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“Father?”
All four of his children stood in the doorway, crammed shoulder to shoulder.
“What are you doing out of bed?” Noah asked.
Ashley took a step into the room, her hands clasped. The others huddled around her. “We want Miss Tricia to be our new teacher.”
He leaned back and steepled his fingers in front of his mouth. “I see. Well, I can’t say for sure yet that she will be. Miss Tricia and I are still in negotiations.”
“What’s that mean?” Adam piped up.
“It means we’re trying to figure out what would work best for all of us.”
“The best is for her to live here,” Zach stated, his voice quiet but strong.
Silence filled the room as the least talkative of the bunch announced his wishes.
“You just need to pay her a lot of money,” Ashley said.
“It’s not about the money,” Tricia said, looking pleased at the children’s insistence. “Your father pays a very good salary. The issue is that I need weekends off.”
The children all looked at each other. Ashley seemed to take a silent vote. “We’re not little kids anymore, Father. We don’t need to have a nanny all the time.”
“I’ll take it into consideration. Right now you all need to go back to bed and let us discuss it.”
Zach went up to Tricia and shook her hand, one big up-and-down shake, his expression serious. Adam followed suit, grinning.
Zoe came next. “Do you know how to play soccer?”
“I sure do.”
“Okay.” Zoe stuck out her hand for a shake, then left the room bouncing an imaginary ball from knee to knee.
Ashley finally approached. “Please say yes, Miss Tricia,” she said, then gave Tricia a quick hug before she hurried out.
Noah saw how the children affected her. If she could become that attached after just a few hours, she was definitely the right one for the job. It would be a great weight lifted from his shoulders, too.
“So,” Noah said after a long, quiet moment. “Saturday morning to Sunday evening off. And you’ll be here this Sunday night.”
She smiled. “Jessica’s not leaving until Monday.”
“Jessica will be gone by Sunday afternoon.”
“I see.” Tricia nodded. “Is five o’clock okay with you, Mr. Falcon?”
He stood. “Noah. And yes, that’s fine.”
She stood, as well. “I’m curious why you don’t send them to public school.”
“I made a promise that I would continue what my late wife started.” He paused. “I’ll walk you to your car. Where is your car, by the way?”
“Next to your garage. You didn’t notice it?”
“I was preoccupied. Let me go tell the children that you’ve agreed to take the job. They won’t go to sleep until they know. I’ll be back in just a couple of minutes.” He extended his hand, as his children had. “Thank you.”
“I’m very happy we came to an agreement.”
Her handshake was firm, one sign of her character. She seemed straightforward. She obviously could and would speak her mind.
The Falcon household was about to change.
As Tricia stepped outside with Noah ten minutes later, the chilly late October evening cooled her warm face and cleared her eyes and mind.
So. It was official. She was employed. She would have enough money to tide her over until she started her new job.
Peace settled over her at the thought, then the quiet around her struck her. Country life. It was going to take some getting used to. No. A lot of getting used to. But she was probably noticing the quiet even more because Noah hadn’t spoken since they’d left the house.
“Have your children always called you Father?” she asked.
“Yes. Why?”
“You just don’t hear it much these days. Did you call your father that?”
“No. Most of the time I called him a son of a bitch.”
Tricia stumbled. He reached for her, caught her. She grabbed hold, steadying herself, then looked at his face, as he held her upright by her arms. At odds with the coldness in his eyes, his hands were warm, his heat leeching through her sweater. “Thank you,” she said quietly, sorry when he let go. There was something comforting about his large and gentle hands. “Your words caught me off guard.”
“No sense hiding the truth. I made it my goal to live as differently from him as possible.”
“And you called him Dad, so you don’t want your kids to call you that?”
They’d reached her SUV. She pressed the alarm button to unlock it.
“You haven’t been here long enough to criticize,” he said coolly. “Or analyze. I grew up in total chaos. It’s not what I want for my children.”
She opened her car door, wanting to escape. He was right. She should mind her own business. “I apologize, Noah. I was just curious. Everything seems kind of formal between you and your children.” She didn’t add what she wanted to—that they were all distant from him, physically and emotionally. And that they were starving for his affection. Anyone’s affection, which was probably why they’d latched on to her so easily.
