скачать книгу бесплатно
The Holiday Nanny
Lois Richer
Workaholic single father Wade Abbot is away on business, as usual, when he receives a heart-tugging video from his four-year-old. The little girl hopes he'll come home for Christmas–and see her in the holiday pageant.With his harrowing past, Wade has always doubted his ability to be a good father, but he heads home to Arizona, determined to try. His daughter's loving new nanny, Connie Ladden, works overtime to help turn him into the father he longs to be. And with some help from his little girl, Wade just might turn his holiday nanny into a permanent wife and mother.
“I wondered if you had a suggestion for something Silver wants for Christmas,” Wade said. “Something she’s been really longing for?”
“She wants a dollhouse,” Connie replied. “An original one that’s hers alone.”
“Yes, now I remember her mentioning that. Maybe I could build one?” He began structuring it in his mind. It would be a replica of this house. “You’re quite something, Connie,” he said, admiration flooding him. “You’ve got all of us learning new ways to deal with each other. I appreciate your help.”
“I haven’t done anything special.” Connie kept her head bent, but her red cheeks told Wade everything he needed to know. “I’m just the nanny.”
“Hardly,” he said as he walked out of his office to find Silver.
He realized how true it was. Silver’s nanny had become necessary to all of them. Connie wasn’t just doing her job. She was enriching their lives….
LOIS RICHER
likes variety. From her time in human resources management to entrepreneurship, life has held plenty of surprises.
“Having given up on fairy tales, I was happily involved in building a restaurant when a handsome prince walked into my life and upset all my career plans with a wedding ring. Motherhood quickly followed. I guess the seeds of my storytelling took root because of two small boys who kept demanding, ‘Then what, Mom?’”
The miracle of God’s love for His children, the blessing of true love, the joy of sharing Him with others—that is a story that can be told a thousand ways and yet still be brand-new. Lois Richer intends to go right on telling it.
The Holiday Nanny
Lois Richer
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
I am holding you by your right hand—
I, the Lord your God—and I say to you,
Don’t be afraid; I am here to help you.
—Isaiah 41:13
This book is dedicated to my dad. I love you.
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Letter to Reader
Questions for Discussion
Chapter One
“Do you think Daddy got my letter yet, Connie?”
Connie Ladden couldn’t bear to quash the hope shining in Silver Abbot’s glossy blue eyes, so she brushed the riot of blond curls away from her four—almost five—year-old charge’s face and eased onto the bed, next to the little girl.
“Remember, I showed you on the map how far away Argentina is?”
“Uh-huh.” Silver nodded solemnly.
Too solemnly for Connie’s liking. Silver wanted her daddy, and after two months as nanny for the delightful child, Connie thought Wade Abbot needed to act more like a father and be here for his precious daughter. Still, her job was to help Silver with her life as it was, not the way they wished it could be.
“Well, it’s only been about a week since we mailed it, sweetie. Argentina is a very long way for a letter to go.”
Thanks to the courier’s emailed confirmation of delivery, Connie knew the package with Silver’s recorded message had safely arrived at its destination. But she didn’t want to say that. Connie hadn’t yet met Silver’s father, and she wasn’t sure how Wade Abbot would react to his daughter’s latest communication.
“It’s been ten days. I counted.” Silver frowned. “David, at my preschool, told me email is very fast. Do you know how to do email?”
“Yes.” Connie smiled at her serious look.
“You could have sent my letter that way, couldn’t you, Connie?”
“I guess I could have. But think how nice it will be for your daddy to get an envelope from home, from his own little girl.”
David Foster, Mr. Abbot’s lawyer and Silver’s guardian, had made it clear when he hired Connie and provided Wade Abbot’s email address that Silver’s father did not want to be distracted by everyday minutiae. Wade Abbot was in Argentina on a very tight schedule. It was urgent that he bring in the project on time for Abbot Bridges, Inc., according to David. The way he’d phrased it had led Connie to deduce that the company stood to lose a substantial amount of money and perhaps forfeit future contracts with the Argentinean government if the deadline was missed.
“Your daddy might not have had a chance to open it yet.”
“’Cause he’s so busy.” Silver sighed. “I know.” Resigned, she snuggled into her bed and drew her puffy pink quilt up to her chin.
Connie bent to kiss her good-night a second time, unable to resist the downy softness of Silver’s rounded cheek or the delight of another hug.
“Can’t we have just one more story, Connie?” The chubby arms refused to release her neck. “Please?” The beguiling smile begged her to relent.
“You’ve already had three stories, munchkin. Now it’s bedtime. You know my rules.” Connie rubbed her nose against Silver’s, unclasped her grasp and tucked her arms beneath the pink quilt patterned with fairy princesses. Tiny silver bells attached to princess shoes tinkled softly. “We have a lot to do tomorrow. It’s our bird-watching day. I want to find out more about the hummingbirds here in Tucson. You need to rest those baby-blue eyes so you’ll be able to point them out.”
“You sure like hummingbirds.”
“I sure do,” Connie agreed.
“Hey, we forgot to say my prayers.” Silver grinned.
“So we did. Okay, go ahead.” Connie knelt at the side of the bed, closed her eyes and waited.
