“Hmm.” Amelia was barely listening to Liam. Her attention was focused on the little girl at the end of the hallway, who was clutching a washcloth to her chest. The little girl looked back at her warily, and Amelia’s heart broke for the child. How confusing it must be to lose your mother and move in with a stranger, in a bare house, all within a few days. Amelia sank down to her knees, so that she’d be closer to Grace’s height. Then she smiled at the little girl.

  CHAPTER 8

  LIAM

  Within a little over twenty-four hours, Liam’s life had changed completely. Before, he’d been an independent bachelor with only his company to worry about. Now he had a daughter and was married — if only in name.

  Now, he stood in the hallway beside Amelia, both of them looking at little Grace at the end of the hallway. In another world, if Liam were a different kind of man, he might have walked to the end of the corridor and scooped the little girl into his arms. He might have carried her to Amelia and introduced the two of them. Perhaps he’d have bounced Grace a little to make her giggle.

  But Liam wasn’t that kind of man, and he couldn’t do any of those things.

  The moment stretched. Then Amelia sank to the floor on her knees. She lifted her head to Grace, smiled, and waved. “Hi, there.”

  Grace shifted from foot to foot. She seemed unsure what to do.

  “My name is Amelia. And you’re Grace, right?”

  The little girl nodded, almost imperceptibly.

  “That’s a beautiful name. Did your mommy pick it?” Amelia asked.

  Liam’s blood turned cold, and he laid a staying hand on Amelia’s shoulder.

  “Don’t bring up her mother,” he instructed. “She’s so young and it’ll just make her sad.”

  But, to Liam’s surprise, Grace didn’t seem sad at all. She nodded, her blue eyes lighting up, and took a cautious step closer to Amelia.

  “I bet you miss her, right?” Amelia continued. She was dedicated to ignoring Liam’s instructions, which annoyed him, yet the results were immediate. Grace nodded again and tears welled up in her blue eyes.

  “I miss my mom, too.” Amelia pressed a hand to her heart. “She isn’t here anymore, but I know she loves me very much. Your mommy loves you very much, too.”

  Grace nodded again. “Mommy.”

  It was the first word she’d spoken since Liam had met her, and he froze, hardly believing that this was happening.

  Amelia nodded as though Grace had said more. “Exactly. Your mommy loves you. That’s why she asked us to take really good care of you.”

  Grace shuffled closer, her blue eyes wide.

  “Hey, it looks like you’ve got a friend,” Amelia said, pointing to the washcloth with the smiley face that Liam had given Grace the night before.

  “She didn’t have any toys with her,” Liam said apologetically. “And I didn’t have any around the house…”

  “It looks really nice,” Amelia said. It seemed she was speaking half to Grace and half to Liam. “Does it have a name?”

  “Washie.” Grace held up the washcloth toy.

  “Washie — I love it!” Amelia beamed as though this really was the best name for a washcloth she’d ever heard. “I also brought you a new friend.” She held out the toy polar bear she’d kept under her arm. Grace eagerly approached and held out her arms for the toy bear.

  “Fanks.” She had an absolutely adorable lisp that Liam hadn’t had the chance to hear before.

  “How about we have a little snack?” Amelia suggested. “Are you hungry?”

  Grace nodded. “Hungwy.” Then she slipped her hand into Amelia’s. Amelia straightened up and smiled at Liam.

  “It looks like I’ve made a new friend.”

  “It looks like it.”

  Liam was beyond glad that Grace was finally talking — and that she seemed comfortable with Amelia. Plus, he was impressed by how skillfully Amelia had won over the little girl. With just a few sentences, she’d gotten Grace to relax and even agree to eat something — although how successful that would be remained to be seen. It was all good news.

  Yet, strangely, Liam felt a little… left out. It didn’t seem right that Grace took so easily to Amelia, a stranger, when she’d been so distant from Liam, her own father. In an instant, Liam felt closed off from Amelia and Grace, two people he might have liked to connect with.

