Page 32 of Architect's Christmas Nanny

“What a spectacular job you did,” Jillian said, rising, one hand still scratching under Moose’s leather collar. “I know you’re not impulsive, but I’m so glad you didn’t let him get away. You can just see how smart he is, perfect for Josie.”

That was true, Josie was incredibly mature for her age, and the dog also seemed to have wisdom beyond his station in life.

“Sorry, I was upstairs when you got home,” Jillian said a little breathlessly, running a hand through her auburn tresses in a way that had his eyes eagerly following its path. “I was talking with the Butlers. They’re so nice.”

Her words hit him like a slap in the face, and for a second he was frozen in place.

“That’s great,” he said after a moment, his voice a little too loud.

“I’m really grateful to you for finding me another job,” she told him. “And it’s not the pay or the fact that the guyis famous that makes me happy. They just seem like nice, down-to-earth people.”

“They are,” Brad agreed, feeling more himself as soon as his thoughts turned to his friends. “I know they’ll be so grateful to have someone knowledgeable and loving to care for the baby.”

The words were bitter in his mouth, but they were sincere. He couldn’t deny her another, better job back in the city. With Josie in school, he probably should have let her go back to having a life of her own long ago.

It was just that helikedcoming home to her humming as she tended to dinner or a ficus on the balcony or a little surprise art project for Josie.

“I’ll see about a good place to put a bed for you, Moose,” Jillian said, bending to address the dog, her talk with Brad already forgotten. “And we’ll see if we have some nice bowls for your dinner.”

Brad spentthe rest of the morning walking the dog around the homestead and trying to lay out a possible way to use the office space in town if he decided to rent it.

By the time the afternoon came, he wasn’t really able to concentrate anymore. So he and Moose joined Jillian in the kitchen, where she was gathering ingredients for holiday-themed Rice Krispie treats. Josie was due home any minute.

“I can’t wait to see her reaction,” Jillian said, stopping in her tracks to greet Moose, who gamboled over to herlike a puppy, flinging himself on his back so that she could rub his belly.

Before his belly rub was finished, Moose jumped back to his feet and cocked his head in the direction of the front door. A few seconds later, the door swung open and Josie trudged in, Brad’s mom behind her with a worried look on her face. But the moment Josie spotted the dog, her expression transformed. She darted forward, letting her school bag fall to the floor, a radiant smile taking over her face.

Moose leapt forward too, landing in a seated position in front of her, tail wagging, mouth open in a happy, panting smile.

“Hi,” Josie said, flinging herself onto the floor and getting right to work patting the big dog. “You’re such a good boy.”

“His name is Moose,” Brad told her softly.

Her eyes met his, filled with hope.

“Yes,” Brad said, his heart pounding. “He’s yours.”

Josie burst into tears and Moose promptly got to work licking her face, as if he had been born for the task.

“Oh, Brad,” Jillian said, her small hand wrapping around his forearm.

She’s happy,he thought to himself.They both are. It doesn’t matter if my heart is breaking.

10

JILLIAN

Jillian stood in line on Saturday afternoon at the Hometown Holiday Celebration. Josie’s hand was tucked into her arm like they were going to a country dance instead of waiting in line for a fire truck ride.

It was probably only the cold that had her snuggled into Jillian’s side. There was still snow on the ground from earlier in the week, and although the sun was shining, it didn’t provide much warmth with the frigid breeze that kept swirling up. But Jillian would take a snuggle any way she could get it. Her time with Josie was coming to an end, and the idea of it had her heart pounding with panic every time she let herself think about it.

She had been having trouble sleeping the past few nights, and honestly hadn’t felt much like celebrating the holiday in town all day.

But she could never say no to Josie, who was excited to complete their second Christmas tradition—getting a photo with Santa Claus. Normally, they got their photowith the department store Santa in the city, but since there didn’t seem to be anything like that in Trinity Falls, the fire engine ride with Santa would have to do.

Brad stood behind them with a friendly smile on his face for all the friends and neighbors who passed. Jillian wondered if she was the only one who could see the tension in his jaw, or sense how stressed he was behind the smile.

“Okey-dokey,” a handsome firefighter told them with a genuine grin. “Ready to get up there?”

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