LITMIR.BIZ

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than before. The unhappy cry seemed to galvanize the mother, because she eased the tiny little girl off her shoulder and passed her carefully to Charlene.

      Nick didn’t know much about babies, but every one he’d seen had been cradled or propped against someone’s shoulder. Charlene did neither. Instead, she laid the baby facedown on her arm, the little head in the palm of her hand, and gently swayed her back and forth while smoothing her free palm over the tiny back. The baby’s arms waved jerkily, slowing in time with her cries that quickly gave way to hiccupping sobs, then blessed silence.

      Nick stared at Charlene. Damn. She’s good. Really good.

      He glanced at the baby’s mother and found her expression as surprised as he felt.

      “How in the world did you do that?” she whispered.

      “Experience,” Charlene murmured, her fingertips continuing to gently rub in soothing circles over the little girl’s back. The pink cotton dress matched the baby’s sock-covered feet, now dangling limply on either side of Charlene’s arm. “I was twelve when my little brother was born.” She glanced down at the baby, fast asleep and seemingly boneless in her arms. “If you tilt her slightly to the right when you hold her, change her diaper or feed her, it helps with acid reflux too. I don’t know if your little girl has that problem, but if she does, the pain can make her so uncomfortable that she won’t be able to fall asleep or stay asleep.”

      “Thank you so much.” The words carried a wealth of heartfelt appreciation as she carefully took the sleeping baby from Charlene.

      “You’re welcome,” Charlene replied, moving aside to let the mother and child step past her. She watched them move down the aisle and return to their seat in coach.

      Nick stood to let Charlene slip into her seat near the window, then dropped into his own.

      “Impressive,” he told her. “Very impressive.”

      She shrugged and picked up her water bottle to sip. “Basic stuff, if you’ve ever helped care for a baby. Unfortunately, most new moms only find out about the little things to make life easier for them and their baby if they talk to someone who’s coped hands-on with the problem.”

      After watching Charlene’s easy confidence with the crying baby before she handed the peacefully sleeping child back to her mother, Nicholas knew he’d found the answer to his urgent need for a nanny. “Makes sense. Experience always counts. I need someone with that level of experience. How about you?” he asked.

      “How about me…what?”

      “Being the nanny for the triplets. I’ll pay you double whatever the going rate is,” he went on when she shook her head.

      “I’m sorry, I really am. But I’ll be looking for a job in Amarillo.”

      “What if I offered you a substantial signing bonus—say, twenty-five thousand dollars?”

      Her eyes widened. “That’s a very generous offer—and one that guarantees applicants will be standing in line for the position. You’ll have your pick of nannies. You don’t need me.”

      “Yes, I do.” Nick was convinced. Charlene didn’t appear to share his opinion, however. “In fact, I’m so sure you’re the only person for the triplets that I’ll add another twenty-five thousand dollar bonus if you stay until their aunt is found and comes to get them.”

      She stared at him for a loaded moment. “Their aunt is taking them?”

      Nick was surprised she didn’t ask about the money, but if she wanted information about the babies, he’d give it to her. “I don’t have permanent custody of the girls, only temporary care until the estate locates Amy’s sister, Lana. She’s a teacher, and according to Amy, a career volunteer with various organizations overseas, helping children in third world countries. She’s also married.” Unlike me, he thought. A confirmed bachelor with no plans to marry anytime soon. “So the girls will have two parents instead of only me.”

      “I see.”

      For a brief moment, Nick thought Charlene was going to accept his offer. But then she shook her head.

      “I’m sorry, especially since I know how difficult it is to care for more than one baby. But I have plans and I’ve made promises to people. I can’t let them down on such short notice.”

      “You’re sure I can’t change your mind?”

      “No, I’m afraid not.”

      “Too bad.” He pulled a business card and pen from his inner jacket pocket and wrote on the back of the card. “This is my cell phone number, in case you reconsider the offer. I’ll be in Amarillo until tomorrow, when I have reservations to fly the girls back to Red Rock.”

      “You aren’t staying in Amarillo very long,” she commented as she took the card, tucking it into her purse without reading it.

      “No. I want to take the triplets home as soon as possible and get them settled in. I doubt anything will make this easier for them, but I thought the faster I transfer them, the better.” He pointed at her purse where his card had disappeared. “Call me if you change your mind.”

      “I’ll keep your card,” she replied. “But I don’t think it’s likely I’ll change my mind.”

      They parted in the terminal, Nicholas heading for the exit and Charlene moving to baggage pickup.

      Saying goodbye felt wrong. Charlene had to force herself not to turn around and give him her phone number, ask him to call…ead until he promised to meet her later.

      Her level of conviction that Nick was somehow important to her was profound.

      This is crazy. She held her chin up and kept walking, but her thoughts continued to tumble, one over the other, refusing to leave Nick even as she physically moved farther away from him.

      She’d never felt anything approaching the instant attraction that had flared between them, her nerves shaking with need during that first long exchange of glances. Lust and sexual attraction were far more powerful forces than she’d imagined. The time spent sitting next to Nick during the flight had given her new insight into just how intensely her body could respond to the right man. Those moments were forcing her to reevaluate whether she’d ever truly been deeply moved before—including with Barry, she realized with sudden shock.

      Yet she’d become engaged to Barry, she reminded herself in an effort to regain control of her emotions. Clearly her wisdom in this area wasn’t infallible. Besides, a man was the last thing she needed or wanted in her life right now. She definitely didn’t need the complication of a man who was about to become an instant father to three little girls.

      Still, she’d been impressed with Nicholas’s willingness to take on the babies. She couldn’t help but compare his heroic, stand-up attitude with her ex’s lack of responsibility. She couldn’t imagine Barry in Nicholas’s situation. She seriously doubted Barry would have agreed to take custody of three children. He was adamantly opposed to becoming a parent. It was one of the issues they couldn’t agree on, since she very much wanted children—an issue that, ultimately, had caused her to conclude they were completely mismatched.

      Charlene collected her three suitcases and stepped out of the crowd of passengers to pull a jacket from inside the smallest bag. March in chilly Amarillo was a far cry from the warmth of Red Rock, located in southern Texas near San Antonio. Sure enough, when she wheeled her bags outside, she was glad she had the added protection of the coat. She tucked her chin into the shelter of her collar and halted to scan the line of cars crowding the curb.

      “Charlene! Over here!” Her mother’s voice carried clearly over the hum and chatter of passengers.

      Charlene returned Angie’s enthusiastic wave and hurried down the walkway.

      “Mom, it’s so good to see you.” Charlene basked in her mother’s warm hug, breathing in the familiar scent of Estée Lauder perfume.

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