Read Online Stroke of Fortune by Christine Rimmer - Free Book Online Page B

was sitting in a rocker a few feet away. She had an open book in her lap, but she was watching the child, a soft smile on her mouth, looking as fond as a doting grandmother—which she probably felt certain she was. She took off her reading glasses when Flynt led Josie into the room, the soft smile becoming a flat line, the faint wrinkles in her browetching deeper than before. Josie read her expression. Grace knew that Lena’s nanny had been hired and she did not in the least approve of her son’s choice.
    Her book had one of those ribbon markers hooked to the spine. Grace smoothed it in to save her place, shut the book and stood. “Well,” she said. And that was all. She waited for Flynt to tell her what she already knew.
    Flynt didn’t make her wait long. “Josie’s taking the nanny job, Ma.”
    â€œI see.” Grace gave her son a tiny smile—just the slightest upward tilting at the edges of her mouth. It was the smile of a trueborn lady. So polite. So cool. So very disapproving. She turned that itty-bitty smile on Josie. “Josie, could you wait in the sitting room for a minute or two, so that Flynt and I might have a word alone?”
    Josie didn’t even think to argue. “Of course.” She started to turn.
    Flynt stopped her with a hand on her arm.
    Josie flinched at the contact. She stared into those eyes of his. Her arm burned where he held it, his flesh to hers.
    â€œStay here.”
    â€œBut—”
    He just looked at her.
    She found herself nodding. “Yes, all right.”
    He released her. “Ma, it’s decided. Josie’s going home to get her things, to check on Alva and quit herother job. Starting tonight, she’ll be looking after Lena five days a week.”
    â€œI see,” Grace said again, that itty-bitty ladylike smile never wavering. She knew her son, knew when even her considerable powers of persuasion weren’t going to be enough to make him see things her way. “Well, then, what can I say? If the decision is made…”
    â€œIt is. Josie will take the spare room next door.”
    Next door, Josie thought, warmth pooling in her belly. There’ll be my room and then the baby’s room and then his room.
    On the floor, the baby let out a particularly high-spirited giggle. Josie looked down at her—and never wanted to look away. Oh, what a precious little darling she was, with those feathery midnight curls and those wide eyes. To have a baby like that in her arms would almost make this mess she was getting herself into bearable.
    Because Josie had few illusions. Coming back to work here wouldn’t be any picnic. Flynt was a difficult man, to put it mildly. And Grace clearly didn’t want her here. Who could say what the rest of the Carsons would think of Josie Lavender living in their house again?
    However, she would have this baby to hold and to cherish, to pamper and fuss over. And yes, to love.
    Except for Lena’s little coos and sighs, the roomhad fallen silent. Josie looked up to find both Flynt and Grace watching her.
    Well, fine. Let them stare. “Do you mind if I…?”
    â€œYou’re the nanny.” There was something in Flynt’s voice. Triumph, maybe. Or vindication. “Go ahead.”
    Josie was across the room and kneeling before that little sweetheart in two seconds flat. “Oh, look at you. You’re a happy girl, aren’t you? A sweet, beautiful, happy little girl.”
    The baby blinked those gorgeous blue eyes and looked right at Josie. Then she made one of those baby sounds that almost might have been actual words.
    Josie couldn’t help chuckling. “I think she just said, ‘You bet.”’
    â€œYou want to hold her, don’t you?” Flynt made the question into something very close to a taunt.
    Josie decided not to rise to the bait. “I sure do,” she said honestly.
    â€œNo one’s stopping you.”
    Josie