Page 12 of The Widower's Nanny

He laughs, then lets it go in the water. They watch it until it swims under another rock.

“Find some more, Daddy.”

“How about we eat the lunch Laura packed for us first? And let Rachel dry out.”

She nods and follows him away from the water.

He looks at me. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

I give him a thumbs up. “We’re not having fun unless someone ends up in the water.”

He laughs. “Better you than me.”

I nod toward his wet shoes. “I got you off your stump and into the water.”

“I guess you did.”

Once more, I notice his sun-kissed arms and legs. Thoughts of him in the pool cross my mind and the idea of seeing my boss in swim trunks causes a rising heat to my cheeks.

Preston takes our lunch out of the backpack along with a blanket to eat it on. He spreads it out and sits down with Lilly. I stand at the edge of it and he looks up at me.

“Take a seat.”

“I don’t want to get the blanket wet.”

“It’s just a blanket. It’ll dry.”

I smile. “Okay. I guess I will.” I sit, and he hands me a sandwich.

“I hope you like peanut butter and jelly. It’s our sandwich of choice on these adventures.”

I take the sandwich from him. “Love it.” I wonder what his business associates would think about him sitting here, cross-legged on an old blanket, eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He is definitely more than a pretty face and a successful businessman. This is a man who adores his child wholeheartedly, someone who piques my interest. I find myself beginning to like Preston Michaelson.

Lilly giggles at Sugar, who has woken from her nap and is begging for a bite of a sandwich.

Preston points his finger at her. “Don’t feed her. I know she’s cute, but we don’t want her to think she can beg and get food from you.”

Lilly pouts for a moment. “Okay.”

Preston reaches into the backpack. “I did bring her some snacks, though.” He hands a little bag of dog treats to Lilly. “Just a couple of them.”

Lilly holds up a treat in front of Sugar. “Sit. Sit.” Sugar looks at her and whines.

Preston glances at me, then shakes his head. “You’ll have to work on that with Sugar. She’s not quite ready.”

Lilly lays the snack in front of the dog. “Here you go, my little Sugar Bear.”

When Preston finishes his sandwich, he takes a drink from his bottle of water. “So, what’s next, Miss Lilly?”

“Bugs.”

Preston glances at me again. “Bugs, huh?”

Lilly laughs. “Daddy doesn’t like bugs much.”

I smile. “They’re not my favorite either. I’ll help you look but I’m not going to pick them up.”

Lilly nods. “I just like to look at them, too. Except for ladybugs. I love ladybugs. And caterpillars. And butterflies.”

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