Unexpected Love

After losing her high-powered job, Olivia Scott finds herself back home in Colorado. She never imagined she’d be taking care of kids, let alone being the nanny to longtime crush Dr. Connor Mitchell’s adorable twin girls. But what began as a favor to the handsome widower is growing into something more. Connor’s confused by his growing feelings for his best friend’s little sister. She’s become a beautiful woman with a caring soul, but he can’t risk his—or his girls’—heart. Olivia’s planning to head back to her city life. Unless this small-town doctor can convince her to stay…forever.

Village Green: Offering love, faith and a place to call home in Colorado

“You’re good with the girls.”

The compliment sent heat crawling toward her cheeks.

She hadn’t forgotten Connor was still in the room with her. She just hadn’t realized he’d turned around and was now watching her closely. Intently.

What did he see on her face? Longing? Regret? Her wish to do things differently this time around?

Olivia glanced up, hearing the gratitude in his voice. Their eyes met across the short distance between them.

At this close range she could see every nuance of color in his golden eyes, and every unfiltered emotion, a few she didn’t recognize or understand. “I can’t think of anything I’d rather do than watch your girls this summer.”

“I can’t think of anyone I’d rather watch them.”

He didn’t smile as he said the words, yet something pleasant shifted between them, something that went beyond words, something Olivia couldn’t quite define.

Maybe she wasn’t supposed to try. At least not right now.

RENEE RYAN

grew up in a small Florida beach town. To entertain herself during countless hours of “lying out,” she read all the classics. It wasn’t until the summer between her sophomore and junior years at Florida State University that she read her first romance novel. Hooked from page one, she spent hours consuming one book after another while working on the best (and last!) tan of her life.

Two years later, armed with a degree in economics and religion, she explored various career opportunities, including stints at a Florida theme park, a modeling agency and a cosmetics conglomerate. She moved on to teach high school while coaching award-winning cheerleading teams. Several years later, with an eclectic cast of characters swimming around in her head, she began seriously pursuing a writing career. Renee lives in Nebraska with her husband and an ornery cat. Visit her online at www.reneeryan.com.

Claiming the Doctor’s Heart

Renee Ryan

www.millsandboon.co.uk

In his heart a man plans his course,

but the Lord determines his steps.

—Proverbs 16:9

To my fabulous husband, Mark.

Not only for inspiring Connor,

both in character and looks, but for being with me

every step of the way this time around.

I seriously couldn’t have finished this book without you. I love you with all my heart.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Epilogue

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Extract

Chapter One

Make a plan. Work the plan. Adjust when necessary.

Olivia Scott had rescued countless companies from financial ruin with that particular strategy. Why not use the same winning formula in her own life?

No more excuses. No more waiting for the perfect moment to come along. With only six months before she turned the Big 3-0, and nothing tying her to her old life, this was her chance to strike out on her own.

“If not now, when?”

Her bold words echoed in the empty kitchen of her childhood home, disappearing beneath the hum of the refrigerator.

Olivia squared her shoulders, refusing to allow any more darkness in her heart this morning. Losing her job didn’t have to be a bad thing. Nor did she have to regret finding out her ex-boyfriend only thought of her as a convenience. Better to know before she agreed to marry him, instead of after.

Olivia dropped her forehead to the kitchen table, squeezed her eyes shut and drew in several long, calming breaths.

Moving back to Colorado from Jacksonville, Florida, could be a blessing in disguise. The very nudge she needed to stop dreaming about opening her own tearoom and start making it happen.

Step one: make a plan.

Olivia lifted her head, turned on her laptop and looked around the kitchen while the machine booted up. Nothing had changed. The white enameled sink still had the long crack in the middle. The golden handles on the dark cabinets were original, as was the terra-cotta tile floor at her feet. This had been her mother’s domain, where she’d taught Olivia natural ingredients were always the best.

She really missed her mother.

Sighing, Olivia turned her attention back to the computer screen, clicked on the Village Green’s Chamber of Commerce official website and scrolled through the registry of businesses.

Some were new. Most had been around for generations.

She clicked on the link to a chocolate shop, frowned when she saw it had gone out of business six months ago and sat back in her chair. Wasn’t that interesting?

She returned to the search engine, typed in the words Colorado and Chocolatier and—

A wet nose nudged her hand.

Looking down, she steeled her heart against large, pleading brown eyes. “No, Baloo, I can’t go for a walk right now.”

Leash clamped between his teeth, her brother’s ancient black Lab shivered from head to toe. “No, really, I can’t. Maybe later, I’ll...”

Well, why not?

What better way to organize the ideas swirling around in her head? It wouldn’t hurt to avoid her two brothers, either, or their questions concerning her sudden arrival last night.

Losing her job had only been the first painful loss she’d endured before coming home. She hadn’t planned to bunk in her childhood bed, in the house she and her brothers had inherited when their parents died in a car crash ten years ago. Yet here she was.

A canine whine pulled her thoughts back to the present. Olivia made a face at the fifty-pound dog. “I’m not fooled, you know. I just let you out a half hour ago.”

The dog danced sideways to the back door, gave a pitiful swish of his tail, then pawed at the wood.

“All right, O impatient one.” Olivia drew the leash from his mouth and snapped it into his collar. “Let’s go.”

Once outside, instead of heading toward Main Street, she turned south. She wasn’t in a talkative mood. The fewer people she ran into this morning, the better.

It was an idyllic summer morning, in a small town straight out of a 1950s television show. Flowers bloomed in the tidy lawns along the lane. Birdsong filled the air. In the near distance, the majestic Rocky Mountains punched their craggy peaks into the clear blue sky.

She breathed in the smell of pine and fresh Colorado air.

“You’re not in Florida anymore.” That, she decided, was another blessing from her job loss.

Delighted to be outside, Baloo trotted next to her, head high. A few blocks later he stopped to sniff the base of a blue-and-white rectangle sign. Olivia didn’t have to circle around to the other side to read the words scrolled across the silhouette of a church with a tall steeple. She knew them by heart. Village Green, Colorado. Founded 1899. Population: 15,902. Elevation: 4,984.

After ten years of school and work and clawing her way up the corporate ladder, she was back where she started. A little shattered, a bit heartbroken, but not beaten.

In no particular hurry now, Olivia let the dog take the lead. He sniffed a tree, paid avid attention to several bushes, all the while tugging her in the direction of a bubbling, three-tiered fountain at the center of Hawkins Park, named after the town’s founder, Jonathan Hawkins.

Seemingly tuckered out by the time they arrived at the marble monstrosity, Baloo settled at her feet, then shut his eyes and set in for a short nap.

Olivia was about to sit on the fountain’s ledge when a puppy shot past her at lightning speed. The furry missile crested a small hill to her right, spun around, then sped back toward her.

Two young girls wearing matching white shorts and red T-shirts raced after him. “Samson, stop right now,” one of them yelled while the other girl shouted, “Come back here.”

Ears flat against his head, stubby legs pumping hard, Samson darted right, then left, then right again. In their haste to catch him, the girls tumbled over one another, landing in a heap. “Samsoooooooon.”

Ignoring the call, the animal whizzed past the pile of tangled arms and legs, his bubblegum-pink tongue flapping in the wind.

Before Olivia could grab him, the puppy took a flying leap. He cleared the fountain’s ledge and splashed down with a belly-busting splat.

He sank to the bottom like a stone.

Weren’t dogs supposed to be able to swim?

With the girls’ panicked shrieks in her ears, Olivia scooped the puppy out of the water. He came up wriggling and twisting, little legs running in the air.

“Calm down,” she ordered.

Samson continued his antics, jetting water in every direction, including across the front of Olivia’s shirt.

Laughing despite the impromptu bath, she held on tight and studied the animal through narrowed eyes. Seriously cute, she decided as she took in the plump belly, short tawny fur and adorable black face.

When he stopped thrashing she put him on the grass. Mindful of his earlier behavior, she kept her hands on his back, poised to snatch him up again if he attempted an escape.

He shook off the excess water, and immediately instigated a wrestling match with Baloo. The good-natured dog obliged the little troublemaker by rolling onto his back so Samson could climb up.

Olivia shifted her attention to the two young girls skidding to a stop beside her. By their height and size, she guessed their age to be somewhere around eight or nine years old. Nearly the same age as her ex-boyfriend’s daughter, Kenzie. The thought brought such pain Olivia had to close her eyes until the moment passed.

“You saved Samson,” one of the two sobbed.

Tears wavered in the other girl’s eyes. “We were so worried we wouldn’t catch him. He got away really fast.”

Even without the identical clothing, Olivia pegged them for twins. They had the same long, pale blond hair, pretty features and arresting golden-brown eyes.

Something about those eyes sparked a memory, one that shimmered just out of reach.

