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Alice had done some things in her past that she wasn’t proud of. She moved here and became a bit of a recluse for a few years before taking the job as the nanny for Sam’s daughter. They weren’t able to resist each other for long, and now they were engaged. “Just because it worked out for you doesn’t mean it will for me. Besides, you swore off men for three years. Don’t you think I need a similar break?”
“It sounds like a long time when you say it out loud. But it’s different because you’re older and you have a child. Besides, Mac’s a good guy. He’d never cheat on anyone.”
I sighed, feeling the weight of responsibility on my shoulders. “It is different. I have someone to shield and protect. I won’t let Delaney be hurt like that again.”
“Any new guy won’t be her father, so it won’t be the same,” Alice persisted stubbornly.
“Maybe not, but I don’t know.” I felt conflicted. I was attracted to Mac. Our late-night interlude solidified that. But should I act on it?
Alice pulled out a chair and sat. “We should go out—just us girls.”
The thought of getting dressed up and going to a bar didn’t appeal to me. “I don’t know. I have Delaney.”
“You need to find a babysitter so we can have some girl time. Have you been out since the divorce?”
“Not at all. I suppose I could ask Kylie.” She was my childhood friend, and her family owned the Wilde Ski Resort on the top of the mountain, just outside of town.
Alice tapped her fingers on the table. “Don’t you want to have Kylie come with us, though?”
“Probably.” Kylie was a lot of fun when we used to go out.
Sam appeared in the doorway. “What are you two talking about?”
Mac stood next to him.
Alice waved a hand in my direction. “I’m trying to get Natalie to go out.”
Sam smiled. “That’s a great idea.”
“But I don’t have a sitter for Delaney.” It was a good excuse. I didn’t even know many people in town anymore besides Kylie.
“I’m sure my mom would love to watch her. She watches Maggie all the time,” Sam offered.
Mac glared at him like Sam was overstepping.
“I couldn’t ask her to watch Delaney. She doesn’t even know me.” Especially when it was clear Mac was not happy about the suggestion.
“Mom loves kids. Trust me.” Sam exchanged a look with Mac. “She’d be all for it.”
“I’m too tired at the end of the night to do anything but take a bath and collapse,” I said.
Mac’s eyes darkened.
Was he remembering the night the faucet spewed water everywhere? Was he thinking of me in that see-through lingerie, or had he heard me in the bathtub?
“You can’t be a mom twenty-four seven. I mean, you can, but you deserve a break every now and then. My mom gave me the same speech when I insisted on being the only one who could watch Maggie,” Sam said, and I could tell he’d thought a lot about it.
I softened at his honesty. He’d felt a kinship with me because we were both single parents. It had nothing to do with Mac. I bet they hadn’t discussed what happened, other than how to fix yet another problem with the renovation. That’s why Sam was here today. “Sure. Why not?”
It wouldn’t hurt to ask his mom if she would be willing to babysit. And I needed someone to help out here and there. Not just for a girls’ night but if something came up.
Alice clapped her hands. “I’m so happy that worked out.”
“No one has asked her yet,” Mac said.
“Oh, she’ll say yes,” Alice said with a smile. “No worries about that.”
“You think she’d come here, or would I take Delaney to her?” I asked, working out the details in my head.
