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T he next few days passed in a busy blur for Ella, her focus firmly on caring for the children and seeing that the house ran as smoothly as possible.

She’d met Bea, the sturdy middle-aged woman who cleaned for Leo, but apart from giving Ella a lot of sideways and blatantly curious glances, she’d had barely said a word.

Still, Ella had hopes that before her time in Leo’s home came to an end that she could build some kind of relationship with the woman.

It was important to her; ingrained. The one thing her father had done right was to always respect his staff, no matter how lowly their position.

Leo had been gone during the day, so it was just her and the children, but they all seemed to be adjusting well.

Though it was both sweet and kind of heart-wrenching at the same time to see Mia’s little eyes searching for her father in the places she usually found him.

She was handling the transition beautifully, but Ella was constantly aware that this was a trial for Mia as well.

If Ella had harbored any faint hope that Leo was staying away because he didn’t trust himself around her, the thought was dashed when the load of materials he’d been waiting for arrived.

He’d been stretching daylight hours ever since; trying to get a start on the new corrals, which meant he was gone early.

But never without first greeting his daughter.

Ella’s room was adjoined to Mia’s via a bathroom so she heard Leo fussing with Mia through the open doors before he left each morning, changing her and blowing noisy raspberries on her tummy. She’d seen him do it often enough to correctly identify the sounds and subsequent giggles.

Like the coward she was, she always waited until he’d gone before she and Benny would take Mia from the crib back to their room.

There the three would tussle on the bed, play hide-and-seek with bed sheets and have a little fun before going down for breakfast. It was probably a good thing Leo had already left the house because if he heard the shrieks coming from her room, he’d probably think they were all being attacked.

Ella had also taken to eating with the little ones, and have both children bathed ready for bedtime before Leo came home.

Unless he was going to be away, or working late, he’d take his baby for some daddy time before putting her down for the night, and later going back downstairs for the dinner she’d left prepared for him.

He’d repeatedly told her not to bother, that she had enough to do, but she liked cooking—and surely all those expensive French cookery lessons she’d had should be put to good use in the surprisingly well-equipped kitchen.

While the children happily drummed on upturned pots with wooden spoons at her feet, Ella put the finishing touches to a beef bourguignon, ready to slip into the oven for a long slow bake, when Leo entered via the mudroom.

The set to his traffic-stopping unusually serious features, stilled her movements. The cacophony of sound at her feet produced a frown. Leaning around the counter he simply raised an eyebrow in her direction.

She forced a cheeky smile. “Please tell me that’s not hideously expensive French cookware?”

His mouth pulled in tight, and she willed him not to do that. “And if it is?”

She deliberately brightened her smile. “Well, I guess we have that to thank for the superior quality of this recital. Just imagine how bad it could have been if they were a cheap variety?”

He shook his head, making a show of clearing one ear. “Yeah, just imagine.” Charade over he leaned closer to the glossy red Dutch oven pot she was stirring; watching the last of the chopped herbs disappear to mix with the rich beef, red wine, and vegetables.

“Smells great.”

“I made an order with the grocery store, and they delivered yesterday. I should have mentioned it. I ah, I hope that’s okay?

I noticed that Mia was having mostly canned food and—” She held up her hand to ward off any arguments.

“Not, and I emphasize, not that there’s anything wrong with that.

But?” She shrugged. “It’s also good for her to have fresh, experience the different textures. ”

“You have time for all that?”

“I won’t always. But if I do, then why not?”

He shrugged. “Sounds great to me, and no arguments here. Whatever is best for Mia is good by me, as long as you don’t overload yourself. And, yeah, if you need anything, not just for Mia but yourself or Benny—just order it. That’s why I gave you the credit card.”

The phone buzzing in his hand elicited a frown.

“I’m gonna have to go. But I’ve been meaning to thank you properly, the meals have been amazing—where did you learn to cook?

” He frown at his phone, therefore saving her from answering.

“But you don’t have to go to so much trouble.

