Falling for His Nanny
Susan Hayashi is everything Sam Hinton is not looking for. She’s energetic, outspoken and spontaneous—the exact opposite of what he would want in a wife. Yet the wealthy widower can’t deny that the young teacher is great with his daughter, Mindy. In desperate need of a summer nanny, the small-town CEO hires Susan. After all, it’s only temporary. But Susan and her unconventional approach soon work their way into his and Mindy’s lives. His head says she’s all wrong for them, but a part of him believes that this unexpected nanny might really be his Mrs. Absolutely Right…
Why was his hand still moving toward her hair?
Just in time, he pulled it back. That wouldn’t do at all.
Sam was getting a little too interested in Susan. She was totally wrong for him in the long-term, even though she was turning out to be an amazing summer nanny. He needed to find Mindy a permanent mom. And he needed to do it soon.
He’d make sure to get back on the dating circuit right away. He just needed to get himself motivated to do it. He’d been too busy. But now that Susan was in place—Susan, who was completely inappropriate for him—he’d jump back into pursuing that all-important goal.
He forced himself to take a step backward. “If you’re interested in the extra job of planning my company picnic, I’d appreciate having you do it. It would be easy, because you’re here in the house anyway. But if you’re not comfortable with it, I’ll find someone else.”
She studied him, quizzical eyes on his face. “I can give it a try,” she said slowly.
Sam tried to ignore the sudden happiness surging through him.
LEE TOBIN McCLAIN read Gone with the Wind in the third grade and has been a hopeless romantic ever since. When she’s not writing angst-filled love stories with happy endings, she’s getting inspiration from her church singles group, her gymnastics-obsessed teenage daughter and her rescue dog and cat. In her day job, Lee gets to encourage aspiring romance writers in Seton Hill University’s low-residency MFA program. Visit her at leetobinmcclain.com.
Small-Town Nanny
Lee Tobin McClain
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
—Jeremiah 29:11
To the real Bob Eakin.
Thank you for your service.
Contents
Sam Hinton was about to conclude one of the biggest business deals of his career. And get home in time to read his five-year-old daughter her bedtime story.
He’d finally gotten the hang of being a single dad who happened to run a multimillion-dollar business.
Feeling almost relaxed for the first time since his wife’s death two years ago, Sam surveyed the only upscale restaurant in his small hometown of Rescue River, Ohio, with satisfaction. He’d helped finance this place just to have an appropriate spot to bring important clients, and it was bustling. He recognized his former high school science teacher coming through the door. There was town matriarch Miss Minnie Falcon calling for her check in her stern, Sunday-school-teacher voice. At a table by the window, one of the local farmers laughed with his teenage kids at what looked to be a graduation dinner.
And who was that new, petite, dark-haired waitress? Was it his sister’s friend Susan Hayashi?
Sam tore his eyes away from the pretty server and checked his watch, wondering how long a visit to the men’s room could take his client. The guy must be either checking with his board of directors or playing some kind of game with Sam—seeming to back off, hoping to drag down the price of the agricultural property he was buying just a little bit more before he signed on the dotted line. Fine. Sam would give a little if it made his client’s inner tightwad happy.
Crash!
“Leave her alone! Hands off!” The waitress he’d noticed, his sister’s friend Susan, left the tray and food where she’d dropped them and stormed across the dining room toward his client.
Who stood leering beside another, very young-looking, waitress. “Whoa, hel-lo, baby!” his client said to Susan as she approached. “Don’t get jealous. I’m man enough for both of you ladies!”
“Back off!”
Sam shoved out of his chair and headed toward the altercation. Around him, people were murmuring with concern or interest.