apprehension. That didn’t mean she would stay with Elliot just because of her bills—but she certainly needed to make more concrete plans.
“I want the best for my son, too.”
“Well, as much as I like my job, you have to know the best can’t always be bought with money.”
So very true. Lucy Ann took Eli back to dress him in his teddy bear sleeper. “You remind me of my aunt.”
“I hope that’s a compliment.” She tucked the towel into the laundry chute.
“It is. Aunt Carla is my favorite relative.” Not that there was a lot of stiff competition. She traced the appliquéd teddy bear on the pj’s and thought of her aunt’s closet full of themed clothes. “She always wears these chipper seasonal T-shirts and sweatshirts. She has a thick Southern accent and deep-fries everything, including pickles. I know on the outside it sounds like the two of you are nothing alike, but on the inside, there’s a calming spirit about you both.”
“Then I will most certainly take that as a compliment, love.” She walked to the pitcher on the desk by the window and poured a glass of water. “I respect that you’re taking your time to get to know me and to see how I handle your son. Not all parents are as careful with their wee ones.”
Mrs. Clayworth placed the glass beside the ornately carved rocker thoughtfully, even though Lucy Ann hadn’t mentioned how thirsty she got when she nursed Eli. Money couldn’t buy happiness, but having extra hands sure made life easier. She snapped Eli’s sleeper up to his neck.
“I do trust Elliot’s judgment. I’ve known him all my life. We’ve relied on each other for so much.” There had been a time when she thought there was nothing he could do that would drive a wedge between them. “Except now there’s this new dynamic to adjust to with Eli. But then you probably see that all the time.”
Lucy Ann scooped up her son and settled into the wooden rocker, hoping she wasn’t the only new mother to have conflicted feelings about her role. As much as she loved nursing her baby, she couldn’t deny the occasional twinge of sadness that the same body Elliot once touched with passion had been relegated to a far more utilitarian purpose.
“You’re a new mum.” Mrs. Clayworth passed a burp cloth. “That’s a huge and blessed change.”
“My own mother wasn’t much of a role model.” She adjusted her shirt, and Eli hungrily latched on.
“And this favorite aunt of yours?” The nanny adjusted the bedding in the cradle, draping a fresh blanket over the end, before taking on the many other countless details in wrapping up the day.
“She helped as much as she could, but my mother resented the connection sometimes.” Especially when her mom was between boyfriends and lonely. Then suddenly it wasn’t so convenient to have Lucy Ann hang out with Aunt Carla. “I’ve been reading everything I can find on parenting. I even took some classes at the hospital, but there are too many things to cover in books or courses.”
“Amen, dear.”
Having this woman to lean on was...incredible, to say the least. Elliot was clearly working the fairy tale–like life from all angles.
She would be pridefully foolish to ignore the resources this woman brought to the table. Isolating herself for the past eleven months had been a mistake. Lucy Ann needed to correct that tendency and find balance. She needed to learn to accept help and let others into her life. Starting now seemed like a good idea.
She couldn’t deny that all this “playing house” with Elliot was beginning to chip away at her reservations and her resolve to keep her distance. Elliot had said they needed to use this time to figure out how to parent Eli. She knew now they also needed to use this time to learn how to be in the same room with each other without melting into a pool of hormones. Time to quit running from the attraction and face it. Deal with it.
“And that’s where your experience comes in. I would be
“I want the best for my son, too.”
“Well, as much as I like my job, you have to know the best can’t always be bought with money.”
So very true. Lucy Ann took Eli back to dress him in his teddy bear sleeper. “You remind me of my aunt.”
“I hope that’s a compliment.” She tucked the towel into the laundry chute.
“It is. Aunt Carla is my favorite relative.” Not that there was a lot of stiff competition. She traced the appliquéd teddy bear on the pj’s and thought of her aunt’s closet full of themed clothes. “She always wears these chipper seasonal T-shirts and sweatshirts. She has a thick Southern accent and deep-fries everything, including pickles. I know on the outside it sounds like the two of you are nothing alike, but on the inside, there’s a calming spirit about you both.”
“Then I will most certainly take that as a compliment, love.” She walked to the pitcher on the desk by the window and poured a glass of water. “I respect that you’re taking your time to get to know me and to see how I handle your son. Not all parents are as careful with their wee ones.”
Mrs. Clayworth placed the glass beside the ornately carved rocker thoughtfully, even though Lucy Ann hadn’t mentioned how thirsty she got when she nursed Eli. Money couldn’t buy happiness, but having extra hands sure made life easier. She snapped Eli’s sleeper up to his neck.
“I do trust Elliot’s judgment. I’ve known him all my life. We’ve relied on each other for so much.” There had been a time when she thought there was nothing he could do that would drive a wedge between them. “Except now there’s this new dynamic to adjust to with Eli. But then you probably see that all the time.”
Lucy Ann scooped up her son and settled into the wooden rocker, hoping she wasn’t the only new mother to have conflicted feelings about her role. As much as she loved nursing her baby, she couldn’t deny the occasional twinge of sadness that the same body Elliot once touched with passion had been relegated to a far more utilitarian purpose.
“You’re a new mum.” Mrs. Clayworth passed a burp cloth. “That’s a huge and blessed change.”
“My own mother wasn’t much of a role model.” She adjusted her shirt, and Eli hungrily latched on.
“And this favorite aunt of yours?” The nanny adjusted the bedding in the cradle, draping a fresh blanket over the end, before taking on the many other countless details in wrapping up the day.
“She helped as much as she could, but my mother resented the connection sometimes.” Especially when her mom was between boyfriends and lonely. Then suddenly it wasn’t so convenient to have Lucy Ann hang out with Aunt Carla. “I’ve been reading everything I can find on parenting. I even took some classes at the hospital, but there are too many things to cover in books or courses.”
“Amen, dear.”
Having this woman to lean on was...incredible, to say the least. Elliot was clearly working the fairy tale–like life from all angles.
She would be pridefully foolish to ignore the resources this woman brought to the table. Isolating herself for the past eleven months had been a mistake. Lucy Ann needed to correct that tendency and find balance. She needed to learn to accept help and let others into her life. Starting now seemed like a good idea.
She couldn’t deny that all this “playing house” with Elliot was beginning to chip away at her reservations and her resolve to keep her distance. Elliot had said they needed to use this time to figure out how to parent Eli. She knew now they also needed to use this time to learn how to be in the same room with each other without melting into a pool of hormones. Time to quit running from the attraction and face it. Deal with it.
“And that’s where your experience comes in. I would be
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