Cal blinked at me a few times as if he hadn’t heard her correctly. “This…” he finally said, gesturing to me, his eyes going wide. “He’s…” he spluttered. “He’s the new nanny?”
Alexis nodded. “Yes.”
Unbelievable. It wasn’t like I expected her to tell him we were dating, but seriously—she hadn’t even told him I was watching Sophia for the summer? What the hell?
“Him?” His voice was strangled, and he glanced between the two of us.
“Yes, Cal,” she ground out.
“You didn’t think it was important to mention the fact that a guy was watching our daughter? Was spending time alone with our daughter.” His voice rose with every word.
Sophia was now staring at them, and I bit my tongue, knowing better than to respond in front of her. Alexis went over to Cal and gripped his bicep, speaking low into his ear. I couldn’t hear the words she said, but judging from the dark look on his face, he wasn’t pleased.
“Come on, princess,” I said to Sophia. “Let’s go build a castle upstairs.”
She eyed me warily, like she knew I was trying to distract her. But ultimately, my offer was too irresistible to deny. She complied, darting up the stairs ahead of me.
“Oh good. He’s gay.” I could hear the relief in Cal’s tone, and I paused at the top of the stairs.
Was he serious? And why had he gotten the impression I was gay? Not that there was anything wrong with being gay, but if Alexis had told him I was…
I stewed over it while Sophia and I built her castle, imagining all the things Cal and Alexis could be saying or doing downstairs. I was on the verge of charging down there when they appeared in the doorway. Alexis cleared her throat, and Cal shifted uncomfortably.
“Preston,” he said, and I pushed myself off the floor, standing before him. “I’d like to apologize for my earlier outburst.”
“Thank you.” I reached out to shake his hand.
As Sophia’s father, I would show him respect, even if I sometimes imagined myself fulfilling that role. Not that I’d ever want to replace him, more that I hoped to soothe the damage he’d done in being an absent, often unreliable figure in her life. But for the moment, I had to remind myself, I was just the nanny.
“Alexis assures me you’ve been vetted by the best of the best, and I want you to know that you’re welcome in our home.”
I gnashed my teeth. Our home? This was more my home than his.
“Cal,” Alexis said in a warning tone.
“What?” He shrugged, going over to Sophia. “I am staying, aren’t I?”
I didn’t like the way he was manipulating the situation, manipulating his daughter to get what he wanted. He’d been gone all this time, and then he waltzed in, acting like he owned the place. Still, I kept my mouth shut for Sophia’s sake.
Alexis glared at Cal. “With Preston staying in the pool house, I think it would be best if you got a hotel room this time.”
“But, Mommy—” Sophia pouted. “Daddy always stays for my birthday and Christmas. It’s tradition.”
I swallowed my tongue. Her ex staying here? At the house?
“What’s the big deal, Lex?”
Lex?
Cal draped his arm over Alexis’s shoulder. She bristled beneath his touch, but I kept my mouth shut. I wanted her to do something, say something.
“Yeah, Mom,” Sophia said, tugging on her hand. “He can stay in the guest room down the hall.”
Fuck no.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Alexis said, shrugging out of Cal’s touch. The bands on my chest loosened, allowing me to breathe just slightly.
“Please, Mommy? Please. Please. Please.” Sophia could be relentless when she wanted something.
A pregnant silence followed, a stretch of unspoken and unanswered questions. Alexis glanced at me, but I didn’t know what she was expecting. After all, I was just the manny, right? And the manny wouldn’t weigh in on something like this. At least, that’s what was expected. Just like it was expected that I wouldn’t be sleeping with my employer.
“Fine,” she huffed. “You can stay in the room at the end of the hall.”
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from making a remark.
“Perfect.” Cal grinned at me like he’d won a contest. “I’ll grab my stuff.” He paused when he reached Alexis, turning to face me so he was standing at her side, showing me exactly how they’d look together as a couple.
“Oh, and Preston,” he said it casually, as if it were an afterthought. But the twinkle in his eyes let me know just how calculating he was. “You can take the rest of the day off. Alexis and I have it covered.”
“Daddy’s staying,” Sophia sang, prancing around her room, looping a feather boa around her neck.
I turned to Alexis once he was gone. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
She followed me out to the hallway, but I grabbed her hand and tugged her into one of the spare bedrooms. I closed the door softly, and she immediately started pacing. “I can’t believe he actually decided to show up.”
“I don’t want him staying here.”
“Neither do I, but what was I supposed to do? He always stays here. And you saw how excited Sophia was.”
“Mommy. Mommy, where are you?”
“Coming,” Alexis called before turning back to me and lowering her voice. “It’s just for a few days, okay? Then we can go back to doing what we were doing before.”
The problem was, I wasn’t sure I could go back to that. I didn’t want to be a secret anymore. I didn’t want to watch from the sidelines.
But for now, I had to put my feelings aside and do what was best for Sophia. What was best for Alexis. And if that meant stepping back and allowing Cal to have time with his daughter, then so be it.
Chapter Twenty-One
“Someone’s awfully excited,” Christine said, peeking her head in the door to my office.
