LITMIR.BIZ

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the new boat for a trial run, prior to teaching Charles to water ski the following day.

      “I’m a little uncomfortable with how possessive of Charles Kathy’s getting,” he’d said slowly. “It’s almost like she’s jealous of your place in his life.”

      “I’ve had to remind her once or twice that as his mother, I make the decisions,” she replied. “Kathy’s very involved with him, but that’s natural, don’t you think? They spend a lot of time together.”

      He’d nodded, but hadn’t looked convinced.

      “Do you think there’s a problem?” she’d asked Johnny. “More than just two women being territorial?” She’d studied his face, usually able to read his thoughts.

      His broad shoulders square, Johnny had shrugged. “I think it’s possible. Which is why I wanted to talk to you.”

      Amelia’s stomach had started to hurt then—just as it hurt now. “So what do we do about her? It’s not like we can fire her, Johnny. She’s part of the family.”

      “Well—” Johnny had drawn out the word meaningfully “—no, she’s not.”

      “She’s been living with us since Charles was born.”

      “She’s an employee.”

      He’d been right, of course, but…

      “One we’ve trusted with our son’s life,” Amelia said.

      “And I think we still can, to a point.”

      “To what point?”

      Johnny’s eyes had been warm, concerned, as they met hers. He’d suggested they keep an eye on things. Listen carefully to everything their four-year-old son had to say.

      And with that warning, she’d wanted to get rid of Kathy then and there.

      “Don’t overreact, Amelia,” Johnny had said.

      Her heart missed a beat now as she remembered the grin he’d given her. The one that had always melted her heart.

      “I’m not suggesting anything drastic here,” he’d continued. “I don’t think it’s gotten out of hand….”

      She remembered thinking, that Johnny was right. As usual.

      Things hadn’t been bad enough to warrant firing Kathy. Not then.

      But this past year, since Johnny’s death, the situation had changed.

      At least Amelia thought it had.

      Thinking back over the past months, she made a mental list of times she’d been concerned about Kathy’s actions and was surprised—and a little frightened—by how extensive the list had grown.

      Most recently with Kathy’s insistence that Amelia not change the school her son was attending.

      Johnny had been worried that Kathy was overstepping her boundaries.

      And she had been; there was no longer any doubt of it. Amelia reviewed her list.

      And then her mind switched back to Johnny that day in her office. Bruising her with memories of the husband she’d lost…

      He’d reached for the door.

      “Johnny?”

      “Yeah?”

      She hadn’t known why she’d called out to him. She’d just wished things had been different, that he’d kissed her while they’d had that moment alone. That she’d said, “I love you.”

      “You’ll be home for dinner?” she’d asked.

      “I always am,” he’d said, heading back to the outer office.

      He was always home for dinner. It was she—CEO of the multibillion dollar company for which Johnny was a construction worker—who missed out on family dinners. But what else could she do?

      She’d met Johnny on a job site. He was a master carpenter and project supervisor for Wainscoat Construction. She’d known there would be some challenges in their relationship, but they’d loved each other passionately and she’d been certain that would be enough. She’d had no way of knowing, when she’d married Johnny and had Charles so soon afterward, that her father would die suddenly. Hadn’t realized that while Johnny’s pride demanded he continue to work, he had no intention of stepping into her father’s shoes, of working a desk job. Ever.

      “Hey.”

      She’d jumped, hitting her elbow on the doorjamb. Johnny had come back.

      “What?”

      “Just wanted to make sure you’d be home for dinner.”

      “Yeah,” she’d said softly, very glad he’d asked.

      “Good.”

      He’d kissed her then, deeply, intimately, exploring her mouth with his tongue in ways that left her feeling, as his touch always did, more like a giddy teenager than the boss of an internationally known company.

      It had been the last time she’d ever felt his lips on hers.

      Kathy’s voice interrupted Amelia’s memories. “This might have to wait until tonight, I really can’t talk long.” Kathy had come into the room so quietly Amelia hadn’t realized she was there. “Charles’s swimming lesson starts in half an hour and I like to let him warm up first.”

      Kathy’s once-forthright gaze was elusive. And Amelia’s resolve, along with her stomachache, deepened.

      Sometime over the past year, the pretty woman who’d been living with them since Charles’s birth had stopped wearing makeup—and her fashionably attractive clothes were hanging on her slight frame. Things Amelia had noticed, yet not really acknowledged. She’d been too overwhelmed with grief and trying to get on with life.

      She took a deep breath. “I’m going to be making some changes around here.”

      The nanny’s gaze shot up, her brows straight beneath cocoa-brown bangs, her face a mask. “What kind of changes?”

      In that second Amelia was certain about a decision she hadn’t even thought she’d made.

      “Since Johnny died I’ve been forced to consider what’s important to me,” she began.

      “Your company is important to you.”

      “My son is important to me.”

      “Of course he is, which is why I’m here to look after him for you.”

      “But what about you?” Amelia asked, forcing her trembling hands to remain by her sides. “Your personal life has slowly dwindled down to nothing. You’ve not only tried to take Johnny’s place in Charles’s life, but you’re trying to make up for his absence in mine, as well.”

      Cloyingly so.

      Amelia hated herself for that reaction. Almost buckled under the guilt. Was she doing the right thing?

      Because if she was letting fear or insecurity take over, she had to stop. Now. She needed to make rational decisions based solely on what was best for her son; she couldn’t afford to lose emotional control. She had to be strong for Charles.

      And she wasn’t going to let Johnny down, either.

      For a moment, silence filled the space between the two women, and Amelia remembered the history they’d shared. The years. The celebrations. The grief.

      Kathy’s stoicism slid away into the silence, leaving a lonely woman with slumped shoulders. “My heart is here,” she said softly, as though that explained everything. Tears welled in her eyes.

      Amelia almost hugged her. This was the woman she’d entrusted with her son’s life. The only family she and Charles had left in the world.

      How

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