Page 65 of Architect's Christmas Nanny

“I guess that will keep you pretty busy,” he said.

“I told them I wanted to be part-time,” she said, putting the kettle on the stove. “I figured I would be working, too.”

“And now you have a wedding to plan instead,” he said, quirking an eyebrow. “Sounds like you’ve got your work cut out for you, tracking down those trained tigers and elephants.”

“You were listening in?” she asked him, a little scandalized.

“Not on purpose,” he told her. “But I was brushing my teeth, and Josie was pretty loud.”

The only second floor bath shared a wall with Josie’s room, and Josie had definitely gotten pretty passionate when she started coming up with animals to perform at the ceremony.

“I think we can skip all that stuff,” Jillian said with a smile.

“What kind of stuffdoyou want?” he asked.

“I never really thought about it,” she told him honestly. “But a nice little church wedding with family there sounds perfect to me.”

“So… the kind of thing that could be arranged quickly?” Brad asked.

She thought he was teasing, but when she glanced up at him, she could see how serious he was.

“Yes,” she said. “I don’t want anything complicated.”

“I think we should make it happen as soon as possible,” he said.

His eyes were on her lips again, and she felt like tiny bubbles were filling her up from her toes to the ends of her hair.

“Dad, Jillian,” a little voice yelled from the stairwell. “It’s Christmas! Why didn’t you guys wake me up?”

“Merry Christmas,” Brad murmured, stroking Jillian’s cheek lightly and then pulling away to meet his daughter at the foot of the stairs with Moose right by her side.

Yes, Jillian thought to herself breathlessly.We’d better get married as soon as we can.

“Merry Christmas,” Brad said to Josie, sweeping her up in his arms and spinning her around.

Moose capered around a bit, as if he knew what was happening.

“Are we going to Grandma’s?” Josie asked hopefully.

“We sure are,” Brad told her. “Should we bring a basket of biscuits? I was hoping you might help me fix them.”

“Yes,” she told him as he set her down.

But she ran to Jillian right away, hugging her fiercely and then lifting the hand that wore the engagement ring, as if to check on it.

“It’s really pretty,” Josie said reverently as they both gazed down at the sparkly little stone. “Does this mean you’ll be my mom?”

Jillian froze and her eyes went to Brad’s.

He nodded.

“Is that what you want?” she asked Josie softly.

Josie nodded, her lips pressed together firmly.

“Me too,” Jillian managed before the tears burning in her eyes began to slide down her cheeks.

Josie hugged her tight again, and Jillian thought her heart would burst with happiness.

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