“Is there anything you’ll need to start the job?” he asked, very directly changing the subject.
She sensed in him deep, unrelenting pain, and she wondered if he would ever break through it to embrace life again. Or maybe he never had. She shouldn’t presume what she didn’t know. Maybe she could carefully ask other people how he was before his wife died.
“If I think of something, I’ll let you know or just go ahead and buy it in Sacramento,” she said, getting into the car and sliding the key into the ignition. “I’ll review their classroom work Sunday night so that I’m ready to go on Monday.”
“You have my phone numbers?”
“Yes, thank you.” She started the engine then glanced up at him as he rested an arm on the top of her door and leaned toward her a little. He really was an extraordinarily attractive man, even tightly wound as he was. She wanted to tell him that things would get better, that his life was going to change, that she would see to it, especially for his children. But did he want to hear that?
“Do you space out often?” he asked, his voice laced with surprising humor. “Should I worry for my children’s safety?”
Her eyes were dry from not blinking. “You won’t regret that your brother hired me,” she said, wondering if it was true.
“David may have done the prelims, but I hired you. And my children. If any one of us had objected, you wouldn’t be coming back.”
“Of course,” she said, then shifted into reverse. “Until Sunday.”
He backed away, but he was still standing in the driveway when she looked in her rearview mirror before she turned onto the road. Maybe she’d been lying when she’d told him he wouldn’t regret hiring her, because he may well be sorry. She was pretty sure she was different from any other teacher he’d hired before.
And she knew he was different from any boss she’d had.
Chapter Three
Standing in the kitchen, Noah watched his children say goodbye to Jessica, who had been their nanny for several months. Usually a changing of the guard, as Tricia had called it, was cause for moping and silent recrimination from the kids, but not this time. This time they said their goodbyes and let her leave, rather than following her outside to wave to her as her car pulled away.
They always liked their nannies. That was never the issue. The problem was that the nannies didn’t usually like him. It hadn’t been any different with Jessica, apparently, although she’d never indicated any problem before quitting. Even then she’d told his brother, not him, that she was leaving.
Noah knew he had a problem dealing with his help. He’d been giving it a lot of thought the past couple of days, analyzing the situation, trying to figure out how not to lose another nan—teacher. He should get used to calling Tricia that, since she seemed to prefer it.
He wondered why none of the other nannies had said anything about the job title. Maybe because they’d just graduated from college and hadn’t taught in a classroom yet. He liked that Tricia had classroom experience. If she could handle twenty kids at one time, she must be able to handle four. Especially four, quiet, easygoing, uniformly bright children.
Not that he was biased or anything….
Margie would’ve liked her. Probably would’ve been a little intimidated by her, too, but his late wife would’ve liked Tricia’s easy way with the kids and her refusal to back down—something he wasn’t sure he liked. He was used to being in charge, at work and at home. There was room for only one boss in any situation. He didn’t tolerate clashes of authority.
“She’s gone,” Adam announced, looking out the window as the car disappeared, then he glanced at Noah. “When will Miss Tricia be here, Father?”
Father jarred Noah now, since Tricia had brought it up. “She said five o’clock.”
Which meant he had to figure out what to do with his children until then. Well, technically after then, too, since she wouldn’t be on the clock. He hadn’t even planned dinner.
He realized all four children were watching him, waiting. “Did you have something to say?” he asked, his gaze sweeping across them then landing on Ashley.
“We would like to have a family meeting,” she said, her expression serious.
He shifted into head-of-the-family mode. “All right. Why don’t we go into the family room?”
Their footsteps sounded behind him, seeming loud in their conversation-free trek. Even Adam was quiet, a rarity.
Noah sat in what was considered his chair, an oversize lounger that faced the television he rarely had time to watch. Each child took his or her usual seat on the sofa and other chairs.
“What’s on your mind?” he asked the room at large.
“We think it’s time for some changes around here,” Ashley answered, all business.
“What kind of changes?”
“We counted up the nannies we’ve had. Seven.”
