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“Remember that for next time,” said Jarrett.
They had the trail to themselves until two male runners came the opposite direction, ogling Rylie as they passed. Jarrett had an odd impulse to accidentally drive the stroller into them. Reeling his temper in, he eyed Rylie, wondering if she’d been admiring the young able-bodied men, in return. He had no right to be possessive. Like him, she’d promised to refrain from dating another man during their marriage, but she hadn’t promised not to look.
“Those guys were sure trying to get an eyeful,” he complained. “Did you see them staring at you?”
“They were probably looking at Gabe and that fancy jogging stroller. It’s not like I’m wearing anything revealing.”
Everything was covered, but her running shirt was form fitting enough that Jarrett struggled not to stare. That, along with the mesmerizing flex of her leg muscles, made it difficult to restrict his mind to platonic thoughts. He decided to keep that information to himself.
“They were definitely looking at you, not Gabe,” he said. “Don’t you think it’s rude for them to give you the eye while you’re running with your husband and son?”
“Maybe they can sense I’m only the hired nanny, so they think I’m fair game.”
“That’s not true!”
“I was just kidding,” she said, breathing heavily as they went up a slight incline. “But it’s mostly true. Essentially, you hired me to live with you and help with Gabe until you get approved to adopt him. I would’ve done it for free, but Matthew says I have to take a settlement. That makes me nothing more than your employee.”
Though every word she said was true, he didn’t like the way it sounded. Maybe it was the fierce protectiveness he felt toward Gabe extending to Rylie, who was acting as his mother. That had to be it. He couldn’t be developing feelings for Rylie beyond friendship, could he? She’d made it crystal clear she wasn’t interested. If he let his attraction grow, he would ruin everything.
“And speaking of working for you,” she added, “you have to let me share the nighttime duties. You’ve woken up with him the last four nights in a row.”
“You needed the rest,” he said. “And I don’t mind.”
“You certainly don’t mind.” Her mouth twisted in a crooked grin. “At least not very well.”
“Look who’s talking, Miss I-Can-Help-Pay-For-The-Gas.”
“We’ve been taking your car everywhere. The least I could do was buy a tank of gas.”
“I hate to point out the obvious, but I can afford to pay for our gas.”
“It’s a matter of pride.”
Her jaw protruded, her lips pushing into a pout. It was a sure sign he was fighting a no-win battle. Suddenly, he imagined himself claiming those pouting lips with his own. Would she kiss with as much passion as she put into protecting her pride? He gave his head a shake, pushing the insane thoughts away.
I need to get my act together, before I drive Rylie away.
Chapter 17
Monday morning Juanita came to watch Gabe, but she had to work her shift at the grocery store in the afternoon. She and Jarrett had arranged for the afternoon babysitter, Juanita’s second cousin. Rylie hadn’t said anything, but she was afraid Gabe would be uncomfortable with a stranger. She was so preoccupied worrying about Gabe she almost forgot about her counseling appointment. When Brooke’s call came in on Monday afternoon, Rylie shut down her work computer and hurried to the rooftop patio to find a private place to talk.
“I don’t want to question your professionalism, but I have to know none of this will ever get back to Jarrett or any of his friends,” Rylie began.
“You don’t have to worry,” Brooke said. “Nothing you say will ever be repeated in any form. But I’ve been in your position, so I know you could use a listening ear.”
“I don’t think your marriage to Cole was quite like mine.”
“Why do you say that?”
Rylie sucked air into her lungs and held it, working up her courage. She let it out slowly, willing her muscles to relax. “My situation is different because I’ve been in love with Jarrett for nine years.”
To her credit, Brooke didn’t exclaim in shock. Instead, she used a calm, soothing voice and said, “Why don’t you start at the beginning and tell me everything?”
Rylie gave her the whole story, all the way back to when she and Jarrett first met, before he was caught up in her sister’s charms. She was proud that she held herself together, not shedding a single tear as she shared the most painful parts.
“So I’m not asking you to solve my problems,” Rylie hurried to clarify. “I know exactly how Jarrett feels about me, and I’m not expecting him to change. What I need from you is advice on how to control my emotions. That’s the real issue. I’ve always been able to hide how I feel, but lately, it’s like I’m teetering on the edge. I feel like I’m going to blow up and say the wrong thing, and Jarrett will find out I’m in love with him. And you know how he is. He’s so sweet, he’ll feel guilty about it, even though it isn’t his fault. It’s hard to fake my emotions twenty-four hours a day, but that’s what needs to happen. Otherwise, we won’t be able to live together, and Jarrett will lose Gabe.”
“Give me a second to process,” Brooke said. A few minutes of silence followed, and Rylie wondered if the call had been lost. Finally, Brooke replied. “First of all, you’ve done a fantastic job of being honest and open about your feelings, and that’s the key to being healthy.”
