Rafferty's Choice

the long version

Dr. Rafferty Traherne needed a housekeeper. Someone who could cook and clean and, most importantly, care for his daughter, Becky, who was ten years old going on thirty. A friendly, responsible older woman who could manage the household and look after Becky didn’t seem like too much to ask, did it? He had his doubts about Amanda Bradley right from the start. She was too young, for one thing, and she stashed a copy of Cooking for the Culinary Illiterate in the back of a kitchen cupboard and she seemed to regard all household appliances with a mixture of fear and confusion. On top of all of that, she was much too pretty. He definitely shouldn’t hire a young, pretty housekeeper of dubious skills. Absolutely not. But Becky had taken an instant liking to Mandy and he was a sucker for his little girl’s pleading looks. So, Mandy was too young and might not be able to cook all that well. Or clean. And she was definitely too pretty. But taking care of a house wasn’t rocket science. How bad could Mandy be at it? Rafferty was about to find out....