Olivia glanced around. Where were their parents? The girls were too young to be in the park alone. She plucked the puppy off Baloo and held him out. “Looking for this?”

“Oh, thank you.” Blinking away her tears, the girl on Olivia’s left took the dog, uncaring he was still wet. Now that the puppy was no longer harassing him, Baloo rolled back to his stomach and continued his nap.

“You look familiar.” The girl holding the puppy angled her head. “Do we know you?”

“I don’t think so. I’ve only just—”

“Megan, Molly,” a deep, masculine voice rang out from the hilltop behind the girls. There was a note of concern in the rich baritone, one Olivia hoped she alleviated with a brief wave of her hand.

His steps quickened, eating up the ground in long, sure strides. A thousand thoughts collided together in her mind. She knew that purposeful walk, that handsome face, that wind-tousled hair the color of sandy, Florida beaches.

Connor Mitchell. Dressed in cargo shorts and a faded blue T-shirt.

What was her brother’s partner in their family medical practice doing here, in the middle of a workday?

Olivia’s gaze met Connor’s across the lawn, and she immediately recognized the similarity with the two girls standing beside her, especially around the eyes. Even with his worried gaze, that was one good-looking man heading her way, as athletic and self-assured as she remembered.

Connor had been her brother’s best friend since before she could remember. He’d always been confident, kind and so blissfully unaware of his masculine appeal. During high school, Olivia had found herself weaving secret teenage dreams, with him playing the starring role.

That had been a very long time ago.

Yet memories took hold of her. Stupid, girlish hopes and dreams for a boy far too old for her—a full five years—who hadn’t noticed she was alive. He’d been too stuck on his childhood sweetheart, a woman he’d married right out of college. Shelly, Sheila, something like that. She’d died several years ago, leaving Connor a widower. And—as evidenced by the two girls standing beside her with those same striking Mitchell eyes—a single dad.

* * *

Relieved to find his daughters safe and the puppy no longer running loose, Connor let out an audible whoosh of air. The girls had darted away so fast he’d lost sight of them for a few terrifying minutes. Anything could have happened in that amount of time. The possibilities made him shudder.

Thankfully, nothing bad had occurred.

No doubt the woman standing beside the twins had played a large part in that. Gratitude nearly had him stumbling over his own feet.

He locked his gaze with hers and felt the blow of shocked recognition like a punch to his gut. His feet ground to a halt far too close to her. He took a step back. “Olivia?”

“Hello, Connor.” She gave him a slow, tentative smile that was a little shaky around the edges and yet devastatingly pretty. Ethan’s baby sister was all grown up.

“Hello, Olivia.” His voice sounded rusty and slightly stunned.

Who could blame him for his reaction? He had no way of knowing the shy, awkward teenager would become a woman of extraordinary beauty. How could he have known?

Olivia hadn’t come home since taking a job in... Connor couldn’t remember where. Somewhere in the South, he thought, but the specific location escaped him. It was possible Ethan had never told him. His medical partner was a man of few words.

Therein lay the problem. If Ethan had told Connor more about his sister, he would have been better prepared. Instead, he was stuck staring, struggling to reconcile his memory of the girl Olivia had been and the woman she’d become.

Little Olivia Scott had become a very attractive woman. The doll-like features had matured considerably. Her thick, mahogany hair hung in loose waves past her shoulders now.

A snarl of multilayered, complicated emotions surfaced, urging Connor to turn around and forget he ever ran into her today.

“Daddy?” Megan moved to him, tugged on his hand. “You know this lady?”

Connor shook himself free of Olivia’s gaze and focused on his daughter. Sometimes it hurt to look at either of the twins. Both girls resembled Sheila. They had her same small build, delicate features and light blond hair.

Their eyes, however, were all his. Mitchell eyes, a trait that had been passed down through several generations. Or so his mother always said.

That wasn’t the point.

What was the point?

“This is Olivia,” he said at last, glancing back at her. “Miss Olivia Scott.”

“Scott?” Molly’s forehead creased in puzzlement. “Like Dr. Ethan?”

“That’s right.” Olivia answered his daughter before Connor could. “I’m Dr. Ethan’s little sister.”

Not so little anymore, he thought. Not only had the round, girlish features matured, but her voice had deepened since he’d last seen her. It was husky now, somehow softer, an appealing alto that made him think...

What?

Feeling slightly ambushed, Connor took another step back. Away from the sweet kid who was no longer his best friend’s off-limits little sister, but a grown woman.

It felt wrong even noticing.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Megan bobble the squirming puppy. Welcoming the distraction, Connor reached out, catching the reckless mutt midair before tucking him under his arm like a football.

“Olivia. These are my daughters.” He angled his head to the right, “Molly, and—” he hitched his chin to his left “—Megan.”

“We’re twins,” Molly told her with no small amount of pride.

Olivia nodded. “I noticed.”

She gave the girls a warm smile, but Connor noted she wasn’t as calm as she appeared. Her breath was coming a little too quickly. She seemed nervous.

Because of him?

He cleared his throat.

“And this scoundrel—” he jiggled the puppy, earning him a happy yip “—is Samson, the newest member of the Mitchell household. He slipped out of his collar, which, as you can see, is still attached to this.” Connor lifted the leash in his other hand. “Apparently, I failed to cinch the buckle tight enough.”

“Ah.” Olivia reached out and scratched the puppy behind his ears. “I’ve never seen an animal this short and...um...round move quite so fast.”

“He’s fat but has lots of hidden moves.” Most of which Connor could live without.

The puppy had been his daughters’ idea and an added responsibility to his already full life, especially now that he and Ethan had discussed expanding their practice to include Saturday hours and two evenings a week.

Even without the added workload, as much as the girls tried to take care of their new dog, and they did try, they simply had no experience with pets. The bulk of the responsibility fell on Connor.

Dropping her hand, Olivia studied the puppy with laughing eyes. “I can only imagine what this little guy is capable of when you turn your back.”

Connor could give her a dissertation on the topic. “You have no idea.”

They shared a smile solely between them. For a brief moment, Connor felt the tension drain from his shoulders and the ache in his heart loosen just a bit. The sensation left him oddly shaken, as had this entire meeting.

He cleared his throat again.

Although the shyer of his two daughters, Megan moved in close to Olivia and tugged on her arm. “You’re very pretty.”

“Well, thank you. So are you.”

“What about me?” Molly asked, squirming in next to her sister.

Eyes crinkling at the edges, Olivia pretended to consider the question carefully. “You are easily as pretty as your sister.”

Both girls laughed.

Connor did, too. For the first time in days—months—he wasn’t worried about tight schedules, or running late, or forgetting something important. The girls were safe. The puppy found. And Olivia Scott was back in town.

Chapter Two

Standing close enough to make out the warm blend of bronze, amber and gold in Connor’s eyes, Olivia quietly studied him. Sure, he was good-looking. Really good-looking. But that wasn’t the reason for her sudden silence. It was the inexplicable desire to offer him comfort, as if she could somehow provide him with a place of rest from the outside world.

That made no sense.

The man was in the prime of his life. Strong, athletic, capable. Yet Olivia detected a hint of sorrow in him, a sorrow she understood all too well.

The slight sting she felt in her heart she attributed to missing her parents. Even now, over ten years after their car accident, the pain was still with her, would probably always be with her.

Did Connor suffer something similar?

How could he not? He’d lost his wife to cancer.

Olivia wished she could soothe away his grief, as he’d once done for her that day after her parents’ funeral.

Did he remember the momentary solace he’d given her with his kind words?

Out of the corner of her eye, Olivia could see his daughters watching her closely. She understood what they’d lost. But Olivia had enjoyed time with her mother for seventeen years. These girls had spent far less with theirs. The unfairness struck her. She smiled down at them.

They smiled back.

Shifting beside her, Connor drew Olivia’s attention back to him. He wasn’t looking at her, though. He was focused on his daughters. “Girls, it’s time to go.”

The arguments began immediately.

He shut them down with a look. “Say goodbye to Miss Olivia.”

A little grumbling ensued before Megan stepped close to Olivia and looked up. “Bye, Miss Olivia.”

Miss Olivia. Her heart tripped. Kenzie had called her that, too.

Olivia banished the thought, and focused only on the two girls staring up at her. They were at such a great age, when they still looked up to adults and chose obedience more often than not.

“It was nice to meet you, Megan.” Olivia circled her gaze to include the girl’s sister. “And you as well, Molly.”

Molly’s eyes rounded in response. “You can tell us apart?”

The surprise was understandable. On first glance the girls were identical. But on closer inspection, Molly held herself with more confidence. Her smile also came quicker, and with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Well, yes. I can.”

“That’s really...” Molly seemed to search for the right word “...cool.”

“Yeah,” Megan agreed. “Supercool.”

