Five minutes later her cell phone rang, and she checked the screen, her shoulders sagging. Her mother. The last person she wanted to talk to. They hadn’t spoken in nearly a year, and that was only because she’d wanted her parents to know she was moving overseas. As she’d expected, they hadn’t seemed upset or even interested. Her mother had filled her in on her sister’s condition and her father’s health issues, then ended the call. As if shoveling a load of guilt on Julie’s head would somehow bring her back into the fold.
Her comments to Gil about her father drifted through her mind. He’d been her hero growing up. He’d call her after school each day just to say hello, and on clear nights they’d look through his telescope at the stars and talk about things. She missed him. More so since coming to the Montgomerys and seeing Abby and Gil together. Being a part of their family dynamic was peeling away the protective covering around her heart she’d placed there years ago. Maybe, once she was finished here, she should go to Pensacola and see her family before she left for Paris. DiDi was right. It was time to deal with the past.
The cell stopped ringing. Should she call back? Not tonight. She had more pressing matters on her mind. Like how she was going to continue as Abby’s nanny when she was so distracted by Gil, and how she was going to hide her attraction from him.
She touched her fingers to her lips again, unable to forget the kiss. She should have stopped it. But all she could think about at the time had been how close he was, how wonderful he smelled and how much she wanted to be in his arms. But instead of satisfying her curiosity, the kiss had only made her want to kiss him again.
* * *
Gil stared at the blueprints. He’d calculated the numbers for the project twice, but before he could write them down, they’d flown out of his mind. His lapse in judgment the other night still had him tied in knots. Kissing Julie was a big mistake, and his weakness might have cost him more than simple embarrassment. It might be the thing that chased Julie away. The last thing he wanted.
Abby loved her, depended on her and, more important, trusted her. As much as he wanted to be a father to his child, he was still feeling his way with their relationship. He needed Julie’s wisdom and guidance. Now he’d put that at risk by giving in to a moment of temptation.
He looked up as his brother walked into the office. “I thought you were on your way to Winona to check on the Hunters’ house.”
“I am, but I want to talk first.” He eased down into a chair. “Are you okay? You look like a man with a burden.”
Having a brother so close in age had its drawbacks. He could read him like a book. “I’m fine.”
Linc raised his eyebrows. “You’re a terrible liar, bro. Things okay with Abby and you?”
“Getting better. The dog helped a lot. We started obedience classes last night, and she seems to enjoy it.”
“That’s good. Right?”
“Yes, but Abby is still resistant to me. She goes to Julie for everything. She pinched her finger the other day, and she would only allow Julie to take care of it, even though I was right beside her when it happened.”
“Maybe it’s time to get a new nanny.”
“No. Julie and Abby have a special relationship. I think that’s important right now. She doesn’t need any more changes. Besides, Julie is very wise and compassionate. She has a real gift with children.” He glanced over at Linc. There was a knowing smile on his face that Gil didn’t like at all. “What?”
“That was a pretty glowing endorsement for your nanny. Is there something else you want to tell me?”
Gil dropped his gaze to the desktop, shuffling papers around. What would Linc say if he told him what had happened between him and Julie? It was just a brief kiss, but it had touched something deep in him that he didn’t understand. He wasn’t a romantic man. He liked things simple, rules and directions laid out clearly in black and white. He’d met his wife, fallen in love and never looked back. Something about Julie shifted his perspective. He found himself thinking about her smile, the way her dark hair swayed when she moved and how her expressive milk chocolate eyes beckoned him. That was something he would never reveal. “What did you want to see me about? I’ve got to get this job figured by tonight.”
Linc chuckled. “I know when you’re avoiding, but I’ll let it slide for now. I wanted to know if you’d heard from Al on that Baton Rouge project. I’d expected to hear from him by now.”
Al Thompson was an important general contractor and a longtime friend of their father’s. When a developer was lining up a project, Al could always be counted on to recommend them as the electrical contractors. Not because of the friendship, but of the dependability of Montgomery Electrical. They were counting on his continued support to get through the slump the company was in. “No. Not a word.”
“Me either. That’s not like him. Maybe I should give him a call and see what’s up. We need a couple of these big jobs to come our way. We can’t make it with only the residential side of the company.”
“Let me know what you find out.”
Linc stopped at the door. “Oh, and I’m going over to the farmhouse to salvage what I can. You want to help?”
“Sure. Just let me know when.”
Gil redirected his focus to the numbers in front of him. He should be searching for potential jobs to bid on. Linc was right; if things didn’t start going their way soon, he wasn’t sure if the business their grandfather started would survive.
Placing his elbows on the desk, he rested his head in his hands, unable to stop thinking about the kiss he’d shared with Julie. Maybe he was losing his mind. Or suffering from the stress of worrying about Abby.
Or maybe he was a man who was attracted to a lovely woman. He had no idea what to do about it. One thing he knew for sure. He would avoid any time alone with Julie and pray she didn’t decide to leave. And he’d keep his mind on helping his daughter and nothing else.
