“We’re at grandma’s.” He unbuckled Isabella. She held up her arms and latched onto him like a monkey. His heart stuttered. He stroked her hair. “You’ll have fun.”
He wasn’t sure if he believed his lies. Fake it until you make it, right? That had been his motto in school. That or “Screw it. I don’t understand, so why bother?”
This time not bothering wasn’t an option.
“Come on, kid.” He hoisted her higher onto his hip. “You remember grandma from yesterday?”
She nodded.
Mom met them at the door. “Here you are. We’re going to have fun today.”
Isabella clung to his neck. “I’ve got to work, kiddo.” He’d already checked in with Jed, but he needed to get back to the site.
“Come on, honey.” Mom pried Isabella off his shoulders and hugged her.
“You sure you won’t reconsider having her live here?” he asked.
Mom shot him a look. “What time will you be back?”
“Five thirty.” He took in a deep breath. “Cheryl’s helping me shop.”
Mom set Isabella down. “We’ll see you then.”
He ruffled the kid’s hair. “See you later.”
Isabella’s face crumpled.
He knelt down to her level. “Tonight we’ll shop for your bed.”
She nodded but didn’t smile. Hell, he couldn’t remember ever seeing her smile. Josh was always grinning or laughing. How did Cheryl do it? Could Cheryl get the little girl to smile?
He pushed his daughter out of his head as he drove back to Fitzgerald House. He needed to concentrate on Abby’s restaurant. He arrived in time to check the lumber order. The numbers didn’t dance and it looked like the right amount of wood. He signed off, then he and Jed carried it to the staging area. “Let’s build a staircase. My brother should be here soon.”
He could visualize the gorgeous, curved wood staircase winding up to the old hayloft.
“Are we ready?” Daniel walked in, strapping on his tool belt.
“Yeah.” He and Daniel tended to fight on job sites, but since they were building something this technical, he wanted his brother’s expertise.
“Why do women always want curved staircases?” Jed asked as they shaped the semicircular walls.
“To make us crazy.” Daniel hammered in another two-by-six.
“I told Abby it would cost more,” Nathan said.
“That’s never stops a Fitzgerald,” Jed drawled.
It was tough, exacting work. Nathan made the first calculation. Jed verified and Daniel would agree or disagree. There wasn’t much talk, just the screech of the saw, the pounding of a hammer and the creak of the wood. The morning flew by.
“I love the smell of freshly cut wood,” Cheryl announced from the doorway.
Nathan’s gaze snapped over to her.
“Abby was pulled away by a guest.” She held up a tray. “She wanted me to bring over lunch.”
She avoided Nathan’s gaze but a blush dusted her cheeks. A streak of flour decorated her shirt, just under her breast. Nathan wouldn’t mind tidying her up.
He froze. That wasn’t the way to think about the woman who was helping him with his daughter. He couldn’t screw this up.
“What is that?” Cheryl stopped next to the staircase framing.
“We’re building the beam that will anchor the risers.” She frowned, so Nathan added, “The staircase steps.”
“We’ll add the inner core and build in slots for each riser.” For once his words flowed smoothly. “But first we have layers of laminate to glue to ensure the stairs are stable.”
“That’s fascinating.” She reached out to touch the curved plywood.
He shook his head. “Don’t.”
“I can’t wait to see everything come together.” Green sparks gleamed in her brown eyes. She tapped her lip. “We never settled on a time for tonight.”
“Yeah.” He pushed his hat off and scratched his head.
Daniel watched them, glaring.
Nathan hadn’t figured out how to tell his brother about Isabella. It was embarrassing to find out he had a four-year-old kid. His perfect brother would never be in this situation.
Lowering his voice, Nathan asked, “What time are you off?”
“Five thirty.” Cheryl leaned in. She smelled of apples and...cookies.
“Around six then?” He didn’t want to shout that they were making plans.
“That works.” She chewed on her lip. “I’ll see you then.”
Cheryl waved to Daniel and Jed as she left. Daniel stalked up to him. “Got a date?”
Nathan shook his head. “She’s helping me...shop.”
Jed looked at him. “For your kid? Where is she?”
Daniel choked on the drink he’d just taken from his water bottle. “Kid?”
“Yeah.” Nathan rolled his shoulders.
“When did this happen?” Daniel’s voice cracked.
“Apparently four years ago.”
“Who’s the mom?” his brother asked. “Anyone I know?”
“A woman from Atlanta.”
“A kid?” Daniel shook his head. “Boy? Girl?”
“Isabella.” The words were running today. “Mom has her right now.”
“I’m an uncle?” Daniel punched Nathan’s arm. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I just found out.” He smacked his hat against his thigh. “The kid’s four and I just found out.”
“That’s screwed up.”
“Yeah.” Appropriate since Nathan was the family screw-up.
“What’s Cheryl helping you with?”
“Everything. Furniture, clothes, stuff.” He grabbed a sandwich and sat on an overturned bucket. “I’m not even sure what I need.”
“Just don’t mess with Cheryl.” Daniel crossed his arms, his muscles bulging. “She’s had a rough life.”
“I’m won’t.” Nathan’s teeth ground together. Of course Daniel would think the worst of him. “I don’t know squat about kids. That’s why she’s helping me.”
Daniel pointed with his sandwich. “Make sure you keep it that way.”
As if he didn’t have enough problems, now his brother was threatening him. He planned to keep his hands to himself.
Once Heather was out of treatment, Isabella would leave. His life would be normal again. Or as normal as his life could be.
* * *
“I’M HUNGRY,” JOSH SAID.
Cheryl checked the time. Just after five thirty. She peeled and sliced an apple, setting it in front of Josh. “This should tide you over.”
“I don’t want to go with him.”
“We offered to help.”
Shopping