Connor set the puppy on the ground and reattached the collar. His elegant, efficient movements reminded Olivia of an artist’s expert strokes across a canvas. He had such nice hands, doctor’s hands. Steady, confident, yet gentle.

Still not looking at her, he gave the puppy’s collar a final check and then rose to his full height—all six feet two inches of casually clad male in those well-worn cargo shorts and a faded T-shirt. He was tall enough that Olivia had to tip her head back to look into his face. The shock of those intense amber eyes focused on her sent her heart stuttering.

What was wrong with her? Why this strange visceral reaction to the man? This was Connor Mitchell, for goodness’ sake. Her brother’s best friend since before Olivia was born. Ethan’s friend, she reminded herself, not hers. She hadn’t actually spoken to him for years before today.

“It was good to see you, Olivia.” He paused a moment, his expression easy. “I’m sure our paths will cross again while you’re in town.”

“I...” She tensed, started to tell him she was probably home for good, then thought, Why would he need to know that? “I certainly hope so.”

Even to her own ears, the words came out a little wistful.

And mortifying.

Hadn’t she learned her lesson when it came to single dads with demanding professions and adorable daughters in need of a woman’s love?

Having been ignored long enough, Samson gave a ferocious growl before initiating a vicious tug-of-war with his leash.

“Troublemaker,” Connor muttered, but obliged the puppy with a few hard snatches.

Samson hunched low, growled deeper in his throat, then whipped his head back and forth with fast, hard jerks.

A reluctant laugh escaped Connor.

Olivia gave in to her own amusement. The puppy was hard not to like. “That is one big, bad dog in the making.”

“So he wants us all to think.”

Samson suddenly let go of the leash, looked around and then pounced on Baloo.

Olivia reached down to pry the puppy loose.

Connor bent over, as well. Their hands connected atop Samson’s back. They both froze. Less than a heartbeat later Connor moved his hand and picked up Samson.

He passed the puppy off to Molly.

Holding the animal close, the girl divided a look between her father and Olivia. A speculative glint whispered across her gaze, but disappeared so quickly Olivia thought she might have imagined the whole thing.

She said goodbye to the twins, patted Samson on the head and watched as the entire family turned to go. A final wave in her direction from the twins, and they disappeared back over the hill.

Now that puppy teeth were no longer chomping on his ear, Baloo hopped to his feet with the agility of a dog half his age. Olivia absently scratched her fingernails down his back, earning her a canine sigh.

She sighed, too.

The Mitchells were such a beautiful family, yet she couldn’t help feeling a little sad for them. Cancer had left Connor to raise two young girls on his own. With three older brothers in the medical profession, Olivia knew the long hours he endured.

Not that it was any of her concern.

“Come on, Baloo. Let’s go home.”

On the walk back to the house, one thought kept running through Olivia’s mind. She’d come home just in time, putting her on the right path to finding her true purpose in life. A purpose she hadn’t considered when she’d been working fourteen-hour days.

The possibilities stretching before her were both exciting and terrifying.

It was nearly noon by the time Olivia guided Baloo into the mudroom at the back of their house. At this hour she wouldn’t run into any of her brothers.

Ethan was at the office seeing patients. Ryder was at Village Green Hospital where he shared E.R. duties with two other doctors. And Brody was out of the country working for Doctors Without Borders.

With the house to herself, Olivia could continue working her way through the list of Village Green businesses. She needed to determine if the type of tearoom she had in mind would be redundant or just what the town needed. No thoughts of single dads and or sweet little girls would be allowed in her head. Work, work and more work.

She’d just hung up Baloo’s leash when she heard a deep, masculine voice. “Olivia? That you?”

Her throat tightened. Of course Ethan would come home for lunch today, since he was the one brother she wanted to avoid most. Not that she didn’t adore him; of course she did. But he had a way of asking questions that struck at the heart of a matter. Questions she didn’t have answers for yet. Her emotions were too raw, and her plans too sketchy.

The fact that she hadn’t heard his approach was a bit annoying, but not entirely her fault. Ethan still moved with that creepy stealth he’d learned as an Army Ranger.

She turned and smiled at him. Dressed in navy blue dress pants and a white button-down, he looked very much like the successful doctor he was. As with all her brothers, the stark contrast of his black hair and light blue eyes turned more than a few female heads, including most of Olivia’s friends.

“Hey,” she said, hoping she’d caught him on his way out. “I took Baloo for a walk. I’m assuming that was okay.”

“Sure.” He nodded, smiling. “He needs more exercise than I can give him.”

Now that the pleasantries were over, she grabbed her laptop with the sole intention of heading somewhere else—anywhere else—to continue her fact-finding expedition. “Well, now that I brought him home, I’m heading out again.”

“You just got back.”

“I know, but—” she glanced over his shoulder, her gaze landing on the refrigerator “—we need groceries.”

His eyebrows pulled together. “We have food in the house.”

She rolled her eyes. Ethan was such a man. “Bottled water and cold pizza do not qualify as food.”

He ignored this observation and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Olivia. Come into the den. We’ll talk and—”

“I really should get going.” She shrugged out from under his grip, trying not to think about all she’d lost. The job. The perfect ready-made family that had seemed within her reach.

So she’d been downsized. So she and Warner hadn’t worked out. Maybe her breakup and job loss had come at an opportune time. Maybe even Divine Intervention, God working good out of the bad in her life.

“Stop worrying about me, Ethan. I’m simply between jobs.”

He considered this, considered her. “So you’ve said already.” He lowered his voice to that soothing doctor octave he donned so well. “I know that’s not the truth.”

She opened her mouth to argue.

“Not the full truth, in any case.”

She thought about the tearoom of her dreams, the particulars still fuzzy, yet also thrilling, in her mind. “It’s a long story with a few twists and turns but eventually leading to a happy ending.”

She would make sure of it.

“Tell me more. I have time.” He checked the chunky wristwatch he’d worn ever since his days in the military. “I don’t have to be back at the office for another half hour.”

His tone was so calm, so reasonable, as if she could explain in thirty minutes or less why she didn’t want to take another job in banking. Why she wanted to try something that would require a leap of faith.

“How about I tell you everything tonight when you get home from work?”

“I’m not coming straight home. I have a meeting in Denver.”

“Tomorrow, then.” She patted him on the arm, relieved she would have more time. “I’ll stop by the office and catch you between patients.”

Giving him no chance to respond, she quickly exited the house, shutting the door on whatever response he’d been about to give.

* * *

Thanks to the tiny menace in a fur suit, Connor spent the rest of his day off in the emergency room, where he and the girls waited for news on Samson’s latest victim—their housekeeper, Carlotta.

The puppy had escaped his crate and had proceeded to bolt through the house. With the twins giving chase, Samson had eventually darted into the kitchen and slid directly under Carlotta’s foot, the one attached to her bad knee.

She’d gone down hard.

One look had told Connor he didn’t have the necessary equipment to treat her injury at home, or at the office. Hence this unexpected trip to Village Green Hospital’s E.R.

Connor would have joined Carlotta in the exam room, but she’d insisted he stay with the girls. He’d relented when Megan’s eyes had filled with tears and Ryder Scott, the doctor on duty, had promised to give Connor an update as soon as he knew more.

While the twins watched television, Connor retrieved his phone from his back pocket and thumbed through his contact list. If Carlotta’s injury was as bad as he suspected, he would need alternative child care.

“Daddy?”

He lifted his head.

Megan’s bottom lip trembled. “You’re not going to make us get rid of Samson, are you?”

“Not a chance, sweetheart.” He pulled her into a one-arm hug. “He’s part of the family now.” For better or worse.

So far, it had been mostly worse.

Eyes full of worry, Molly drew alongside her sister. “Samson didn’t mean to hurt Carlotta.”

Connor gave her a reassuring smile. “No, sweetheart, he didn’t.”

He wanted to say more, explain that the puppy needed obedience school stat, but Ryder joined them in the waiting room. The other doctor’s tight expression confirmed Connor’s suspicions. The news was bad.

He stood. Megan rushed past him and tugged on Ryder’s sleeve. “Is Carlotta going to be okay?”

Ryder glanced at Connor before answering, “Sure is.”

The other doctor smiled down at Megan. The gesture wiped away the tension on his face and relaxed his features, reminding Connor of the man’s younger sister. All the Scotts looked alike, but this one favored Olivia the most, right down to the blue-blue eyes, the color of the Colorado sky.

Connor had been thinking a lot about Olivia since their unexpected reunion this morning. Hard not to, since his daughters had chattered nonstop about her all the way home from the park.

She’d certainly made an impression on them.

The image of Olivia’s eyes crinkling around the edges when she smiled at them still hovered in the back of his mind.

“Hey, kiddo.” Ryder tugged on Megan’s ponytail, the only hairstyle Connor had mastered in his four years of solo parenting. “No need for tears. Your housekeeper’s going to live. She just busted up her knee.”