* * *
Julie had descended the last step from her apartment when she heard someone call her name. Nancy Scott hurried toward her. She stopped, resting her hand at her throat as she caught her breath.
“I’m so glad I caught you. I’m in desperate need of help. My cochair for the father-daughter event I told you about has fallen and broken her hip. Poor thing is going to be laid up for weeks. I need someone to organize the talent show, and I immediately thought of you.”
She held a hand up in protest. “Oh, but that was for children at my school. Besides, I have a commitment to Mr. Montgomery to give all my time and attention to Abby.”
“Don’t you worry about that. This isn’t a full-time job. I just need someone to get all the names together and figure out the order of the performers. There will be a few meetings in the evenings and weekends, and of course the night of the event.” She sighed and took a deep breath. “I know this is sudden and you’re new here, but there’s no one else I can ask. Normally Francie, Gil’s mother, would step in, but she’s not here.”
Julie weighed the pros and cons. She hadn’t mentioned the talent part of the father-daughter event to Gil yet. But after seeing him play the guitar, she had decided to nudge him into entering himself and Abby. It would be a perfect way to draw them closer. Maybe if she were more actively involved, she could persuade them. “All right. I’d be happy to help. As long as I can do it during my off time from Abby. But I’ll need to check with Gil first.”
“Thank you, darling. You’re an answer to my prayer. Having someone with experience will make the whole process so much easier.”
By the time Julie left to pick up Abby from school, she’d formulated a plan on how to approach Gil about the talent show. He’d agreed to take his daughter to the dinner, but she had a feeling he wouldn’t be too keen on entering the talent contest. It would be a wonderful opportunity for Abby and Gil to participate together. The problem was, things
between her and Gil had been strained ever since the kiss.
It had been several days since their encounter, and he was definitely avoiding her. Not physically. That would have been impossible. But his attitude toward her had cooled considerably. He avoided eye contact as much as possible, directed most of his conversation to Abby and didn’t initiate any with her at all. The longer the tension went on, the unhappier she became. She told herself it had nothing to do with her feelings for Gil. It was all about maintaining communication between them so they could make good decisions for Abby.
As soon as Abby had finished her math lessons, she went to play with Ruffles and Julie went to the kitchen to start supper. The past week had brought about another change, too. Evening meals with Gil and Abby. It had started as a special request from Abby and had quickly become the routine. Gil had encouraged her by pointing out that there was no need to fix separate meals when she was right across the driveway. She’d always loved to cook, but cooking for one was difficult. Fixing meals for Gil and Abby had renewed her interest. Now it was one of the highlights of her day.
Unfortunately tonight was her first meeting with the father-daughter event committee. She’d have to find another time to speak with him. Thankfully the meeting went quickly and, to her surprise, was thoroughly enjoyable. She looked forward to organizing the various acts, and she came away more determined to convince Gil to participate.
Peeking out the apartment window, she saw the lights were still on in the family room. This might be the perfect time to talk to him. Abby should be in bed, and she could assure him she wasn’t upset about the kiss. Even though that would be a lie. Her pulse still raced whenever she thought about it.
Flier in hand, she walked across the back deck and tapped on the French door. Gil was in the recliner, staring at the TV, but she had the impression he wasn’t watching the program. He motioned her inside.
“Is everything all right?”
She liked the way he was always quick to be concerned. He had a compassionate heart. “I just came to talk to you for a moment.”
Gil looked at the paper in her hand, his eyes widened. “You’re not resigning, are you? If it’s because of the...what happened...the other night. That was a mistake. I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t mean to step over the line.”
“No.” She held up her hand. “It’s okay. I mean it wasn’t... I wasn’t...” She puffed out a breath. “This is about something else.” She handed him the flier. “I think it would be a nice idea if you and Abby entered the talent contest.”
Gil studied the paper. “And do what?”
She sat down. “You play the guitar and she can sing. She has a nice voice. So do you. It would be sweet.”
He handed her back the flier. “No. I haven’t played in front of people in a long time. I doubt Abby would want to. You know how shy she is.”
“She’s coming around, Gil. She talks about you, and she’s even asked me a few questions. Like where you work and about your family. She looks forward to the obedience classes.”
“Because of the pup.”
“No, because of you. She reminds me all afternoon that she and her daddy are going to Ruffles’s school.”
“Really?” He smiled. “She asked me yesterday if I could teach her to play guitar. I suppose I could get her a small one, show her a few chords.”
“That’s perfect.” She reached out and touched his forearm. “Gil, think of the trust it would create. Ruffles’s classes are over soon, and this can be your new project together.” She could see Gil warming to the idea.
“Do you think she’ll go for it?”
“I’ll give her a little nudge. Don’t worry. Now that I’m organizing the talent show, I’m sure I can get Abby interested. And I’ll be sure and give you a good slot in the lineup.” She smiled and started to rise. Gil reached out and took her hand.
“I don’t know if I could have gotten through this adjustment period without your help.”
“Sure you could have.”
“Do you get this involved with all your kids as a teacher and a nanny?”
