by Claire Adams
“Looks good to me,” she said.
I handed her a pen, and she signed the bottom of the sheet. Then I signed the second line. “I’ll have a copy for you by the end of the day.”
“So, tell me more about Gina,” she said.
“Regarding her schedule,” I said, handing over another sheet of paper. Layla emailed me the schedule she’d set up for Gina. I enjoyed a scheduled day, but I knew that concept was a little far above a three-year-old. “This is from her previous nanny.”
This was a test for Jess, even though I already liked her.
Jess read over the sheet and then looked up at me, confused. “This is Gina’s schedule?”
“It was.”
“And you want me to stick to this?” she asked. “It seems a little rigid.”
I couldn’t help but smile.
She noticed and smiled back. “Is this a test or something?”
I took the sheet of paper back from her and placed it down on the table. “Layla, our previous nanny, tried to stick to this schedule. I appreciated her methods, but going forward, you‘re to create your own schedule. Now, I don’t need it written down, but I would like a mix of play and learning. She will start preschool part-time next year, and I would like to see her prepared for that.”
“That sounds doable. I have a membership to the local children’s museum and the aquarium. It’s up at the end of the year, but—”
“I will renew them and pay for any other membership she’s interested in.”
“Thank you,” she said. “That’s very generous.”
My phone beeped, and I checked my timer. “I’m sorry to break this early, but I need to head to work.”
Jess stood up from her chair. “Not a problem. Do you have a list of emergency contacts?”
“Just me,” he said. “Let me give you my cell number and my work number. May I?” She offered her cell phone. The picture on the front was of Jess and a young boy. I assumed he was her previous charge. That gave me even more hope that I‘d made the right choice. I typed in my numbers. “If I don‘t answer my cell then you can call Allison. She will find me.”
“There‘s no ex-wife?” Jess asked.
I flinched. “No. Gina’s mother passed during childbirth.”
“I’m so sorry,” Jess said. “I didn’t know.”
I handed her phone back to her. “It’s fine.” This wasn’t what I wanted to discuss at the moment. “I have to go. You’ll have full access to everything in my home, and I have a spare car with a car seat for Gina. All of your keys are on the key rack by the door. It’s the set with a unicorn keychain. That was Gina’s touch.”
“Everything will be okay. Have a good day at work.”
“You too,” I said.
The moment I walked onto my floor at the office, Allison approached me.
“Noah,” she said, a bit frantic.
“Good morning, Allison. What’s going on?”
“Eddie called out of work today. He has the flu.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
“He was supposed to meet with Hill Ridge Hospital today before their annual budget meeting.”
With Gina taken care of, I felt enough at ease to say, “I’ll do it.”
“You?”
“Don’t look so surprised. I started off as a salesman, remember?”
“Sorry, Noah. I know that. I’ll get you Eddie’s notes and call a car for you.”
Less than ten minutes later, I was in a car on the way over to the hospital. Admittedly, I felt excited about stretching my salesman legs again. Having someone drive gave me the opportunity to familiarize myself with the previous dealings with the hospital. Eddie was one of the best on the team, and I wanted to keep his good reputation with the client.
At the hospital, the staff directed me to the bank of offices on the tenth floor. Before stepping off the elevator, I straightened my tie and gave myself a little pep talk before putting on my metaphorical salesman hat.
At the reception desk, I announced myself, and the older woman brought me down the hallway to a large meeting room. The standard sized room looked like every other one I’ve been in, but this one had a beautiful view of the city. Admittedly, I was a little jealous of that.
Several hospital employees sat around the table.
The man at the head of the table came to meet me at the door. I assumed he was Eddie’s contact, Mr. Travis Holmes.
“Eddie Banks, it’s nice to meet you in person,” the heavy-set man said.
“Actually, my name is Noah Stone. Eddie is under the weather today.”
Travis frowned. “That’s unfortunate.”
“But I am the CEO of Stone Medical Supplies.”
“Oh,” he said with a surprised expression.
I smiled. That line always made people take notice. “I don’t want to waste any more of your time. I know annual budget meetings can take a while, so I’ll get started.”
“I like you already,” Travis said and sat down.
I opened my briefcase and pulled out several sheets of paper and placed them on the table.
“Stone Medical may be a smaller operation than what you’re used to, but I guarantee you won’t lose anything in the transition. You will have a dedicated team assigned to your account with twenty-four-hour support. And Eddie has also saved you ten percent by matching the supplies you already purchase with our warehouse.”
Travis appeared pleased by this development.
“And there are also quarterly discounts from each of our vendors that we share explicitly with our clients. We understand that money is important to Hill Ridge. And we will work tirelessly to provide the best service and supplies to your one hundred percent satisfaction. Now, does anyone have any questions?”
After answering questions for twenty minutes, Travis shook my hand and gave me the signed contract for his business.
“Hell of a pitch, son,” he said, even though I was sure he couldn’t be more than ten years my senior. “Quick, efficient, no wonder you come highly recommended.”
“Thank you, and be sure to spread the word to any other hospitals in your acquaintance.”
“I will.”
I was on a high the rest of the day and my mood was better than it had been in a very long time. Whether it was the sale or my life lining up in a way that it hadn’t before, I practically skipped up the front walkway to my door when I got home that night.
When I opened the door, most of the lights were out. I checked the first floor and didn’t see Gina or Jess anywhere.
Though the moment I reached the second-floor landing, I heard Gina giggling from her bedroom. A smile spread across my face from ear to ear.
I knocked on the door.
“Come in,” Gina and Jess called from inside.
