Free Maid for the Single Dad by Susan Meier Page A

the table. “Demanding is one thing. Surrounding your children to keep them from your new nanny is another.”
    Ava peered over at Ellie. “Why hire a nanny if you won’t let your kids near her?”
    â€œExactly my point.”
    â€œThat doesn’t make any sense.”
    â€œEspecially since he’ll never trust me if he doesn’t let me spend time with the kids.”
    Â 
    Walking to the kitchen for an apple after putting the kids to bed, Mac heard Ellie’s voice. Though he couldn’t make out what she’d said, he very clearly heard her speaking and stopped. Was she talking to herself?
    â€œHe cooks for them, gets up with Henry at night and Lacy in the morning. He entertains them before he puts them down for their naps and bathes them before bedtime—”
    Mac froze. The tone of her voice quite clearly said she was not only displeased with his overbearing behavior about his kids, she was also suspicious.
    That wasn’t good. Suspicious people went snooping. She wouldn’t find anything in this house. But if she got curious enough to go on the Internet, she’d not only discover his ex-wife’s identity beyond Mrs. Carmichael, but she’d also realize why Mac was so protective. What she wouldn’t guess, though, was that he was still in the process of investigating her while his children became accustomed to seeing her in their home, so they’d be comfortable when he went back to work.
    Phil probably only needed another day or two. The question was did Phil have that long before Ellie began an investigation of her own?
    â€œHe… He…”
    â€œHe what?”
    Mac’s jaw dropped. The voice that nudged Ellie along was new. It took several seconds for that to fully penetrate, when it did his feet took on a life of their own and he propelled himself through the swinging door into the kitchen. She’d let a stranger into his house!
    A short, dark-haired woman with black frame glasses sat beside Ellie at the table by the French doors.
    â€œWho is this!”
    Ellie’s faced turned white in horror. “She’s Cain’s assistant, Ava.”
    â€œAnd how did she get in?”
    Ellie rose. “I let her in. I told you that while Liz is on vacation I have to run Happy Maids. Ava’s been doing the office work during the day, but at night I have to approve hours, shift changes and assignments.”
    Mac tried to stem the roar of his blood through his veins, but he couldn’t. This was exactly the kind of mistake that could give away his location.
    â€œYes, and I also told you that you could leave the house when I’m with the kids.”
    â€œBut…”
    â€œBut what?” he thundered, so afraid for his kids and their sanity that he lost control of his temper. Lacy already didn’t sleep through the night. He didn’t want her life to become a circus. “You haven’t had the kids at all. I told you that the housework was secondary. Why, exactly, couldn’t you leave?”
    Her already white face paled again. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I should have gone to Ava, not had her come to me.”
    Her apology stopped him cold. He didn’t know why he expected her to argue, but when she didn’t his anger deflated and he stood there like an idiot. Embarrassed because he’d yelled.
    He rubbed his hand along the back of his neck. “I’m sorry that I lost my temper.”
    â€œThank you. But in fairness, you never told me Ava couldn’t come in.”
    He pulled in a breath, counted to ten, then said, “Okay. That was my mistake.” He’d thought telling her that she couldn’t let anyone know where she was working covered that, but then again by the time he’d set down that stipulation she’d already told her helper at Happy Maids about her assignment. So maybe she felt this woman was grandfathered in or something?
    â€œBut I really