The Nanny's Christmas Wish. Ami Weaver

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СКАЧАТЬ her grip and stepped back. Enough was enough. He’d been polite to Julie for years, out of respect for Lucy, and this woman never got the hint. He looked her straight in the eye.

      “I’ve been nice about this for way too long,” he said, keeping his voice cool. “I’m not interested in you, Julie. I’m not interested in anything you have to offer. I think it would be best if you found another doctor.”

      She turned purple and her jaw dropped then snapped shut. She sat up straight, tugged at the hem of her skirt. “Oh, come on, Josh. I didn’t mean anything by it,” she sputtered. “What’s a little sex between friends? You’re alone, I’m alone. Lonely. Why can’t we enjoy each other?”

      Josh inhaled a deep breath and hissed it out. Damn. “I’m not interested in a relationship,” he said firmly. “Of any kind.”

      She shot up one manicured eyebrow. “I’m not looking for marriage, Josh. Are you still hung up on Lucy? She’s been gone a long time. And you’ve been alone a long time—fine,” she snapped and threw up her hands. “Fine. I get it. I’m outta here. If you change your mind—”

      “I won’t,” Josh said. “It doesn’t matter how long Lucy’s been gone. She was my wife.” Not that I was much of a husband. Josh shoved the thought and the accompanying pain away. “Do you want a recommendation for another physician?”

      She slid off the table, her skirt slipping up so it barely covered her cheeks. She tugged it back down and grabbed her purse. “No. I do not. This is your loss, Doctor.”

      She sailed out, her chin up. Relief flooded him. He turned to gather up the paperwork. He’d been willing to keep her in his life out of respect for Lucy but clearly Julie’s idea of respect and his were very different.

      “Well, looks like that went well.” Marta’s dry voice came from behind him.

      Josh turned and gave a half shrug. Actually, if it kept Julie from trying to jump him, he’d say it was a resounding success. “As well as it ever could, I guess.”

      She ripped off the paper cover on the table and began to unroll a new one. “That woman’s had her eye on you for years.”

      Josh grunted. What could he say? “She was Lucy’s friend. It just never seemed right.”

      She nodded. “You’re a good guy, Doc. You’ll find a good woman someday, too.”

      He gritted his teeth and turned on the water to wash up. “I’m not looking, Marta. You know that.” Why couldn’t people just leave him alone? Why was it so hard to believe he could be perfectly happy with just him and Cody? They were a team. They didn’t need anyone else.

      She studied him for a long moment and shrugged. “Maybe not. But sometimes, Fate does the looking for you.”

      * * *

      Marta’s words rang in his ears as he drove home that night, hard as he tried to ignore them. Fate. Was it Fate that had brought Maggie to them? He’d seen the glint in his mother’s eye when he’d hired Maggie. Marta and half of Holden’s Crossing—the half that wasn’t trying to hook themselves or their single female relatives up with him—would undoubtedly have a similar look. A young, single, very attractive woman in his home. Conclusions would be drawn.

      Too damn bad. Josh flexed his hands on the steering wheel. People could think whatever they wanted. He knew the truth, was fully aware every single moment of every single day of the promise he’d made to his dead wife. No one else knew, except his best friend. He’d made his bed, so to speak, after Lucy’s death and stuck to his word for the past three years. He saw no reason to go back on it now.

      Even if he was lonely.

      Josh hissed and cranked the radio up as if the driving beat of Nickelback could squash that thought and all it implied. He’d never allowed himself to go there, to consider it. Cody was his first priority. Period.

      The brightly lit house greeted him when he pulled in the driveway and he noticed smoke curled from the chimney. In the garage he caught a whiff of dinner from the kitchen. Did he smell a roast? He chuckled as he climbed out of his SUV. No doubt Cody would be relieved that a casserole wasn’t on the menu tonight.

      Maggie stood at the sink, her back to him as he came through the connecting door. Her long, dark ponytail fell down her back and the ties of her red apron draped over her shapely rear.

      Not that it was the first place he looked or anything.

      He turned to hang his keys on the rack and weather the tide of guilt that lapped at him. Had he ever walked in and simply appreciated Lucy’s ass? No, he’d come in the house braced for a fight. Which she’d given him much more often than a smile.

      Jeez, Luce, what a mess we were.

      Maggie turned as he did. Her cheeks were flushed with the warmth of the kitchen and she offered him a quick smile.

      “Dinner’s almost ready. I just need to mash the potatoes. Cody’s washing up.” She lifted a steaming colander out of the sink and dumped it in a mixing bowl.

      He walked up behind her, not too close, but enough to catch the scent of lavender off her hair. “Smells wonderful in here.” God help him, he didn’t mean just the food.

      She tossed him a quick grin and scooted around him to the stand mixer. “Thanks. It’s nothing fancy.”

      He headed to the powder room off the kitchen to wash up and get his unwelcome emotions back under control. Cram them back into the little box he imagined held all the things he didn’t want to deal with.

      Lately, the damned lid wouldn’t stay closed.

      When he reentered the kitchen, Cody was seated at the table. The little boy brightened and slid off his chair when he saw Josh. “Daddy!”

      “Hey, big guy.” Josh bent and pulled his son to him. The boy’s skinny arms went around his neck and squeezed. Josh closed his eyes. He made the choices he did for Cody. It’d serve him well to remember that. “When we sit down, you can tell me all about your day, okay?”

      Maggie set a plate at Cody’s spot. “You’re all set, Cody. I’ll bring you some milk in a second. Josh, I’ll get your plate now.” She turned to go back into the kitchen.

      He couldn’t let her do that. He caught her wrist, felt the warmth of her skin through the fabric of her navy turtleneck. God, her bones were small. His fingers circled her wrist. She looked up at him, surprise on her face. “I’ll get my own,” he said, his voice a little rough in his throat.

      “Um, well. Okay. I don’t mind, though.” She glanced down at her arm, still in his hand. He let go quickly, aware he’d held on to her a little too long.

      Damn.

      He filled a plate and sat down across from Cody, Maggie at his right. Not close enough to touch, but near enough that he was very aware of her presence. As he picked up his fork, one more thought in the guilt brigade hit him.

      More often than not, he and Lucy hadn’t eaten together. Other than holidays, he couldn’t think of a single meal they’d shared with Cody that first year. He’d been too busy, or she’d been too angry. His appetite vanished.

      “Josh? СКАЧАТЬ