Page 11 of Bait N' Witch

Before Rowan could respond, Lachlyn spoke up. “Didn’t you notice we were gone?”

No change in Rowan’s pleasant expression. “Yes, I did.”

“And you didn’t look for us? Aren’t you supposed to be all caring and stuff?” Lachlyn scowled, but her bluster didn’t hide how truly upset she was.

Rowan paused in spooning a miniscule amount of casserole onto a plate for Atleigh. “If you mean fluttering around like a panicked bird caught in a windstorm searching for you, you’ll find that’s not my style.”

“But you knew where they were?” Greyson asked. He needed to be sure he left his daughters with someone capable. Even if her eyes were an extraordinary shade of gray, like moonlight in a forest, and her berry-ripe lips tempted a taste.

Get your mind off her lips, you ass.

She directed a polite gaze his way, but he caught the anger snapping in their depths all the same. “I assured myself they were safe and in the house. They are old enough to arrive at dinner on time, without prompting.”

She sent the girls a sweet smile. “After all…you don’t need a nanny. Right?”

Lachlyn, whom he’d mentally dubbed the ringleader almost since birth, tipped up her chin. “Exactly.”

“Excellent.” Rowan divvied out the remaining food.

“Is this all?” Chloe asked, a mournful droop to her mouth.

“I’m afraid so.” Rowan showed zero remorse. In fact…was that a twitch to her mouth?

“Can you at least heat it up?” Lachlyn demanded.

Greyson opened his mouth to rebuke her rude tone, but Rowan beat him to it.

“Arrive to dinner late, eat cold food. You chose to be late. Next time, maybe you’ll arrive on time.” Rowan nodded as though that closed the discussion, and all three girls, in various stages of anger and shock, shut their mouths and accepted their plates without further debate. Greyson had never seen them so subdued. Then, again, no other nanny had handled today quite as Rowan had, either.

After a quiet, and rather strained, rest of dinner, Rowan wiped her mouth with her napkin and stood. “Girls, you may clear the table and clean up the kitchen before you go to bed.”

“What? —” Chloe screeched. She turned to him. “Dad, we never clean the kitchen.”

“Then it’s about time you start.” Rowan’s quiet words held steel, and he found himself hoping he never landed on her bad side. Of course, if she used that husky voice in that bossy way with him, he might have to do something about it. Something that involved—

What in the seven hells is wrong with me?

Greyson gave himself a mental shake. Instead, he tried to focus on the scene before him and had to hold in a laugh at the three identical expressions of disgruntled acceptance. He should’ve called Delilah sooner, because Rowan McAuliffe was exactly the person his family needed.

“I’ll check on you in about an hour.” Rowan turned to leave but paused in the doorway. “I wanted to thank all of you.”

Greyson sat back and waited.

Rowan smiled warmly. “Each household takes time to settle into and become part of the routine. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your efforts to make my day so warm and welcoming and…special.”

Did she just Sound of Music his family? It worked. Guilt settled like a granite boulder in his gut. Based on their wide-eyed exchange of glances, the girls were dealing with a similar reaction.

Rowan’s smile didn’t alter exactly, but suddenly a mischievous glint sparkled from those amazing eyes. “I look forward to repaying your kindness.”

He didn’t remember Julie Andrews saying anything like that in the movie. With a cheerful nod, Rowan turned and quietly left the room. A whisper would’ve sounded like a shout in the silence she left in her wake.

“Do you think she meant she’d get even?” Lachlyn asked, breaking the hush that had fallen over them.

He dropped his napkin onto his plate. “I suspect so.”

“Is she mad?” Atleigh asked.

“Hard to tell. I’ll go talk to her.”

---