Free Maid for the Millionaire by Susan Meier Page B

from his dad, he also missed him. Worse, he could be wondering about himself. If he was like his dad.
    Liz’s gaze slid to Cain. Billy was the kind of employee Cain hated. Troubled. He wanted only the best, both emotionally and physically, so he didn’t have to deal with problems. His job was to get whatever construction project he had done and done right. He didn’t have time for employee problems.
    But after the way he’d reacted to Amanda’s comment the day before, Liz knew he’d changed. At least somewhat. And he did have a soft spot for Amanda and her family. Billy was a part of that family. He desperately needed a positive male role model. If Cain simply behaved as he had the day before when he showed her how to use the blue tape and paint, Billy might actually learn something.
    Plus, she and Cain wouldn’t have to be in the same room.
    She didn’t want to spend the day worrying abouthow and when she’d tell him about their child. She also couldn’t simply blurt it out in an awkward silence, particularly since they might be alone in the room but they weren’t alone in the house. She wanted the right opportunity again, but she also needed time to think it through so she could choose her words carefully. Not being around Cain would buy her time.
    She took a breath then smiled at Billy. “We could sure use your help today. Especially Cain.”
    Amanda gasped and clasped her hands together. “What a wonderful idea! Do you know who Mr. Nestor is?”
    Billy rolled his eyes. “No.”
    â€œHe owns a construction company.” Amanda all but glowed with enthusiasm. “I’ll bet he could teach you a million things.”
    â€œI don’t need to know a million things, Mom. Besides, I want to go to med school.”
    â€œAnd you’re going to need money,” Amanda pointed out. “Mr. Nestor put himself through university working construction.”
    Billy glared at Cain.
    Cain shifted uncomfortably. “Construction isn’t for everyone,” he said, clearly unhappy to be caught in the middle. “I was also a bartender.”
    â€œBut you’re here now,” Liz said, unable to stop herself. Her gaze roamed over to Cain’s. “And you could teach him so much.”
    She let her eyes say the words she couldn’t utter in front of the angry teen who desperately needed to at least see how a decent man behaved.
    Cain pulled in a slow breath. Liz held hers. He’d changed. She knew he’d changed just from the sympathy he’d displayed to Amanda the day before. He could do this! All he had to do was say okay.
    She held her breath as she held his gaze. His steely eyes bore into hers, but the longer their connection, the more his eyes softened.
    Finally, he turned on his chair, facing Billy. “What I’m doing today isn’t hard. So it might be a good place for you to start if you’re interested in learning a few things.”
    â€œThere! See!” Amanda clasped Billy on the shoulder. “It will be good for you.”
    Cain rose and motioned for Billy to follow him out of the kitchen. Liz stared after them, her heart pounding. No matter how much she wanted to believe he’d done that out of sympathy for Amanda’s situation, she knew he’d done it for her.
    She turned back to her coffee, smiled at Amanda, trying to appear as if nothing was wrong. But everything was wrong. First, spending time with him had caused her to realize he deserved to know he’d created and lost a child. Now he was softening, doing things she asked.
    For the first time it occurred to her that maybe he wasn’t changing because of their situation but to please her.
    And if he was…Lord help them.
    Â 
    Ten minutes later Cain found himself in the living room with an angry, sullen teenager. He debated drawing him into conversation, but somehow he didn’t think the charisma that typically worked on