“Dear God, thank you for today. And for Connie. I love her lots.”
Connie’s heart squeezed so tight that she could barely breathe. It’s mutual, kiddo.
“We had fun flying our kites this afternoon, God. Thanks for the wind and for Cora’s yummy muffins and for Hornby’s pretty roses. Bless my daddy and bring him home soon. And help Granny Amanda not to be mad at Daddy anymore. Amen.”
“Amen.” Connie hesitated as she studied Silver. “Honey, why do you think your grandmother is mad at your father?”
“Because she said—” Silver’s blue eyes welled with tears and she snuffled, unable to finish her sentence. “I don’t believe he’d forget about me,” she muttered defiantly a moment later. “My daddy loves me. Doesn’t he, Connie?”
“Of course he does, sweetie. Everybody knows that. You must have misunderstood your grandmother.” Connie hugged the fragile body close, praying her words were true.
“Why, look at all the lovely things your daddy sends you. Your room is going to burst if he doesn’t stop.”
That made Silver smile. A few moments later, her eyelids drooped and she was asleep. Connie rose, switched the lamp to dim and padded quietly out of the room. She set the door just the tiniest bit ajar so that if Silver woke during the night she would see the hall light and not be afraid.
Connie paused, debating the wisdom of her next move. But she couldn’t put it off any longer. Something had to be done. Her job was to protect Silver.
Help me, Lord.
She trod downstairs, moving silently over the glossy hardwood until she came to the living room. She tapped on the door once then waited for an invitation to enter.
“Constance. Is everything all right?” Amanda Abbot glanced up from the magazine she was perusing. She’d spilled her tea over the lovely rosewood table and onto the white carpet but seemed oblivious to the mess.
“Oh, dear.” Connie stemmed her irritation and grabbed two napkins to sponge up what she could. “I hope that doesn’t mark.”
“Who cares? Wade can afford another one.” Amanda waved an irritated hand. “What did you want, Constance?”
Connie rose, inhaled and prayed for courage. Some noise outside the room drew her attention for a moment. Probably Cora, the Abbot’s cook, leaving for the night.
“Well?” Amanda’s eyes flashed with annoyance.
“Speak.”
“I wanted to talk to you—” Connie gulped and forced herself to continue “—about Silver.”
“What about her?” Amanda continued to flip through the magazine. “Is she sick?”
“She was upset by your comments about her father.” There, she’d said it.
“My comments?” Amanda’s lips tightened. She tossed the magazine away. “What comments, exactly, Constance?”
“Actually, it’s Connie. Plain old Connie.” She cleared her throat. “I believe you hinted that her father had forgotten about her. Silver was quite agitated by that.”
“Oh, fiddle.” Amanda huffed. “The child needs to hear the truth. As it is, she lives in a fairy tale world. It’s better to face reality.”
“But it isn’t reality, is it?” Connie asked quietly. “Her father couldn’t have forgotten about her when he sends her a gift every week.”
“Are you questioning me?” Amanda sounded outraged.
“You know that you only have this job because I allow it. I could have suggested many others to be my granddaughter’s nanny.”
But none of them would put up with your manipulations. It was the truth, but Connie didn’t say it. Amanda did not like to be contradicted.
She also did not like her stepson.
Or so it seemed to Connie.
“I believe Mr. Foster hired me because he knew I’d protect Silver. I’m not questioning you. I’m simply telling you that when you say these things about her father, it hurts Silver. And I know you don’t want to do that.” Connie paused to gather her courage. “Yesterday, you said her father had probably found another family in Argentina. Perhaps you didn’t mean for her to overhear, but she did, and she cried about it for an hour.”
“Then you weren’t doing your job, were you?” Amanda didn’t look fazed by her part in her granddaughter’s unhappiness. “You’re supposed to keep her busy and happy.”
“I’m trying to do that. I care a great deal for Silver. That’s why I’ve come to ask you to be more careful.” Connie refused to back down. “What you say could damage the relationship between Silver and her father. That’s not right.”
“What I say is none of your business. Pack your things and get out. You’re fired.”
Connie wanted to protest, but she knew it wouldn’t help. Amanda was not one to be swayed by others.
“I’m sorry if I’ve offended you,” she said quietly. “I’m only trying to do what’s best for Silver. That is why I was hired, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is. Isn’t it, Amanda?”
Connie whirled around at the quiet but controlled voice that had come from behind her. A man identical to the picture on Silver’s night stand dropped the bag he was carrying beside his feet. He held out one hand.
“I’m Wade Abbot. I assume you are Connie Ladden, Silver’s nanny.”
“I am.” She shook his hand, felt the strength in his tanned fingers. He was so rugged looking and so handsome. A tiny shiver wiggled its way from her hand to her heart in a twitch of awareness. “I’m pleased to meet you. Your daughter talks about you constantly. She adores you.”
“Does she?” He studied her for a few moments then inclined his head. “I’d like to speak to my stepmother privately, Ms. Ladden. But when I’ve finished, I’d also like to talk to you. Could you meet me in the kitchen in a few minutes? I’ve been flying for seventeen hours and I’m starved.”
“Certainly, Mr. Abbot.”