Connor tried not to groan at the description. “How badly busted up are we talking?”

“Broken kneecap, torn ACL. The orthopedic surgeon is with her now. He’s suggesting immediate surgery.”

Translation: months of recovery time.

The girls’ summer break had barely begun. Connor stuffed his phone back in his pocket. “I’d like to see her now.”

Ryder hooked a thumb over his left shoulder. “Third room on the left.”

“Be right back.” He stayed only long enough to determine how Carlotta was feeling, promise he’d take care of any medical bills not covered by insurance and assure her she had a job when her knee healed.

As soon as he and the girls arrived home from the hospital, Connor went to work on his child-care dilemma. He made the first call to his sister Avery a recent college grad home for a few months before she started medical school in the fall.

She answered on the second ring. “Hey, bro. What’s up?”

After he explained the situation, she clicked her tongue in sympathy. “Ouch, poor Carlotta. Tell me what I can do to help.”

“Can you watch the girls tomorrow?”

“I can watch them all summer if necessary.”

“It won’t come to that.” He glanced out into the backyard. The twins were attempting to run off the puppy’s seemingly never-ending energy. Good luck with that.

“I mean it, Connor.”

“I know, Avery, and I appreciate it.” He tightened his hold on the phone. “But I promised you experience in the office before you start medical school, and I’m going to keep my word.”

Resolved to find a solution that would work for everyone, he ended the call.

Closing his eyes, he wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. He was suddenly bone-tired, as if the long, endless days he’d endured since Sheila’s death were finally catching up with him.

He missed his wife, missed her company and the deep, abiding friendship they’d shared since the third grade. Four years since her death, he was past the worst of his grief and moving on with his life. Some days were easier than others; most were just hard work.

He would tackle this latest problem as he did all the others. One detail at a time. He spent the rest of the night either on the phone or waiting for someone to return his call.

Unfortunately, he arrived at his office the next day with his child-care problem still unresolved. Connor would not rely solely on his sister. He would figure out another solution.

His mind on several options, he headed toward the east wing of the building where he had his personal office space. He stepped across the threshold and...

Stopped cold.

Olivia Scott stood beside his desk, seemingly absorbed with the task of writing on a piece of paper beneath her hand.

Connor’s heart took a quick, hard thump. Ethan’s sister looked like summer in a pair of white jeans, a fancy blue top and high-heeled sandals.

His mind went momentarily blank. “Olivia?”

She looked up and smiled. “Oh, Connor. Hi. I was just leaving you a note. Guess I don’t have to now.” She lifted the piece of paper beneath her fingertips, then tossed it in the trash.

She shifted a step closer. Her scent, a pleasant mix of lavender and vanilla, was very female and more than a little distracting. “Aren’t you going to ask me why I’m here?”

“Okay...” He angled his head, swallowed. “Why are you here?” He swallowed again. “And why were you leaving me a note?”

Leaning back against his desk, she rested her hands on either side of her. “I have a proposition for you.”

He simply stared at her, uncertain how to respond to that.

“I heard your housekeeper injured her knee yesterday.” Her gaze turned somber. “Ryder told me about the accident when he came home last night.”

Ah.

“I figure this probably puts you in a bind when it comes to child care for your daughters this summer.”

“It does.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “My sister is helping out for now. But I need to find a more permanent solution, at least until Carlotta’s knee heals.”

Olivia’s pretty smile returned. “That’s where I come in.”

He waited for the rest.

Her smile brightened even more. “I know the perfect person to watch your girls this summer.”

He tried to focus on her words, not on the fact that his heartbeat had picked up speed, or that he experienced a flash of insight, as if he were on the verge of something life-changing. “Who did you have in mind?”

“Me.”

Chapter Three

For the second time since entering his office, Connor found himself rendered speechless. Had Olivia just offered to watch his daughters for the entire summer?

He swept his gaze over her face, measuring, gauging. The teasing light had fled from her eyes, replaced by a look of unmistakable sincerity. There was also a twinge of excitement he didn’t understand.

There had to be something he was missing.

“Don’t you already have a job? In...” He tried to remember what she’d studied in college. Surely Ethan had told him. Marketing? Finance? “Banking?”

She glanced away a moment and sighed. “That’s right. For a number of years I helped failing companies with debt consolidation and financial restructuring.”

“Impressive.”

She shrugged. “Mostly just a lot of number crunching.”

“I’m sure there’s more to it than that.” He ran a thriving medical practice. He had a good idea what it took to keep afloat in a tight economy.

“Anyway, I’m not doing that anymore. I’m looking into other options for the future. In the meantime, I’m free to help you out.”

“Are you saying you’re unemployed?”

“I’m saying I’m in Village Green while I consider my next career move.” She didn’t expand. Nor, Connor noted, had she addressed his question directly.

Could this meeting get any more confusing?

Her smile flashed again, quick and devastating. That smile, it made him think of silver linings at the end of a long, dark day.

“This is a God thing, you know, my being available to watch your daughters like this.”

Connor had no comment. He’d given up on God years ago. Or, more accurately, God had given up on him. It hadn’t mattered that he’d prayed nonstop for his wife’s return to health. Not only had she not gotten better; Sheila had died slowly, painfully. Even his efforts to provide her comfort at the end had failed.

He did his best raising the twins on his own. But Molly and Megan needed a woman in their lives, one who would love them as much as Sheila did. That’s why he’d started dating, though he wasn’t really in the game, merely attempting to take the first step. A lunch every now and then when he had time, which was hardly ever.

Olivia moved closer, the sound of her heels on the wood floor breaking through his thoughts. “I’ll take excellent care of your girls.”

This seemed too good to be true.

He opened his mouth to respond, but Olivia smiled at him again, a big toothy grin that gave him pause. Having her in his home every day might not be wise.

He shoved his fingers through his hair and carefully stripped his voice of emotion. “Let’s say I agree to your offer. When would you be available to start work?”

Her earnest gaze met his. “Immediately.”

“What’s the rush?”

“No rush.”

He stared at her.

She never blinked, not once. But he got the sense she wasn’t being completely candid with him.

“What’s in it for you?”

Now she blinked. Twice. Her hesitation was obvious. But then she looked at him again, smiled and said, “Let me take care of your daughters for you, Connor.”

She grabbed his hand and a new kind of alertness took hold of him. “I promise to do right by them,” she whispered, releasing his hand. “And you.”

He didn’t doubt her sincerity. But what did a bank exec know about kids?

As if reading his mind, Olivia continued.

“Back in high school I earned enough money babysitting to buy my first car. I love kids. Always have, especially girls around your daughters’ age. I—” She cut herself off and blinked slowly, as if the words were painful to say. “I really do love kids.”

Her voice held a strange mix of sincerity and reserve, with a hint of hope underneath. Connor knew the feeling. He felt poised on the brink of something new himself, something life-altering.

Some of the knots in his gut unraveled. Then he remembered that watching his daughters was only part of the job description. “You’ll have to take on Samson, too.”

This seemed to amuse her. “How bad can one tiny puppy be?”

“Bad enough to put my housekeeper in the hospital.”

Olivia’s expression sobered. “Right.”

Reaching out to him, she laid her hand on his arm. Something inside him shifted under her gentle touch.

“Don’t worry, Connor.” She chuckled. “I know my way around dogs just as well as I do little girls.”

The selfish part of him wanted to hire her on the spot. The wiser part of him whispered a warning to hold off making a final decision. She might have babysat in high school, but that was a decade ago.

Even if she’d been a professional nanny all her adult life, something about Olivia Scott dug past the efficient facade he relied on to get him through the day. If he hired her, Connor could very well lose the fragile balance he’d carefully put in place.

But he couldn’t deny the fact that his daughters liked Olivia. They’d made that perfectly clear after their time with her in the park yesterday. All things considered, her offer might be the perfect solution to his child-care problems.

Still, Connor hesitated.

“What if we do this on a trial basis?” she asked.

“How would that work?”

“I’ll watch the girls for a few days. At the end of that time we’ll reevaluate the situation.” She placed her hands on her hips. “If any of us aren’t happy with the arrangement, and that includes your daughters, then I’ll walk away.”

He couldn’t say why the idea of her walking away bothered him, so he did a mental dance around the thought and focused on the matter at hand. “That could work.”

“If our arrangement doesn’t suit either of us, then I’ll help you find my replacement.”

“Before I agree to this trial run...” Was he really considering this? “I have a stipulation.”

“Only one?”

His lips twitched at her response. When was the last time he’d laughed? Really laughed? Yesterday, he realized, in Hawkins Park when Olivia Scott had saved an out-of-control puppy from possible drowning and made his daughters smile.

“You mentioned a stipulation?” she asked.

