She’d gotten through the first interview just fine. Cody’s grandmother, Ellen Tanner, was a lovely woman, warm and friendly and concerned about her grandson’s welfare. This time, she’d meet Cody and his father and hopefully walk away with the job.
She’d staked everything on it.
Not wanting to think about that, Maggie hurried up the walk, her ponytail blowing over her shoulder in the wind. Being October in northern Michigan, the breeze had a bite to it but the sun still held some warmth. The maple trees on the front lawn blazed gold and flame.
A couple of squat pumpkins sat on the front porch. Maggie stepped around them and up to the heavy front door.
She pressed the doorbell and the door opened almost instantly, causing her to take a big step back and stumble over one of the pumpkins behind her. “Whoa,” said a deep voice, and he grabbed her elbow before she ended up smashing the pumpkin under her rear. She pitched forward and felt a firm, broad chest under her cheek. He smelled of clean laundry and soap. Warmth seeped through his blue oxford dress shirt.
Or maybe that was her face, burning with embarrassment.
Smooth, Maggie, real smooth. She stepped back, carefully this time, cleared her throat and promptly forgot what she’d been about to say as her gaze traveled up.
Oh, he was tall, north of six feet and broad, with light brown hair that curled slightly at the nape. And his eyes. Damn if she hadn’t just lost her voice in those whiskey-colored eyes.
“You all right?” His voice, laced with amusement and concern, snapped Maggie out of her trance.
“Yes. Thanks for the help.” She thrust out her hand as she tried to recover her scattered wits. “Maggie Thelan. I’m here for a second interview for the nanny position.”
He raised his eyebrows, arched over those incredible eyes. They weren’t the color of just any whiskey, but the good Scotch stuff her father had favored. Her heart pinged. The man grasped her hand, his palm warm and slightly rough on hers. She sucked in a breath at the unwelcome little shiver that zipped up her arm. “Dr. Josh Tanner. Nice to meet you,” he said as he released his grip.
“You, too,” she replied. Dread seized her. This man was Cody’s dad. What if he thought she’d be a klutzy danger to his son? Good one, Maggie.
He stepped back. “Come on in. Have a seat over there.” He indicated the sofa in a comfortable living room. Photos. Her pulse picked up a bit as she made her way to sit down.
She cleared her throat and smiled as he sat down opposite her. She peeked around him at the pictures on the mantel. Shoot. Some of them were too small to see the subjects clearly. She snapped her focus back to find him studying her with a crease between his eyebrows.
Her stomach clenched. “Is there a problem?”
He hesitated a spilt second. “I have to say I was expecting someone older. I told my mom—” He broke off and the frown deepened.
“What?” Her stomach tightened. “Why do you need someone older?”
“I just thought, well, more experience, maybe.” He had the grace to look slightly embarrassed.
Maggie’s eyebrows shot up and she straightened her spine, spearing him with the look that had sent plenty of fourth-graders scurrying back in line. “I’ve been a teacher for ten years, Dr. Tanner. I assure you, I have plenty of experience with kids.”
He nodded, reluctance still etched on his face. “I saw that on your résumé. You are by far the most highly qualified candidate. My mom thinks highly of you and I trust her judgment. Your background check is clean and the references are excellent, so as long as Cody likes you we’ll consider this a done deal.”
Relief flooded Maggie even as she noted he didn’t look pleased about the whole thing. “Thank you. I hope he does, Doctor. I’m looking forward to meeting him.” More than you’ll ever know. The chance to know Cody, hopefully learn something about her half sister, meant everything to her. Her heart squeezed. Since her father’s death and learning he had kept his older daughter a secret, Maggie’s world had been in a tailspin.
He glanced at his watch. “While we’re waiting, do you want to see where you’ll be staying?” he asked.
“I’d love to,” she said.
A quick perusal of the mantel on her way past revealed photos of Cody, either alone or with his dad or Grandma. Nothing of Lucy. She climbed the creaking stairs behind Dr. Tanner and since it felt wrong to look at the view of his rear she kept her eyes at his waist. His pants were frayed at the belt loops, a little detail at odds with the crisp pleats in the front.
Upstairs, he walked past three rooms to the end of the hall and pushed open a door. “This be okay for you?”
Maggie stepped around him, catching a whiff of his scent as she did so. The little jolt of awareness was almost drowned out by the pleasure that flooded her at the room.
“This is beautiful!”
The room was huge and she could see a balcony through French doors. A four-poster bed sat across from the fireplace, where a cozy little grouping of furniture had been arranged. She could picture herself reading to Cody there, snuggling by the fire on a cold and snowy night.
A little shiver of joy ran through her. She couldn’t ask for a more perfect setting to get to know her nephew.
“There are plenty of extra sheets if you want to use them, and comforters, too. Not sure what you’d like, but if you don’t find something that works just buy what you want and I’ll cover it. Bathroom’s in here.” Dr. Tanner stepped around her and pointed to the first of two doors. “Closet’s the next one.”
Maggie pulled open the door and peeked in at the bathroom. Double sinks, oversize tub, separate shower. Fresh towels, no doubt his mother’s touch, on the towel rack.
A master bedroom. Why didn’t he use the master? Too many memories?
“Dr. Tanner, really, this is amazing. I love it.” She moved over the plush carpeting to the four-poster and ran her hand over the smooth wood of the footboard. Unless she missed her guess, this bed was an antique.
When she looked up, she caught him watching her with caution and something else, a something that made her skin get hot and reminded her she was alone with a gorgeous man. In a room with a bed.
The one man she couldn’t have and wouldn’t want anyway.
So why had her mouth just gone dry?
“Josh,” he said, and Maggie blinked, her thoughts thankfully derailed. “Call me Josh, please. You’re not my patient.”
“Josh, then,” she murmured.
A banging from downstairs made them both jump, shattering the awkward moment.
“That’d be Cody and my mother,” he said, relief clear in his voice. “Let’s go meet them.”
* * *
Cody Tanner, age four, looked up at Maggie with serious blue eyes ringed with long, dark lashes. Light brown curls haloed around his head. Her heart melted, and emotion crashed over her in a fierce wave. She ached to pull him in her arms. This little boy was the only link to the half sister she’d never have the chance to know. He dropped his gaze to her feet and she swallowed hard.
“Hi, Cody.” Maggie stuck out her hand, but Cody ignored it, instead pressing against his grandmother’s leg. She tried to ignore the sharp sting his rejection produced.
“Code,” his father said in a gentle voice, “you can do better than that.”
Cody looked up at Maggie, his big blue eyes swimming with tears, and shook his head.
Maggie’s heart cracked. “It’s okay—” she began but Josh