Page 12 of The Maxwell Brothers
"How was the day?" he asked. “Thanks for the pics, by the way.”
“You’re welcome. It was great. The pics were from the Lakefront Trail. We were there for a while and then we came home and spent some time inside the house working on a puzzle."
“It was so fun, Daddy,” Paisley piped up. “Lexi can ride really fast, not like the last nanny. And she made a really good lemon drink too.”
Tate was obviously pleased with this bit of news. “So the bike fit okay, then?”
I nodded. “Yes, it was fine.”
“I’ll have to try the lemon drink. Is there any left?”
“Of course!” My voice was a bit high-pitched. Why his interest in my lemonade made me nervous was beyond me.
He poured himself a glass in the kitchen and downed it in big gulps.
"This is great. Do you want to stay for dinner? I'm making chicken kabobs. They’ll go great with lemonade." He winked at me, and it definitely didn’t help with my nerves.
"Chicken kabobs? Wow. I'm impressed."
“Please stay, Lexi,” Paisley begged. “Dad is a really good cook.”
I was hungry, but I didn't want to interfere, even at Paisley’s insistence. Besides, I wasn't sure it was very smart to spend more time with him than necessary. He was my employer, and I didn't want to get into a messy situation.
"I'm hungry, but I think it's best to go," I said.Damn it, why did I admit I was hungry?I really couldn't get my wits together around this man.
He cocked a brow. "Why aren’t you staying if you're hungry?"
I swallowed hard, whispering, "I don't want to interfere during your time with your daughter."
“I’ll walk you out,” he offered, looking at me intently. I suspected that he actually wanted to be alone with me for whatever he wanted to say next.
“Okay.”
“Paisley, I’ll be right back,” he said. We stepped out into the corridor and walked toward the front door.
“Lexi, if you want to stay, you wouldn’t be interfering. Are you sure that’s the only reason you want to leave?”
Oh Lord, the way he says my name sounds so decadent.
I looked straight at him and wondering if I should take the bull by the horns and openly discuss everything.
“Or is it because I was inappropriate on our phone call?”
Okay… so I’m guessing he’s the take-charge guy all the way.
I liked that.
“Well, I was inappropriate by running my mouth in the first place,” I murmured. “Tate, listen, I’ve been a teacher for seven years, and I have a golden rule. I don’t get personally involved with parents.”
Finally, I found it in myself to look straight at him. Amusement danced in his eyes.
“Define‘personally involved.’”
The tips of my ears felt hot. “You know what I mean.”
He looked at me for a few moments, and the temperature of my body seemed to rise with every passing second.
“It can get confusing for kids, and?—”
