Page 24 of Take A Chance

“Oh, Mr. Emmerson, I thought you were off to work already.” Greta looked relieved to be out of the tense discussion with Emma, who sulked and slumped onto a barstool at the island.

“I decided I needed a day off.” In truth, it was Emma who had inspired the spontaneity. I would never get closer to her and learn more about her if the only time we spent together was late at night, engaged in torrid sex. “What are you ladies up to today?” I directed my question at all of them, but I looked directly at Emma.

“I’m taking Katelyn to the park today.” Greta eyed Emma as she spoke, and I gathered that Emma was not fond of that idea.

“Yes! Park!” Katelyn pumped her fist in the air in excitement. It was a new move I’d never seen her do before, but a lot of things were new. Emma had even hired interior decorators to come in and strip the wallpaper off the walls of Katelyn’s room and paint them bright pink. Her four-post bed had been exchanged for one that looked like a castle—pink, of course—and the bookshelves had been emptied and filled with new books, games, and toys. Even Katelyn’s outfit was new, a cute yellow sundress with a strawberry pattern on it.

“I think that sounds like a great plan. Aren’t you going, Emma?”

My question perked her up, and she sat straighter. “I, uh... told Greta maybe today wasn’t a great day.” I glanced through the back window at the blue sky and bright sunlight.

“It’s a beautiful day. Why would you say that?”

Emma gave Greta a side-eye, and I set Katelyn down. There was a strange tension between them I couldn’t place, but I wasn’t going to push it. Greta seemed happy enough to give Emma a day off, so I would take advantage of that.

“Well, I hope the two of you have fun.” I tousled Katelyn’s loose hair and patted her head. “Get some ice cream too.” Greta nodded at me and chased Katelyn out of the room, and Emma’s eyes followed them. She looked like a lost puppy searching for its owner. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” she snapped, pushing off the stool. “I guess I’m going to my room for the day.”

“Nonsense. I have the day off. Let’s do something. I’d like to take you shopping. You have so few things, and you’ve done such a wonderful job with Katelyn’s room. I thought you might want to spice yours up too.”

“I’m fine, really. I don’t need anything.” The way her jeans hugged her curves caught my eye, and her blouse was just low enough in the front to reveal her cleavage. I found myself staring but silently scolded myself for doing so. I wanted to get to know her today, not just think of her in a sexual way. She strolled toward the door, but I stopped her.

“Alright, I’m not taking no for an answer. I think we have plenty to shop for. I’ll call Gary. You get some shoes. We’re going out.”

Emma didn’t even bother looking back at me. She knew that I’d get what I wanted, and she disappeared up the stairs. I sent Gary a message that he was needed, and in minutes, Emma was back and the car was pulled around front. I escorted her to the limo, and we climbed in.

“So, you just happen to have the day off?” Her question seemed to indicate she didn’t believe I could just take a day off. Admittedly, it appeared as if I’d taken the day just to be with her, and while that was partly true, I really had just wanted to relax.

“I might have had ulterior motives.”

“Like?” she asked, masking a grin.

“Well, like being with you. And like helping you feel like you’re at home in my home.” The thought occurred to me that it could be our home, not my home, but I didn’t say that. Instead, I thought of how far things had actually come between us. We still knew so little about each other, but I didn’t have to ask her what her favorite color or favorite meal was. Her character and nature were what drew me in.

“Thank you.” She smiled politely.

“We’re going to have a difficult time keeping this whole thing professional.” At least I was. Emma was so much more than a nanny. I knew that when I hired her because of that night in the club. What I hadn’t known was what an amazing personality and heart she had too. Now smitten, there was no way I could ever go back to living life as a stodgy, picky bachelor.

“This hasn’t been professional from the beginning.” Her hand rested on her thigh, and I reached over and took it.

“Maybe not, but now it’s really not.” Her fingers laced through mine, and she didn’t pull away from me.

“And if this ends badly? If one or the both of us decide it’s not a good fit?” She didn’t look at me as she asked, but I understood her point. Sometimes, relationships don’t work out. She wanted to ensure her job would be secure and that Katelyn would be cared for. “Because I’m not giving up on Katelyn, even if it means I don’t have you.”

I wanted to react, to have a plan of action in case that happened, but I wasn’t the planning type. At least not with relationships. I shot from the hip and hoped for the best.

But it warmed my heart that she would stay committed to my daughter in the event things between her and me didn’t work out. “As well I would expect. Katelyn is my world, so if you want to be a part of that world and be a rock for her, then your commitment and faithfulness are obligatory.”

“And the fact that you’re so much older? How do we navigate that?” This time, she looked at me with hesitancy in her eyes. “Because...”

“Well, once you’re an adult, age is just a number. Isn’t it? Unless your father disapproves or something.”

She paled and turned back to the window in silence. “I have no father.” The words struck my heart. I felt like an idiot. I had no idea because I hadn’t even asked her about her parents. I had no father either, but that was because he’d died a long time ago. I could only imagine the story.

“I’m sorry,” I told her, but the rest of the ride to the home improvement store was silent.

Once there, we selected new paint colors, trim, and fixtures. She selected a bed from the catalog, new carpet, and even chose a new chaise for a place she could read. She protested so many times about how much everything would cost, but money was no object to me. I ordered the work to be done by week’s end, and she nearly cried with gratitude.

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