Gordon."
"You're welcome, sir."
After dinner, Maggie assisted Zoe with her bath and then watched as the little girl brushed her teeth. When Zoe was ready for bed Ryan came into the room to read her a bedtime story. They settled on the bed and he began to read a story about fairies. By the time, he was done with the story Zoe's eyelids were drooping and her chin was resting on her chest. Ryan tucked her into bed and kissed her goodnight. Moving toward the door, he stopped when she called out to him.
"Daddy."
"What is it, baby girl?"
"Stay," she whispered.
Ryan returned to the bed and lowered himself onto it. "I'll stay until you fall asleep."
"Not sleepy," she mumbled.
Ryan knew better. Zoe was stalling because she didn't want to go to sleep. He did what he always did when she was refusing to sleep. He stroked her hair. There was something about the feel of his hand in her hair that made her sleepy. Like all the times before it worked like a charm. In no time, Zoe was out like a light. Smiling to himself, Ryan rose from the bed and quietly left the room. He headed downstairs to the living room where he found Maggie dusting an end table. "I would like to speak with you, William and Gordon."
Maggie set the feather duster on the table. "William is in the kitchen with Gordon."
"Then follow me," Ryan said, moving in the direction of the kitchen.
"Is something wrong, sir?" Maggie asked as she followed him.
"No," Ryan said. "Everything is fine." He marched into the kitchen. William and Gordon were sitting at the table talking over cups of tea.
"Do you need something, sir?" Gordon asked Ryan.
"I wanted to talk with you all," Ryan said. "It will only take a few minutes."
"We are listening, sir," William declared.
Ryan glanced at the staff. "I have decided to hire a nanny for Zoe. You have taken great care of her, but she needs someone who can devote all their time to her. There is a woman coming in the morning, Hope Landry is her name. I haven't hired her yet. Tomorrow is just a trial period. I want you to watch her, see how she interacts with Zoe, and help her if she needs it. You will be my eyes and ears. If you don't approve of her I won't hire her."
"We've had nothing but bad luck with nannies," Maggie said. "Are you sure you want to hire another one? It's really no trouble taking care of Zoe. We are happy to do it."
"I appreciate everything you all do for Zoe and me," Ryan said, "but I have made up my mind."
"Then we will help you any way we can, sir," William stated.
"Do you think she's the nanny you've been looking for?" Maggie asked.
"I don't know," Ryan said. "Only time will tell."
Chapter 3
"Daddy, wake up…wake up…wake up."
Ryan felt Zoe's small hand pat his cheek. He opened his eyes and stared at the little girl who was standing beside the bed. She was wearing shorts and a t-shirt with a picture of Belle and the Beast from the Disney cartoon Beauty and the Beast on the front. Her hair was up in pigtails, the left side was slightly lopsided. Taking his eyes off her, Ryan glanced at the clock on the bedside table and saw it was a few minutes after seven-thirty. He reached out, grasped Zoe gently and lifted her onto the bed. She curled up next to him and he kissed her forehead.
"Good morning, baby girl."
"Good morning, Daddy," she said.
"Does Maggie know where you are?" Ryan asked.
Zoe shook her head.
"I didn't think so," Ryan said dryly. He brushed Zoe's bangs out of her eyes. "Daddy needs to get up and get dressed."
"I help," Zoe announced.
Ryan groaned inwardly. The last time he let her help, he ended up wearing a gray suit, purple dress shirt and a red tie. Unable to deny his daughter anything he set her
"You're welcome, sir."
After dinner, Maggie assisted Zoe with her bath and then watched as the little girl brushed her teeth. When Zoe was ready for bed Ryan came into the room to read her a bedtime story. They settled on the bed and he began to read a story about fairies. By the time, he was done with the story Zoe's eyelids were drooping and her chin was resting on her chest. Ryan tucked her into bed and kissed her goodnight. Moving toward the door, he stopped when she called out to him.
"Daddy."
"What is it, baby girl?"
"Stay," she whispered.
Ryan returned to the bed and lowered himself onto it. "I'll stay until you fall asleep."
"Not sleepy," she mumbled.
Ryan knew better. Zoe was stalling because she didn't want to go to sleep. He did what he always did when she was refusing to sleep. He stroked her hair. There was something about the feel of his hand in her hair that made her sleepy. Like all the times before it worked like a charm. In no time, Zoe was out like a light. Smiling to himself, Ryan rose from the bed and quietly left the room. He headed downstairs to the living room where he found Maggie dusting an end table. "I would like to speak with you, William and Gordon."
Maggie set the feather duster on the table. "William is in the kitchen with Gordon."
"Then follow me," Ryan said, moving in the direction of the kitchen.
"Is something wrong, sir?" Maggie asked as she followed him.
"No," Ryan said. "Everything is fine." He marched into the kitchen. William and Gordon were sitting at the table talking over cups of tea.
"Do you need something, sir?" Gordon asked Ryan.
"I wanted to talk with you all," Ryan said. "It will only take a few minutes."
"We are listening, sir," William declared.
Ryan glanced at the staff. "I have decided to hire a nanny for Zoe. You have taken great care of her, but she needs someone who can devote all their time to her. There is a woman coming in the morning, Hope Landry is her name. I haven't hired her yet. Tomorrow is just a trial period. I want you to watch her, see how she interacts with Zoe, and help her if she needs it. You will be my eyes and ears. If you don't approve of her I won't hire her."
"We've had nothing but bad luck with nannies," Maggie said. "Are you sure you want to hire another one? It's really no trouble taking care of Zoe. We are happy to do it."
"I appreciate everything you all do for Zoe and me," Ryan said, "but I have made up my mind."
"Then we will help you any way we can, sir," William stated.
"Do you think she's the nanny you've been looking for?" Maggie asked.
"I don't know," Ryan said. "Only time will tell."
Chapter 3
"Daddy, wake up…wake up…wake up."
Ryan felt Zoe's small hand pat his cheek. He opened his eyes and stared at the little girl who was standing beside the bed. She was wearing shorts and a t-shirt with a picture of Belle and the Beast from the Disney cartoon Beauty and the Beast on the front. Her hair was up in pigtails, the left side was slightly lopsided. Taking his eyes off her, Ryan glanced at the clock on the bedside table and saw it was a few minutes after seven-thirty. He reached out, grasped Zoe gently and lifted her onto the bed. She curled up next to him and he kissed her forehead.
"Good morning, baby girl."
"Good morning, Daddy," she said.
"Does Maggie know where you are?" Ryan asked.
Zoe shook her head.
"I didn't think so," Ryan said dryly. He brushed Zoe's bangs out of her eyes. "Daddy needs to get up and get dressed."
"I help," Zoe announced.
Ryan groaned inwardly. The last time he let her help, he ended up wearing a gray suit, purple dress shirt and a red tie. Unable to deny his daughter anything he set her
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