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I hadn’t lied when I said I didn’t care if my mom babysat. If it made Natalie’s life easier, I was all for it. Ever since she mentioned needing a safe place to stay, my mind had been spinning with the whys and hows of her story, but I didn’t want to push for it because I was afraid it would only draw me in more.
I knew my mom would fall in love with Natalie and Delaney. That’s just how she was, and she’d always wanted a daughter. I suspected having Alice in the family was fulfilling that particular desire, but I was positive she’d want to adopt Natalie when she realized her parents were gone and she had no family here.
I could help Natalie with the renovation and give her access to my family, but I didn’t need to get to know her. Talking to her today made me feel all these things for her, about her, and it wasn’t smart.
No matter how much I wanted a committed relationship, marriage, and even kids, it never worked out. I couldn’t forget that.
* * *
I spentthe rest of the week in the bathrooms, finishing the tile. I could take a step back and merely supervise, but that wasn’t my style. I liked to work and keep my hands busy. Carefully cutting and placing tiles kept me occupied so I wouldn’t go looking for Natalie and ask her all the questions swirling in my brain.
One night, after everyone on my team had said good-bye and left, the house was quiet. Natalie didn’t let Delaney walk through the house when the bus dropped her off, so I never knew when she returned home. Usually, they stayed in their suite for the rest of the evening.
I relaxed, thinking I had the night to myself. It was quiet, and I could get a lot of work done. Maybe even shave some time off this renovation. Not because I was eager to move on to another project, but because I knew Natalie was stressed about the time line.
She needed to get the B&B open and accepting reservations to get money coming in. I never had to start a business since my dad had done the hard work with that, but I’d heard him talk about it enough to know that starting a new business was risky and difficult.
I couldn’t imagine doing it as a single mom.
“Natalie said I’d find you here.”
“Mom.” I startled, seeing her in the doorway. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m babysitting Delaney so Natalie can go out with the girls.”
I bristled at that characterization. I didn’t think of Natalie as a girl when I saw her nipples through that wet silk. I’d wanted to lick and suck every inch of her skin.
I stood, stretching out my stiff muscles before washing my hands in the sink. I leaned over to kiss my mom on the cheek, not wanting to transfer tile dust to her clean clothes.
“Natalie said you work late,” Mom said in a disapproving tone as I took the plastic bags she was carrying.
“Not as late as I had been.” Before I ran into an almost-naked B&B owner who got my blood pumping. “I’d love to finish the tile in here this weekend.”
“You work too hard. Your dad never meant for this to be your life.”
“What are you talking about? We love the business, and we want it to succeed.” Dad always said no one worked as hard as a business owner.
“I know, but he wanted you to have a life. Especially you. I always thought you’d be the first one to get married and give me grandbabies.”
My jaw tightened. “You know why that didn’t work out.”
“But that doesn’t mean you give up. The right woman is out there for you.”
“I’m busy. My life is full.” It was when I thought about work and my family. They took up every nook and cranny of my life. My brothers would stop by, and my parents loved having us over for family dinners, and the responsibilities only increased with the addition of Maggie and then Alice. We were a big, tight family, and I loved it.
Mom patted my cheek. “I want more for you.”
“Don’t worry about me.” Guilt unfurled in my chest. I hated disappointing my mother.
“That’s what mothers do.” Mom turned and headed down the steps. I followed her, not wanting her to get hurt if someone left a tool or box of supplies in the way.
When she reached the door to the owner’s suite, she knocked. Before I could leave, Delaney appeared. “Hi,” she said shyly.
Natalie kept her daughter away from the renovations and my team, so I didn’t know her at all.
“Hello, dear. I’m this one’s mother. You can call me Miranda.”
Natalie appeared behind her, and I almost swallowed my tongue. She wore some black, slinky halter top over jeans that looked like they’d been painted on her and stilettos. She looked sexy as fuck.
