be able to save up for a safe, reliable car in a matter of months.
Her fingers released their hold on the seat belt. “True. I’ve never driven a big car before.”
“It only takes a couple of days to get used to. And it comes in handy with three boys who start brawling if they’re in too close of proximity to one other.”
I caught a flash of a smile out of the corner of my eye. “They actually seem like they get along pretty well.”
I grunted. “Sometimes.”
Her smile widened. “Siblings.”
“So very true.” It was a miracle that my brothers and sister and I had made it through childhood relatively unscathed.
I glanced over at Hallie as I slowed to a stop at a red light. She stared out the window at the passing scenery. It seemed to hold her captive as if she’d never seen anything more beautiful.
“Is the guest cabin treating you okay? Heat good? Bed comfortable?” I wanted to kick myself the moment the wordbedleft my lips. The image of white-blond hair splayed across a pillow filled my mind. Of Hallie tangled in those sheets.
Her gaze flicked to me. “It’s perfect.”
“I just saw your light on pretty early.” It was none of my business, but I couldn’t help but wonder why she’d been up before dawn.
Shadows swirled in Hallie’s gray depths, her expression closing down. I wanted to take back my words, erase every syllable. Anything to get back the look of wonder that had been on her face moments ago and clear away the pain that filled it now.
She forced a smile. Everything about it was fake. Wrong. “I guess I was just excited for my first day. Woke up before my alarm.”
It was a lie. I’d been working in law enforcement long enough to know. I hated the deception between us, but she didn’t owe me the truth. She didn’t know me. Not really. I was her boss. And someone she’d barely met years ago. “Better get to bed early tonight. Don’t want to get run-down. Trust me when I say that the elementary school germs are vicious.”
A hint of a laugh escaped Hallie’s lips. “I am very familiar with those from my last job. So, hopefully, I’ve got a bit of immunity.”
I kept the conversation light as we traveled the rest of the way to Brookdale—anything to avoid seeing that pain on Hallie’s face again. As I pulled into the Chevrolet dealership, Hallie’s fingers tightened around her purse straps. Her gaze jumped around as if she expected someone to pop out and attack her.
Knowing she lived with that every single day killed something in me.
I pulled into a parking spot but left the engine running. “You okay?”
Hallie bobbed her head. “Good.” But her voice was strangled as if she could barely get the word out.
I shifted in my seat and turned to face her. “It’s okay if there are things you aren’t comfortable with. We’ll just pivot.”
Her eyes glistened, and she swallowed hard. “How did you know?”