  Don’t be an idiot. Liam gave himself a brief but stern talking-to. This was exactly what he’d wanted. This last day, when he’d had to stay home to take care of Grace, he’d already missed an enormous amount of work — and shelled out a high fee for a babysitter during his lunch interview with Amelia. Now that Amelia was here, he could get back to work and continue with his life as normal.

  “Liam?”

  Amelia was looking at him.

  “Yes?”

  “I was just asking what snack we could put together for Grace. Do you have some toddler-friendly food?”

  “I’m not sure exactly what toddlers eat.” Liam hated admitting that he didn’t know something, but Amelia had already seen what an incompetent father he was. There was no point pretending now.

  “We can figure something out.” Together, Amelia and Grace reentered the kitchen. Liam followed behind. He leaned against the counter as Amelia opened the fridge. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and leaned forward to scan the shelves.

  It was strangely intimate to have a woman in his home, peering into his fridge. Even when Liam had flings, there had never been any occasion to stand around in the kitchen, especially not with a child in tow. He took the opportunity to get a better look at Amelia.

  He’d thought she was pretty from the first time he met her, but he was quickly seeing new depths to this woman he’d “married.” The way she effortlessly chatted with Grace, her graceful posture, almost like a dancer’s, the way her hair kept falling over her shoulder — it was all very intriguing.

  Liam told himself off for the second time in as many minutes. Amelia was pretty, yes, and competent, yes. But she was also completely off-limits for any kind of romance. Liam had never had a relationship that lasted longer than a few days. If he and Amelia were to have a dalliance, it could only be short-lived, which would throw their whole agreement, and Grace’s care, into jeopardy.

  Liam was filled with strange feelings, ones he hadn’t experienced in years. He felt left out, he felt a kind of longing, and he felt wildly incompetent. None of this was pleasant at all.

  “Well.” Liam abruptly pushed off the counter, making both Amelia and Grace turn to him in surprise. “I’d better be getting back to work.”

  “Work?” Amelia looked confused. “It’s almost five. Surely they don’t need you at work right now.”

  “I’ve missed a full day,” Liam reminded her. “They need me now more than ever. You and Grace will be all right, won’t you?”

  “Yes…” Amelia’s tone was hesitant. “But Grace will be going to bed soon.”

  “You can handle her nighttime routine, right?” Liam could hear that his tone was a little too brisk, but it was too late to change course. Amelia nodded, but her face hardened slightly.

  “Of course. Enjoy your work.”

  “Right. Bye, Amelia. Bye, Grace.”

  To Liam’s surprise, Grace held up a pudgy little hand and gave Liam a wave. Hesitantly, Liam lifted his own hand and waved back. Then, before anything else unexpected could happen, he fled. He grabbed his work bag and made his way to the elevator. As he pressed the button, he could hear the faint sound of Amelia singing from the kitchen. Her voice was high and pure and it struck something in Liam, something that made his heart ache.

  Then the elevator arrived, and Liam got in. The doors closed, cutting off the sound of Amelia’s sweet voice. He should have been relieved — Grace’s care was set, his reputation was secure, and he could go back to work. Yet, instead, his heart continued to ache with an unspoken desire.

  Liam wasn’t a family man. He never had been and he never would be. Growing up, his family had been all about surviving, not any of the lovey-dovey stuff he saw from his friends’ parents. He’d gotten a job the moment he was able, because he didn’t want to depend on or need anyone ever again. He’d been successful so far — until now. Now, he needed Amelia’s help. There was no way around it.

  Liam usually drove to work, but today he decided to walk. It was a beautiful evening, and he needed a little exercise and fresh air to clear his mind. The short time he’d spent with Amelia and Grace had been deeply confusing. His core beliefs felt somehow shaken.

  It was clear what he needed to do. Going forward, he needed to avoid Amelia and Grace as much as he could. If a brief encounter had rattled him this much, there was no telling what kind of effect actually living with the pair would have.

  It was a relief to walk through the doors of the office and be once again surrounded by familiar things. Liam headed up to his office, where Ryan was just leaving.

  “Would you like me to stay?” he asked, already setting his bag back down.

