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‘But you came anyway?’
‘But I came anyway.’
Cal eyed her across the desk. She seemed genuine. Sincere. But then, people always did—until they screwed you over.
Then his gaze landed on the duck again. ‘I have to ask...’ He gestured towards it.
Spots of pink appeared on Heather’s cheeks. ‘Oh! It sort of...appeared in the moat as I was approaching the door. It seemed wrong to leave it there so I brought it in with me.’
Daisy, Cal was willing to bet. After tossing a bucket of water out of that nursery window a rubber duck was nothing. Practically a step down, in fact.
Cal thought wistfully of the time when he’d honestly believed that his niece and nephew were delightful, well-behaved children. When he’d lived thousands of miles away and only seen them for an afternoon at a time.
‘How do you imagine the duck got there?’ he asked Heather. ‘In the moat, I mean?’ An idea was starting to form somewhere in the back of his brain. It was entirely possible that it was a terrible idea, but it wasn’t as if he had any better ones to go with. Especially since it seemed that the latest nanny from the agency hadn’t even made it as far as the castle gates.
‘Oh, I couldn’t possibly say.’
There was a wry smile on Heather’s face that told Cal everything he needed to know. Firstly, that she knew exactly who must be responsible for the duck, but wasn’t going to drop the kids in it. And, secondly, that Heather Reid was an open book, with her every thought and feeling shown on her face for him to read—as long as he could see it.
It was the second of those two facts that convinced him to follow the hare-brained plan that had evolved in his mind. After all, if he could see Heather’s face he’d know when she was about to do something stupid. Like sell her story about her night with the Earl to the local papers. Or try to blackmail him for financial support. Or whatever.
And maybe, just maybe, what Daisy and Ryan really needed was someone on their side—the way Cal had always had Ross. And Cal had a feeling that Heather could be that person.
If she said yes.
Well, he’d never know if he didn’t ask.
‘So. You’re pregnant with my niece or nephew. I am guardian to your baby’s half-brother and half-sister. Clearly whatever happens next we’re all in each other’s lives now.’
Heather frowned. ‘I... I suppose.’
Her lack of enthusiasm was, Cal supposed, understandable. He wouldn’t want to be a part of this family either if he hadn’t been born into it. Even then, actually. But he didn’t have any choice. All he could do now was try and make growing up as a Bryce less awful for Daisy and Ryan than it had been for him and Ross. And he sure as hell couldn’t do that on his own.
He took a breath and tried to smile as he said, ‘In which case I have a proposition for you. If you’ll hear it?’
He had no idea what to do next if she wouldn’t.
* * *
A proposition? Heather remembered all too well what had happened last time a guy with the surname Bryce had propositioned her. But Cal didn’t seem like the sort.
She’d come all this way. The least she could do was hear him out. After all, it wasn’t as if she had any clear idea of her path forward. All she knew was that she needed to figure out a way to handle her situation without bringing scandal and shame down on her father. Again. He’d had enough of that for one lifetime, and last time... Well, the bottom line was she couldn’t risk that happening again.
She needed to manage this carefully. Maybe Cal could help her do that.
‘I’m listening,’ she said neutrally, watching his expression.
Cal leaned forward in his chair, folded his hands on the desk next to the rubber duck and gazed straight into her eyes. ‘I want you to stay here for the summer as nanny to Daisy and Ryan—Ross’s children.’
Heather blinked. ‘What?’ She might have been less surprised if he’d suggested he ravish her over the desk, or that they set up a rubber duck factory together. ‘I’m... I’m not a nanny.’
‘No, you’re a teacher. Which means you know kids a hell of a lot better than I do, for sure. Daisy and Ryan...they’re ten and eight and they’re struggling. They need someone who knows what they’re doing and I think that person is you. Plus, teachers get great summer holidays, right?’