That many? He knew there’d been a lot. And that didn’t include his mother-in-law coming to stay for the first few months after Margie died.
“We’re kind of tired of figuring out someone new all the time,” Ashley said.
“I understand that. What do you think can be done about it?”
“We think you should smile more,” she said without smiling.
“Smile more?” he repeated, confused.
“Not at us, Father. At Miss Tricia. Miss Jessica was scared of you.”
Scared? Really? He liked order but was surprised he was feared. “I’ll try,” he said, adding it to his mental list of things to be aware of if he didn’t want to lose Tricia as an employee. “What else?”
Ashley continued. “We want Miss Tricia to eat dinner with us, not in her room like Miss Jessica and the others.”
Noah was fascinated with this new, mature daughter of his. “Why?”
“Because we think if she feels like she’s part of our family, she’ll be happier.”
“You like her that much?”
“She seems okay. We just don’t want another change.”
“Yes, I know you’re tired of it all.”
Her hands folded in her lap, Ashley sat up a little straighter. “We also don’t think you should argue with Miss Tricia about anything.”
An improvisation, he decided, trying not to smile. “I can’t guarantee that. We are bound to disagree on some things. And you are my children, not hers. I know what’s best for you.”
They all looked at each other. Had they always done that or was it something recent? They seemed to be more attuned than before. Each set of twins shared a connection that had always been obvious, but not in combination with the other set. He figured they must be desperate, to face him like this, presenting a united front.
“Then please be nice and smile at her when you argue,” Zach said, fixing Noah with a stare.
Laughter rose inside his chest. He couldn’t let it escape or they wouldn’t believe he was taking their concerns seriously. “I’ll be nice.”
“Thank you.”
Noah leaned his arms on his thighs and looked at each of them until they each looked back. “Now. Is there something you’d like different for yourselves, not for Miss Tricia?”
Zoe raised her hand. “I want a swimming pool.”
“Basketball court,” Adam added.
Noah did smile then. How easily their focus changed. “Nice try.”
Zach jumped out of his chair and raced to the window at the sound of a car coming down the driveway. “She’s—Nope. It’s Uncle David.”
“Alone?”
“No. Valerie and Hannah, too.”
Three of the children raced off to greet their uncle, his fiancée and her eight-year-old daughter, Hannah. Ashley lingered, moving more slowly with Noah toward the kitchen.
“Something else on your mind?” he asked.
She shrugged.
“Talk to me,” he said, stopping just outside the kitchen door, his hand on her arm to keep her there, too.
“Can we watch the videos of Mom again sometime soon?”
“You know where they are. You’re welcome to watch them anytime.”
“I mean as a family.”
He didn’t know if he wanted to bring back all that pain. He’d stopped watching the videos when he realized they hurt more than helped. “Do the others want to watch, too?”
“Not Zach.”
Which didn’t surprise Noah. Zach kept the most inside.
“Okay. We’ll do it tonight.”
“Not tonight,” she said in a hurry as the kitchen door opened and everyone came in, talking and laughing. “I’ll tell you when, okay?”
“Sure.” He was grateful for the reprieve.
Suddenly the kitchen teemed with people, then the kids all took off upstairs with their cousin-to-be Hannah in tow.
“We brought dinner,” Valerie said, as David set a covered casserole in the oven and a bowl in the refrigerator.
“I chauffeured. Valerie brought dinner,” David said. “She made everything.”
“Thanks,” Noah said, surprised. “But why?”
“To welcome your new nanny,” Valerie said.
“Teacher,” he corrected, looking over David’s head to try to see what was in the bowl, guessing it was salad. David had lucked out when he’d hired Valerie through At Your Service. She was the calm, competent woman Noah had been looking for, too. He didn’t think that description applied to Tricia. Well, competent, maybe. But calm? Probably not. Lively. That was a better word. “I hope you’re staying for dinner, too,” Noah said.
David made clucking sounds.
“What’s that for?” Noah asked. “I’m not a chicken.”
“You don’t want to make small talk with your help.”
“So? I’ve never liked to. It’s no different with Tricia.”
David stood. “She’s just your type.”