Julie kept her eyes lowered as she shrugged. “It’s hard not to when you’re with them all the time.” Or they happen to be your biological child.
“Why haven’t you married, Julie? You’re a natural mother. You should have kids of your own. You have so much love to give a husband and family.”
She was blindsided by his comment, and her mood plummeted. She’d been told that before, but this time it was different. She’d love to have those things, but she’d lost that privilege eight years ago. She forced a smile and pulled her hand away. “Too busy with other people’s children to have my own.”
“That’s a shame. You were made to be a mother.”
Julie stood and gestured to the flier. “Let me know what you decide. I think it would be a wonderful thing for you and Abby to do together.”
He held her gaze as if he wanted to say something else, something personal. The look in his blue eyes was the same one she’d seen the other night. The air between them vibrated. She couldn’t ignore it any longer. The attraction between them was growing by the day. The sensible thing to do would be to leave. But like a fly trapped in honey, she wanted to enjoy as much of her time with him as possible. The memories would have to last her forever.
* * *
Julie settled at the front table at the Square Cup coffee shop so she could look out the window at the charming town of Dover. Since bringing Abby here for hot chocolate, she’d found the atmosphere perfect for reading her devotional book and organizing her thoughts for the day. She made it her first stop after dropping Abby off at school. Too much time at Gil’s house churned up the guilt in the back of her mind and pointed up how comfortable she felt there. She was constantly torn between wanting to stay and make sure Gil and Abby were fully reunited, and the knowledge that she was keeping a big secret from them both. Particularly Gil. She knew his feelings about hiding the truth. She’d seen the pain in his eyes, heard the anger in his voice when he’d explained about his wife’s deception.
Leah had been emotionally disturbed. Julie had no such excuse. Only a misguided desire to ease her fears about her daughter. Movement pulled her from her thoughts, and she looked up as Sarah, the owner of the shop, stopped at the table with a plate of fresh cookies.
“You’re becoming a regular.”
“I guess I am. It’s warm and friendly here.” Except she couldn’t ever become a regular patron. The clock was still ticking toward her move to Paris. She fingered the silver heart around her neck. It would be her only link to Abby when this assignment was done.
“That’s my plan. I want my customers to feel—” Sarah inhaled sharply.
Julie watched as the color drained from the woman’s face. Her gaze was riveted on the necklace Julie wore.
“Where did you get that?”
Julie’s heart skipped a beat. She never knew how to answer that question when people asked. “It was given to me. A long time ago.” Sarah’s blue eyes clouded, and she sank into the chair, her hand at her throat. Julie watched as Sarah pulled out an identical filigree heart with a ruby birthstone in the center. She looked into Sarah’s eyes and saw her own story written there.
Sarah glanced around. “The Phyllis May Foundation.”
Julie’s stomach heaved. This couldn’t be happening. Of all the people to run into in a small town like Dover, she’d met someone who could expose the truth. Sarah must have seen her panic.
She laid her hand over hers. “It’s okay. I won’t say anything, and I didn’t mean to scare you.”
She clutched the necklace, her heart racing. “I’ve never met anyone with this necklace.”
“Me either. How long ago were you at the foundation?”
“Almost nine years. I had a little girl.”
&n
bsp; “Seven for me. A boy.” Sarah fingered the small heart. “I’ve thought about taking this necklace off and putting it away, but I’m afraid I’ll forget my son.”
“Me, too. I feel like I have her close to me when I wear it.”
Sarah took her hand. “We don’t ever have to talk of this again, but if you need someone, please call me.”
Julie left the café as soon as Sarah walked off. Her hands shook as she made her way to the car. The risks were piling up. Now Sarah knew about her past. What if she told someone or accidently mentioned they had given up their babies? She doubted Sarah would share their secret, but it was one more thing to worry about. Her life was becoming more complicated, and she had no idea how to stop the forward motion.
* * *
Nancy wasted no time in getting Julie immersed in the preparations for the father-daughter dinner. She’d attended her first meeting the other night and been handed nearly a dozen applications for the talent show. Nancy had informed everyone that the response to the dinner was so large they might have to find a new venue since the church fellowship hall was already maxed out.
The more Julie became involved with the town, the more she felt at home here. In the past few days the weather had warmed again, and she’d taken the time to explore. Everywhere she went, people were eager to know how Gil and Abby were doing. The Montgomery family was loved and respected, and Julie knew the curiosity was born from a genuine concern for their fellow citizens.
If things had worked out differently, she could see herself putting down roots in this small town and becoming a part of the community. But her future was elsewhere. She would have to take comfort in the knowledge that her daughter would grow up in Dover.
Things between Gil and Abby were improving rapidly. Ruffles was becoming a well-behaved little fur ball, Abby was practicing her chords on the guitar and her grasp of math was nearly up to speed. The past few days she’d even greeted her father with a hug when he came home.
In a few weeks her assignment would be over. The thought dropped a dark cloud over her mood. Soon she would ride off into the sunset, leaving them both behind. She had a trunk full of precious memories to take with her now. She couldn’t ask for more.
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