Page 11 of The Widower's Nanny

I give them a few minutes alone, then join them. We spend the next thirty minutes finding the best rocks along that section of the creek. Preston told her she had to limit it to ten. So she keeps switching them out until she finds ten perfect rocks. He puts them in the backpack for her.

“Can I get in the water now?”

“Yes. Just stay close to shore. No deeper than your knees.”

She nods and steps into the water with a squeal. “It’s cold!”

“I imagine it is.” He sits down on a tree stump and watches her.

I go to the water’s edge. “Can I come in there with you?”

She grins. “Yes, I’m looking for crawdads.”

“Ohh, nice. Where do you find them?”

“They like to hide under the rocks.”

I wade into the water and we turn over several rocks but don’t find any crawdads. When she goes to a big rock, she scowls at it. “I bet they’re under there.”

“Hmm. That’s a big rock. It looks like a good spot, though.”

She looks at me. “Can you move it?”

“Um…I’ll try.”

I bend down and put my hands under the rock. It’s slippery and heavy, but I really want to move it for her. I give it a concentrated effort and lose my balance. The next thing I know, I am sitting in the cold water.

Preston jumps up and runs over to me. “Are you okay?”

I look up at him. “I’m sitting in a creek.”

He grins. “Yes, you are.”

“It’s not funny.”

“Hmm. It kind of is.”

I splash some water toward him, which he dodges, but then he steps into the water and holds his hand out to me. I take it and he pulls me to my feet. He holds onto my hand a little longer than he needs to and stares into my eyes. Then he clears his throat, lets go of my hand, and takes a step back.

I look down at my wet clothes. “I totally meant to do that, by the way.” I am wet up to a few inches above my waist. I wring out the bottom of my shirt as I walk to shore.

Lilly comes out too and hugs me. “I’m sorry.”

“Oh, sweetheart. It’s not your fault. I just lost my balance.” I rub my backside. “Good thing I landed on something soft and padded.”

Preston is still in the water and he goes to the rock. “Should we see if there are any crawdads under here?”

Lilly jumps up and down. “Yeah!”

Preston flips the rock over like it is nothing, and Lilly squeals as three crawdads swim out from under it.

“I knew it. I was right.” She cheers.

Preston grabs one as it swims by him and comes out of the water to show it to Lilly.

“Do you want to hold it?”

She backs away from it. “No.”

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