fantishu
38
I handed her back, and as she transitioned to his arms, Ford mouthed, Give me five minutes.
As he carried her through the living room, on the way to the stairs, I began to clean up the kitchen. Since Everly had helped with the dishes once we put the cookies in the oven, I only had to gather the frosting bowls, wipe down the counter and floor, and collect the decorations. The leftover cookies went into Tupperware, and I stuck the container on the counter, so they could munch on them for the rest of the week.
With nothing left to do, I found my phone in one of the bags I’d brought, seeing a text from Gabby on the screen.
Gabby: How’s it going?
Me: I think good. Everly just went to bed. I’m waiting for Ford to come down and talk to me.
Gabby: He’s going to offer you the job. Obviously. I mean, you made cookies with his daughter. It doesn’t get cuter than that.
Me: Um, hello? There’re a million reasons why he won’t offer me the job, but I do think Everly had a good time, and she was so much fun. Gabs, he’s the best dad. Sigh.
Me: Oh shit, I hear him coming down the stairs. Got to go. Wish me luck. XO
Gabby: You’ve got this. Love your ass. See ya at home.
“Sorry,” I said, sliding the phone back into my bag as Ford took a seat in one of the barstools across from me. “That was Gabby. She was just checking on me.”
“You don’t have to apologize. You’re allowed to use your phone.” He glanced around the kitchen. “You didn’t have to clean up, Sydney.”
I waved my hand, showing him it was nothing. “If I make the mess, I’m certainly going to clean it. That’s part of my job.”
“But you weren’t here tonight as an employee, which reminds me”-he reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out his wallet-“how much do I owe you?”
“For what?”
“The baking supplies, frosting, those little crunchy things you put on the cookies. I want to reimburse you for everything.”
I shook my head. “You’re not giving me a dime. I had all this stuff-I bake at home.” My voice quieted as I added, “You know that.” Since he was sitting across from me, I would have put my hand on his, but I refrained. “Please put your money away.”
I could tell he was reluctant, but he did what I’d asked, adding, “If you become her nanny, you will have a credit card, and all purchases will go on that card. You won’t be paying for anything, understood?”
I smiled. “Yes.”
“Good.” He took a deep breath. “She loved you, Sydney. I think you know that.”
I nodded. “She’s a pretty fabulous kid, Ford. She was receptive to my instructions, she followed directions, and she stayed on task, needing very little encouragement. Tonight went great.”
I didn’t want to sell myself.
I didn’t want to list the reasons I wanted this job.
I hoped, after this evening, it was obvious to him.
We were now at the point where he was either comfortable with having me here or not.
“I’m going to be completely honest with you, Sydney.”
As he paused, my stomach started to bubble, as I had no idea where he was headed with this, unable to read the expression on his face.
“I knew you were going to be perfect for her-I never questioned that. What worried me was how I was going to feel about having you here.”
As he halted, the churning rose to my chest, a tightness forming.
“Seeing you with my daughter”-his gaze dropped, like the intensity was too much-“it was more than I expected.”
What’s more?
His attraction to me?
His concern?
When he eventually looked up, his eyes glued to mine, his mouth slowly parting. “She needs you.” His hand ran across his beard. “Hannah’s wonderful-I don’t mean she isn’t-but what you taught her in the little time you two were together was so impressive. You were patient with her, and you tested her, pushed her. She had no idea she was in the middle of a lesson; she thought she was just having fun, and that was the best part about it.”
As his hands folded on top of the counter, his thumbs rubbing together, my heart wanted to calm.
But couldn’t.
I sucked in a mouthful of air and said, “But …”
He didn’t answer immediately. He just stared at me, the seconds building between us.
The tension.
The memories-at least in my head-were exploding, one after the other.
“But then there’s us.”
I had known that was the underlying factor. The reason he wasn’t sliding a contract with an NDA across the counter.
“Can you handle the close quarters?” he asked. “The time we’re going to be spending together?” His voice lowered while he said, “The idea of living in this house?” He pushed up the sleeves of his shirt, showing muscular forearms and dark hair.
Arms I remembered wrapping around me, the feelings and sensations they had given me.
The security.This is the property of Nô-velDrama.Org.
But then the thought of Everly popped into my head.
How I’d enjoyed every moment I spent with her.
There was no question that I would love this job.
I could ignore the beating in my heart.
The desire to close the distance between Ford and me.
The gasp in my throat if he ever got near.
I could.
For Everly.
“Yes,” I answered, “I can handle it.” I inhaled again, holding in the air as I said, “Can you?”
He broke eye contact to look down, his face expressionless.
Is he struggling as badly as I am with this?
Does he want to reach across the counter and take me into his arms?
I waited for an answer.
The silence simmering.
And then, finally, he voiced, “Yes,” and gradually glanced up. “I’d like to offer you the job. I realize we haven’t discussed a salary or benefits. I assure you, you’ll be well compensated.”
“It’s not something I’m stressing about,” I admitted.
There were far too many other things on my mind.