He only grinned. “I can carry them. Just show me the way.”
She held back a sigh. It seemed she wasn’t going to get rid of him quite so easily.
Darius placed a wooden peg on the clothesline and scanned the long row of colorful towels flapping in the breeze. Since when had the simple act of hanging laundry become so pleasurable? It certainly wasn’t this enjoyable helping his mother with the chore.
He shot a look at Olivia, her cheeks flushed, biting her lip as she pinned the last corner of her towel, and the answer became clear. After holding her in his arms for a few brief seconds, he’d had to fight the sudden urge to kiss her. And now it seemed he would do any chore, no matter how trivial, just to extend his time with her.
He gave himself a mental shake, rolled down his still-damp shirtsleeves, and buttoned them. He had no right thinking about Olivia Rosetti that way. He was an engaged man and could not afford this unexpected attraction. Not only was it a conflict of interest to his boss’s goals, but it was disrespectful to Meredith as well.
Mr. Cheeseman had been ecstatic the night they’d announced their intention to marry. His wife, however, was far less enthusiastic. No matter. Darius was certain he and Sofia would win the woman over before the wedding, which he hoped would take place before the start of the school year, so he and Meredith could take Sofia to her first day of kindergarten as a family.
He glanced once more at Olivia. He had to stop mooning over her like a lovestruck youth and focus on his priorities—his career, his daughter, and his wife-to-be.
Nothing else mattered.
As soon as the plumber came and Darius made sure the man honored his commitment to fix the leak, he would take his leave. And tomorrow he would find a new way to fulfill Mr. Walcott’s mandate.
Olivia lifted the empty wicker laundry basket. “Would you care for a cup of coffee, Mr. Reed? I mean, Darius.” Her cheeks grew pinker, making her even more attractive.
Not that he was noticing.
“Coffee would be nice. Thank you.”
Darius followed her through the back door into the kitchen.
“Oh good. Margaret made both tea and coffee, so we won’t even have to wait.” Olivia set the basket on the floor, marched over to the stove, and lifted the coffeepot. “Cream and sugar?”
“Black is fine.”
She poured the dark liquid into a ceramic mug and handed it to him. Her fingers brushed his as he took it. She snatched her hand away and turned back to the sink. She fiddled with the taps, then seemed to stand frozen while the water continued to run.
Setting his cup on the table, he reached around her to turn it off. “I don’t think we need another flood today.” He chuckled, hoping to put her at ease. But he realized his mistake straightaway as her intoxicating floral scent invaded his senses.
She backed away from the counter. Snatching a towel from a hook, she made a show of drying her hands.
Had he made her uncomfortable? Or was she as affected by him as he was by her?
While he contemplated what to say next, the doorbell rang.
“That’s probably the plumber,” she said. “Excuse me.”
Darius expelled a long breath. He needed to get a grip on himself and gain control of his emotions.
At the rumble of voices in the hall, he made his way to the front entrance.
A man stood smiling down at Olivia, admiration evident on his face.
Darius recognized the man immediately. “Dr. Henshaw? What are you doing here?”
The physician’s head snapped up. “Mr. Reed. This is an unexpected surprise.”
Olivia frowned, looking between the two men.
“I’m here to check on a patient.” Dr. Henshaw’s gaze took in Darius’s somewhat disheveled appearance. “What are you doing here?”
He shrugged. “Learning more about the maternity home and inadvertently helping with a leaky pipe.”
Dr. Henshaw laughed. “I’m sure there’s more to that story.” He turned to Olivia. “Miss Holmes is expecting me. May I go up?”
“Certainly, Doctor.”
“Good to see you, Mr. Reed. Give my best to your parents. And don’t forget Sofia’s next checkup.”
“I won’t.”
As the physician toted his bag up the stairs, Darius could feel the weight of Olivia’s stare.
“Is Dr. Henshaw your family physician?” she asked.
“He’s Sofia’s doctor. But whenever he comes to the house, my mother insists on feeding him a meal.” Darius laughed.
“My mother does the same thing with our doctor.” Olivia’s features relaxed, the suspicion leaving her eyes. “Dr. Henshaw has agreed to be the physician on call for our home. He’s a very kind person.” A soft smile flitted across her lips.
Darius stiffened. Did Olivia have feelings for the man? A strange flicker of unease tightened his chest, and instantly he bit back the unwelcome sensation. It was none of his business whom the woman cared for.
A knock at the front door provided a well-needed distraction. “Looks like the plumber is here at last,” he said brightly.
And just in the nick of time. The sooner he got away from Olivia’s captivating presence, the sooner he could clear his head and come up with a way to obtain this property for Mr. Walcott.
Then he’d never have to be tempted by the lovely Miss Rosetti again.
13
The next day, as Darius mulled over his dilemma regarding the Bennington house, the leaky pipe brought to mind the perfect idea. He would arrange for a surprise inspection of the entire Bennington property—from the peaks of the lofty roof to the bowels of the musty basement. Judging by the age of the house, something would likely fail such an intense examination.
Darius could call in an anonymous tip to the government agency, and with any luck, the inspector would find enough wrong with the building to halt operations and maybe even force a closure of the home. Mrs. Bennington would then be much more likely to
