The Nanny's Secret Child

Julie smiled, flashing her lone dimple. “I didn’t give her a choice. We all have to pitch in. I think she enjoys it now.”

He got the hint. That’s the way it had been in his family. Everyone did his or her part. No options available. But none of them had been through what Abby had. He didn’t want to do anything to upset her or cause more distress.

Seated at the table, Gil let the peaceful feeling seep through him. Julie did most of the talking, telling him what she and Abby had done in the afternoon, how Abby had won the most games of Sorry and some of the funny things her online students wrote in their papers.

“When are we going to get my puppy?”

He’d been enjoying the meal so much he’d forgotten about the weekend plans. “Saturday morning. Your uncle Linc and I are taking you and Evan to the shelter in Sawyer’s Bend so you can pick out your pets.” The big smile and bright eyes on his child’s face stole his breath. If only he could make her this happy every second of her life.

Julie chuckled softly. “Have you thought about a name for your dog?”

“Not yet. But I’ll know after I pick it out.”

After cleaning up the kitchen, Julie sent Abby upstairs to get ready for bed.

Gil called after her as she left the room. “I’ll be up to tuck you in, sweet pea.”

“I want Julie to do it,” Abby said.

All the blood drained from his face. Of course she did. “Good night, then. Sleep tight.”

He glanced over at Julie. The tenderness in her eyes drew him. “No Father-of-the-Year awards for me.”

“Be patient. It’ll take time. She’s gotten used to me, and she hasn’t seen much of you this week.”

His defenses kicked in. “I couldn’t help it. Our business is on life support right now. We would have lost the company if my brother hadn’t stepped in. I need to be there.”

“That wasn’t a reprimand. I’m just pointing out she’s spent more time with me, that’s all. But I have a suggestion.” She pulled a sheet of paper from the counter. “Your church is holding a father-daughter dinner soon. You could take Abby. It would be a special outing for you both. I think she’d like that.”

Gil studied the paper. What would they talk about over dinner? “I’m not so sure, but I’ll think about it.” He could tell she wasn’t pleased with his response, but he had more important things on his mind.

She tilted her head, a half smile causing her dimple to briefly appear. “How did the meeting with Mrs. Taylor go?”

He rubbed his temple. Another sore spot. It had been a lousy day—except for coming home and hearing Abby’s laughter. “She seems to think I should force Abby to participate in school and make friends.”

“Is that really what she said? I’m a teacher, and we only send notes like the one she sent when we have concerns for the student’s well-being.”

“How can she know what’s best for Abby after only a few weeks?”

“Experience.”

“Seems to me she’s just putting more pressure on her.” Gil glanced up when Abby called for Julie from upstairs.

“I’ll be right back. But you should go and say good-night, too. Later.”

“She doesn’t want me.” Julie caught him off guard when she rested her small hand on his arm. The warmth of her touch soothed his disappointment.

“Go anyway.”

Gil retreated to the office, hoping to sort through his emotional turmoil. In a short span of time he’d gone from irritation to joy to hurt. He’d never anticipated the hostility and rejection from his daughter. Or that she would latch on to a stranger. Clearly Julie had an ability with children he lacked. Yet every inroad she made left him feeling resentful. He needed advice. Direction. Things his parents had always provided, but Dad was gone and Mom was out of the country. He glanced at the clock. Not a good time to call his mother. Not a good time for much of anything.

* * *

Julie tucked Abby in and said good-night, telling her that her father would be up to see her soon, gently reminding her how much he loved her. The kitchen was empty when she returned, so she went in search of her employer and found him in the office off the family room. She’d never been inside. The door was usually closed, but not this evening. The room was predictably masculine with a dark wooden desk and brown leather chair. There was a drafting board set to one side, where a round container held rolls of blueprints.

But it was Gil who drew her attention. He stood in front of the fireplace, his hands clutching the mantel edge as he stared into the firebox. The dejected slope of his broad shoulders said it all. Abby had hurt him deeply with her comments. Her heart went out to him. He wanted desperately to connect with his child, but he was floundering.

“Abby is all tucked in. I told her you’d be up to say good-night later.”

Gil straightened and faced her, shoving his hands into his pockets. He pressed his lips together. “She doesn’t want to see me.”

Julie’s heart ached. She didn’t know whom she wanted to comfort more, Abby or her dad. “That’s not true. She does, she’s just confused and uncertain. If you don’t mind me asking, is there more going on with Abby than losing her mother?”

He stared at the floor a long moment before answering. When he met her gaze again, she saw sparks of anger flash in his blue eyes. “Remember when you asked me why I didn’t see Abby after the divorce? It’s because my wife lied to me.”

Julie’s conscience pricked.

“She was bipolar, but she never bothered to share that fact with me and I was too blind to put it all together. I didn’t find out about her illness until a year after the divorce. I found her meds and confronted her. She accused me of spying on her. That’s when I started trying to regain custody of Abby. I didn’t know anything about bipolar disorder. There’d been nothing like that in my family. Do you have any idea how it affects people?”

“I do. My close friend’s mother is bipolar.”

“Then you know the damage it can do to children.”

Wrapping her arms around her middle, she tried to fend off the images of what little Abby might have endured and keep her focus on Gil. “I do.”

“I started custody proceedings, but that only made Leah angrier. That’s when she and her sister started their campaign to discredit me. Every time I showed up in Mobile to visit Abby for the weekend, there was some new hoop to jump through or some event that had come up that demanded Abby stay with them. One time I’d gotten as far as Hattiesburg when the police stopped me and said I had no right to take Abby across state lines.”

Julie moved closer. “Oh, Gil, I’m so sorry. That must have been horrible for you.”

He ran a hand along his jaw. “I can only guess what they told Abby about me. She probably thinks I’m some kind of monster.”

“I don’t think she does. But you will have to work harder to show her how much you love her. Find out what movies she likes to watch. Read to her each night. Tell her about yourself, and share the memories you have from when she was a baby. And don’t let her retreat to her room so much.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Has Abby been to see a psychologist about her grief?”

“Yes. And he said she’s shy and she’ll come out of it when she’s ready, and not to push her.”

“I don’t agree.”

Gil narrowed his gaze. “What makes you an expert? Do you have children?”

Julie blanched. “No. But I do have a degree in child psychology and years of experience with children.”

“But that doesn’t give you the right to...”

His cell ringtone intruded. He pulled it from his pocket and stepped away. When he faced her again, she could see the deep concern in his eyes and the hard set of his jaw.

“Is everything all right?”

“No. More bad news. We lost a bid we were counting on.”

“Sorry.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Forget what I said earlier. I appreciate all you’ve done. I just want to make her laugh the way you did. How did you do that?”

The pleading in his eyes drew her closer. She looked up at him, her gaze skimming the faint stubble appearing on his face and the small scar beneath his lower lip. She wondered where he’d gotten it. “Time together. We talk on the way to and from school. We are together each afternoon until you come home. She’s gotten comfortable with me.”

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