Then There Was You: A Single Parent Collection

by Gianna Gabriela

  The sound of Erin laughing tore Gigi’s eyes off of Max’s ass. A blush crept up her cheeks. Max returned then, touching his daughter’s cheek lightly before sitting back down.

  “I ordered you a coffee,” he said.

  “Thank you.” Her reply was more like a squeak.

  “So, have you made a decision yet?” he asked, placing both elbows on the table and pinning her in place with his stare.

  “You’ve hardly given me a lot of time to think about it.”

  He leaned back in his chair, his eyes unwavering. He finally gave her a tight nod. “Of course. I’m just anxious to get the position filled.”

  “How many nannies have you already interviewed?”

  “You’re the first.”

  He hadn’t interviewed anyone else? “I’m not even a qualified nanny,” she muttered under her breath.

  “What was that?”

  She peered at him. “How long have you been looking for someone?”

  His nostrils flared for a moment, and she realized he didn’t like being questioned. “Less than forty-eight hours.”

  She sat forward in her chair. “Max, I think you need to find someone else. There are hundreds of nannies in New York. I can guarantee you’ll find someone you like; you’ll find someone qualified for the job.”

  “I don’t want someone else, Gigi. I want you.”

  For a second, she couldn’t breathe… But then her brain wheezed and she got back with the program. He wanted her as a nanny. “Max, I’m focused on my studies at the moment.”

  “You have classes during the day, right?” She nodded. “Well, I work at night, so you’ll still be able to look after Erin and it won’t impact on your education.”

  “All right,” she conceded. But there was still the matter of living arrangements. “But I’d rather not live with you and Erin.”

  His lips pressed together into a hard line. “Would you reconsider if I made my case?”

  She shrugged. “Sure.”

  “Okay. Here’s the reason why I’d like you to live in. Last night was a prime example. I could get called away at any time, day or night, weekend or weekday. If that happens, I need to make sure I can leave straight away if need be. If you live in, I will be able to get to the club as soon as I can. If I call you and have to wait for you to come around, the emergency I’m required to attend to will be out of control by the time I get there.”

  “Fair point,” she said.

  “Right, so it’s settled then,” he said.

  “No, it’s—”

  “One coffee and one tea,” the waitress announced, arriving at their table. Gigi looked at the woman and accepted her drink. “Your meals will be out soon.”

  “Thank you,” Max replied, ripping open a sugar stick and adding it to his tea. As he stirred, he looked at Gigi. “You were saying?”

  “Yes, I was saying it’s not settled. I still don’t want to live in.”

  “Why not?” he shot back.

  “Because…because…” she floundered. Dammit, why couldn’t she think of something? He took a sip from his cup, a smirk on his lips. She glared at him. “We can talk about this later.”

  He shrugged. “Fine. What else do you want to discuss?”

  She was too flustered by Max to think of anything else. “I think that about covers what I need to know,” she said stiffly.

  He raised a brow. “Are you telling me that that’s all the information you need from me?”

  Unsure for a moment, she nodded slowly.

  “You don’t want to know how much I’ll pay you?”

  The mention of money gave Gigi pause. Cash was the centre of every college student’s universe.

  “Actually, let’s make this a bit more interesting.”

  She blinked at him. “Excuse me?”

  Resting his arms on the table, he leaned in. “Give me a number. How much would I have to pay you in order to have you live in and look after Erin?”

  She studied his face. He was being completely serious. But she would see just how serious he was. With a smug smile, she crossed her arms over her chest. “Two thousand a week.”

  Max’s expression didn’t change. “That’s around fifty dollars an hour based on a forty hour week.”

  Gigi picked up her coffee cup and took a sip. “You told me to give you a figure.” It was outlandish and there was no way in hell he would accept it.

  “Done,” he replied, reaching out his hand to shake hers. She was dumbstruck.

  “E-excuse me?” she spluttered.

  “I said, I agree. Two thousand a week. But this is for being available to me seven days a week, day or night. If there’s any time where I don’t have to work, you are free to do what you want. However, any time that I am at work, I expect you to be looking after Erin.”

  Gigi jerked her chin up in defiance. “I haven’t agreed to this yet.”

  He smirked at her, his expression telling her that she soon would. She thought he was just arrogant enough to believe that.

  “I’ll need to go home and think about this before I give you an answer.” She took another sip of her coffee. “I suggest you start interviewing other nannies in the meantime, just in case it doesn’t work out like you’ve planned,” she added as an afterthought.

  9

  Max watched Gigi walk away from him, his head warring with his body. The brazen way she’d made demands both enraged him and turned him on.

  “No,” he snarled, his hands curling around the handles of Erin’s stroller. He wouldn’t get drawn in by her. Whether she was aware of it or not, the woman was playing a dangerous game with him. He had given Chelsea everything she had ever wanted, and that bitch had walked away with his balls in her hand. Now that he had them back, he wasn’t about to let another woman do exactly the same thing.

  When she’d questioned him about hiring someone else, the very male, very primal side of his brain had thrown up a big hell no. He realized she wasn’t a qualified nanny. He knew she was too studious to want to take on a job—especially one so intense—but he’d seen her eyes when he’d offered her two hundred to stay with Erin the night before. It was only a shadow across her face, but it was there: need.