“She’s on the other side of the world from being my type.”
“Leave him alone,” Valerie said to her fiancé, slipping her hand into his, firing a heat-seeking caution look with her eyes. “Yes, we’ll stay for dinner. That was our goal, although David was supposed to call and alert you. I want to meet Tricia myself. I expect we’ll become friends.”
“She’s here!” came a shout from upstairs, followed by the rush of footfalls scurrying down the staircase. As a group they ran through the kitchen and out the back door, Hannah grinning as she came last—following just to follow, Noah supposed.
“That’s quite a reception,” David commented, wandering to the window to watch.
Noah went to take a look. Ashley and Zach got up close to her. Tricia hugged Ashley, her face alight with pleasure, and said something to Zach that caused him to smile then look down at the ground. Adam and Zoe didn’t allow her close enough to hug. She held out a hand to Hannah, an outgoing, happy girl who was just as caught up in Tricia’s arrival as the rest of them.
Tricia opened the back of her SUV and started passing things to each child, then they marched toward the house like safari porters, carrying bags, boxes and garments on hangers, with Tricia bringing up the rear with the largest box.
“Aren’t either of you big, strong men going to help her?” Valerie asked as the back door flew open and the children tramped through.
Criticized into action, Noah met Tricia at the back door and took the box from her.
“A welcoming committee. How fun,” she said. “Hi, Noah. I’m glad to see you again, David.”
“I’m more glad to see you,” he said with a grin. “Tricia McBride, this is my fiancée, Valerie Sinclair.”
The women shook hands. “Hannah must be yours. She looks just like you. She’s darling.”
“Thank you, yes, she’s mine.”
“They brought dinner,” Noah said, balancing the box on the edge of the counter.
“Oh, how nice of you. And since you’re not running off, would you mind if I excuse myself for a few minutes and go make sure the children haven’t just heaped all my clothes on the floor?”
David and Valerie encouraged Tricia to go.
“Be right back,” Noah said, then trailed her up the stairs. As he eyed her from behind he started to rethink the idea of putting in a pool, as Zoe requested. Getting a chance to see the teacher in a skimpy bikini—
“Maybe you should just come up beside me,” Tricia said, stopping and turning around.
He kept his expression blank. Okay, she’d caught him. He was a healthy male who’d been without female companionship for three years. So sue him for admiring her very sexy body.
“I got it!” a child yelled from down the hall.
“I brought it up here!”
“I think the troops need a mediator,” Noah said, hiding his surprise at the fact any of them were yelling, something that almost never happened. They all got along eerily well.
Tricia’s mouth tightened, but she continued up the stairs again, and he allowed himself the pleasure of watching her hips sway until they reached the landing.
She stopped there instead of heading toward the yelling down the hall. “Do we need to have a discussion?” she asked him.
“About what?”
“Appropriate employer/employee behavior.”
“I’m familiar with the laws,” he said. “But why do you ask?”
“You know why.”
“Enlighten me.” He figured she was only speculating that he’d been eyeing her rear as she climbed the stairs. He’d painted her into a corner. Either she had an accusation to make or she didn’t.
“I’m telling Father!” Zoe came charging out of the room. “Ashley won’t let anyone help.”
Noah moved past Tricia and Zoe. When he reached Tricia’s bedroom, he set the box on the floor and looked around. The closet door was open. Clothes hung neatly on the racks, with shoes lined up like little soldiers on the floor below. Ashley and Adam were elbowing each other trying to put books onto shelves. Zach was perched on the bed, thumbing through a photo album. Hannah sat cross-legged on the floor, out of the way, wide-eyed. As an only child, she hadn’t been exposed to sibling rivalry.
The tension was abnormally high, each child intending to make Tricia feel at home, but being pushy about it.
“Miss Tricia can put away her own things, and, in fact, probably prefers to. Everybody out,” Noah said.
“But thank you for your help,” Tricia added from the doorway.
Zach hadn’t lifted his head. Noah slid the photo album out of his son’s hands and pointed toward the door. Before Noah closed the album, he caught a glimpse of a photo of Tricia and a man wearing an army uniform, their arms around each other. She looked young and in love.
