I almost refused payment, but then remembered the pile of medical bills on my kitchen table at home. I couldn’t afford to turn down money. “Okay, that sounds good.”
Evan got up and went to the window. “Apparently that last snowfall missed us. It looks like things are melting a bit, and I can hear the plow trucks down a ways. They’ll probably have the main road cleared in a bit and you can head out.”
I thought I detected a note of disappointment in his voice, but I shook the thought away. As much as I didn’t want to leave him and the kids, I was eager to get home and check in on Dad.
We finished our cup of coffee and then I started gathering my things. Liam was upset that I was leaving, but I assured him I would be back tomorrow. He threw his arms around my neck and covered my cheek with kisses, and I had to blink back the tears that were threatening to pour down my face. I hugged Hadley before I nodded toward Evan, then I headed out for my car.
I slowly made my way back down the road I had come up and by the time I got to the turnoff to the main stretch to my house, the county plows had cleared the fallen tree and plowed a path to our place. I pulled up in the driveway and cut off the engine. As happy as I was to be home, I was missing Evan and the kids already.
When I got into the house, I found my father standing at the stove making himself soup from a can. He turned to look at me and the color in his cheeks looked better than it had in months. I rushed forward and threw my arms around him, surprised by the strength of the hug he gave me in return.
“Melanie! I’m so glad you’re home!” he said.
“Me too, Dad. How are you? You look good,” I told him.
He nodded. “I’m feeling pretty good. A little more like myself.”
I hugged him again and then went to take off my coat and boots. I looked down at myself, still dressed in Evan’s clothes and I couldn’t help but smile. I needed a long, hot shower and my own clothes but, for now, I wanted to sit a bit with my dad.
I joined him at the table, where he’d set two bowls of soup, and I smiled. It had been a while since he had been well enough to serve me, let alone himself. I picked up the spoon and scooped a warm bite into my mouth.
“So, how are you? You okay, kiddo?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yes, I’m okay.” I recounted the story of how I’d ended up at the cabin and how Evan had helped me and taken good care of me. I told him about the kids and how great he was with them, as well as how attached to them I’d grown in just a few days.
“And he offered me a job as their nanny for a while,” I finished. “It will be a big help with the bills.”
My father shook his head and looked sad. “Melanie, I don’t want you worrying about these bills. You should be off looking for a teaching job up in Helena or somewhere, not taking a nanny job on the mountain.”
I placed my hand over his and looked into my father’s eyes. “Dad, you’ve taken such good care of me all of my life, I want to do the same for you for as long as you need it. And besides, I’ll still be using my degree. I’m sure it won’t be forever, but for now, it’s something.”
We sat and finished our lunch. All the while, I tried to tell myself that I didn’t need ‘forever’ with Evan and the kids.
It was the biggest lie I’d told myself in a long time.
CHAPTER 13
EVAN
A knock came at the door just after breakfast and I felt a jolt of excitement run up my legs. Liam had pestered me all day yesterday about when she was coming back, and the only thing I could tell him was ‘sometime tomorrow’. Well, ‘tomorrow’ had officially arrived, and the knocking on the door served to fuel Liam’s excitement for seeing Melanie again.
But the thing was, I was excited about seeing her again as well.
I opened the door and saw her standing there in a pair of dark-wash jeans with knee-high black boots and a beautiful mauve sweater. It complimented the beauty of her eyes while her black hair cascaded down her back.
I had a hard time taking my eyes off her.
“Mew!” Liam said.
“Hey there, Liam.” She smiled and picked the boy up in her arms as Hadley clapped her hands from her high chair. The kids were elated to see her and it tugged a smile from beneath my beard. She instantly fell into a rhythm, letting Liam cling to her back as she started to clean up Hadley. I watched her for a little bit as she cleared the table from breakfast, mindlessly chewing on a leftover piece of bacon.