“Why did you come back?” she asks. There’s an innocence in her voice that sounds almost hopeful. But I know better than to treat this as haphazardly as I have done in the past.
“This town is what I know. It might not be theeasiestplace to set up shop, but I have the resources to make it work.” I could have added that I came back here so that I could be closer to her again, but I know that she isn’t ready to hear that from me yet.
“I don’t know,” she says as she shakes her head. “I don’t think that it’s a good idea for us to be in such close proximity again. Alive-inposition? You can’t possibly think that it would be smart for the two of us to live together, not after what happened between us.”
“Please, Tabitha, I need your help. I am desperate for a nanny. If I don’t put in the long hours, then this decision to move my company back here is going to blow up in my face.”
“Whyme, Hunter? You’ve obviously got enough money to pay for a highly qualified nanny with loads of experience.”
“Yeah, I do, but I don’t trust anyone else enough to care for my son. I can’t just cold call someone to spend more time with my kid than I currently can. You may not have experience in childcare, but Iknowwhat kind of person you are. I know that I can trust you to take good care of him while I’m working.”
“I’m flattered,” she says, and I’m not sure if she is being sarcastic or not. “But it’s just not going to work. I can’t work for you, Hunter.”
Her refusal isn’t entirely unexpected. And I am prepared to make sure that she can’t say no.
“Look, I know you need the money, and I know you’re currently living with your brother. I’m prepared to offer you a six-digit salary. I’ll cover all of your room and board, give you a stipend for outings with Teddie, and anytime that I don’t need to work, you’re free to do whatever you want in your free time.”
I watch as Tabitha’s eyes widen with each incentive that I pile on. I know that the six-digit salary alone would be enough to woo her, and honestly, it’s a tiny drop in the bucket for me. But I want to be sure that the offer issoenticing that she can’t even bring herself to question accepting it.
She doesn’t even hesitate.
“Okay,” she says. “I’ll do it.”
“Perfect!” I say, standing up and feeling pleased with the way this unconventional “interview” has gone. I turn and call into the other room for my son, who has been quietly following my instructions of playing with his puzzles until being called for.
When Teddie walks into the doorway, he smiles nervously at Tabitha.
“Tabitha, this is Theodore,” I say as I reach to hoist him up in my arms and give him a kiss on the side of his cheek. “Teddie, this is Tabitha. She’s going to be your nanny and hang out with you while I have to work, okay?”
Teddie nods his head and stares wide-eyed at her. I want to tell him that I can empathize with being captivated by how lovely Tabitha is.
“Hi Theodore,” she says.
“You can call me Teddie,” his four-year-old little voice echoes back.
This is off to a better start than I had expected, once we got past the whole “almost running away” part.
“Can you start tomorrow?” I ask.
Tabitha looks momentarily visibly reluctant again, but between the money that I am dangling in front of her, and Teddie’s cute face staring at her, it doesn’t take her long to nod in agreement.
“Great,” I smile. “I’ll walk you out.”
When I watch Tabitha get into her car, I can’t help but wonder which of us is right—whether this is going to be a good thing or a bad idea. I guess that question will be answered tomorrow.
Later that evening after Teddie is sound asleep, I sit in front of my crackling fireplace with a glass of scotch and try to think about what I’m doing. But the truth of it is that I don’t know how to be a single dad, and I don’t know what I’m doing with Tabitha. The only thing that IknowI am exceedingly competent with is running my business. The rest of this is sink or swim, and hopefully, Tabitha is going to be a life raft and not the reason that I wind up drowning.
Chapter Three
Tabitha
“I can’tbelievethat you set me up like that!” I shout as soon as I walk back through the door and see Jax shoving a big bite of sandwich in his mouth.
He looks up at me in feigned surprise, but he knows damn well what I’m talking about. Still, I’m not letting him off the hook without a verbal tongue-lashing.
“You set me up for that interview without even bothering to tell me that the position was to work forHunter!” I scowl at him until he sets his sandwich down. “How could you? You know how much he hurt me.”
“Calm down, Tabby,” he says with a calm sigh as he sits back in his chair. He is good at playing Switzerland, always has been. “I think that this could be a good arrangement—for thebothof you.”