The Bachelor's Stand-In Wife. Susan Crosby

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СКАЧАТЬ Hannah patted the water. “C’mere, Belle. Come on, girl.”

      With one last happy look at David she jumped in, thus apparently forgiving him for her years of exile at Noah’s. She was too old to be having to put up with all those children, even Noah’s sedate children. But having one child around, this eight-year-old Hannah, would be good for her, especially when David was out of town. Belle needed company, and someone to care about, follow around and curl up with.

      “I’m sorry,” Valerie said again, coming up beside David, watching the dog and the girl swim in circles.

      “For what?”

      “Not being ready for work when you arrived. I thought we had more time.”

      “I didn’t expect you to work tonight.” He finally eyed her directly, all wrapped up in a towel that matched her hazel eyes, her wet hair dripping down her back. He’d been right about her looking younger with her hair down. “Your daughter is a miniature of you.”

      “I can’t tell you how excited she is to be here. The cottage is beautiful.”

      Belle followed a giggling Hannah across the pool, then headed for the stairs. The dog didn’t climb out but stood, resting.

      “Are you all settled in?”

      “We haven’t even unloaded the car yet.”

      He considered taking a swim himself, but decided to wait until later. He figured Valerie would keep a strict employer/employee relationship with him, which would include making sure her daughter didn’t get in his way.

      Which was fine with him. David had nothing against kids, he just didn’t know how to relate to them, even his nieces and nephews. He particularly didn’t want to get attached to an employee’s child. She had to be separate from the working relationship as much as possible.

      “I picked up a pizza,” he said to Valerie. “Come up to the house when you’re ready and we’ll reheat it. We’ll talk business afterward.”

      “Both of us?”

      “Your daughter needs to eat, too, right?”

      “I can take her a plate.”

      “We’ll make an exception for tonight.”

      Valerie nodded. He walked away, sensing her relief. He knew, given her background of false accusations of sexual harassment, that she would be more wary than most, more aware of potential impropriety. He respected that. He wanted a long-term, employer/employee relationship with her. He would be just as careful as she.

      He got partway down the path when he heard the thunder of Belle’s paws pounding the flagstone behind him, getting closer. He turned. She bounded to a halt and shook the pool water from her fur, head to tail, drenching him.

      Hannah shrieked with laughter then clamped a hand over her mouth. Valerie stood frozen, awaiting his response. He hunkered down and wrapped his arms around his great old dog, getting himself wetter in the process, glad to have her home.

      So much for impeccable behavior, Valerie thought with a sigh as she and Hannah walked to the cottage a few minutes later. He’d caught her in her bathing suit, totally goofing off, acting like a kid. How embarrassing. Not an auspicious start to their business relationship at all.

      “Belle’s a neat dog,” Hannah said. “I never knew dogs liked to swim. I mean, I know they can, because there’s even a name for it, right? The dog paddle? But I didn’t know they would just jump in and swim around.”

      “Just don’t get too attached. She’s his dog, not yours.”

      “But he’s gone a lot. You said so. She’ll be staying with us, won’t she? She can’t stay in that big ol’ house by herself. She’d be sooo lonely.”

      Hannah’s eyes pleaded with Valerie, who tried not to laugh. Right. Belle would be lonely.

      Valerie and Hannah unloaded the car, then showered and dressed for their first dinner with the boss. The evening temperature was perfect as they took the path to the house and climbed the back stairs. Through a window Valerie saw a kitchen and was glad she would be working in a space with such a spectacular view, not only of the pool but the tree-studded hills.

      She knocked on the kitchen door. After a minute she knocked again. Finally she turned the handle and leaned inside. “Hello?”

      “Be right there. Make yourself at home,” David called, the words muffled by distance.

      “Wow. Our old apartment would fit in here,” Hannah said, looking around at the kitchen and breakfast nook.

      The stainless steel appliances made it contemporary, but there was a rustic feel, too, in the pine cabinets and autumn-toned granite countertops. Not a curtain in sight, either, nor any plants. Nothing to soften the streamlined feel of the place, the home of someone who didn’t really live there, but used it as a base camp.

      David breezed into the room. He’d changed from slacks and a dress shirt to jeans and a T-shirt, and was barefoot. Belle trailed him. Valerie wondered how old David was. Thirty?

      “Settled in?” he asked.

      “Almost. We haven’t put everything away, but it’s all in the house,” Valerie answered, keeping a hand on Hannah’s shoulder so that she wouldn’t run to Belle, who wagged her tail in greeting.

      “The stove’s preheated,” David said. “Shouldn’t take too long. I hope you like pepperoni.” He slid a large pizza into the oven. “How about a tour while it heats.”

      “That would be great.”

      The inside of the house was as stunning as the outside. It was a man’s home, but a classy one, the environment clearly of someone who liked art and color, who had style. Maybe a decorator should get credit, but David would have had to approve everything purchased, so he must’ve had a hand in the final result in some way.

      On the first floor was a living room with a stone fireplace, a family room holding a woodstove that piped heat into the rest of the house, a large dining room with a table and chairs for twelve, an office and a powder room. Upstairs were four bedrooms, two baths and the master suite, with its enormous bed and spectacular view, the same as in the kitchen, of the pool and mountains, even the cottage. Heavy green drapes framed the windows. She wondered how often he shut them.

      She wondered, too, how often he had company. Female company. He was an attractive and successful man. Did he have a regular girlfriend?

      “It’s an incredible home,” she said to him, having given up on keeping Hannah by her side. She and Belle had teamed up, following at their own pace. “Although a lot of house for one person.”

      “I spend much of my life in airplanes and hotel rooms. I need a place to spread out.”

      “How long have you lived here?”

      “Had it built five years ago.”

      They headed out the bedroom door and downstairs. Valerie motioned to Hannah, who played on the landing with Belle, tossing the dog’s rag doll, then throwing СКАЧАТЬ