He set the album on the dresser. “I apologize for my children,” he said to her. “They’re trying to help. Obviously they went a little overboard.”
“It’s no problem.”
“It is as far as I’m concerned.”
She waited a beat. “You’re the boss.”
He remembered how Zach had told him to be nice, and how Ashley said he needed to smile. He wasn’t doing what he’d promised his children he would. And none of them could afford to lose Tricia.
“I apologize,” he said, purposely relaxing his shoulders, trying to seem more accessible. “I wanted them to be on their best behavior for you. All of us, actually. Myself included.”
“Why?”
“It’s your first day. We didn’t want to scare you off.”
She laughed. Her face lit up when she smiled. Green eyes sparkled. “I’m not easily intimidated.”
“Good. Is the room okay? Big enough?”
“It’s beautiful. Since my time here will be limited, it’ll do just fine.” She hitched a thumb toward the door. “The children have put most of my things away, so we can get back to your guests. How long has your brother been engaged?” she asked as they left the room.
“Less than a week. He hired Valerie through At Your Service as his housekeeper and administrative assistant about two months ago. He’s also adopting her daughter.”
“How nice for all of them.”
“Yes.”
She cocked her head. “I hear a but….”
Should he voice his concerns out loud to someone he barely knew? Would she keep quiet about his reservations or tell David? Something about her invited trust. “They haven’t known each other long, that’s all. And David has said forever he wouldn’t get married, so it’s hard to feel comfortable about his decision.”
They’d almost reached the bottom of the stairs. Tricia leaned close to say, “But they’re just engaged, right? They’ll have more time before the wedding to learn more about each other. They could change their minds.”
He’d been prepared to hear her say the opposite—something about him being too jaded, or not a romantic or something. Instead she’d seen his point about how little David and Valerie knew about each other. He liked that she seemed practical.
He also liked how her hair smelled….
“We’ve been waiting for you,” David said as they came into the kitchen, a hubbub of conversation. Everyone held a glass of something pale and bubbly. David passed Noah and Tricia champagne flutes. Noah assumed the children’s flutes held sparkling cider.
“What’s going on?” Noah asked.
“I’m making a toast.” David lifted his glass toward Valerie. “To my beautiful bride-to-be—for agreeing to marry me, and for not making me wait. You’re all invited to our wedding, two weeks from yesterday.”
Chapter Four
Tricia exchanged a look with Noah as they sipped the celebratory champagne. After a moment, he shrugged, apparently accepting the inevitable. She decided to make it a point to get to know Valerie and see for herself that Noah could relax about the quick marriage. She considered herself a pretty good judge of character.
Valerie shooed the men and children off to the family room while dinner was reheated.
“It’s a good thing they’re not depending on me to cook,” Tricia said as Valerie opened a couple of loaves of buttered sourdough bread and put them on a baking sheet.
“You don’t enjoy it?”
“My mom and I opened cans exceptionally well. And I make a mean PB and J sandwich.” She smiled at Valerie, who smiled back.
“The reverse is true for me. My mother was a housekeeper and cook for a family in Palm Springs,” Valerie said. “She taught me everything.”
“Does Hannah cook?”
“She’s not quite as into it as I was, but yes. But, you know, I couldn’t do what you do, Tricia. Teachers amaze me.” She gestured to a cupboard. “Plates are up there.”
Tricia grabbed plates, salad bowls, glasses and silverware and carried them into the dining room. “Tablecloth or place mats?” she called out to Valerie.
“Take your pick. They’re in the hutch.”
As Tricia set the table, she could hear the men and children playing video games in the family room. “They’re having a good time,” she said to Valerie, who was grating fresh parmesan cheese. Tricia leaned against the kitchen counter. “Can I ask you some questions about Noah?”
“You can ask, but I don’t know a whole lot. I haven’t spent much time around him.”
“Do you know if he’s always so serious?”
“I think I can safely say yes to that. According to David, Noah’s a workaholic. He never takes a vacation. He’s pretty much in charge and in control at all times. Doesn’t have a great deal of patience. Very action oriented. And he doesn’t like change.”