I’m quite capable of grilling a steak when I get back. ”

The phone buzzed again, and she deciphered the word he silently mouthed. “I actually came up here for a reason, but I need to push off.” Raising a hopeful eyebrow he said, “Do you think you could stay down and have dinner with me, tonight? There’s always way too much food.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Is something wrong?”

He’d started to walk back toward the mud room. “Nope. Just need to clarify some stuff.”

“By the way, your sister called.”

He turned, nodded. “Which is why we need to talk. I’ll be back before seven.

I’ve gotta head down the highway with JD this afternoon.

He wants some help picking up some supplies and then we have to trek on way out to Fraser.

We need a new baler; been kicking around a few different models, and new stock has arrived.

But I swear, choosing new farm equipment with JD is like picking out a prom dress. ”

“You chose your own prom dress, Leo? Well done. Very new age.”

He sighed. Rolled his eyes. “Okay, let me rephrase that to worse than picking a prom dress.”

“Still not helping yourself,” she responded in a sing-song voice. “I’m picturing it now, and it’s not doing a whole lot for your street cred.”

“Save the jokes and spare me some pity, woman. I’m not kidding here.

I can only hope they don’t make ’em in different colors, or I might not make it back till tomorrow.

” Nodding to the not very harmonious little ones on the floor he added.

“I might also pick up some earplugs.” Screwing up his face he added, “I’ll get two sets. You can thank me later.”

Her grin faded, she could enjoy these snippets of happiness, but she had to be prepared to walk away when the time came.

Despite his parting shot leaving her with all the ideas of how she could thank him.

It was a throwaway, she knew that. There was no hidden message, but her body totally wasn’t on that page.

It was reading from a different chapter completely, one that was intent on mobilizing every organ with a chant of let me count the ways…

Thankfully it was time to get lunch for the littles, she needed to keep herself occupied. And while they napped? She could go and shovel snow. And then maybe shovel it right back again. Anything to burn off some of this nervous energy.

She checked the sky outside those mammoth windows. One thing was definite: After their naps, she was taking them for a long mind-numbing walk.

*

Dinner was as delicious as he’d known it would be, and Leo made short work of the casserole accompanied with creamy mashed potatoes and green beans.

And the apple crumble—as she’d called it—for dessert, filled and warmed him; but he had a worrying niggle that being in Ella Staunton-Hawe’s company had as much to do with that sense of well-being as the food.

Initially things had been a bit awkward between them, but they gotten past that, and he couldn’t deny there was still an underlying tension—sweet underlying tension—in the easy comradery they’d fallen into over the past several days. Plain and simple: he liked her company.

And he sure as hell liked the rest of her.

But there were still things about Ella that puzzled him.

His eyes flicked to where she sat beside him at the kitchen island, wishing they were at a table so he could see her face.

He really needed to get furniture. Hell, he even like the delicate way she ate.

It was evident that she’d been used to a more—he searched for the word— luxurious life?

That didn’t seem quite right, but he sensed she’d certainly known a lifestyle was usually associated with substantial wealth and privilege.

He’d done well with his earnings, had invested well, and much of that was due to the ethics and examples set by his parents and grandparents before them. His family had always been generous with their support and the encouragement to do his best.

He’d also—briefly—moved in those fancy circles, the ones only accessible via a written endorsement from your bank manager.

He swallowed the last mouthful of his beer, for once tasting only bitterness.

He’d quickly realized those particular social circles weren’t for him.

His brother Jack had learned to play the game and yet still kept somewhat apart—not allowing himself to be sucked into that shallow pond.

Leo didn’t have the heart for it and could never fall for the kind of woman who frequented that world.

He wouldn’t have called himself overly hard to please, but authenticity and sincerity were two compromises he wasn’t willing to make. Which wasn’t that big an ask.

And that brought him right back to Ella. Was she authentic? Being her true self? Or were he and Mia—this job—just some kind of temporary stopgap? Would she suddenly tire of caring for his child and move on? Decide to find her way back to the other life he suspected she’d once lived?