Page 32 of Sweet Home

The two of them were so utterly content and peaceful that it tugged at his heart.

As he watched them, transfixed, Dulcie looked up. Her blue eyes softened as soon as they met his, and he felt warmth wash over him as if she had embraced him.

They didn’t exchange a word, but he knew what she was thinking because he felt the exact same way.

Isn’t she adorable? Aren’t we so lucky to be here?

11

DULCIE

Later that night, Dulcie watched as West lifted a sleeping Elizabeth from her car seat and carried her effortlessly up to the house.

West was usually so calm and sophisticated. It was easy to forget that he was still a farm boy at heart, raised on manual labor, and strong as an ox. Right now, she couldn’t help noticing the way his muscles flexed through his coat.

Stop staring at him,she reminded herself, jogging up the porch steps to get the door for him.

But it was a little late for that. She was pretty sure West’s whole family was swiftly figuring out that she had a crush on him. His mom kept giving her knowing glances, and Allie had asked her outright if something was going on with them.

Dulcie had denied it, but she’d been so mortified that she just stammered out something stupid that she couldn’t even remember. And she was pretty sure she’dblushed from her hairline to her toes. Her own feelings had probably been crystal clear to Allie.

The only person who wasn’t thinking about it seemed to be West himself.

And maybe that was just as well. She’d never felt less worthy than she had when she was watching him at his office today. West wasn’t just older and established in life, he was educated and generous. He didn’t need a silly girl like Dulcie falling head over heels for him. He deserved a partner who was important like he was, a serious person.

“Hey,” he whispered as they stepped into the warmth of the house. “I’m going to put her to bed. Can we chat for a second after?”

“Sure,” she whispered back.

He disappeared up the stairs, leaving her alone in the hall to wonder what was going on.

She found herself drawn to the living room. The dim space twinkled with the colorful lights of the Christmas tree. From the moment she first stepped into West and Elizabeth’s house, the fresh pine scent of the tree had made Dulcie feel like she was a character in a holiday movie, coming back home after being dumped by a big-city boyfriend, or getting amnesia in a skiing accident.

In all her life, she had never had a real Christmas tree, let alone one with old-fashioned lights and homemade ornaments in addition to the generic balls from the dime store.

A pretty glass globe hanging from a red ribbon with Elizabeth’s tiny handprints in red and green paint drew her attention. She reached out, but didn’t dare to touch the delicate orb.

“There you are,” West said from the doorway.

He flicked on the floor lamp with the switch on the wall, filling the room with a golden glow. Dulcie drew her hand back, feeling guilty, but he strode in with a gentle smile on his face.

“I love that one,” he said, his deep voice sending a little thrill down her spine as he came to stand beside her and admire the glass globe. “She made it last year in preschool. It was her first year there, and she was so proud to give me the box on Christmas morning. The teachers helped them wrap their gifts and everything.”

“That’s so nice,” Dulcie said, imagining the look of overjoyed anticipation that must have been on Elizabeth’s little face.

“Can we sit?” West asked.

She glanced up at him to find his dark eyes filled with concern, like maybe he was going to bring up something uncomfortable.

I trust him,she reminded herself.He’s a kind person. Even if it’s something bad, he won’t kick me out in the snow tonight.

“Of course,” she said, darting over to the couch and perching on the edge of it.

Instead of sitting beside her, West settled into the easy chair opposite, and she found herself feeling a little pang of disappointment. She had known he wasn’t sitting her down to tell her he liked her or anything, but it stung anyway.

“Elizabeth’s babysitter needs to spend the next couple of weeks with her daughter,” West said right away. “Now I know you’re looking for farm-related workthat might look good on a resume someplace else. But… well, Elizabeth adores you, so I have to ask. Would you be willing to watch her for me starting on Monday? It’s just until after the holidays when her preschool starts up again. You can think about it if you want. You don’t need to answer me tonight.”

“Yes,” Dulcie said almost before he’d finished speaking. “Definitely. That would be awesome. I’d love to.”

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