Page 2 of Into the Fire
Flexible hours. A caring person needed to help a hardworking single dad with his 5-year-old daughter.
The attached picture showed a tiny girl with bright eyes and a mischievous smile that poked at something in Emery’s chest. Something she hadn’t felt in a long while.
She sipped her tea and let her thoughts wander.
If she could survive facilitating grown adults every day at her last job and live to tell the tale, how hard could it be to take care of one kid?
A tiny grin pulled at her lips despitethe heaviness she carried.
And maybe this is what she needed, Something simple. Something real. Something where she wouldn’t have to fight for some dumb promotion anyway.
Her thumb hovered over the message button, her heart thudding a little faster than she could explain. Here goes nothing.
And before she could talk herself out of it, she tapped the button, feeling the first glimmer of purpose stirring in her chest since she’d come to Cold Creek.
2
Levi yanked his boots off by the back door, sweat clinging to his brow. The sun would be setting within the next hour, but he’d been working since before it came up. Another day of checking fences, hauling feed, and patching the busted irrigation line that just had to choose today to blow.
June’s giggles echoed faintly from the living room. His mom was probably letting her watch one of those baking shows she liked– the ones full of sugar and chaos.
He stepped into the kitchen and paused.
Margaret was sitting at the table, looking suspiciously pleased with herself. That was nevera good sign.
Levi narrowed his eyes, looking at his mom. “What’d you do?”
Margaret didn’t even blink. “What makes you think I did anything?”
“You’ve got that look. The one you get right before I end up with another barn cat or someone’s Jell-O fruit salad I didn’t ask for.”
She sipped her iced tea like she hadn’t just betrayed him. “I posted an ad.”
Levi’s breath hitched. “What kind of ad?”
“For a nanny.”
“You did what?”
Margaret shrugged. “You need help, Levi. You’re dead on your feet every night, and June’s asking why you don’t have time to build pillow forts anymore.”
Levi rubbed his hand over his face. “That’s not—Mom, I don’t need a babysitter. I’ve got it under control.”
“No,” Margaret said, standing and pushing inher chair. “You’re exhausted. You’re missing time with your daughter. And she notices Levi. She misses you.”
He clenched his jaw but didn’t argue, because deep down, he knew she was right. And accepting that felt like a punch in the gut.
“She needs you to be actually present, not just here and half-asleep with work on your mind. Let someone handle the housework so you can focus on just being her dad.”
“Someone already messaged me,” she added casually. “A nice young woman who’s staying in town. Said she’s between jobs; I told her you’d meet with her.”
Levi groaned, leaning against the fridge. “Unbelievable.”
Margaret walked into the kitchen and patted his shoulder. “You’re welcome.”
He stared at the floor, jaw ticking. “Who is it?”
“Her name is Emery. She’s house-sitting in town and looking for something short-term.”
