Page 10 of Architect's Christmas Nanny

Josie looked to her father, and he nodded.

“Browniea-la-mode, please,” Josie said. “That means with ice cream.”

“Excellent choice,” the waitress said, then looked to Jillian. “And how about for Mom and Dad?”

She gulped, so surprised that she didn’t know what to say. It struck her that they probably did look like a family, eating from each other’s plates and talking so much.

“We’ll have two cappuccinos,” Brad said smoothly.

“Very good,” the waitress said, heading off to put in their orders.

Brad turned back and Jillian willed her cheeks not to heat.

“There was no point correcting her,” he said lightly.

But Jillian was pretty sure his jaw was a little tighter than usual.

She glanced down at Josie. The little girl was sipping her ice water through a straw, almost as if she were pointedly not looking at anyone.

But Jillian knew her well enough to recognize when she was trying not to smile.

After some coffee and dessert, including a few bites of Josie’s brownie, they were back on the road again, the miles melting away as they got closer and closer to Trinity Falls.

Josie fell asleep in the back almost immediately, and Jillian kept her eyes on the road, trying not to think too hard about this being her last time approaching the sweet little village she had grown to love over the course of so many visits.

“Tired?” Brad asked her softly.

“I’m fine,” she said automatically.

He glanced over, catching her eye and then arching a brow.

“Okay,” she said with a smile. “Maybe I am a little tired.”

“It’s okay to sleep for the last few minutes of the drive,” he told her. “I won’t crash. I promise. And Josie is going to expect you to stay up all night and paint each other’s nails or something.”

“She saidBert and Ernie,” Jillian reminded him with a smile.

“Okay, so she’s going to ask you for a hundred glassesof water,” Brad chuckled. “Point is, I don’t want you worn out.”

“Thank you,” Jillian said. “But I don’t mind. I really want to soak in the rest of my time with her.”

He opened his mouth and then closed it again, pressing his lips together as if to hold in whatever it was he wanted to say. Before too long, he was pulling off the highway, the trees growing taller and more beautiful the deeper into the countryside they drove.

“Oh,” Jillian sighed as they passed houses twinkling with Christmas lights.

The city had plenty of sumptuously decorated storefronts. But just like she preferred the Thanksgiving table she had set with Josie, Jillian loved the uneven strings of lights and front yards with more than one Santa or manger scene.

“I know they’re nothing compared to the big displays in the city,” Brad said suddenly, as if sensing her thoughts. “But these are my favorite kind of Christmas decorations.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” Jillian told him with a smile. “Are you sure you won’t miss all those big, beautiful buildings though?”

“I may miss the challenges of working in the city,” he said musingly. “Maybe even the scope of work, compared to what I can do out here. But none of that matters compared to giving her everything she deserves.”

Of course theherhe meant was Josie. And though it pained Jillian to think of Brad not stretching his talents and reaching for everything he could ever want, she understood and agreed with him completely. Josiedeserved the moon and stars. And Brad was going to give them to her. She was a very lucky little girl. And more amazingly, it felt like she knew it. From a young age, Josie’s ego seemed untouched by the big penthouse and the beautiful things her father could give her. Her feet were firmly on the ground and she knew what was important to her—family, food, and fun. He had raised a really special kid.

“What are you smiling about?” Brad asked.

“Josie,” she replied honestly. “You’ve done such a great job with her. I’ll miss watching her grow up, but I’ll always cheer her on, wherever I am.”

---