I’d been doing a happy dance when she discovered me, and I slowly lowered my arms to my sides. But I couldn’t contain the smile that was overtaking my face or the excitement that was bubbling out of me like the champagne I hoped to be popping soon.
“I just got a call from an agent with a buyer who’s interested in the Miller place, and they want to see it again. She’s fairly confident they’re going to make an offer.”
Her eyes went wide. “Holy shit. The Miller place?”
I nodded. It was a twenty-million-dollar property, and after only a few weeks on the market, I’d found a buyer.
“Have you called the seller yet?”
I shook my head, shoving my tablet into my purse. “I will, but I’m heading over there now to show it.”
“That’s awesome,” Christine said.
“Thanks. Well, I better get going, unless you needed something…”
“I have some news of my own.” She grinned. “But it can wait.”
“What? Are you kidding? Tell me.”
“Jasper proposed last night.” She flashed me a brilliant smile, and it was only then I realized she had both her hands behind her back.
“Oh, I’m so happy for you! Let me see the ring.” I went over to her, holding out my hand. “Look at that,” I said, admiring the large, round-cut solitaire diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds. “It’s gorgeous.”
I’d been about the same age as Christine when I married Cal. And while I couldn’t say I regretted it, I’d definitely do things differently given another chance. Preston said he wanted forever, but I wondered if he really appreciated just how long forever could be. Especially if you weren’t with the right person.
“He totally surprised me.” Christine’s diamond sparkled under the lights as she talked. “But he had everything planned out. And it was so romantic,” she gushed.
I wondered if this meant she’d lose some of her competitive drive, that she’d be less focused now that her attention would be on planning the wedding. Christine was one of my best agents, consistently outselling
the others. And I didn’t want to lose her.
“You have to let me throw you an engagement party,” I said, wanting her to know how much I valued her. My agents were a tight-knit group, and even though I was their boss, I liked to think I was their friend too. “Talk to Jasper and let me know what date works for you.”
“I’d love that,” Christine said. “Thank you, Alexis.”
“Of course.”
My phone rang, and she headed for the door. “I’ll get out of your hair. And congrats on the Miller deal.”
“It’s not a done deal yet.” I grabbed my phone off the desk, poised to connect the call to Shane, the general contractor for my Sycamore development.
“It will be.” She grinned, shutting the door behind her.
I wanted to share her optimism, but I’d been in this business long enough to know better than to consider a deal done until the ink was dry.
“Hey, Shane.” I cradled the phone between my shoulder and my ear as I headed for my car. “What’s up?”
“We have a little issue over at the house on Sycamore.”
“Okay.” I started the car, connecting the phone through my Bluetooth. “What is it?”
“The ground beneath the pool is worse than we thought. And the city won’t let us continue construction without an elaborate underground system.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “How much?”
“To dig out the ground, add the new foundations, and…”
“Just tell me how much,” I said, wanting to cut to the chase. I just needed to know how much it was going to set me back.
“Twenty.”
“Grand?” I sputtered.
“Yes.”
I sighed. “And there’s no way around it?”
“Not unless you want to ditch the pool altogether. But you’d still be out a couple grand to cover the hole and shore up the groundworks.”
Shit. I banged my hand against the steering wheel. That was a lot of money. Poof! Gone.
I could afford twenty thousand, not that I liked spending such large sums. But I wondered whether it was worth the investment. I wondered if I was making a huge mistake with this home that had been one obstacle after another. And I continued to sink money into it, my potential return dwindling the longer it took to get it on the market.
“Alexis?” Shane asked. “What do you want to do?”
I thought about the comps in the area, and I knew what needed to be done. “Fix the pool.”
Another call beeped in, but I didn’t recognize the number so I let it go to voice mail. I had a feeling Shane wasn’t done. I turned on my indicator, taking a left and heading up into the hills toward the Miller property.
“There’s something else,” he said.
I braced myself, not liking the tone of his voice. “Okay. What is it?”
“You know the chandelier you ordered?”
“The Italian glass one?” I asked, already dreading whatever he was going to tell me.
“It, um, it was damaged when they tried to hang it.”
“How damaged?” I ground out.
“Shattered.”
Silence hung between us. That chandelier had been the pièce de résistance of the home. I’d planned the entire kitchen around it, and now… Fuck. I blew out a breath. There wasn’t time to order another one, not if I didn’t want to hold up the house for another three to four months while they custom-made it then shipped it to America. God, I wanted to scream or maybe cry. Which was ridiculous—I didn’t cry over chandeliers.
“Please tell me you’re joking,” I said.
“I’m sorry, Alexis. The guys were really careful, but sometimes these things just happen.”
“I have to go,” I said, pulling up to the Miller property. The potential buyer and her agent were already waiting at the gate.
“What about the chandelier?” he asked.
“I’ll…” I huffed. “I’ll find another one, I guess.” I mean, what other choice did I have? “I’ll talk to you later.”
I disconnected the call and took a deep breath. I needed to get my head back in the game if I was going to make this deal happen. And with the costs mounting over on Sycamore and for Sophia’s birthday party, plus her private school tuition coming due, I could definitely use a win.