  He’d told her that he didn’t want anyone else, and he hadn’t been lying. He did want her as a nanny, but there was also this small voice that said he wanted her in his life in another way too, and that’s what made no sense. Whatever the reason, he was determined to have Gigi as Erin’s nanny, and he always got what he wanted.

  When he got back to his apartment he fed and changed Erin before putting her down for a sleep. When there was no more noise coming from her room, he strode into the spare room that Gigi would be using. There was already a twin bed set up against one wall, along with a bedside table. On the opposite wall was a tallboy. It was spartan, but it would be fine. Next, he went into the bathroom and cleared a drawer for her in the vanity.

  He poked his head into Erin’s room to see she was still sleeping before retreating to the kitchen to make himself a snack while he watched the football. During half-time , his phone started to ring. It was his mom.

  “Hi, Mom. I’m sorry I didn’t call earlier.”

  “Don’t be silly, Max. You’ve had a lot going on.”

  He relaxed back into the cushion. “How’s Dad?”

  There was squeal like a door had been pushed open. “He’s doing okay,” she replied. “Luckily he had the presence of mind to call the paramedics as soon as he felt the tightness in his chest.”

  “Yeah, that was lucky,” he replied, running a hand over his hair. “When do the doctors think he’ll be able to go home?”

  “They said in a few days.”

  “And how are you, Mom?”

  She sighed heavily. “I’m all right. I’ve been spending my days with your dad, and then I get a bit of rest when I go back to his house in the evening.”

  Max couldn’t help but be a little envious of the strength of their relationship, despite them
being divorced. He’d asked his mom about it once. She’d said that she and his father were best friends—they just shouldn’t have gotten married. It had taken them twenty-five years to figure it out.

  “How’s my darling Erin?” she asked. “Has she settled in?”

  “As much as a seven-month-old can,” he replied with a small smile. “She’s good. I don’t think she’s even realized we’re living in a different city.”

  “I’m sorry I left you high and dry with her. Have you adjusted okay?”

  His mind went back to Gigi’s face. She looked like an angel, but he had a feeling if he pushed her too hard, she could grow horns and a tail. “I’ve managed to find a nanny,” he heard himself say. It wasn’t exactly true. He’d managed to potentially get himself a nanny—depending on the whims of said nanny.

  “So soon? How did you manage that?”

  “Pure luck, really. One of the new waitresses had a roommate who was looking for work.”

  “Well, don’t hold out on me, Max. Tell me about this person,” she urged.

  “Her name is Gianna—Gigi—and she’s a college student. She’s too focused on her studies to go out and party, so she really is the perfect person for the job.”

  “Is she pretty?”

  His mom’s question left him speechless. Pretty didn’t seem like a descriptive enough word. Gorgeous. Beautiful. Stunning. All of these words seemed much more fitting. But the word naïve also seemed to fit Gigi—innocent, guileless, and very, very unaware of what she was…of what she could be. She was the opposite of Chelsea in every way.

  “Max?”

  “I don’t see what that has to do with anything.” He tried to keep the growl from his voice.

  She chuckled. “I’ll take that as a yes. What hours will she be working?”

  He frowned at his mother’s words. “We haven’t worked out the particulars yet.”

  “When does she start?”

  “As soon as I can convince her to,” he replied. “Look, Mom, I hate to cut you short…”

  “No, you’re right. I should get back to your father. I’ll call you in a few days with an update.”

  “All right. Thanks, Mom. I love you.”

  “Love you, too, Max. Give Erin a big kiss and hug from me.”

  “I will.”

  Max hung up the phone and finished the sandwich. His plan to have Gigi as his nanny was taking a little longer than he’d anticipated. He didn’t want to push her to make a decision too quickly, especially since their talk over breakfast had been somewhat progressive. But without someone available to look after Erin that night, it looked like his daughter was going to a night club opening. That would be something to tell her on her twenty-first birthday.

  10

  Gigi returned to the apartment to the sound of retching coming from the bathroom. Silently placing her messenger bag on the floor by the front door, Gigi approach the bathroom.

  “Jen?” There was a pained groan followed by more violent sounds. “Jen, are you all right?” Gigi asked, placing her hand on the door handle only to find it locked. “Jen?”

  “Kill me,” Jen moaned. The toilet flushed.

  She sank to her knees, her hand still resting against the door. “What’s wrong?”

  The lock disengaged and Gigi immediately opened the door. The overwhelming smell of vomit hit her nostrils, causing her to seal her lips up tight. Jen was slumped against the toilet, her cheek pressed to the closed lid. She was pale and shaky. Gigi swept her damp blonde hair away from her forehead and felt her temperature.

  “You’re burning up, Jen.”

  “Kill me,” she repeated, her eyes still tightly closed.

  “How long have you been vomiting for?”

  Jen waved a hand in the air. “Don’t know. Hours? Days? Argh, it feels like days.”

  She pursed her lips. Jen had been fine when she’d left no more than an hour or two before. “When do you start work?”

  “At four,” Jen managed to whisper, her eyes squeezing shut more tightly.

