Page 40 of One Hot Daddy

Amelia stands up suddenly, her arms crossed."So, you're not going to leave like Mom did?"

The room goes dead silent.Even Henry stops bouncing.My heart clenches as I note Amelia's defiant stance, her chin jutted out like she's preparing for battle.Behind that tough exterior, I can see the scared little girl who watched her mother walk away.

"Oh, sweetheart."I stand up and take a step toward Amelia."I'm not going anywhere.Ever."

"Will you pinky swear?"

"I'll do more than that."I wrap my arms around her."I promise no one will ever take me away from you.I'm here for good, forever."

The children still seem skeptical, and I don't blame them.

But The situation is spiraling out of control.I caused this mess, and it's up to me to fix things.I love Fletcher, and he loves me.But the children matter more than our feelings.I adore these kids, but they need time to decide whether they're okay with me becoming more than the nanny.My throat chokes up briefly, then I rise and face the kids who are clearly scared.

"I have an idea," I say to everyone in the room."You guys need time to process what we've told you.So, I'll get a room in the Millbrook Grand.That'll let you all talk about it for as long as you need to."

Fletcher jumps up."Jennifer..."

I touch his arm."This is for the best.Call me whenever your family has made a decision."I struggle to hold back tears."You kids mean so much to me, and I never wanted to hurt you."

The room has gone as silent as a tomb.

I grab my purse and shuffle out of the house, hesitating on the threshold for two seconds before I shut the door behind me.My car is still parked along the curb.The drive to the hotel feels like it takes a thousand years, but I manage not to cry---until I walk into the hotel and finally shut the door to my room behind.

God, what if the best thing I can do is to walk away?That would destroy me.I've come to love those children so much.

I drop my purse on the floor, flop onto the bed facedown, and cry.

Chapter Nineteen

Fletcher

My children have mutinied.They seem intent on hoisting me up on their mast to hang pirate flag above me.That way, the crows can devour me more easily---or perhaps a killer whale will claim me first.All right, maybe I am exaggerating the situation for dramatic effect.But I have not lied about my children being quite angry with me.They switched from crying and/or pouting at me a moment ago.And their indignation stems from one specific event.

Jennifer is no longer in the house.She's at a hotel---myhotel.This is not how I imagined my Saturday would play out.

Amelia once again lifts her chin and crosses her arms over her chest."Dad, you're an idiot."

My jaw drops."I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me."She plants her feet wider, every inch the formidable teenager I've raised."Jennifer just told us she loves us and wants to be part of our family forever, and you let her leave."

Charlotte nods vigorously beside her sister."She looked really sad when she left."

"I didn't let her do anything," I protest weakly."She made that decision herself."

"Because she thought we didn't want her!"Henry wails, his face still blotchy from crying."But I do want her!I want her to stay and make pancakes and read me stories!"

Josh pounds his fists on a sofa cushion, his lips pursed."And Jennifer promised to help me build that volcano for science class.The real kind, not the baking soda kind."

My jaw drops even further, and I flap my head like a ruddy cartoon character."You lot were very upset.But I didnotwant Jennifer to leave.She felt it was the best thing she could do so that you four and I could discuss the situation."

Children, particularlymychildren, often change their minds at the speed of light.I should know better than to be surprised by their rapid emotional reversals.

"We don't want to talk about it unless Jennifer is here," Amelia proclaims."She's part of the family now, and she should be here for family meetings."

Mum clears her throat, sitting serenely in an armchair."Perhaps the children have a point, Fletcher.Jennifer did seem rather upset when she left."

"She was trying to protect us," Charlotte adds, with wisdom beyond her years."But we don't need protecting from her.We need protecting from you making stupid decisions."