Real Men Don't Quit by Coleen Kwan

Tyler found herself enjoying their company. As an only child, she envied Luke his four sisters. They were bossy, no doubt about it, but Luke had a way of defusing them, of making them laugh. Only Helen, the fierce-looking one, seemed to hold back, her expression frequently clouded while everyone else relaxed.
    The children began to pester Luke to play with them. Eventually he coaxed Chloe to join him and the younger ones in a game of tetherball.
    “Luke’s great with kids,” Karly said to Tyler. “He had no choice. He started babysitting for me and Helen when he was about twelve.”
    Mags nodded. “By the time my Hannah was born he was sick of it, but he helped with her too, where he could.”
    Tyler watched her daughter giggling as she clumsily swatted the ball to Luke. “Well, he’s certainly a hit with Chloe. It usually takes her a while to warm up to new people.” Her gaze shifted to Luke. The exercise had made his hair flop in his eyes, his skin gleamed with perspiration, and his T-shirt clung to his broad back. As he leaped back and forth over the grass, she couldn’t look away from him. It took quite an effort to wrench her gaze away, and as she did so, she caught Helen studying her.
    “Luke’s only here for a short stay,” Helen said rather abruptly. “He’ll be coming back to Goulburn soon.”
    Karly sat up. “Oh? He said that, did he?”
    “Not in so many words, but I’m sure he will.” Helen lifted her shoulders. “Why should he stay here in someone else’s house when he has a perfectly good home of his own?”
    “Why indeed.” Luke appeared out of nowhere and lowered himself into a chair next to Tyler. “There’s no reason except that I want to, and that’s good enough for me.”
    “And Mum’s house?” Helen’s mouth twisted bitterly. “I suppose that’s not good enough for you now you’re a world-famous author.”
    Instead of answering, Luke rubbed his face wearily.
    The tiredness and tension emanating from Luke was palpable to Tyler. She glanced from his fatigued form to his sister, who sat rigid in her chair, her hands fisted and her mouth tight but trembling.
    “I’d be very cross with Luke if he suddenly left,” Tyler heard herself saying. “After all, he’s promised to babysit Chloe for me.”
    Four pairs of eyes swiveled in her direction. Luke raised his head, his eyes widening with suspicion.
    “My regular babysitter came down with shingles,” Tyler continued. “And I can’t find someone suitable at such short notice. But Luke said he’d help me out.” In her sudden urge to help Luke, she’d blurted out the first thing that came to her. Now she had to embroider her story, even as Luke stared at her, his mouth clamped into a tight line, eyebrows drawn into a deep furrow.
    “But what about his writing?” Helen asked. “He can’t babysit and write at the same time.”
    “It’s only a few hours a couple of times a week.” Tyler waved her hand casually. “Doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a godsend to me. You know how hard it is to find good childcare, especially on short notice.”
    The sisters exchanged glances. They couldn’t argue with that statement, Tyler knew. “I hate leaving Chloe with new babysitters,” she continued, warming to her theme. “But you’ve seen her with Luke. He’s so good with kids.” She turned to the man slouched next to her. “Aren’t you, Luke?”
    Slowly he pushed himself upright. His eyes were coal black, his face impassive, and she had no idea what he was thinking, whether he was thanking her or cursing her for interfering.
    Oh well. Might as well go for broke . She prodded him in the thigh, enjoying the feel of his taut muscle beneath the denim, and made a pretend scowl. “Huh. So you’ve changed your mind, have you? You’re going to let me down?”
    He blinked once. “Would I do that?” he slowly replied. “If I said I’d babysit for you, then I will.”
    Rosie and Mags nodded. Not even Helen could argue