  “No, don’t worry about it. I’ll just catch up on some urgent business, then head home as well.”

  “All right.” Ryan hesitated at the door. “Were you able to address the… issues with your reputation?”

  “What issues?” Liam held up his hand, on which the thick gold band he’d recently purchased glinted. “I’m a married man with a child.”

  “Right.” Ryan nodded, though he looked a little hesitant. “Have a nice evening.”

  Liam waited for Ryan to disappear down the hall before entering his office and firing up his computer. The next few hours passed in a blur of contracts to sign and crises to handle. Liam ordered dinner to the office and ate while working, barely aware of time passing. All thoughts of his wife and child were banished from his mind, leaving him with the kind of clarity he was used to.

  When Liam finally left the office and returned home late that night, all the lights were off. Both Amelia’s and Grace’s doors were closed. Liam popped into the kitchen for a glass of water and noticed that the fridge had been stocked with neatly labeled plastic containers of halved grapes, carrot sticks, and cheese blocks. Again, a strange feeling struck Liam as he looked at the toddler snacks in the fridge. Whether he liked it or not, his life had already begun to change. The only thing he could do now was wait to see how much would be the same when the storm passed.

  CHAPTER 9

  AMELIA

  “Meel! Meel!” Grace’s delighted shrieks reached Amelia from across the playground. Amelia peered around the structure to see Grace seated on a bouncing plastic horse. Her pigtails flew up and down as she bounced, and her expression was one of pure joy.

  “Cool!” Amelia enthused. She skirted the playground to Grace. “You’re riding a horse!”

  “Horsey!” Grace bounced some more. “Horsey!”

  “Aunt Amelia!” Amelia turned to see Jamie bounding across the playground towards them.

  “Jamie!” Amelia gave the little boy a quick hug. Grace slid off the plastic horse and came to stand behind Amelia’s legs with a shy expression.

  “There you are!” Amelia glanced up to see Katie crossing the playground, Jade in her arms. Since it was a Saturday, Katie was dressed in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, just like Amelia.

  At the sight of her sister, Amelia felt her heart sink. Almost a week had passed since she had moved in with Liam to take care of Grace — and pretend to be his wife. Amelia had told her siblings that she’d taken a new job as a nanny, but hadn’t offered any details about her unusual relationship with Liam. Katie was going to have a lot of questions.

  “Hi, Katie.”

  “Hi!”

  Jamie was trying to push past Amelia’s legs to find Grace. Grace hugged Amelia’s legs and buried her face behind her knee.

  “Jamie, this is Grace. Grace, Jamie.” Amelia bent down and smiled at both children. “Jamie, Grace is feeling a little shy. Do you want to show her the sandbox?”

  “Come on, Grace.” Jamie took Grace’s hand and led her towards the sandbox. After a moment of hesitation, Grace followed.

  “So.” Katie looked from Amelia to Grace and back. “You’re a nanny now?”

  “Yep.” Amelia crossed her arms.

  “That’s a bit of a career change.”

  “Yep.”

  “Does it pay well?”

  “Actually, yes.”

  Katie tilted her head to the side. “Amelia, I’m a little confused. I thought you weren’t ready to get back into work — and that when you did, you were going to look for a job that won’t take up so much of your heart. But now you’re a live-in nanny to a little girl?”

  “Yep.” Amelia sighed. “I know it seems a little unusual, but I’m happy.”

  “Well.” Katie shrugged. “That’s enough for me. Come on, let’s sit down.” The sisters walked to a bench beside the sandbox, where Grace and Jamie were digging a hole using two sticks. “So, how did you find this job, anyway?”

  “Remember that businessman I met, the one Jamie spilled ice cream on?”

  “Whoa.” Katie turned to Amelia. “Did you become a nanny to that guy? Is he married?”

  “Yes and no. After we met, he asked me to a meeting. It turned out that he’d just gained full custody of his daughter and that he needed help with her.”

  “Wow.” Katie pretended to fan herself. “This is seeming more and more like fate brought you two together. Have you spent a lot of time with him? What was his name again? Liam?”