“Ethan has to agree.”

“What? Why?” Her eyes narrowed. “My brother has no say in what I can or cannot do.”

Maybe not. But as the oldest in a family of five siblings, and the only male, Connor knew firsthand the mind-set of a protective older brother. If their roles were reversed, and the other doctor was having this conversation with one of Connor’s sisters, he’d have a few reservations.

“Ethan is my business partner and friend. He needs to be okay with this. Talk to him. If he has no objections, then we’ll give it a try.”

She expelled an audible breath. “All right. I’ll speak to him, but only because you asked. I would never want to cause problems for you at work.”

With a determined gleam in her eye, she moved past him. “This won’t take long.”

Knowing how protective Ethan was of his one and only sister, Connor doubted that.

* * *

A rush of impatience surged through Olivia. What should have been a brief conversation was taking twice as long as it should. Waiting for her unusually long-winded brother to wind down, she slid a covert glance around his office. Nice. Masculine, tasteful, well organized.

Very efficient. Very Ethan.

Her gaze landed on a picture of him in full military gear, his arm slung over a woman’s shoulders. Even dressed in battle fatigues, she was a pretty girl, her smile nearly model-perfect. The two looked happy. They looked together.

Where was the other soldier now? And why had Ethan never mentioned her?

Observant to a fault, he caught her looking at the photo. With a swipe of his hand, he turned the picture facedown on the desk. The lines around his eyes seemed to cut deeper when he looked back at Olivia.

“You’re a banker, Liv, not a nanny.”

Oh, joy, they were back to that. “I babysat almost every night back in high school,” she reminded him a third—or was it a fourth?—time. She could tell him about all the time she’d spent with Kenzie when it had been Warner’s weekend with his daughter. How she’d loved and taken care of the girl as if she were her own.

“That was years ago, Liv. And besides—” He crossed his arms over his chest “—I thought you were only home for a short visit until the job at the bank in Denver opens up again.”

That had been true when she’d set out from Florida. She’d had every intention of taking a banking position similar to the one she’d left. But Olivia had experienced a change of heart on the cross-country drive. How did she tell Ethan she believed the Lord had given her a new passion to replace the old? One that would require considerable planning and a very large leap of faith?

Remembering her father’s long-ago advice, Olivia shifted to offense now that her defense was running weak. “It’s my Christian duty to help out a friend in need.”

“Connor isn’t your friend. He’s mine.”

“Same difference.” She snapped her shoulders back. “If we’re finished here I should get back—”

He pointed a finger at her. “You’re hiding something.”

“You’re paranoid.”

“Now you’re deflecting the conversation back on me.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “What’s going on, Olivia?”

Why did he have to care so much, see so much, when all she wanted to do was focus on the future, not the devastating events of the past that had brought her home in the first place?

As much as she wanted to run from this conversation, to pretend she wasn’t still raw from all the losses she’d suffered, she knew she couldn’t keep putting her brother off.

“I’m not sure I want to continue in my chosen profession.” There. She’d said it. The truth was out at last. “In fact, I want to take some time to think through my options. All my options.”

“Are you telling me you quit your job in Jacksonville before you—”

“I was downsized,” she admitted.

“Olivia.” Tenderness filled his gaze, a look that spoke of genuine affection and brotherly concern. “Why didn’t you tell Ryder and me when you first came home? Why didn’t you just—”

“Admit that I’ve been chasing the wrong dreams,” and the wrong man, “for all the wrong reasons? That I’m about to turn thirty with nothing to show for my life?”

No job. No family.

Nothing.

“Olivia, you’re the most capable woman I know.” Hands on her shoulders, he squeezed gently. “And the smartest of all us Scotts put together. It’s only a matter of time before you’re back in the workforce, killing it with all the other financial whizzes in whatever direction you choose to take.”

Needing a moment to process her brother’s unfailing support, she glanced out his office window. The view was spectacular on this side of the building, full of snowcapped mountain peaks, yellow-leafed aspens and thick Colorado pines. “I appreciate your confidence. But until I figure out what’s next for me, I’m free to watch Connor’s daughters. That’s what we financial whizzes call a win-win.”

He didn’t crack a smile at her joke. If anything, the worry in his gaze deepened. “Be sure this is what you want to do before you commit to watching the girls. It’ll be too hard for Connor to find another replacement if you change your mind.”

She wasn’t going to change her mind. Even if taking the position might be painful at first, a reminder of all she’d lost when she broke it off with Warner, two little girls needed her. “That’s excellent advice. Now, if we’re through, I need to find Connor and give him the good news.”

“Olivia—”

She shut the door on the rest of his words. Not running away, she told herself. She was merely walking away very quickly. At least she’d told Ethan the truth about her job loss and her desire to consider a different career path altogether.

Feeling marginally better, she wound her way back through the twisting corridors of the building.

Head down, her mind on all the things she and the girls would do together over the summer, she failed to pay attention to her surroundings. Which probably explained why she ran into an immovable wall of muscles wrapped inside a white lab coat.

She mumbled a quick apology, then promptly lost her balance.

Connor steadied her. “Easy, now.”

She clutched at his arms. “Sorry.”

“You already said that.” His voice sounded strained, much as hers had a moment before.

“Oh...right. Anyway.” Cheeks on fire, she took that much-needed step back and looked everywhere but at the man towering over her.

Maybe Ethan was right. Maybe she should take another day to consider the ramifications of working for Connor.

You won’t be working for him, she reminded herself. Not in the strictest sense of the word. She’d be taking care of his daughters while he was at the office. In her free time she would work on her business plan and test out new recipes, maybe even try a few on Connor’s family. As far as she was concerned, that was the real win-win.

“How did your talk with your brother go?”

“Really great.” She let out a soft sigh. “He couldn’t be more on board if it had been his idea.”

“It went that badly, huh?”

She bristled. “I didn’t say it went badly.”

“You didn’t have to. I’ll be right back.” He set out in the direction of Ethan’s office.

She stopped him with a touch to his arm. “Please don’t.”

“He’s my partner, Olivia. I won’t put a rift in our relationship simply to solve my current child-care problem.” He closed his hand over hers. “Nor will I jeopardize your relationship with him, either.”

How sweet. And really thoughtful. But completely unnecessary. “Ethan’s not opposed to me helping you out.” She tugged her hand free from beneath his. “He merely suggested I take a day to think it over.”

“That’s not a bad idea.”

He was taking Ethan’s side in this? “I appreciate your predicament, Connor, I really do, but my brother will come around eventually. He’s already halfway there.”

“I still want to discuss this with him.”

“I don’t see why it matters.”

“Because Connor understands the value of loyalty and friendship,” Ethan said, maneuvering around her to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with his longtime friend and partner.

Her brother’s creepy stealth was going to get him decked one day. Probably by her.

And there they stood. Two superior male specimens. Nearly the same height and build, Ethan’s dark to Connor’s light, the solidarity in their long-standing friendship evident in their similar stances.

She frowned at them both.

“Whatever this bro code is between you two—” she flicked her wrist from one to the other “—it doesn’t change the fact that Connor needs a temporary nanny for his daughters. And I’m available.”

Both men looked at her, then at each other. Something passed between them before Ethan lifted a shoulder. “It’s up to you, Con.”

Olivia breathed a sigh of relief, ready to celebrate the win-win, until she realized Con hadn’t given his answer.

“Well?” she asked him.

Another glance at her brother, then... “Let’s try it.”

Yes. “Well, then. If you have no objection, I could go over to your house this morning.” When he started to speak, she added, “It’ll be easier for the girls if I learn their routine while your sister is still around.”

He went silent again, his eyebrows drawing together.

Reminding herself she wasn’t in charge, yet, she took a deep breath and forced her words out more carefully than before. “I didn’t mean to overstep. I merely assumed you would want me to start as soon as possible.”

“I don’t have a problem with you heading over to my house this morning.” He slipped his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “Actually, it’s not a bad idea. I’ll call Avery and let her know to expect you.”

“Excellent.” Olivia hadn’t seen Avery in years. It’d be nice to catch up. “I’ll call you when I’m through and we can iron out the details of my job duties.”

“Good enough.”

She turned to go.

“Olivia?”

She looked over her shoulder, and nearly tripped. The impact of Connor’s golden eyes sliding over her face was like a physical blow. It didn’t help matters that Ethan had gone unnaturally silent, watching them interact with those all-seeing Ranger eyes. “Yes?”

Connor angled his head. “Do you know where I live?”

“Uh...no.”

Lips twitching, he rattled off his address. Why did that sound so familiar?

This time, when she turned to leave, neither man tried to stop her. They did, however, follow her into the parking lot, neither speaking, both watching her closely.

Refusing to be intimidated, she climbed into her car. Ethan’s earlier warning knocked around in her brain. Be sure this is what you want to do.

