Page 9 of Architect's Christmas Nanny

The idea of staying away from Brad and Josie made sadness fall around her heart like a weight.

Is that what he wants?

But Brad’s face was impossible to read.

Josie’s on the other hand, wasn’t.

“Jillian, wecan’tspend our last Christmas in separate houses,” she said firmly. “What would even be the point? Youhaveto stay with us.”

“She doesn’t have to—” Brad began.

“I’d love to, Josie,” Jillian said quickly. “You’re right. It will be fun to be roommates, even if I’m definitely the Bert in our duo.”

That earned her a full belly laugh from Josie.

“Definitely,” Josie agreed. “We’ll stay up late every night and talk.”

Jillian’s heart warmed at the idea. Josie was probably right. They would have plenty to talk about, too, with the big move she and her dad were making.

“That sounds like a perfect Christmas to me,” Jillian told her, giving her a light squeeze.

Josie went back to reading the menu, and they all fell into their usual routine—ordering drinks and asking for just a little more time when the waitress came a second time.

I wish it was always that easy to ask for a little more time,Jillian thought wistfully, wondering if Josie would always make decisions in her own time, asking ceaseless questions on the way.

“Philadelphia cheesesteak omelet,” Josie said proudly when the waitress came back for the third time.

“Great decision,” the waitress said with a smile, turning to Jillian.

“French onion soup, please,” she said.

“And for you, sir?” the waitress asked Brad.

“Rib-eye, rare, with French fries and a Caprese salad,” Brad said.

“Coming right up,” she told them.

Josie launched into her pitch for adopting a dog, and kept them busy enough listening to her that before they knew it, their food had arrived.

Before she even took a single bite, the rich scents had Jillian’s stomach rumbling. She set her soup to the side to cool as Brad turned his plate so that the salad was facing her.

“Well, if you two are sharing a room, we should let Grandma know,” Brad said, cutting into his steak.

“Maybe she can let another friend stay over,” Josie suggested, digging into her omelet.

“It was really nice of her to get it ready for me,” Jillian said.

When Brad was done cutting, he pushed his plate closer to her and she captured one of the cherry tomatoes from his salad on her fork. She loved cherry tomatoes, and Brad had always hated them. It was funny that he always ordered a salad with so many of them, but she wasn’t going to complain.

“She loves you,” Josie looked up to tell Jillian.

“Well, I love her too,” Jillian said, taking another tomato. “It will be so nice to see her again. Maybe we can teach her how to make a gingerbread house.”

She didn’t say,so she can make one with you next year when I’m gone, but they all felt it, and for a moment the conversation deflated.

But the waitress came back to see how everything was, and afterward Josie launched into a story about one of her cousins, and the communal mood picked up again.

“Can I bring you something for dessert?” the waitress cleverly asked Josie, when they had finished their dinner.

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