The Daddy Project. Lee Mckenzie

slipped the envelope underneath his laptop, glad the girls hadn’t heard their grandmother at the door, and even more grateful she hadn’t asked to see them.

      “Just a courier, sweetie. Dropping off some papers for me to look at.”

      He sat on a stool and scrolled back to the top of the document and read the introduction for the third time. So much for his plan to get some work done before Kristi arrived.

      Who was he kidding? Between Alice’s unexpected visit and Kristi’s impending arrival, he couldn’t concentrate anyway. Last night, after the girls were in bed, he’d spent an hour and a half taking down streamers, cleaning bathrooms and trying to catch up on laundry. Then he’d spent another hour looking at online real estate listings for smaller homes that were still close to the university and the girls’ day care, yet a safe distance from his in-laws. His findings weren’t impressive. For the first time since deciding to sell this place, he’d had some truly genuine misgivings, but Alice’s unexpected visit this morning strengthened his resolve.

      The doorbell pealed…this time it had to be Kristi…and on his way to answer it, he reminded himself to play it cool.

      “Good morning,” she said. In cropped black pants and a pink T-shirt and sneakers, she could be dressed for yoga class. She looked completely different from the woman who had breezed in here yesterday, taken up residence in pretty much every waking thought and occupied at least one of his dreams last night.

      Wow. “Good morning.” He stood there, realized he was staring at her and hoped he hadn’t said “wow” out loud.

      “I would have been here sooner, but I waited until my daughter left for school, and then I couldn’t find my keys....” She hitched the purple cupcake bag higher on her shoulder. “Sorry. I should have called.”

      “That’s okay. I’m used to students who show up late for class.” Moron. How was that playing it cool? Had he forgotten how to have a normal conversation with a woman?

      She seemed to find him amusing. “Well, I hope I don’t lose marks.”

      She said it with just enough sass to put him in his place, but not so much that he minded.

      “Come in,” he said, stepping aside for her. This home staging thing was a complete mystery to him but he was more than willing to learn. It would be like being a student again, and he had a pretty good idea he was going to like his teacher.

      * * *

      KRISTI WALKED WITH Nate through the house, noting that the living room doors were open, the streamers were gone and he had even attempted to tame the kitchen clutter. Molly and Martha were sprawled with the dog in the middle of the family room floor, watching a children’s show she didn’t recognize. Something new in the years since Jenna was little.

      “Good morning, girls. What are you watching?”

      Molly angled her head and looked up at her. “The Cat in the Hat.”

      Martha tugged her thumb out of her mouth. “Knows a Lot About That.” Back went the thumb.

      Kristi looked to Nate for an explanation.

      “The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! It’s a kids’ science show.”

      Of course it was. This family was all about science. Nate’s T-shirt this morning read Evolution of a Botanist and had a series of silhouettes, starting with a chimpanzee, progressing through various human forms, and arriving at a man with a plant pot under one arm. She wondered how many botany T-shirts were among the items of clothing she’d seen lying around his bedroom. She hadn’t dared look too closely, but her money was on lots.

      The kitchen countertops were still home to more items than potential buyers needed to see, but he’d made a valiant attempt to clear them. She was impressed.

      “Coffee?” he asked.

      “No, thanks. I’ve already had tea.”

      She pulled a file folder and her laptop out of her bag, and carefully set the bag on the floor out of the way. She was not risking a repeat of yesterday’s disaster.

      She took the stool next to his at the breakfast bar and slid the folder toward him.

      “This is my proposal,” she said. “I’ve tried to keep it simple and straightforward. Mostly painting and bringing in some fabrics to freshen things up. I would also like to give you some solutions to help you keep things organized.”

      She watched him open the folder and scan the contents, hoping he wasn’t overly offended by her inference that his home was, well, disorganized.

      “Outside, we’ll want to uncover the pool, have it cleaned and filled. It’s one of the main selling features of the house. And…ah…it would be a good idea to turn the pergola back into a pool house.”

      Since he was currently using it for his work at the university, she hesitated to suggest that the plants had to go because she wasn’t sure how he would react. She still didn’t really understand exactly what it was that he did. Last night she had found his page on the university’s website, which included a description of his research interests and a list of papers he’d published recently. She’d hardly understood a word of it. Who knew plants were so complicated? Or that a man who could pass for a film star would find them so interesting?

      “No problem,” he said, surprising her. “Can you give me a week?”

      “Of course. There’s lots to do inside.”

      He closed the folder. “This isn’t as bad as I expected. Where do we start?”

      “I’ve listed the rooms in the order I’d like to work on them.” She had decided to tackle the rooms that were in the worst shape first. “My plan is to begin with your daughters’ bedroom and your office.”

      “That’s fine with me. Is there anything I can do?”

      “Yes. If there are items in your office that can be filed or put in storage, that will help at lot. Those are decisions I can’t make for you.”

      “Makes sense.”

      Relieved that he seemed willing to go along with her suggestions, she pressed on. “This morning I’ll get going on the girls’ bedroom. I’ll bring in some bins they can use to help sort their things.”

      Nate seemed unsure. “I’m not sure how that’ll go over.”

      Did he think four-year-olds couldn’t take ownership of their own messes? she wondered. Or that it was a parent’s job to do everything for them?

      That could explain why he was so overwhelmed. Or maybe he was overwhelmed and didn’t even realize it.

      “Let’s see how it goes,” she said. “I have a couple of tricks up my sleeve.”

      “Daddy, can we watch something else now?” Molly called from the next room.

      “Maybe later. Kristi would like you and Martha to show her your bedroom.”

      She and Nate slid off their stools and joined the girls in the family room. The TV was already off and both girls were on their feet.

      “Come on,” Molly said.

      Martha took her hand and tugged.

      Kristi grabbed her bag and let them lead her down the hallway with Nate following, somewhat reluctantly if she had to guess.

      Once inside the room, each girl climbed onto her unmade bed, Kristi sat on an upholstered ottoman, and Nate hovered in the doorway.

      “First I’d like to talk about your favorite things,” Kristi said.

      “Barbie!” Molly said.

      Martha shook her head. “Barney!”

      Okay, no theme there. “What about colors? What’s your favorite?”

      “Purple!”