Page 40 of The Grump I Got Stuck With

“If you’re interested in trying your hand at glassblowing,” Lesley said, “I do offer lessons. I know it’s not going to answer the questions you probably have about your mother, but maybe it’ll help you feel closer to her in some way. Closer to this thing that brought her so much joy.”

“I would love that!” I said. “How do I sign up?”

Lesley and Alistair both chuckled at my enthusiasm. She handed me a clipboard. “Leave me your name and email, and I’ll get in contact with some dates.”

I scribbled my information down, so excited my hand shook.

“Perfect,” Lesley said, taking the clipboard back. “I’ll be in touch.”

“Thank you,” I told her, barely containing my glee as we walked away. Maybe this was the reason I’d felt compelled to say yes to the nanny gig and stay in Braeburn. Maybe the universe had brought Alistair and Kenna into my life in order to push me in Lesley’s direction. If I liked glassblowing, it would mean I’d have to stick around in Braeburn longer and, in this moment, that prospect didn’t bother me in the slightest.

“You look like you’re vibrating,” Alistair quipped.

I laughed. “Sort of feels like I am.” We stopped walking. “Do you believe in fate?”

“I’m not sure.” The corner of his mouth curled. “Is that what you think is happening here?”

“Maybe I’ll learn glassblowing from Lesley⁠—”

“—and discover an instinctive talent?”

I caught my lip between my teeth as he leaned closer. “It could happen, right? Maybe I’ll be amazing at it just like my bio mom. And I’ll realize that this was what has been missing from my life all these years.”

Alistair arched an eyebrow. “And to think you didn’t even want to come to the festival in the first place.”

“I never said I didn’t want to come. I said I didn’t need you to buy me things.”

“But what if it was those things that put you on the path to Lesley?” he pointed out.

“Are you trying to say I owe you a debt of gratitude?” My gaze briefly flicked from his eyes to his lips. They looked so damn kissable. I wrenched my gaze back up, and that was worse. The man shouldn’t be allowed to have eyes that smoldered.

He pressed a little closer, our coats brushing, and a strange, twisting tension tightened around us. I wanted to lean into him. To fall into the cradle of his arms, tilt my head up, and leave the rest up to…

“If there was something you wanted to give me…as thanks…I wouldn’t object,” he murmured.

I smirked, pressing up on my toes. I reached for his coat to steady myself, feeling a tug behind my navel as he tilted his head and⁠—

“Daddy!” Kenna cried from down the street. “We bought Princess little shoes. They have sparkles!”

Alistair huffed, the cloud of air rising between us as he narrowed his eyes in Princess’s direction. “That bloody dog has got to go.”

13

ALISTAIR

Kenna dove at me, her arms wrapping around my legs. She turned her head up, upper lip smeared with what I guessed was a combination of marshmallows and chocolate.

Aisling came running up behind her, holding Princess’s leash. “Whoa!” she cried, giggling as Princess pounced at Madison, tail wagging.

“Look at those little booties!” Madison cooed, holding her hands out to examine Princess’s newly covered paws. “They’re adorable.”

Her flushed cheeks were the only evidence of the ruined moment—that almost kiss—and I cursed the timing, my gaze falling to her lips. One more minute, and I would have known their taste.

“Now her paws won’t get cold in the snow,” Aisling said. “Milo has some too, but his are much bigger.”

“Daddy, I got two cookies,” Kenna whispered, holding her fingers up.

“You did? Where are they?”