Page 16 of Unexpected

“No way.” She wagged her finger at me. “Nuh-uh. You’re not kicking me out now. Not when the show’s about to start.”

“What show?”

“He’s going to bemovingin to your pool house.” She said each word slowly, enunciating as if I couldn’t understand her.

“And…?”

“And so, he’s going to be lifting and bending and being all sexy and sweaty. And you, my dear,” she said, spinning me toward the large sliding glass doors that faced the pool, “have a front row seat.I’mnot going anywhere.”

I rolled my eyes and took a seat on the barstool, returning my attention to the real reason we were here—work. It was Wednesday morning—my Sunday—and I wanted to get the designs finalized before my week officially started. “Where are we on these?”

“You tell me.” She assessed me over the rim of her coffee mug.

I glanced through the materials and sketches. “I love what you did with the kitchen—definitely want to keep that California-chic vibe. But I’m not sure about the bedrooms.”

“Okay. What are you thinking? What do you want to change about them?”

“Considering the neighborhood and price point, I think we should target couples who want to entertain, not families.”

“So, nix the kids’ rooms.” She made some notes on her tablet. “Done. Maybe make one a study?”

I nodded, and movement out of the corner of my eye drew my attention. I turned to watch as Preston carried Sophia in a firefighters’s carry, his other arm wrapped around a box of books. He was laughing, and it looked effortless.

“Damn…” Lauren said the word long and low.

I nodded my agreement before shaking my head and turning my attention back to the designs.

“I think I need to hire myself a nanny,” she joked. “Though, knowing my luck, I’d probably get a grumpy old woman.”

I laughed and went back to the designs for the next house. It was a huge, modern home in the Hills.

“So, what are you going to do about it?” Lauren asked.

“About what?” I kept my eyes focused on the designs, feigning ignorance though I knew what she was referring to. Or rather whom—Preston.

“The attraction between you two.” She fanned herself. “Whew. I’m getting hot just thinking about it.”

At least I wasn’t imagining the chemistry, I thought.

Was I attracted to him? Absolutely.

She leaned over, butting my shoulder with hers. “So…?”

“So, nothing,” I said. “I’m not going to do a damn thing. He’s Sophia’s nanny and a college student.”

“He looks nothing like the boys I went to school with.” Her eyes were focused on the backyard. She had no shame.

I couldn’t resist looking, and I immediately wished I hadn’t. Because I knew the image of him chasing Sophia across the yard, both of them laughing, would be etched in my brain from here forward. Preston had known her less than twenty-four hours, and already he had a better relationship with her than her own father. Not that it took much effort.

Cal loved Sophia, but he was off living his life, doing his thing. He called when he could. He showed up when it was convenient. He knew how to have fun; he didn’t know how to parent. He couldn’t handle the hard stuff.

“How old is he anyway?” Lauren asked.

“He’s too young for me, that’s for sure.”

He was twenty-six. Twenty. Six. The number had been seared in my brain as a reminder that he was nearly a decade younger than me.

“Is he a grad student?”