Oh, she was sure. Very sure.

Chapter Four

Standing beside Ethan in the parking lot, Connor watched Olivia zip away in a sporty red BMW. The car was a perfect fit for the woman she’d become—sophisticated, chic, with an unexpected kick under the hood. The cheery wave she tossed through the open sunroof made him smile.

Thinking of her with his girls felt good. It felt right.

For an alarming moment, he teetered between past and present, wondering if he’d made a mistake hiring Olivia.

Ethan clapped him on the back. “Your daughters will love my sister. She’s a natural with kids.”

Connor remembered the way she’d interacted with the girls in the park yesterday, how easy she’d been with them and how quickly she’d been able to tell them apart.

Olivia seemed the perfect solution to his childcare problems, and a good fit with his daughters. Still, Connor couldn’t rid himself of the notion that he’d just made his life more complicated rather than less. “Hard to think of your sister as a high-powered banker rescuing companies from financial ruin.”

“Surprised all three of us when she chose a business career instead of pursuing medicine.” Ethan slipped his hands into his pockets, stared out over the parking lot as if lost in thought. “The Scotts have been doctors for three generations.”

The Mitchells had been in the profession nearly as long, with one glaring exception. The first doctor in Connor’s family had been a woman. The rest of his cousins were ranchers, an even longer family tradition than medicine.

“With Olivia’s love of kids, I thought she’d go into pediatrics.”

“And with your trauma experience I thought you’d join Ryder in the E.R. when you left the military.”

Although his shrug was casual, Ethan’s face went blank, like a switch turning off.

Connor didn’t press. He never did. But he couldn’t help wondering what had happened to his friend on that last tour of duty in Afghanistan.

“Doesn’t matter why,” he said aloud. “You’re stuck with me now, treating nothing more complicated than runny noses, an occasional spider bite and a broken bone or two. Riveting stuff.”

Ethan laughed, as Connor knew he would. They saw worse, sometimes much worse, but nothing compared to what his friend had encountered in a war zone.

“Speaking of broken bones.” Ethan shook his head. “Robbie Anderson is in Exam Room 2.”

Again? “Which one this time?”

“Left tibial shaft. The kid was lucky, though. It’s a stable fracture and the fibula wasn’t damaged at all.”

“I suppose that’s something.”

As they reentered the building, Ethan added, “There’s considerable swelling, so I’ll have to splint the leg first, see about a cast later. Tasha’s prepping him now.”

Good. A former search and rescue coordinator, the nurse knew her way around broken bones.

“You take 1.” Ethan jerked his chin at the closed door farther down the hallway. “The patient specifically requested you.”

Not quite sure what he saw in the other man’s eyes, Connor reached for the chart in the door holder.

Chuckling softly, Ethan disappeared into Exam Room 2.

Alone in the hallway, Connor gave the chart in his hand a cursory glance. He groaned softly. The patient behind door Number 1 was Lacy Hargrove, Village Green’s self-proclaimed most eligible bachelorette. No denying the young divorcée was beautiful, in an over-the-top, plastic sort of way. She was also on the prowl for husband number three.

Connor groaned again.

The woman made him uneasy. She made most men in town uneasy, even the stalwart, battle-toughened, Ethan Scott. No wonder the coward had pawned her off on Connor.

Hitting his cue perfectly, Ethan stuck his head out of Exam Room 2. “Tag, buddy, you’re it.”

Connor snarled. “Anyone ever mention you have a mean streak?”

“Only every other person who meets me.”

* * *

Following the GPS voice commands on her phone, Olivia swung her car onto Aspen Way. Anticipation building, she inched along, verifying addresses as she went. Each block she covered brought her closer to the edge of town. At the last house on the street, she slammed on the brakes.

Her mouth dropped open and waves of delight washed over her. Connor had bought Charity House.

The sprawling old home had once been an orphanage in the 1800s. Or rather, a baby farm, which was really just a fancy name for a place where prostitutes in the Old West sent their illegitimate children for a solid Christian upbringing.

Both the Scotts and the Mitchells had ancestors directly connected to the place. Some of the stories were legendary, others so far-fetched Olivia hadn’t believed them for a moment.

Members of both families had worked at the orphanage, while others had married someone closely connected. All had lived out their faith, showing God’s grace to abandoned children and their prostitute mothers.

Smiling, Olivia swung her car onto the gravel road leading to the grand old mansion.

A sense of rightness filled her. This temporary nanny position came at a perfect time in her life. During the day, she would concentrate on taking care of Connor’s daughters. Maybe even teach them how to cook while testing out new recipes. At night, she would work on her business plan, perfecting it until she was ready to present her idea to a bank or potential investor.

Win-win.

As long as she kept her heart firmly guarded and remembered her place in Connor’s home.

The three-story house was undergoing renovations, as evidenced by the scaffolding. Even in its unfinished state, the home was something straight out of a fairy tale—whimsical in design, the sharp angles of the roof were softened by clinging wisteria, rounded windows and wrought-iron balconies.

Head full of damsels in distress and happily-ever-afters, Olivia parked her car at the end of the drive and climbed out. She’d barely commandeered the steps leading onto a lovely wraparound porch when the front door flew open. Out spilled a wild-eyed, frazzled young woman Olivia immediately recognized.

“Good morning, Avery.”

“What’s good about it?”

The poor girl looked so overwhelmed, so flustered that Olivia found herself wanting to lighten the mood as quickly as possible. “That’s some kind of greeting after all these years.”

Avery’s face fell. “Oh, Olivia. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.” Cheeks bright pink, her golden eyes round with remorse, she clasped Olivia’s hands. “It’s been a bit hectic this morning.”

Aside from her flushed face, several blond locks had slipped out of her ponytail and now fluttered over her eyes.

“Are the girls giving you trouble?”

“Not even a little. They’re wonderful. But that dog of theirs?” Avery executed an impressive eye-roll. “He’s a walking nuisance on four pudgy legs.”

Samson’s latest victim. Unlike Carlotta’s experience with the puppy, at least Avery only suffered a large case of frustration.

“Let’s try this again.” Avery blew a strand of hair off her face. Her smile came quicker now, fuller. “It’s really great to see you. You look amazing.”

“I was thinking the same about you.” She squeezed her old friend’s hand. “And the good news is—”

A loud crash from inside the house cut off the rest of her words.

“Samson, no.” A panicked squeal followed the command. Then came the cringe-worthy statement “Not on the floor.”

“Here we go again.” Avery took off in a dead run.

Trailing after her, Olivia only had time for impressions as she rushed toward the back of the house. She noticed the décor and concluded that, much like the exterior, the interior was still a work in progress.

She caught up with Avery in the kitchen. She was on her hands and knees attacking Samson’s latest magnum opus with quiet fervor and a handful of paper towels.

The culprit was nowhere in sight. Nor, Olivia noted, were the twins.

“Megan and Molly hustled the puppy outside, probably to keep me from killing him. I wouldn’t have, you know.” Avery tossed the soiled towels in the trash, then went to wash her hands in the sink. “I’d never hurt the little guy.”

“Of course not.” Olivia patted her hand in commiseration.

“He’s just so full of...” Avery moved her shoulders as if trying to dislodge a heavy weight. “Energy.”

That was one way of putting it.

“Well, I have good news. I have nothing pressing on my calendar today. I can stick around and observe or help or whatever for as long as you need me.”

Avery leaned in close, nearly pressing her nose to Olivia’s. “How long are you suggesting?”

“All day, if necessary.”

“Woot!” Pumping her palms in the air, Avery wiggled her hips, twirled in a circle.

The rest of the day went by in a blur. To use Avery’s words, the girls were wonderful. And, yes, Samson was a nuisance. At least he was a cute nuisance, and easy enough to manage, once Olivia taught the stubborn little guy who was in charge. That had only taken three exhausting hours.

By midafternoon, Avery started making noise about needing to reread her anatomy and physiology notes before starting work in Connor’s office. After checking with Connor, Olivia told Avery to go on home.

She was out the door in a flash.

Now, a few minutes shy of six, the girls were busy setting the table in the kitchen’s breakfast nook while Olivia checked on the casserole she’d popped in the oven earlier. Satisfied it was cooking nicely, she carefully shut the oven door and looked around.

This must have been one of the first rooms Connor had renovated. Aside from the usual appliances, all top-of-the-line, there was an enormous refrigerator and a massive center island with a built-in grill.

She could do a lot of creating in a kitchen like this.

Sighing over the possibilities, she dragged her fingertip along the granite countertop, scooting around a slumbering Samson as she went. The puppy slept as hard as he played.

Smiling at him, she reached down to rub his upturned belly. The sound of a key turning in a lock had him leaping to his feet and bolting out of the kitchen.

“Daddy’s home,” Molly declared, chasing after the dog.

