Page 85 of Marrying the Nanny

“Tiffany had terrible taste. That’s hideous.”

“No, it’s not,” she assured him. “I helped her pick it out. It dries to a soft, stony green. Once the floors go in, it’ll warm right up.”

“You’re color blind. That’s something I should have been told before we agreed to marry.”

She glanced over. “That trim is wet.”

He jerked away from leaning in the doorjamb, caught her grin as she got back to work. His shirt was fine.

“You’re a brat.”

“A lazy one. I wouldn’t waste my time painting a whole room if I didn’t think the color would work.”

“You don’t have to do this, you know.”

“Logan has Storm so I have time, and this will be our room so I should help get it ready.”

“About that. I just talked to Harpreet. No news on Cloe,” he added quickly when she stopped and swung around. “But with all the paperwork we have to file, I had a thought.” He leaned onto the doorjamb again. “What if you and I got married in Victoria? With just Mom there? Get as much done as we can in one shot.”

She cocked her head as she considered it. “I don’t need a big wedding. Been there, done that, and have the divorce decree to prove it. I kind of thought people here would love an excuse for a party. Or would a wedding be too much of a distraction when it’s getting so busy?”

“If people want a party, they’ll have one whether we’re here or not,” he said drily. “We could have a reception, but it’s a long way to bring Mom for the ceremony and she’ll have a lot to process as it is. This way she’ll get to meet you and be part of our day without the overwhelm of being here.”

It was still going to be hard, though.

He didn’t realize that he faded into his thoughts and let his gaze lose focus beyond the window until Emma touched his arm. She was suddenly right in front of him.

“Of course,” she murmured. “Trystan leaves on his first tour tomorrow. Do you want to wait until he’s back and can spell off with Logan? Or take Storm with us?”

“No,” he said firmly. His mother was not going to take his custody of Storm well at all. He couldn’t bring the baby with them. “I’ll talk to the guys tonight, make sure they’re okay to keep her while we’re gone.”

*

The new tub and bathroom tiles had gone in along with the floors throughout the primary suite so Emma was taking what she could from her bedroom up to the walk-in closet. She and Reid would move in properly later this week, after their trip to Victoria.

After she married him.

Word was out across the village and Sophie had pulled her aside for another “Are you sure about this?”

“Of course,” Emma had said, but she had her share of concerns, if not outright doubts. Reid had a habit of shutting down. All week he’d been growing more and more distant as he dealt with paperwork and they inched closer to binding their lives together.

The reality was starting to impact her, too, as she made the trek up the stairs with another armload of pullovers and jeans. Physically, she didn’t have much. Nothing like the plethora of clothes and accessories Tiffany had somehow amassed while she’d lived here. Aside from warmer clothes and practical boots, Emma hadn’t bought anything that anchored her to Raven’s Cove or indicated she was building a new life here. Her possessions were still as pruned to basics as when she’d left NZ.

What did Reid even see in her beyond a runaway child trying to make a family with someone else’s baby?

“Hey, Em?” he called, jolting her because she’d thought the house empty.

“I’m here,” she said from the top of the stairs.

“Someone to see you.”

“Storm?” she guessed as she trotted down the two flights.

Storm hadn’t been napping well in the offices, so the men were bringing her home midday to put her down, leaving Emma to mind her. Emma arrived on the main floor to see Reid pulling her from the sling on his chest. Storm was rubbing her eyes and reached for Emma when she saw her.

“Hi, baby girl. Is it time for your nap?” As she cuddled Storm into her chest, she lifted her mouth to Reid. “Hi.”

“Hi.” He hesitated before he dropped a very brief kiss on her mouth. He glanced toward the lounge as he did.

---