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Chapter One
Easton
Whoever said the teenage stage was a bitch wasn’t lying.
I run a hand through my hair and roll my eyes at the sound of Bethany’s quick steps following behind me into my office. She huffs in annoyance and crosses her arms over her chest. “I’m not a little girl anymore, Dad. I don’t need a nanny. Can’t I just go stay with grandma and grandpa?”
“Bethany, they’ve been through a lot recently and they deserve their space. That’s why we moved out. Which means you’ll have a nanny. Are we clear?” Just as I ask the question the doorbell sounds from the entryway and I give my daughter a small smile. “Go up to your room for a bit, okay?”
There’s nothing about fatherhood I’ve regretted since the moment Bethany was born, even if it happened at a younger age than I had ever planned for, but I wish the role came with a damn handbook. I’d love nothing more than to turn to whatever page tells you how to handle a hormonal pre-teen.
I’m sure if Elena were here she’d be able to handle this situation like a breeze. The sting of Bethany’s mother not being here causes me to wince and rub at my chest. I was never in love with Elena, but she always did her best for Bethany when she was alive and I loved her for it. Life was never going to go the way I wanted it to. I had visions of the white picket fence, kids running around everywhere, and a happy family, but Elena getting into a car accident only made it that much more impossible.
Ever since the accident I’ve steered clear of developing any feelings for a woman. Hell, I barely even look at them anymore for fear that I’ll fall too quickly. The doorbell sounds again and I blow out a rough breath before pulling the door open with a polite smile. My smile doesn’t last long when I see who’s standing on my front porch, looking as beautiful as ever under the morning sun.
I shake my head and frown. My thoughts definitely shouldn’t be heading in this direction. “Autumn, what are you doing here?” My sister’s best friend and I have never had the easiest relationship, always butting heads any chance we get, so it’s odd to see her standing here.
“Uh, the nanny position?”
As much as I’d love to send her away, I’d be stupid not to at least invite her in and ask her questions. There’s only a few people here in Maple Creek that I’ve had sit with Bethany and almost all of them wanted one thing – to get closer to me through my daughter, which is never going to happen. Anyone who thinks my daughter is the gateway to getting into my bed is immediately sent packing. Bethany isn’t a toy to be messed with.
“Oh, uh, yeah,” I say before clearing my throat and stepping aside. “Well, come inside.”
She steps in slowly, her red waves cascading down her back in a way that makes me itch to thread my fingers through the strands so I can feel how soft they are. “She didn’t tell you, did she?”
I glance at her briefly while leading the way into my freshly painted living room. Bethany insisted that I change the walls from white to the current olive green as she said it looked more like a hospital than a home. “Who?”
“Sav,” she mumbles while shaking her head. “I should’ve known she wouldn’t say anything.”
My sister has always been known to get in the middle of things and there’s no doubt in my mind she knew I wouldn’t want Autumn coming here to work for me which is why she never mentioned her arrival. All I knew was that Savanna had found someone for me to interview and, since I’m so desperate, I didn’t think to question her on who that person was.
“That’s my sister for you,” I mutter before waving a hand gesturing for her to sit on the brown leather couch. “Have a seat and we’ll get started.” I’m not counting on Autumn being the best candidate as her work history is sketchy at best, so it’s a relief that I likely won’t have to worry about her being here.
“Where’s Bethany?” Autumn asks, her gaze darting around the room in search of my daughter.
I have to admit, I’ve always admired how much attention Autumn gave Bethany when she came around. It’s not often when women actually pay attention to the girl who has every ounce of my love. “Probably not the best conversation to have right now. She’s up in her room.” The last thing I need is for a cranky Bethany to come down here and start running her mouth about the interview I’m conducting. “Let’s start with the basics. Any special qualifications you have for this type of job?”
Autumn sighs and shakes her head. “The only qualification I have is that I used to be a hormonal teenage girl myself. I’ve watched younger kids, but never got into the older age group. Bethany would be my first.”
What the hell was Savanna thinking? If there’s anything I pride myself on the most it’s how fiercely I’ll protect Bethany to make sure she’s always safe. I may be a little overprotective when it comes to her, but what do people expect after the way Elena died?
I’ll never forget the night when police lights lit up my bedroom window after I had just gotten Bethany down for bed. My mother was standing at the door, her spine straighter than I’ve ever seen it before, and it only got straighter when I cleared my throat. She shook her head at me as I took a step next to her, knowing I was about to ask what was going on, and I didn’t take the hint. Part of me wishes I had.
Apparently Elena was on her way home from work when she fell asleep at the wheel and ended up crashing into a ditch. It was the worst night of my life, knowing that I had to wake our little girl up the next morning and explain that her mother wouldn’t be coming back. How do you tell a seven year-old something like that?
“Easton?” Autumn says loudly while waving a hand in front of my face, forcing me to blink from the memory that’s starting to take over.
I shake my head. “Uh, what makes you the right candidate for this position?”
She shrugs her shoulders. “I’m not sure I am the right candidate, but it’s the only thing I could find that would give me the money I need.”
What would she need money for?
That’s not important, Easton.
I narrow my eyes at her. “You want to watch my daughter while I’m out of town, when you have no qualifications to do so?”
“I mean, how hard can it be?” She asks.