I smiled and shook hands with the agent before she introduced me to the potential buyers. I let them into the house, when my phone rang again. I switched it to vibrate and sent the call to voice mail, not wanting any interruptions. I knew how some of these high-end buyers could be—high-maintenance. The smallest thing could set them off and ruin a deal.
But when my phone vibrated again—the same number for a third time—worry gnawed at my gut. I excused myself to a small outdoor courtyard, trying to keep my voice low.
“Alexis Black.”
“Alexis, this is Amber with the STEM camp. Can you come pick up your daughter? There’s been an incident.”
“Sophia?” I asked, wanting to confirm she had the right child.
“Yes. Sophia Kinnison. I have her sitting here with me.”
“Mommy.” Sophia’s voice came over the line, and I could barely understand her between her tears. “Can you…get me? Hurts…”
“What happened? Are you okay, sweetie?” I tried to remain calm, even as I panicked. What the hell was going on? And where was Preston?
I couldn’t understand a word she’d said. “I’m on my way, okay? I’ll be there as soon as I can. Can you let me talk to Amber again?”
A moment later, Amber came back on the line. I tried not to lose it on her, but I needed answers.
“Can you please tell me what happened?”
“Sophia fell on the playground, and we’re concerned she’s broken something.”
My lungs were tight, and I found it difficult to breathe. My only thought was of getting to Sophia, of making sure she was okay.
“I’m leaving now,” I said. “Please keep her calm, and can you please call Preston and ask him to come. Tell him I’ll be there soon.”
“We’ve tried calling him,” she said. “He’s not answering.”
I frowned, knowing it was close to the time Sophia normally got out of camp. He should be headed there. They wouldn’t have known to contact Cal since I rarely listed him as an emergency contact. What would be the point? He was typically thousands of miles away and often unreachable.
“Please try again. I’ll be there as soon as I can,” I said before disconnecting the call.
“I’m so sorry,” I said to the other agent. “My daughter had an accident, and I have to go.”
“Oh.” She frowned. “I hope she’s okay. Is there any way I could return the keys to you later?”
I shifted from one foot to the other, wanting to wrap this up quickly. “Unfortunately, the buyers left strict instructions. I wish I could, but it’s not possible.”
“Okay. Sure.” She spoke to her clients in hushed voices. As we said goodbye, I tried to smile and be professional, but my mind was elsewhere—with Sophia.
I raced across town, hoping Preston would be there by the time I arrived. But he wasn’t. Instead, I found Sophia sitting on a bench, cradling her arm. There were still fresh tears on her cheeks and an ice pack covering her wrist.
Where the hell was Preston? And why hadn’t he answered any of my calls? As the realization sank in of just how long Sophia had been sitting here alone, in pain and scared, the madder I got.
“Oh, baby. I got here as fast as I could,” I said, helping her into the car. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll go to the hospital and get you all checked out.”
She nodded, but her mouth was set in a grim line. For her to be so quiet, she must be in some serious pain.
“Where’s Preston?” she asked. Not Where’s Daddy? even though he was in town. But Where’s Preston?
It surprised me that she wanted Preston to comfort her. But it also made complete sense. And I wished he were here, not just for her, but for me. I could r
eally use his support.
“I don’t know, baby.” I gripped the steering wheel, trying to stay calm as I sped through a light as it changed from yellow to red. “I’ll try to call him after we get to the hospital.”
Fortunately, the pediatric emergency room wasn’t very busy, and we were taken back to a room relatively quickly. Everyone treated Sophia with great care, and she thought the X-rays were pretty cool. She’d calmed down some since we’d arrived, though her pain didn’t seem to have diminished much.
I was sitting on the bed with her, watching her favorite show on my tablet. I’d had to silence my phone when we’d entered the hospital, and I could feel my anxiety rising with every text that went unanswered. Every email that appeared in my inbox.
Not that I could see them. The hospital was a service dead zone. But I knew they were piling up. I could feel them growing like the anxiety stacking on top of me the longer we had to wait for the doctor to return.
The door opened, and a man in scrubs and glasses walked in. “Hi.” He smiled. “I’m Dr. Carlisle. I’m a pediatric orthopedist, and you must be Sophia.”
She nodded.
“Well, Sophia,” he said. “I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that the bone is broken. But, fortunately, it’s a clean break and won’t require surgery. Just a cast.”
I frowned. “That’s the good news? Sophia’s turning seven tomorrow, and she’s been looking forward to her mermaid pool party for months.”
I was grateful, of course, that she didn’t need to have surgery. But I’d been holding out hope that it wasn’t actually broken.
“Considering the location, a fiberglass cast is an option—”
“Meaning it would be waterproof?” I asked.
“Ooh,” Sophia chimed in. “Cece had one of those last summer. Can I have a pink one with glitter?”
I laughed, some of my earlier tension dissipating. “If it’s an option, yes.” I turned to Dr. Carlisle. “Please tell me it’s an option.”
“Yes, but not all insurance plans cover it. And, even if they do, it’s typically more expensive than traditional plaster casts.”
“Are there any other downsides?” I asked, knowing that Sophia’s long-term health was more important than her mermaid party, even if I’d hate to disappoint her.
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