  Gigi looked at her watch. It was only midday. There was still time for her to rest and recover. “Come on. I’ll help you get into bed.” She helped her roommate get onto her feet. Together they shuffled towards Jen’s room where Gigi tucked her into bed and went to fetch some water and a bottle of Gatorade. She placed them on the bedside table. “Get some sleep. I’ll check in on you, and if you can, try to drink this,” she said, gesturing to the two bottles on her bedside.

  “You’re the best, Gigi,” Jen murmured before falling to sleep.

  She went back to the bathroom and opened the cupboard under the sink. She found some bleach, a pair of gloves and a rag and got to work cleaning the bathroom. She checked in on Jen then went into her room to study.

  When she resurfaced at three-thirty, Jen was still asleep and her temperature was still high. Gently, she woke her up. “Jen, you have to go to work in half an hour.”

  “Kill me,” Jen said, and Gigi rolled her eyes. She could at least come up with something more original.

  “I’m not going to kill you. I am, however, going to call Max to let him know you won’t be coming in.”

  Jen replied by making a gagging noise and bolting to the bathroom. Gigi sighed and retreated to her room to find her phone. She pulled up Max’s contact details and made the call. His rich voice on the other end was just his voicemail. She left a message then hung up. Making her way to the bathroom, she found Jen passed out on the bathroom floor.

  When she tried to move her, Jen weakly fought her off. “Leave me here. It’s cold and I don’t have to run as far.”

  “I’m going to try Max again. Hang tight.”

  Three more voicemails later, and another dozen hang-ups, Gigi gave up. Max obviously couldn’t hear his phone. She had to phone the club directly. A quick search on the Internet couldn’t help her. Because the club was so new, no number had been added to the business details, which left her with only one choice.

  She put her shoes back on, grabbed her bag and headed for the door.

  11

  Max felt his pockets for his phone, and found they were empty. He must have left the goddamn thing in his office. It was nearly five o’clock and almost all of the staff rostered on for the opening were there…almost all of them. Jen Jacobs was missing, and he was just about ready to fire her ass if she didn’t turn up in the next five minutes with a valid excuse.

  Five minutes went by without so much as her blonde hair in sight.

  Everyone else had managed to make it there, and they were all working their asses off just as he expected. He knew Jen was going to be the fucking thorn in his side. This stunt was just another mark against her name.

  He scanned the bar, finding all of the waitresses carefully avoiding his gaze. He had them polishing the glassware again, and the bartenders were taking inventory…again. The club officially opened at six, and nervous, excited energy was filling the room. Max strode towards Jeremy, who was stocking one of the last empty fridges.

  “How are we doing? Are we all set?” he asked.

  The guy looked up from his work, sliding the pencil he’d been marking the inventory off with behind his ear. “We’re good. We got an extra box of Bombay from the supplier. I’ve stuck it in storage, but other than that, we’re square and right on track.”

  Max nodded, glad to hear something was going right. “Are all your guys here?”

  “Yeah, they all arrived on time. Yours?”

  Max ground his teeth. “Jacobs is missing.”

  “Jen?” Jeremy asked, looking surprised. “I ran into her at the gym this morning. She said she was looking forward to coming in today.”

  Max’s brow arched. “You saw her at the gym? Forgive me, but she doesn’t look like the kind of girl who would hit the gym very often.”

  Jeremy smiled. “She’s not. She came to check me out.”

  Somehow, that did not surprise him. “Have you heard from her? I mean, I assume you’ve already giv
en her your number.”

  “You know me too well,” he replied. He slid his phone from his pocket and looked at the screen.

  “Nothing yet.”

  “She’s got one more fucking minute to show up. If she doesn’t, she’s fired and I’m calling in one of the other girls.”

  Jeremy shrugged. “This is your show, boss.”

  Max stalked away, heading to the front door to look outside. Just as he stepped out into the late afternoon heat, his eyes zeroed in on a very familiar figure.

  “Gigi?” he asked, watching her come to an abrupt stop. Her eyes started at his face then slowly made their way down his body. He was wearing a fitted black button down with a black tie and a pair of black slacks. Her eyes lingered on his hips and he couldn’t help but smirk. “Gianna?” he asked again, his voice stern.

  Her eyes darted up and a blush fanned across her lovely cheeks. “Sorry. Yes. Hi,” she replied.

  “What are you doing here?” He ushered her into the club. It took his eyes a few moments to readjust from the bright sunlight his retinas had been bathing in not two seconds ago. Gigi was looking around, taking in the décor.

  “This is nice,” she said absently.

  “Gigi, what are you doing here?” he repeated.

  “Oh. I tried calling you, and I left a bunch of messages.”

  “I left my phone in the office. I was about to go and get it. Why were you calling?”

  “It’s about Jen. She’s really sick. I came home after meeting you and she was vomiting violently. She managed to sleep for a while, but she started vomiting again as soon as she woke up. Suffice it to say, she won’t be able to make it in tonight. I know she was looking forward to it.”

  “Thanks for coming down to tell me.”

  She smiled at him, and Max’s icy exterior melted just a little. “Did you find a sitter?”