“Yes. Jill, this is my middle son, C.J. Short for—”
She looked at the boy and winked. “Let me guess,” she said, interrupting. “Craig Junior.”
“Yeah.” C.J. skittered to a stop in front of her and held out his hand. “Pleased to meet you, Ms. Bradford. I’m very much looking forward to having you as our nanny.”
She looked at Craig. “Impressive.”
He shrugged. “C.J.’s our charmer.”
“And a fine job he does, too.” She took the hand the boy offered. “The pleasure is mine, young master C.J.”
Craig turned and saw Danny standing by the edge of the driveway. He motioned him closer. His youngest held back a little, then walked toward them. Big eyes took in Jill’s appearance, then lingered on the bright red car. Craig put down the suitcase and placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder. Danny looked up at him and smiled.
Craig could go weeks without remembering, but sometimes, like now, when Danny smiled, it all came back. Krystal hadn’t come home after she’d had their youngest. She’d sent a friend to pack up her clothes, and she’d walked away without looking back. Danny didn’t know his mother, although he had some of her features. When the memories returned to force open old wounds, Craig clung to the only sane and constant source of strength in his world: his children.
He bent down and picked up Danny. The child placed one arm around his shoulder and leaned close. “She’s pretty. The prettiest of all of them.”
“Yes, she is,” Craig answered softly. Jill was pretty. And sexy and all kinds of things that most men would enjoy. She was also his employee, and as that, she deserved his respect and nothing more.
C.J. was chattering on about the neighborhood, his friends and what he would really like her to serve for dinner. When his middle son started in on an earnest discussion of why it was important to have dessert with every meal, Craig interrupted.
“I’m sure Jill knows what to prepare, C.J.”
The boy gave him an unrepentant grin. “Yeah, Dad, but a guy can always hope, can’t he?”
“Sure. Hope all you want, then eat your vegetables. Jill, this is my youngest, Danny.”
She moved close and touched the boy’s arm. Her green eyes crinkled at the corners as she smiled. “Hi, Danny.”
“Do you like little boys?” he asked. “Mrs. Greenway didn’t. She said we were more trouble than we were worth.”
Craig winced. Mrs. Greenway had stayed for three days before he’d fired her, but she’d made a lasting negative impression on the boys.
Jill nodded. “Of course I like little boys. What’s not to like?” She glanced at Craig and rolled her eyes as if to ask what kind of person would take a job watching children if she didn’t like them in the first place?
He opened his mouth to reply, then realized he had merely interpreted her look that way. She might have meant something else entirely. He’d barely known Jill Bradford an hour. They couldn’t possibly be communicating that well.
But something bright and hot flared to life inside his chest. It wasn’t about sex, although he still liked the way she looked in her jeans. It was something more dangerous. A flicker of interest in what and how a woman thought. As if they could be friends. As if he could trust her. Then he reminded himself he didn’t trust anyone but family.
“Ben said you should get Mrs. Miller back,” Danny said, his hold on Craig’s shoulder tightening. “I miss her, too.”
“Mrs. Miller was the boys’ nanny for several years,” Craig explained. “They miss her.”
Danny looked at him and bit his bottom lip. “Do you think she misses us?”
“Of course. And now you have Jill.”
“Until spring break,” she reminded him.
“Until then,” he agreed. Danny and C.J. both glanced at him. “Jill is taking the job temporarily. For five weeks. In the meantime, I’ll find someone permanent.”
Neither boy said anything. Craig fought back a feeling of frustration. How was he supposed to explain and make up for the ongoing turmoil in his children’s lives? It would be different if they had the stability of two parents, but there was just him. He was doing the best he could, but sometimes, like now, he had the feeling it wasn’t nearly enough.
“We’ve been alone for ten minutes, Dad,” C.J. said. “We didn’t burn the house down.”
“Congratulations,” Craig said. “As I told you before, my neighbor could only stay with them for an hour, so I really appreciate you coming back with me.” He glanced at his watch. Damn. He was late already.
“I think your dad has to go to work. Why don’t we go inside so he can show me everything, then be on his way?” Jill reached for Danny. Surprisingly, the boy let her lift him down. “You’re heavy,” she said admiringly. “You must be big for your age.”
“He’s a shorty,” C.J. said, but his tone wasn’t unkind.
“Am not!”
Jill bent down so she and Danny were at eye level. “I don’t think you’re short.”
“That’s ‘coz you’re shrimpy, too,” he told her.
“Don’t you know all the best things come in small packages?” They smiled at each other.
Craig picked up the suitcase again. “Lead the way,” he said.
C.J. and Danny took off through the garage. Jill followed more slowly.
“I really appreciate you doing this,” he said.
“I’m sure it will be fine.” She spoke calmly, but when she glanced at him he could see the panic in her eyes. “It’s just been a while since I was around kids.”
“It’s like riding a bike. You don’t forget.”
“Are you saying that because you’re an expert?”
He paused in the middle of the garage. “No, because I’m a concerned father who’s about to leave you alone with his three kids. I’m sort of hoping it’s true so that everything will be okay.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll survive.”
“C.J. and Danny won’t be much of a problem. They’re easygoing, although some things still scare Danny.”
“He’s only six. What would you expect?”
“Exactly,” he said, pleased that she was sympathetic. “Ben may not be so easy.”
“He’s the oldest?”
He nodded. “He’s twelve.”
“Does he get in a lot of trouble?”
“No. He doesn’t do much of anything. He watches TV and plays video games.” Craig didn’t know what to do for his oldest. He didn’t understand the boy’s reluctance to participate in anything. Ben was the only one old enough to remember his mother. He didn’t like to talk about it, but Craig knew he missed her. Maybe he even felt responsible for her leaving. But he’d never been able to get his son to talk about it.
Nothing had been normal since Krystal left. Not that it was so great before or that he’d ever once wanted her to come back. Hell, he didn’t know what was normal anymore.
He turned around and pointed to the black sport-utility vehicle. “This is for you. You’ll need it to take the boys places. C.J. plays several sports, and Danny is starting Pee-Wee league. The equipment fits in the back easily.”
“Groceries, too. I think all boys do is eat.”