Page 44 of Whisper Sweet Nothings
I nodded and turned away, because I could feel his discomfort.
I’d done this. I’d come out to the kitchen in my jammies, and he’d been caught off guard. The man probably felt like he couldn’t even come out of his room for a midnight snack now.
I’d clearly made him uncomfortable in his own home.
Had I tried to kiss him?
Had he even been interested?
I was trying to replay the events in my head when Melody grabbed my hand. “I’m going to miss you when you go home.”
I set my fork down and reached for her, pulling her onto my lap. I’d grown so attached to this little angel in the month and a half that I’d been working here. We spent a lot of time together. I wrapped my arms around her. “I’ll miss you, too. But I’ll just be gone for a few days to see my dad. And that’ll give you and your daddy some time alone, too.”
“I like when you’re here, too.” She tipped her head back and looked up at me. “I always like when you’re with me, Winnie.”
My chest ached. I needed to remember why I was here.
I was here for Melody.
Not a fling with her father.
This wasn’t a freaking romance; it was real life.
“I like when you’re with me, too, sweet pea.” I sighed and held her close to me. “Okay, we need to get you to school. It’s a big day. I’ll go start the car and load the cupcakes.”
“Yes!” Melody jumped to her feet and did a fist-pump. “It’s going to be the best day.”
I warmed up the car, since Archer was adamant that we not walk in this weather. He’d come looking for me two days ago, when I’d decided to walk to the grocery store. He’d freaked out that I could have gotten frostbite, but I reminded him that I grew up in Chicago and was very familiar with cold weather.
The man could be ridiculously protective.
I was still mortified that I’d misread things with him, but I wouldn’t let that happen again.
I bundled up Melody, and we drove the short distance to school.
Sarah Lynn Schwartz did not hide her disappointment when I walked into the classroom this morning. The woman had made an effort to befriend me, but I’d quickly realized she was just trying to find a way to get invited over to the house and had no interest in me whatsoever.
“Oh. You don’t usually do morning drop-off. Where’s Daddy Chadwick?” she purred, and I tried to hide my irritation.
I noticed the way Mrs. Groucher turned her head with disapproval, as she’d clearly heard it as well.
Calling someone a “daddy” in a romance book was one thing, but saying it in the middle of a kindergarten classroom was another.
Especially when it was the man I’d nearly kissed last night.
“Archer is at work. He’ll be here this afternoon to see his daughter in the school play,” I said, my tone coming out harsher than I meant it to, but I wasn’t mad about it.
Mrs. Groucher moved beside me, and I could swear I saw the corners of her mouth turn up when she looked at me.
She’d clearly found the “Daddy Chadwick” comment offensive as well.
“May I speak to you for a moment, Winnie?” she asked, and then she raised a brow at Sarah Lynn as if it was time to excuse herself.
“Yes, of course.” I bent down and kissed Melody’s cheek and told her to go unpack her backpack and hang her coat in her cubby.
Sarah Lynn left in a huff, and I turned my attention to Melody’s teacher. “What can I do for you?”
“I just wanted to tell you that whatever you’re doing with Melody at home…” She paused and cleared her throat. “Keep doing it.”
