Page 5 of Baby Nanny

“No.”

“Are you involved in an intimate relationship?”

Again, she hesitated. “How is that germane?”

He studied her curiously, wondering if he’d hit on something. “I need to know if you have any obligations that may interfere with your ability to give Isabella your full attention.” Or prevent her from becoming his temporary wife. “I also need to know about anyone who may come into regular contact with my niece so I can have them checked out.”

“Of course.” She inclined her head and another curl escaped, this one just behind her left ear. The shiny black ringlet bounced against the long line of her neck, providing an irritating distraction. “No, to answer your question, I’m not in an intimate relationship.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “What about a casual relationship?”

A hint of color marched along the sculpted curve of her cheekbones. “I’m not in any sort of relationship at all.”

He fought the satisfaction her response elicited. “How do you get along with your family?”

He’d caught her by surprise again. “There’s just my father, and we get along fine.”

“How often do you see him?”

Her brow puckered in bewilderment. “Once a week. Sometimes more often, now that I’m back in South Carolina.”

“Does he live in Charleston?”

“Jim Isle, born and bred.”

“How much contact do you anticipate he’ll have with Isabella?”

To his surprise , aflash of alarm flickered through her eyes, darkening the honey gold to a deep amber. “I… I don’t anticipate there being any contact between them.”

He digested that for a moment. “Why not?” he finally asked.

She floundered for an instant. It was the first time he’d seen a serious crack in her composure and it filled him with curiosity. “Because my time with Isabella is business related and the time I spend with my father is personal . Ireally don’t see the two crossing paths.”

Interesting. “You believe in keeping your work and home life separate?”

“Don’t you?” When he didn’t respond to the question, she brushed it aside with a fleeting wave of her hand. “Yes , Iprefer to keep the two parts of my life separate.”

“Is there some reason you don’t want your father to come into contact with Isabella? Does he have a criminal record? Would he be a bad influence on a child?”

“No,” she instantly denied. “Not at all. My father is a good man . Ijust prefer to keep my family life private. Is that a problem for you?”

“I have no objection either way.”

Surprise swept across her face, followed by relief, before she masked her emotions behind a facade of calm serenity. He found the transformation fascinating to watch. He suspected her exquisite self-control was an innate part of her personality, and he couldn’t help wondering what circumstances had occurred in her life that had required her to develop the ability. Had she also experienced trauma? Did that explain why she shrouded herself in unruffled composure, as a way to combat the whirlwind of strife and turmoil?

He took a quick stab in the dark. “You mention your father, but not your mother.”

She took a quick breath. “My mother died when I was twelve.”

“A difficult age to lose a mother.”

A dry smile kicked up the corner of her mouth. “Is there a good age?”

“No. Even so… You must have learned coping mechanisms.”

“Eventually.”

“Would any of them help Isabella?”

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