Megan joined the welcome-home party a half step later.

Olivia remained in the kitchen. She smoothed a hand over her hair, straightened the hem of her shirt, then checked her white jeans for stains and unwanted wrinkles.

Jeans don’t wrinkle, she reminded herself. Feeling oddly out of sorts, she didn’t know what to do with her hands.

What was wrong with her? She was usually so in control. Stubborn CEOs determined to drive their companies into financial ruin often required firm handling.

From the foyer, Connor’s rumbling laugh mixed with his daughters’ higher-pitched giggles. Olivia couldn’t help smiling and her nerves instantly disappeared. It was just Connor out there in the hallway, laughing with his daughters.

By the time he joined her in the kitchen, her heartbeat had almost leveled out. Then he aimed those startling amber eyes in her direction and she nearly forgot to breathe.

“You didn’t have to cut Avery loose.”

“Actually—” she shot a meaningful look at Samson trotting in the room behind him “—I did.”

Following the direction of her gaze, Connor winced. “Do I want to know?”

“Probably not.”

Frowning, he picked up the puppy and tucked him under his arm. Olivia couldn’t fault the move, definitely a safer place for the animal than on the floor.

“Smells good in here.”

“It’s chicken divan casserole. My own secret recipe.”

The frown lines cut deeper across his forehead. “Cooking wasn’t part of our deal.”

Something in his tone put her on guard. “We don’t actually have a deal yet, remember? And I like cooking, so no problem.”

“I’d planned to order takeout tonight.” His tone never varied, his eyes never left her face, but the stiff way he held his shoulders told its own story. He didn’t like that she’d cooked for him and his family.

She had no idea why, but didn’t think it was her place to ask. “I can put the casserole in the freezer. That way you and the girls can enjoy it another time.”

An odd tension collected in the air between them, broken only when the twins entered the kitchen.

“Daddy, Daddy.” Molly tugged on her father’s arm. “Did Olivia tell you we helped make dinner?”

The smile Connor dropped on his daughter was full of affection, and much less forced than the one he’d given Olivia. “Sounds like fun.”

“It was superfun.” Megan pushed past her sister and came to stand next to Olivia. “We learned how to grate cheese and mix up biscuit dough from scratch and set the table properly.”

“That’s...” Connor shifted the puppy in his arms. “Nice.”

The poor man looked shell-shocked. Again, she wondered why. “Connor?” Olivia angled her head at him. “Are you okay?”

“Sure, great.” He seemed to visibly get hold of himself. Finally, he flashed a genuine smile at her. “And, no, you don’t have to freeze the casserole. We’ll eat it tonight.”

He sounded sincere.

Yet something had upset him. A dozen possibilities came to mind, none of them good, all of them caused by her, which made little sense. He’d hired her to take care of his daughters; surely that included making meals. Why the concern?

Perhaps if she explained that she’d only been trying to make the evening easier for him by cooking dinner, he’d feel less agitated. Of course, that wasn’t a conversation to be conducted in front of the girls.

“Dinner will be ready in a few minutes.” She smiled down at Molly. “Why don’t you and Megan take Samson out in the yard before we eat?”

“I guess we can do that.” She took the puppy from her father, glanced over at her sister. “Come on, Megan, let’s get this over with.”

The other girl stayed firmly rooted to Olivia’s side.

“Go on, sweetie.” Olivia gave her a gentle push toward the back door. “You can put ice in the glasses when you get back.”

“Okay.” She dragged her feet all the way across the floor.

Olivia waited until the door shut behind the twins before addressing Connor again. “Did I cross a line?”

“No.”

That was succinct. Straight to the point. And told her absolutely nothing. She pressed for more. “Would you rather I not teach the girls how to cook?”

“On the contrary.” He let out a breath that sounded as weary as he looked. “I think it’s a good idea. It’s just...”

His words trailed off and he rubbed a hand over his face, but not before Olivia saw the inner conflict he couldn’t quite hide. “What’s wrong, Connor?”

He stared straight ahead, his expression closed. He appeared deep in thought, visibly debating something within himself. “You and I haven’t discussed your specific job duties.”

No, they hadn’t. But that wasn’t what had him looking as if she’d punched him in the chest. “I assumed my filling in for Carlotta would include meals, light housekeeping and—”

“You don’t have to clean my house.”

She jumped at his abrupt tone.

“I’ll hire a service for that,” he added more softly, almost apologetically.

“Connor, what is this really about?”

He flicked a glance toward the back door. The gesture gave him a hunted look, as if he didn’t want to be alone with her.

“I have a few more things to do before dinner’s ready.” She kept her voice light. Easygoing. Nothing to worry about here. Still, she couldn’t escape a vague sense of rejection. “Why don’t you go hang out with your daughters while I get everything ready in here?”

His chin jerked, very faintly, but she caught the gesture. And the hesitation. He had something more to say.

Whatever it was, Olivia didn’t want to hear it right now.

“It’s a beautiful evening.” She subtly motioned toward the door, making sure to do so calmly, with very little fanfare. “It’d be a shame not to take advantage of the fresh air.”

He nodded. Slowly. Then deliberately stepped around her, careful not to touch her as he passed by. Mildly hurt, she barely restrained herself from informing him she was up to date on all her cootie shots.

At the door, he stopped abruptly, turned around and moved back to her side. “Olivia?”

“Yes?”

He clasped both her hands in his. “I appreciate you making dinner tonight. You went above the call of duty. I...” He smiled into her eyes. “Thank you.”

For a moment, Olivia thought her knees might give out. Desperate for some perspective, she lowered her head. And immediately connected her gaze with their joined hands.

Why did hers look so right wrapped inside his?

And why—why—did she have to notice something so small and inconsequential?

“Oh, Connor.” She lifted her head to stare into his eyes. “You’re so very welcome.”

Chapter Five

While the twins played with their puppy in the backyard, Connor sat alone on the stoop and breathed in the clean, pine-scented air. The lawn needed cutting and the hedges could use a good trim. He’d get to both eventually. But not tonight.

Maybe over the weekend.

“Never enough time,” he muttered, pressing his fingers to his temples. The gesture did nothing to relieve the pounding behind his eyes.

On a tight breath, he dropped his hands and focused on his daughters. Their unrestrained laughter soothed the ache in his heart, and slowed down his raging pulse. Unfortunately, his rambling thoughts didn’t fall into line as easily.

Arriving home at night in time for dinner was one of the things he’d promised Sheila on her deathbed. The juggling necessary to follow through on that promise wasn’t always easy, but always worth the effort.

Family first, family always, that had been Sheila’s motto.

Connor’s, too.

Or, at least, it was now. He had no regrets. His life was richer, fuller, for keeping his priorities straight.

But seeing how well Olivia fit in his home, how comfortable she’d looked in his kitchen, had been like a punch in the gut. And a stab to his heart. He couldn’t explain why.

The dull drumming behind his eyes took on a mean edge.

Connor wanted his daughters to have a woman’s influence in their lives, a mother figure even. But Olivia Scott?

He’d never thought of her that way.

Well, except that one time he’d forced himself to forget, because there had been nothing to remember.

Or so he’d told himself.

But, now, looking back, he wondered...

He’d been in his senior year at University of Colorado, home for a short visit before final exams. Sheila had just given him an ultimatum: Propose or let her go.

She’d been the love of his life, the only girl he’d ever dated. He’d never intended anything other than marrying her. But his plan had been to finish medical school before settling down.

Sheila hadn’t wanted to wait.

Confused and angry at being pushed into a decision before he was ready, Connor had stopped by the Scott home to speak with Ethan. He’d needed his friend’s perspective.

Ethan hadn’t been home.

Olivia had. She’d been sixteen at the time, maybe seventeen, still a girl. But there’d been a moment when Connor had seen the promise of the woman she would become. It hadn’t been attraction, not exactly, but it hadn’t been indifference, either.

More like a...hmmm.

He’d felt the same shocked wonder again just now in the kitchen.

How did he reconcile the shift from mild curiosity to—

Samson scrambled into his lap, sufficiently averting his attention. The animal’s paws were covered in wet, sticky mud, as now were Connor’s khakis. He picked up the squirming bundle of tawny fur. The puppy’s legs pumped hard.

Connor tightened his grip.

“Sorry, Daddy.” Megan frowned at the dog. “He sort of fell in a mud puddle.”

Connor gave a soft, humorless sigh. Samson sort of fell into a lot of mishaps. The dog was a walking, yipping disaster magnet.

Straining against Connor’s hold, the mutt leaned forward and licked Connor’s face. “Not cool.”

Samson gave him another lick, followed by a big puppy grin.

“Really not cool.”

Olivia slipped her head out the back door, saving the dog from a good scolding. “Dinner’s ready.”

