Chapter One
Dalton
The doorbell rang just as I was attempting to mop up the oatmeal splatter on the wall. Lilliana gave me a toothy grin and said, "Up."
I groaned, shifting my focus to cleaning off her face, figuring I could change her outfit as soon as the potential nanny was gone.
I lifted her into my arms, her sticky hands touching my beard. I'd forgotten to clean her fingers, but it was too late now.
The doorbell rang a second time.
I opened it to find my brother Cooper's nanny, Blake, standing on my doorstep looking well-rested and effortlessly casual in a sundress with a white purse slung across her body.
I resisted the urge to smell my armpits. I couldn't remember the last time I'd managed to shower. Maybe when Lilliana was with her mother.
My stomach rumbled. Had I remembered to eat this morning?
"We were just finishing up breakfast." I stepped away from the doorway so that she could enter the house.
"I can see that," Blake said with a knowing smile. "Would you like some help?"
"You're here for an interview." I hadn't decided if I should hire a nanny. It was Cooper's recommendation.
"Dalton, let me help." She held her hands out for Lilliana, who leaned in her direction.
"She's messy," I warned her, letting Lilliana go to Blake.
"Did you get any oatmeal in your mouth?" Blake asked animatedly.
Lilliana giggled, then touched Blake's face as if she was the most fascinating person on the planet.
I couldn't blame her. Anyone who was willing to pick up my daughter after a messy breakfast was amazing.
In the kitchen, I quickly wiped the high chair, the floor, and the walls, seeing remnants of other breakfasts there too. When I was finished, I glanced down at my shirt that had random glops of oatmeal covering it. "Do you mind if I change?"
"Not at all." Blake balanced Lilliana on her hip to wash her little hands in the sink.
I drew my shirt over my head and ducked into the laundry room which was just off the kitchen to throw it in the washing machine. I bit off a curse when I realized there weren't any clean clothes in here. I didn't have a choice; I'd have to go back into the kitchen without a shirt on.
"I put my shirt in the machine." I threw a thumb over my shoulders. "I'm going to grab a clean shirt from my room."
She swallowed hard. "Of course."
I took the stairs two at a time, convinced Blake thought this was the most unprofessional interview she'd ever been to. I grabbed a fresh navy-blue Kingston Construction T-shirt from my dresser and pulled it on.
I took the free time to brush my teeth and wash my face. Then I remembered to apply deodorant.
When Lilliana was here, my hygiene suffered. But I hadn't noticed until there was a beautiful woman in my kitchen. One I had no business even thinking about in that way. My focus should be on my daughter and not incurring the wrath of her mother, Oakley.
Downstairs, Blake sat on the living room floor with Lilliana, who was playing with her pink-and purple-kitchen set.
Blake raised her gaze. "Feel better?"
"Much," I said as I sat on the edge of the chair. A shower would be the only thing that would make me feel more like me. "Ivy said that you might be able to help me out?"
Her lips pursed as if she was still considering whether this was a good idea. "It depends on what you need. I'm nannying part-time for Ivy and Cooper, and if you don't mind me watching both babies at once from time to time?—"
"I'm all for Henry and Lilliana spending time together. Oakley offered a set visitation schedule of every other weekend, but she’s been dropping her off whenever she needs time to run errands or to go out with friends."
