The Boss's Baby Affair(44)

She liked him in this gentler mood. It wasn’t the controlled—and controlling—Nick Valentine he usually presented to the world. This was a different Nick—nothing like the uncaring businessman she’d pegged him to be.

A much more likable Nick.

Fixing her attention on his face, she said, “You sound like you believe in that, too.”

“Of course I do. Our centers provide a chance for people to build fantastic gardens they and their families can enjoy—irrespective of age…or of how many people are in their families.”

The passion Nick was talking about was absent from the soulless perfection of the sculpted pool deck, flat lawns and clipped boxwood hedging of his own home. Candace couldn’t keep from saying, “But what about your own garden?”

“What do you mea—”

“Nick! I almost didn’t spot you hiding back there in the corner.” A stooping, angular woman with salt-and-pepper hair and a weather-beaten face stopped beside their table.

He got to his feet and gave her a great bear hug. “Bertha.”

Once Nick had pulled away from her embrace, the old lady’s sharp green eyes inspected Candace, then dropped to Jennie sleeping in the stroller. “This is that newborn baby I came to your house to see?”

“This is Jennie.”

Could that be pride in Nick’s voice?

“My, but she’s grown.” The woman fixed an accusing stare on Nick. “I can’t even pick her up because that would waken her. I keep telling you to bring her to work so I can see her.”

“I’m sorry.”

Nick Valentine actually sounded humble. Who was this woman?

Candace realized she was attracting equal interest. “I’m Candace.” She hesitated, then added, “Jennie’s nanny.”

Not the whole truth, but a version she could live with.

For now.

“Candace, meet Bertha Williams.”

“This young man used to mow my lawns.”

“Bertha and Henry gave me a job in their garden center and taught me to grow vegetables, generate cuttings. They ignited my love of gardening and then convinced me that my dream to enroll in a landscaping course at night school could be turned into reality.”

“We owned it for forty years, before losing it. Nick had to wrest the center away from the businessman who was ready to build houses on the property. Henry and I might have been fine gardeners but we couldn’t keep the money straight.” Bertha’s brutally honest account made no apologies for their shortcomings. “Nick set it right.” The old woman gave him a fond smile. “So after Nick moved us back into the manager’s house seven years ago, I insisted that he hire me.”

Nick grinned at her. “It was a good investment.”

“Good for us, too. Since you took over the business it’s given Henry and I time together. Even despite his heart attack, freed from the strain of running the business, the years have been wonderful.”

For once Candace couldn’t believe that Nick’s decision to employ Bertha had been driven solely by profit. Even though her eyes were bright with life, Bertha’s hands were crippled with arthritis, her back hunched. Seven years ago she would’ve already been over sixty. Nick must really care about the old woman.

Yet he hadn’t brought Jennie to visit her…

Because he hadn’t believed that Jennie was his child?

Before she could speculate further, Bertha said, “Giving Nick a summer job all those years ago was the best business decision we ever made.”

“Flattery gets you everywhere,” Nick told Bertha, lifting his napkin as the waitress delivered the smoothies to the table.

Candace smiled her thanks to the waitress, placed her straw in the deep pink drink and sipped. Despite being so driven, it appeared Nick did have some redeeming qualities. Bertha clearly thought he was wonderful. Mrs. Busby had extolled his virtues as an employer and now Bertha was implying that he’d single-handedly saved their garden center. Would taking Jennie from her father be the best thing for the child?

Candace found herself wavering.

Then she forced herself to take stock. Jennie’s well-being came first. She gazed at the man who had thrown her into such confusion. Could Nick Valentine match the kind of love she could give her daughter?

“Would you like to join us for a cup of tea, Bertha?” Nick was asking as he picked up his own smoothie.

Bertha glanced from Nick to Candace. A crafty expression crept across her time-wrinkled face. “I think I’ve kept you young people long enough.” Patting Candace’s shoulder, she added, “Nick works too hard, my dear. Do an old lady a favor and make sure he takes it easy today…and has some fun.”