Total pages in book: 248
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
Grady’s gaze flicked past her to the beat-up SUV, then back to her face.
“Did your mother drive you here?” he asked, voice deep and rough.
Sage blinked. Um… what? “Was I supposed to bring my mother? I can call her if you like, but I don’t think she’s what you’re looking for.”
He narrowed his eyes. “How old are you?”
Sage’s spine snapped straight at his tone and insinuation. What the heck? She was old enough to do a good job. That was how old she was, and he should already know the answer to that. Haven had sent him all her credentials. Narrowing her eyes, she demanded, “How old are you?”
Great. Way to snap at the new boss. First impressions are everything, they say. If “they” were right, she was doomed. But giants should know that they’re giants and not scowl and throw mean faces at people they didn’t even know.
“Thirty-eight,” he growled.
She forced herself to keep her face blank. “Well, my clients are usually much younger. But I can see you need a lot of work, so in your case, I’ll make an exception.”
Shut up. Shut up. Shut up!
Maybe she could play it off. She laughed, as if she’d made a silly joke.
He didn’t laugh.
Nope. He didn’t even smile. Instead, he crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes.
All righty then. So, maybe laughing wasn’t his thing. Sage flashed him a bright, cheeky smile. “I’m twenty-six. The perfect age to take care of your Rose. I can’t wait to meet her. My name is Sage. And I’m guessing you’re Grady Kane.”
Walking up the front steps, she extended her hand and held her breath.
He said nothing and didn’t take her hand. He just kept staring at her.
Seeing his hand flex, it took all she could do not to cover her bottom. When he didn’t spank her or shake her hand, she lowered hers and faked brushing off her dress. “Look how dusty it is out here.”
Finally, her temper showed up. About time.
If he thought she was some meek little thing who’d be put off by his rudeness, he had another think coming. What kind of women was he used to? Because if he thought he could intimidate her with that tall, dark, and brooding cowboy act, he was in for a surprise.
But when he dragged his tongue across his teeth, Sage could practically hear the silent, disappointed tsk he was holding back. Her cheeks burned bright red, and much to her mortification, her bottom gave a warm tingle that had no right to be happening over a man she’d just met.
Why was he looking at her like she’d been caught with her hand in the cookie jar? It wasn’t like she wasn’t supposed to be there. She certainly didn’t deserve to be standing here, not even on the front porch, shifting nervously from foot to foot, feeling suddenly very Little under that stern, disapproving stare.
When he at last deigned to speak, his tone was just as stern and growly as she’d been warned. Her lady bits noticed, too.
“Yes, I’m Grady Kane, but don’t bother coming in because you’re not staying.”
Oh, no, he did not just say that.
Client or not, just who the heck did he think he was? She planted her hands on her hips and stared him directly in the face. “Hold on just a minute. I didn’t spend hours finding this godforsaken place just so you could blow me off without even giving me a chance. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I’m good with kids, and I’m good at what I do. Really good, and I don’t give up.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I’m not easy to scare away either.”
Grady stared at her for a long moment, then, without a word, turned on his heel and stalked inside. When the door didn’t slam in her face, she took that as an invitation.
As far as first contacts with a client went, she’d seen train wrecks that had gone better. If she was going to keep this job, she would have to prove herself, and fast.
Chapter Two
Grady turned on a dime, not bothering to slow his stride. Even without looking, he could hear the willowy woman with the fire-red curls following behind him, doing her best to keep up. What the hell had the Haven Agency been thinking, sending this woman to him?
When he’d reached out to them for someone to help prepare his daughter for school and help her recover from the trauma of losing her mother, he hadn’t thought they’d send someone... so... so… damn young, so damn—he had to admit—appealing. The Haven hadn’t sent him a nanny. They had sent him a partner in crime for his daughter.
Stopping in the foyer, he picked up a notepad from a small table and took his phone out of his pocket. This had been a horrible idea and a complete waste of time. What had he been thinking, inviting a woman to stay in his house and help take care of his child? He wasn’t ready. For that matter, Rose probably wasn’t ready either.