“It’s like something out of a movie,” she whispered.
The backdrop to it all was pure Texas countryside as far as you could see. She could just imagine how it looked with the sun setting behind the hills beyond.
Magical.
“You like it?”
She jolted then quickly glanced down at Jamie to make certain she hadn’t woken him.
“Yes, it’s amazing.”
“You can use the pool whenever you like. Have the boys been swimming before?”
“No, I, uh, I’ve never had the chance to take them.” She didn’t want to tell him that she couldn’t swim herself. That just made her sound completely pathetic. God, she longed to be able to dive into the clear blue water of the pool. She could still hop in, she guessed, she’d just have to stick to the shallow end.
“We’ll see about getting them some lessons.”
“Lessons? There’s no need for that.”
“There’s every need. If they’re going to live by a pool then they need to learn to swim,” Saxon said sternly. “There’s no way they can get through the gate and fence, but they won’t be this small forever. Little boys like to climb. I want them to be safe.”
And she didn’t? But as her temper stirred, she glanced over at him and realized he hadn’t meant anything by the words. He was currently patting Caleb’s back while staring out at the pool.
“We better get them down. We can talk about swimming lessons later.” He was right, she knew. She didn’t want the boys growing up like she had, feeling a mixture of longing and fear towards water. But then it wasn’t like they were going to be here that long. This was just temporary.
A building was set off to the side of the pool, tucked in behind some plants. She followed Saxon down the winding pathway until they reached the small, white house. It had a gray roof and the same black trimmed windows as the main house.
“Here we are.” Saxon turned the handle, and she followed him inside. It was decorated in cool whites, grays, and black. Cold and impersonal were her first thoughts. So much so that she actually shivered a little.
“There’s central heating,” he told her, obviously catching her movement. Didn’t miss much, did he?
“All pretty straight-forward. Open plan kitchen, dining, and living room. If you can’t work anything, let Thomas know.”
Yeah, she’d figure it out on her own. The kitchen stole her attention. It was filled with expensive appliances. A full-sized fridge, a gas oven, dishwasher, and microwave. Holy hell. The place might have the feel of an impersonal hotel room but nothing had been missed. The dining area was a small glass table with four white chairs. Not good choices for two boys, and she knew she wouldn’t be using that area to feed them. The living area was slightly better. It had a L-shaped, black leather couch, a large screen television secured to the wall, and double doors that led out to a small patio.
“This is your bathroom.” He moved down the passage and pointed to one door. “Then your bedroom is across from it. And this is the boys’ room.” He opened the door at the end of the hall.
She came to a stop when she reached the doorway, overcome with emotion. She’d expected to find a guestroom with a double bed. She’d figured she’d have to make do with having the boys sleep with her for a bit until she could figure things out. She’d never in her wildest dreams expected what she saw.
The walls were the same color as the rest of the house, but they’d been filled with large pictures of animals. Blues, greens, yellows, and reds. A big blue rug had been placed over the gray carpet. Two white cribs rested against opposite walls, a mobile attached to the end of each had dinosaurs dancing through the air. The cribs were made up with light green bedding. Under the window was a wooden chest. And next to it on the floor was a wooden train set.
“The chest is empty so you can put their toys in it if you like,” Saxon said as he moved to one crib and laid Caleb gently down. “I’m afraid I couldn’t do much with the short notice, but if you don’t like anything you can exchange it. I wanted them to have beds at least.”
Change anything? Why would I change it?
“I can’t believe you did this for me,” she whispered then walked over to settle Jamie in his bed. “I don’t even know how you did this so quickly.”
He shrugged and, if she didn’t know better, she would have said he looked self-conscious. “I find money speeds things up.”
Right. She wouldn’t know. “As soon as I can, I’ll pay you back. Or you can take it out of my paycheck, along with the money I owe you for the car, too.”
Oh, God, she was spiraling further and further into debt. A sinking feeling filled her even as her airways tightened. Don’t panic. Don’t panic.
Saxon walked over and took her hand, guiding her to the door. Then he stopped. “Are they okay now?” He gestured towards the boys. She looked back, they were sleeping peacefully. But it was sweet that he wanted to check on them before leaving.
“Yes, they’re fine.”
He drew her out and partially shut the door then moved her to the sofa. “Sit.”