The Nanny Clause. Karen Smith Rose
to Daniel, “The feline you brought in was not microchipped. She will have to have an FIV and a feline leukemia test. I didn’t want to say anything around your girls.”
“What do you mean? What if one of the tests is positive?”
Emma gave him a sad look and he knew what that meant.
“Why?” he asked, surprised that he cared.
“There’s research being done to determine if an FIV-positive cat can be included in a multi-cat family, but for now FIV and feline leukemia are both considered highly contagious.” She gently touched his arm.
He couldn’t believe the heat that simple touch generated. When he glanced at her, he saw an almost surprised look on her face. Was she affected, too?
They’d reached the lobby and Emma cleared her throat and motioned to two chairs. After they sat, she handed him the clipboard and pen. They were sitting side by side, his knee practically touching hers. He didn’t move it away because that would be too obvious. Obvious that he was attracted? Or obvious that he wanted to remove himself?
He rested the clipboard on his thigh. The realization brought on by Emma’s words struck hard. “If you can’t save that cat and her kittens, my daughters are going to be heartbroken.”
“I do understand,” Emma empathized. “And you shouldn’t lose hope—the tests might come back negative. As soon as the vet tech is free, she’ll draw blood. The test will take about twenty minutes. I suggest you take your daughters home and I’ll call you later with the results.”
He made a quick decision. “Let me give you my cell number, then you can reach me no matter where I am. Do you have your phone on you?”
She did. She plucked her phone from her belt and tapped Daniel’s cell number into her contacts.
Thinking he should be filling out the forms, not watching Emma tap in his contact information, he felt startled when she raised her gaze to his and didn’t quickly turn away.
He did look away. The forms had become more important than Emma Alvarez.
* * *
Daniel sat in his study that evening listening to his girls play a video game in the family room across the hall. The floor plan of this house was one of the reasons he and his ex-wife had bought it after Penny was born. The house had been on the market for over a year without a buyer. The owners, a couple whose family had grown and left, had wanted to move closer to their children. He’d gotten a great deal, and he knew that. Lydia had been over-the-moon pleased.
Pippa’s laughter rang out from the family room. He glanced around his man cave at the bookshelves, at the massive desk, at the computer-and-printer setup. Neither his house nor his law degree would mean anything to him without his daughters.
He returned to looking for summer-camp selections for his girls at the community college. He hoped it wasn’t too late to enroll. As he began reading the selections, his cell phone buzzed. Picking it up, he saw on the screen that the caller was E. Alvarez. His heart began beating just a little faster.
“Mr. Sutton?” she asked.
“Call me Daniel,” he suggested. That wasn’t too informal, right? He always told his clients that, didn’t he?
Emma hesitated and then said, “All right, Daniel. The calico tested negative, and we’re taking care of her. I named her Fiesta because of all of her colors. She needs good nutrition for her babies.”
“I’m so glad she has a place where she’ll be safe,” Daniel responded.
“She’ll be safe for a time. Momma cats with babies aren’t very adoptable. The kittens will be, though, once they’re born.”
“I don’t think I’m going to tell Pippa, Penny and Paris that.”
“We can’t give Fiesta a whole lot of attention at the shelter because of all of our animals. I’ll do my best to keep an eye on her. It really would be better if she could go home with you and your girls, though.”
“No.” The word popped out of Daniel’s mouth before he even thought about the idea.
“Can I ask why?” she inquired gently.
After a moment, he told her the truth. “I’m a divorced single dad with three girls who are active, smart and sometimes needy. I really can’t see adding a pet to that mix.”
She paused, then said quietly, “I see. If you can’t adopt Fiesta, why don’t you bring your daughters back to the shelter for a visit. I’m sure they’d enjoy it and so would she. I’m certain she’ll want all the attention she can get. She’s a very friendly feline.”
“I’ll consider a visit,” he assured her, maybe because he wanted to see Emma Alvarez again and not the cat.
“Whenever you have time. Do you know our hours?”
“I do. I looked them up before we came to the shelter. Are you always on the same shift?”
“My schedule varies depending on when the shelter needs me to be here.”
He hadn’t thought about that.
“We hope to see you soon at Furever Paws,” she said politely. “You have a good night and say hello to your girls for me.”
“I will.”
After Daniel ended the call, he wished it had gone on a little longer. Should he visit again with her at Furever Paws when he was attracted to her?
His better judgment told him no.
Whole Bean, the coffee shop in Spring Forest, was a popular local gathering place, even on a Saturday. Daniel was grateful for his sister, who had come over to the house to take care of the girls for the day so he could catch up on client appointments at the office. She was making them breakfast and since she didn’t drink coffee...
The coffee shop was near his office so it was an easy stop. He went to the counter and ordered a double-shot espresso. Checking his watch, he saw that he had about ten minutes before he wanted to start at the office. It wouldn’t hurt to relax a bit before the workday began. Sometimes getting the girls up and dressed and their hair fixed was like running a marathon. He wanted his sister to do the fun things with them and didn’t intend to burden her with any more than was necessary.
He’d turned and headed to the main part of the café to find a table when he stopped cold. There was Emma Alvarez, sitting alone at a bistro table for two. Could she be waiting for someone?
It didn’t look like it. She’d spread the newspaper on the table in front of her and had a pen in her hand.
So much for relaxing. His heart had started pulsing faster the moment he’d spotted her.
Crossing to the table, he stood there for a moment. She must have felt his presence because she looked up and her eyes widened.
Before he could stop himself, he asked, “Do you mind if I join you?”
She looked flustered but she folded the newspaper and laid her pen on the table. “I don’t mind.”
He checked the coffee she was drinking. It looked like a latte.
She saw him studying her coffee and she studied his. “Yes, I drink lattes—vanilla. How about you?”
He nodded to his cup as he sat. “It only looks like black coffee. It has shots of espresso in it.”
“Enough to get you through the day?” she teased. “Or will you need more about noon?”
“I’m limiting myself to the two shots of espresso a day. If I have them both in the morning, that’s it. I have enough trouble sleeping at night.”
“Because