Page 20 of Giddy Up, Daddy

“Fine, then. I’ll take a cup of tea. Use the white cups. They’re cheap and it doesn’t matter if you break them.”

She smiled. “You got it, Mr. Hill.”

He eyed her. “Thinking you better just call me Grandpa Jack. Be easier.”

“All right, Grandpa Jack.” Blakely made him a cup of tea and got herself some coffee before sitting with him.

“How do you feel about checkers?” Grandpa Jack asked suddenly.

“Checkers?” she asked.

“Yeah, I haven’t played in a few years. Would you be interested in a game?”

“Sure, but I’ll warn you that I’m pretty good.”

Amusement danced in his eyes. “Well, best you resign yourself to losing, girl. Because I’m better.”

Stafford glanced down at the note in his lunchbox as he opened it up to wash it.

He hadn’t used a lunchbox since he was a kid. But Blakely had found one and now she packed him a lunch every day.

With a note.

He ran his finger over the note.

Have a great day! Blakely xx

It was likely inappropriate to write a note with kisses on the end to your boss. But for all he knew, she wrote notes like that to everyone.

Yeah.

He didn’t like the idea of that.

He was entirely too possessive of her.

She’s your housekeeper. Not your girl.

He still popped the note into his pocket. He would put it with the rest of them. For some reason, he was unable to throw them away. She’d been here three weeks now, so he was accumulating quite the pile.

After washing out his lunchbox, he checked in the oven for his dinner.

Yep. There it was.

No matter how late home he was, there was always a plate of food waiting for him. Blakely was an amazing cook, and the house was the cleanest it had ever been.

She and Grandpa Jack were even getting on. Well, from what he’d seen. It wasn’t like he’d been around much.

You’re busy.

That’s what he told himself, anyway.

It wasn’t that he was avoiding her or anything.

Yeah, sure, it’s not.

Avoiding her didn’t stop him from thinking about her or worrying about her. She had wedged herself inside him and didn’t want to let go.

It was maddening.

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