  “Yes, Liam. And no, we haven’t spent a lot of time together. He works a lot.” Amelia bit her lip. The truth was that she’d barely seen Liam since moving in. Liam had worked from early morning until late at night every single day. She’d seen him a few times when he was leaving for work or coming back, and he’d politely chatted with her for a few minutes each time, but they hadn’t had a proper conversation.

  It was… odd. Amelia knew she’d agreed to a rather unusual situation, what with pretending to be married to Liam and all, but this wasn’t quite what she’d expected. It seemed that she had become a full-time nanny for a workaholic dad who wasn’t all that interested in his daughter — or in her.

  No… that wasn’t true. Liam was interested in Grace. Amelia had seen the look in his eyes when he asked about his daughter and his hesitant expression when talking to her. Perhaps it wasn’t that he didn’t care about Grace, but just that he had no idea how to talk to her or take care of her.

  Either way, working constantly wasn’t doing Liam any favors when it came to bonding with his daughter.

  Despite the oddness of the situation, though, Amelia was enjoying herself. She absolutely loved Grace. Over the last few days, she’d come to know the child as a sweet but mischievous toddler who loved to make people laugh. Occasionally, she cried for her mother, which was very understandable, but most of the time she was a ray of sunshine.

  Plus, Liam’s absence gave Amelia plenty of time to start changing his apartment. She’d started by livening up Grace’s room with a few photographs, some toys, a colorful bedspread, and a rug with images of forest creatures. She’d brought a few things from home to decorate her own bedroom, as well. Now, very slowly, she was adding bits and pieces of personality to the rest of the house.

  Liam didn’t seem to have noticed.

  “What does he do?” Katie asked.

  “He’s the CEO of Lilypad Learning.”

  “Wow,” Katie said again. “Really? So, he’s good-looking and rich?”

  “Yes, and yes.” Amelia sighed. “But the truth is, I don’t love how distant he is from his daughter. His work and his reputation are his top priorities. And even if I did find him attractive, we would never date. We have a professional relationship — that’s it.”

  “I know, I know, you’re very professional.” Katie leaned back and let Jade wiggle out of her arms and onto the ground. “I just want you to be happy. And I’m not sure that mothering a child who isn’t yours is going to make you happy.”

  Katie had a point. Even after less than a week of knowing Grace, Amelia loved the little girl deeply. She’d spent hours rocking Grace back to sleep after bad dreams, had laughed with her as they danced to a silly children’s song in Grace’s airy bedroom, and had played with the washcloth toy and the polar bear with her for hours. Amelia’s heart ached to think that she would eventually have to say goodbye. On top of that, she wondered what would happen to Grace after the fake marriage dissolved. Would she be put in the care of a stream of nannies for the rest of her childhood? What kind of childhood was that?

  “It’s all right. But speaking of Grace, it’s getting close to her naptime. We’d better get going.”

  “Okay. It was nice to see you! We should arrange a playdate soon.”

  “Absolutely.” Amelia said her goodbyes to her sister and the kids, then took Grace’s hand. Grace looked on the verge of bursting into tears at the prospect of leaving her new friends, but Amelia was able to distract her by singing “The Wheels on the Bus,” complete with hand motions. About halfway home, Grace grew tired, and Amelia swung the child into her arms. Grace nestled into Amelia’s chest, rested her head on her shoulder, and promptly grew warm and heavy with sleep.

  When they arrived at home, Amelia carefully tucked Grace into her bed, arranged the sheets and pillows, and set up the baby monitor. Then she sneaked out into the living room, where she picked up a book she’d been in the middle of reading. Since Liam also employed a maid and a chef, there was little for Amelia to do during Grace’s naps apart from basic tidying and a little meal prep, which she’d already done earlier in the day.

  Amelia couldn’t quite get into her book, though. She was distracted by the conversation she’d had with her sister. Despite all the facts, Katie had seemed convinced that there was a chance for romance between Liam and Amelia. Amelia snorted. Liam didn’t even have time to bond with his daughter. There was no chance he’d have time for romance.