Page 40 of Architect's Christmas Nanny

“I think it’s good,” Josie decided.

Moose’s tail thumped the floor as if he agreed.

“He’s being so good,” Jillian said. “No jumping or begging. Tell him he’s a good boy and then give it to him. You’ll never give him a treat if he’s doing any of those things he shouldn’t, or else he’ll think that’s what you want him to do.”

Josie nodded solemnly.

“Good boy,” she said, turning back to Moose with a big smile. “Here you go.”

Moose took his peanut butter-topped biscuit politely, crunching the big biscuit once and then swallowing it down.

“Wow,” Josie said.

Moose wagged his tail and kept looking up at her, as if maybe there were more biscuits.

“We’ll make you another one tomorrow,” she told him. “You don’t want a bellyache.”

Jillian smiled, hearing the words she had said to Josie so many times repeated by the girl herself.

When she glanced at Brad again he nodded to her as if to acknowledge that he was noticing the same thing. He had that funny look in his eyes again, like he was trying to figure something out.

“Let’s wash our hands and get everything ready for decorating the gingerbread house,” she said briskly to Josie to distract herself from the girl’s father.

Ten minutes later, Brad was back rummaging through the stack of boxes in the living room looking for the Christmas decorations. And Josie sat at the dining table, the walls and roof of the gingerbread house laid out on trays in front of her, as well as bowls of Christmas candies, and a small wooden box they used for the construction process.

Jillian whisked a nice bowl of thick frosting, pretending not to notice Josie sneaking a starlight mint as she catalogued a plan for her decorating.

“Okay,” Jillian said, placing the frosting on the table, and sitting down beside Josie. “Are you ready?”

“Yes,” Josie said.

“What will you tell your cousins next year about this part?” Jillian asked.

“Okay,” Josie said. “One of us frosts a piece, and then the other one decorates it as quickly as possible—before the frosting gets all stiff.”

“Exactly,” Jillian said. “So it’s good to think ahead of time about how you want to decorate. Ready?”

“Ready,” Josie said.

Jillian began spreading the thick frosting over one of the roof pieces. She couldn’t help noticing how Brad floated over from the living room to watch.

When Jillian laid down the big panel of thickly frosted gingerbread, Josie immediately began placing colorful candies on it, starting with larger pieces near what would be the bottom of the roof and choosing smaller and smaller pieces as she reached the top.

“That’s going to be gorgeous,” Jillian murmured as she watched Josie work.

It was strange to feel so proud of the capable little girl, and know at the same time that Josie’s growth meant it was time for her to move on.

Brad moved in a little closer. When she allowed herself to look up at him again, he gave her the crooked half smile that normally would have made her melt.

But there was sadness in his eyes tonight. She was sure of it now.

Whatever was going on with him lately was odd, and she wasn’t sure how to feel about it. But it didn’t really matter. As soon as Christmastime was over, it would all be…

“Finished,”Josie yelled happily.

13

BRAD

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