“Be right there.” Connor set the puppy on the ground, held him steady with a hand on his back. “Can one of you toss me a towel from the mudroom?”

“On it,” Molly announced, shuffling past him.

“I’ll get Samson’s dinner ready,” Megan offered.

“That’d be great.”

The door slammed behind the girls. Then swung back open a second later. “Here you go, Daddy.”

A rag sailed through the air. Connor caught it with one hand and immediately went to work wiping the mutt’s paws.

Once Samson’s feet were dry, and Connor’s pants were relatively mud free, he brought the puppy in the house and set him in front of his dish.

He dove in snout-first, all but inhaling the food.

Shaking his head at the little glutton, Connor went to wash his hands, then stopped as he caught sight of the table off to his left. “I only count three place settings.”

“That’s right.” Hands full with a bubbling casserole, Olivia glanced over her shoulder. “One for each family member.”

“Aren’t you eating with us?”

Setting the dish down on a hot pad, she turned to face him directly. “Does Carlotta eat with you?”

“No.”

“Then I’m not eating with you, either.”

Probably for the best. Yet her response didn’t sit well with him. She’d worked hard making dinner for him and the girls, without being asked. The gesture had been a kind one, a thoughtful one. She should enjoy the spoils of her efforts. “Carlotta doesn’t eat with us because she prefers to dine with her husband in the evenings.”

“I see.”

Did she?

Apparently not.

He was going to have to be more specific. “Join us for dinner, Olivia.”

He waited for her response. When she simply stared at him, he wondered if she had another commitment. His shoulders bunched at the thought, but again, he couldn’t explain the odd reaction. “Unless you have other plans?”

“No.” She gave a short laugh. “No plans.”

The knot forming between his shoulder blades released. “Then it’s settled.”

They smiled at each other, neither moving, neither speaking. For a single heartbeat, Connor allowed himself to stare at her, to see her as a woman separate from his friend’s kid sister. Strangely drawn to her, he reached out, but then dropped his hand as old loyalties tugged and twisted inside him.

The air between them grew thick with tension, and something else, something that went beyond words. A silent promise of things Connor had long ago forgotten to hope for?

Stunned by the direction of his thoughts, he transferred his weight from one foot to the other.

Olivia shifted to her left.

They broke eye contact simultaneously.

“I’ll put the drinks on the table,” she said, hurrying around him.

The odd moment was gone. Nothing but a memory now, and Connor couldn’t have been more relieved.

* * *

Dinner turned out to be far more relaxed than Olivia had expected, especially given the earlier strain between her and Connor. The awkwardness between them made an odd sort of sense. Although they shared a history and their families had been friends for generations, they were veritable strangers.

Determined to keep the mood light, Olivia told stories about her life in Florida. She skimmed over the part about her job loss and breakup with her boyfriend. Instead, she focused on what she did when she had a rare day off.

“I lived in Atlantic Beach, a small town just east of Jacksonville. My house was one block from the beach, so I spent a lot of time there.”

“We’ve never seen the ocean,” Megan said on a sigh. Molly agreed with a solemn head bob, then asked, “Can you surf?”

Olivia laughed. “Very poorly, but I can boogie-board.”

“What’s that?” the girls asked at the same time.

“A much simpler way to catch a wave. You lie flat on a short, foam slab and ride along on your belly. It’s sort of like...” she searched for a Colorado equivalent. “...sledding.”

“Fun.”

“Very.”

“All right, girls, that’s enough questions for one night.” Picking up the near-empty casserole dish, Connor stood. “Time to clear the table and load the dishwasher.”

Olivia hopped to her feet and reached for the dish in Connor’s hand. “Allow me.”

“Absolutely not.” Connor held up a hand to ward off an argument. “You cooked. We clean.”

“That’s the rule in the Mitchell household,” Molly told her, sounding very grown up.

“Well, then, I guess that means I’m through for the day.”

There was an awkward moment when everyone looked at everyone else.

Then Megan hustled over to Olivia’s side. “You’re not leaving already, are you?”

She smoothed a hand over the girl’s hair, affection swirling in her heart. “Not to worry, sweetie. I’ll be back first thing in the morning.”

“But you can’t go yet. It’s Wednesday.”

“What’s so special about Wednesday?” She aimed the question at Connor.

“Movie night,” he explained, heading toward the sink, his hands full of more dirty dishes.

“It’s my turn to pick the movie,” Molly declared. “And Daddy’s turn to make the snacks. He always goes with microwave popcorn. It’s a tradition.”

Tradition. What a lovely word, one that told Olivia a lot about the man stacking dishes in the sink. She knew the kind of hours he worked, knew the challenges of his schedule even on a “slow” day. Yet he managed a weekly movie night with his daughters.

Could Connor Mitchell get any more likable?

“Well?” Molly demanded. “Are you watching the movie with us or not?”

Tempting. But Olivia didn’t want to interject herself into valuable family time. “Maybe next week.”

“Olivia.” Connor came back to the table, gathered up a handful of silverware. “You’re welcome to stay.”

She studied his face, noted the sincerity in his eyes. “I don’t want to intrude—”

“Stay,” he repeated. “Watch the movie with us. Afterward we can discuss your job duties.”

They could do that now, before he settled in with the girls, but Olivia didn’t point that out. She actually wanted to spend more time with this family, wanted to get to know them on a deeper level.

Dangerous territory.

Or was it? How could she know how best to serve the girls beyond the day-to-day basics if she didn’t spend quality time with them?

“All right.” She laughed when the girls cheered. “But you have to let me help with the snacks.”

“Not going to happen.” Connor pointed her toward the family room. “It’s my job tonight.”

Molly chose a full-length cartoon about a Scottish warrior princess. The snack was, as predicted, microwave popcorn.

Sharing a bowl with Connor, Olivia realized she missed the simply enjoyment of a movie night with people she cared about. She hadn’t had a relaxing evening like this since...the night before she broke things off with Warner.

He’d accused her of not wanting a traditional lifestyle. Olivia hadn’t disagreed with his accusation. Not because he was right. On the contrary, she desperately wanted marriage and a family of her own. What she didn’t want was marriage to a man who considered her a perfect match for his rigid requirements of a wife.

Warner hadn’t loved Olivia. He hadn’t even wanted her in his life, not really. He’d only wanted a woman who would take care of his daughter on his court-ordered visitation weekends, a woman who had a career worthy of his respect and who, according to him, also looked good on his arm.

Olivia had measured up, supposedly, but she knew any number of women would have taken her place in a heartbeat.

Never again would she be a convenient addition to a man’s life. If she married, it would be to a man who loved her for her, not because she exemplified his ideal of the perfect wife.

Hence her desire to focus on her own future and to switch careers before it was too late. Before she woke up and found herself staring down forty instead of thirty, with nothing to show for her life but a VP position at some bank.

And that was enough deep thinking for one night.

“You know what would make this movie even better?” she whispered to Connor, popping a very plain, very bland piece of popcorn into her mouth.

Angling closer, his eyes still on the screen, he lowered his voice to match hers. “What’s that?”

“Chocolate.”

Chuckling softly, he turned to look at her. His expression was relaxed, approachable, the man behind the successful doctor and stressed-out single dad. “I’ve always argued that the FDA missed two important food groups.”

Smiling like that, almost playfully, made Olivia think of the days when he’d been more boy than man and the center of a few teenage dreams. He’d grown more attractive through the years. He was so good-looking now, so masculine, so close. “Wha—what did they miss?”

“Chocolate and coffee. Both deserve their own category. For obvious reasons.”

“I like the way you think, Dr. Mitchell.”

He chuckled. “And I like—”

“Shhhhhh,” Molly ordered. “Here comes the best part.”

The best part consisted of an archery tournament where the female heroine outshone all the men. The kid had excellent taste.

After the movie, Connor sent the girls off to brush their teeth and get ready for bed while Olivia gathered up the empty bowls.

“Can you hang around until I get the twins in bed?”

She lifted a questioning gaze. “Because?”

“We need to discuss your hours, job duties and payment.”

“Sure, I can stay a little longer. Why don’t I take the puppy for a walk and you can join us outside when you’re done getting the girls settled in for the night?”

“It’s a plan.” With a final smile in her direction, he followed after his daughters.

When Olivia snapped the leash on Samson’s collar, he only struggled a little. Vast improvement.

Outside, she breathed in the fresh Colorado air. The scent of pine was heavy tonight. The light breeze lifting the hair off her face carried a slight chill. A refreshing change from the Florida heat and oppressive humidity.

With the sound of clicking bugs and croaking frogs in her ears, she guided the puppy along a grassy pathway bordering a small pond. The sky overhead was dotted with sparkling diamonds against the inky fabric of the night. “Beautiful,” she whispered.

The back door creaked on its hinges mere seconds before Connor came up behind her.

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