“You’ve been hanging out with boss man too much,” he says as he reaches into the cupboard. “His bossiness is rubbing off on you.” He puts the bowls on the counter and sits at the kitchen table.
Nate and I have been spending a lot of time together, and I guess sooner or later it was going to be noticeable, but I’m pretty sure no one has any idea what’s going on with us behind closed doors. Then again, Khloe picked up on it right away. Nate wanted to keep that between us, and I don’t blame him. No need to upset the dynamics here. I scoop out the soup and serve it when Sam saunters into the room.
“Hey Kira, would you be able to help out at the auction next week? Maybe you could MC it.”
“I…” I’ve given presentations at the university, although I’m not that great in front of a large crowd, but honestly, how can I say no when they’re trying so hard. “What would I have to do?”
“Talk about our good traits, really sell us, you know.”
“What good traits do you have?” Jason asks and dips his bread into his soup.
“Don’t be jealous because the ladies like me better than you, Frankenstein,” he says, and points to the scar on Jason’s forehead.
Jason rubs his hand over the scar. “The ladies love this. No one wants a pretty boy like you, Sam. They want a real man, with real scars. Isn’t that right, Kira?”
My gaze goes back and forth between the two. They’re both nice looking men, charming in their own ways and very endearing.
“There’s something to be said for a pretty boy face and a scar. Both are appealing,” I say, and that answer seems to satisfy them. “Now back to my MC duties—”
“You’ll do it?” Sam’s big blue eyes widen with hope.
I lower myself to the seat next to him. “All I have to do is say nice things?”
“Yup,” Jason says.
“Maybe each guy could write something on a cue card, and I can read it. I only really know you guys and wouldn’t know what to say about the men I’ve not met.”
“Good idea,” Sam says.
“What’s a good idea?” Nate asks from the living room arch.
“Kira is going to MC the auction next Saturday. Nate angles his head, his gaze moving over my face like he finds that hard to believe.
“Seriously?”
“Sure, why not?” I say, and once again think about how I’ve been out of my comfort zone more these last couple of weeks than I have been in my whole life, but it’s been good for me.
“Oops,” one of the boys says from the other room.
Nate cringes. “I better check on that.”
He disappears, and as the two guys start talking shop, I excuse myself and head in to see what happened. I cross my arms and lean against the archway where the wall is still warm from Nate’s body. I can’t help but smile as Nate puts some kind of liquid on a cloth and uses it to wipe away the paint Liam accidentally dripped on the floor. Once done, he readjusts the drop cloth and ruffles the kid’s hair.
“No harm done,” he says, and Liam smiles up at him. He clearly adores Nate. How could he not? Nate sort of has that effect on everyone, and I’m sure the women are going to go wild to bid on him. What if they’re not all eighty? My gut tightens, but it shouldn’t bother me to see Nate on a date with a younger woman, especially when it’s to help save Gram’s place. I tuck that jealousy away, push it to the darkest corner of my mind. It’s not wise to have feelings for this man, and both my head and heart know it.
I push off the wall. “Are you sure I can’t help?” I ask and yawn.
Nate eyes me. “I’m sure you have work that needs your attention.”
“I do, but I feel bad—”
“Don’t feel bad, Miss Palmer. We shouldn’t have egged the house, and we want to make it up to you.”
I glance at Nate, who’s looking at the boys with pride. Honest to God, that man needs sons of his own. Sam and Jason finish their meal and grab their coats.
“Thanks, Kira. See you guys later,” they say and head out the kitchen door.
As three sets of eyes stare at me, I hold my hands up in surrender. “Okay, I’ll go work. If you need me, you know where to find me.” I head into my office, and within seconds, nothing exists but my work. I spend the next few hours going over computations and only look up when Nate pokes his head in.
“How’s it going?” he asks.
“It’s going.” I squeeze my eyes shut, sure I haven’t blinked in the last couple of hours.
“Bridgette is here, so I’m going to take her, and the boys, home. They did a good job.”
I stand and stretch out my arms. “I want to thank them and say good night.” I follow Nate into the kitchen, and the boys are tugging on their winter gear.
“Great job tonight, guys,” I say. “I really appreciate the help.”
“Nate said if the snow is thick enough tomorrow, we can go tobogganing with you guys,” Brett announces, his changing voice a little high pitched as he bubbles with excitement.
I angle my head and take in Nate’s sheepish look. “What’s this about tobogganing?” I ask. This is the first I’ve heard of it happening tomorrow, and Nate knows it.
“The crew all wanted to take you, remember?”
“I had plans tomorrow.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize,” he says, a line deepening in his forehead as he frowns.
“But if we go early, I can still keep my plans.”
Nate smiles. “Perfect.” He opens his mouth again like he wants to ask what my plans are, but even if he does ask, I’m not about to tell him. He won’t take money for my coat, but what I have planned is even better than that.
“I can’t believe you never played in the snow before,” Liam says, and tugs on his toque.
“It’s true. I admit it.”
Brett’s eyes go wide. “Granddad says we’re getting a good ten inches.”
“Oh, wow,” I say, and the boys open the door and head out.
Nate leans into me, his mouth near my ear, his words for me only. “If you play your cards right tonight, you’ll be getting a good eight inches.”
He’s grinning when he steps out the door, and despite the cold breeze rushing in, heat races through me. “Oh my God, Nate,” I manage to get out.
He pushes the door open, and the hinges squeal from the cold. “I’ll put the back door on my list of things to fix.”