I opened the door and came face to face with two different ladies than those I’d left that morning. Gina had one of her princess dresses on while Jess wore Gina’s duvet cover around her neck and it spread out behind her like a wedding gown train.
“Daddy!” Gina said and rushed over to me. She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward her table where she had her tea set. “We’re drinking high tea!”
Jess handed me a cup and saucer. “It’s mint tea.”
I pretended to sip at the empty cup. “Delicious.”
Gina bowed and said, “I made it myself.”
I turned to Jess. “How was your day?”
“It was great. She’s so smart.”
Sometimes Gina was too smart for her own good, but I appreciated Jess’s assessment.
“We had breakfast this morning,” Jess said. “Eggs, toast, and some fruit. Then she showed me around the house. She’s quite the little tour guide. Then we played in the backyard, had lunch, and she took a nap. I wasn’t sure when you were getting home, so I made dinner and fed her. The leftovers for you are in the fridge.”
That impressed me. Layla only cooked enough for her and Gina. Jess was already well worth the pay.
“That’s perfectly fine,” I said. “So, she wasn’t too much for you to handle?”
“No way!” Jess said laughing. “She’s great.”
I checked my watch. It was nearly six-thirty. “Well, I can take over from here. Thanks again for everything.”
“Same time tomorrow?” she asked.
As much as I wanted that extra time with Jess in the morning, I’d already made her work more than twelve hours that day.
“You can come closer to six-thirty if that works better for you. I leave for work around then.”
“All right, Princess Gina,” she said to my daughter. “I’ll see you in the morning, ‘kay?”
Gina hugged Jess and kissed her cheek. “Bye!”
“I can see myself out,” Jess said to me.
I watched her leave the room before I picked up Gina and swung her around in the air. “How about bath time, princess?”
After her bath, I changed her into pajamas, and we cleaned up her room. It was a nice wind-down activity that we did each night before bed whenever I made it home in time to put her down.
Then I tucked her into bed and turned on the glow worm nightlight on her bedside table. The moment her head hit the pillow, her eyelids grew heavy.
“Did you have fun today with Jess?” I asked.
“Yeah,” she said through a yawn. “She’s fun.”
“I’m glad you like her.”
“I do like her. I’m happy, Daddy.” She yawned again. “She says things a little funny though.”
“Maybe you could learn some of her phrases and have your own unique language.”
“That sounds cool,” she said.
“Do you want me to read to you?” I asked.
“Goodnight Moon, please.”
I grabbed her favorite board book from the side table and opened it. Even though she was fast asleep after the first time I read it, I read it again, slower this time to bask in the moment with her. I’d never get back each day with her so I tried to soak it up when I could.
Chapter Eight
Jess
The rest of the week went by in a flash, and by the time I knew it, Friday had come around. I wasn’t sure if Noah wanted me to work the weekend, but I wouldn’t have minded either way. Gina’s energy brightened each day. And even though I had been exhausted every night this week, I didn’t mind. It was the best three nights of sleep I’d had for a long time.
“All right, do you want a cut lunch today?” I asked.
Gina wrinkled her nose. “Cut lunch?”
I smirked. “It’s Aussie slang for sandwiches.”
“Oh!” she said. “Grilled cheese, please.”
“With tomato?”
“And bacon!”
This girl loved her bacon. She tried to get it at least once a day from me. It wasn’t my place to give her nutrition advice, but I tried to steer her in a healthy direction as much as I could.
“One piece,” I said, grinning.
“Okay,” she conceded.
“What time is Daddy coming home?” Gina asked.
“I’m not sure,” I said, plucking two slices of bread from the paper bag on the table. We’d bought the homemade loaf earlier that day from a local bakery. I loved their bread, and I was sure to get the Stone family hooked as well. “Why do you ask?”
“I like when he tucks me in,” she said.
I wasn’t sure if it was crossing a line, but Gina had opened the door. I wanted to know more about their lives before me. The other day, Noah had seemed a little remorseful of the previous nanny assignment, and Gina had told me the woman was older and couldn’t keep up with her. “Did he not tuck you in before?”
She shook her head. “I only saw Daddy sometimes. He went to work early and got home after I fell asleep. Sometimes I would wake up when he said goodnight. But not every night.”
Noah coming home around six each night this week either meant that he was checking in with me or he’d realized how hard he worked and made an effort to spend time with his daughter. I hoped it was the latter. By no means was I offended if he did want to check on me. Gina was his daughter, after all. And he’d just met me this week. I understood that protective nature. But I hated that she felt so sad about it.
“I want him to be around more,” Gina said.
“I understand that,” I said. “My mom is all the way in Australia. I don’t get to see her very often, though I wished I did.” That was partly true. I loved my mom, but there were still issues in our lives. A weekly phone call was all I could take for the moment. Gina didn’t need to know that, though.
“I don’t remember my mom,” Gina said. “So, I think it’s okay for Daddy to meet a new mom.”
That was a touchy subject to discuss with her. Kids this age were like sponges, and I’d hate for Gina to repeat anything to Noah that I said about the topic, so I avoided it for the time being.
While making our lunch, I thought about how Gina’s life was going to turn out without a mother. As much as me and my mom had issues, I wouldn’t be the woman I was without her. Gina would have to rely on her nannies to give her advice for growing up. But what happened when she no longer needed a nanny? The thought made my heart hurt. I wondered if Noah ever made time to date. Though with his schedule, I doubted it. If he barely had time to see Gina, I bet he never made time to look for a girlfriend, let alone a wife.
I was sure he was still affected by his wife’s death, but it had been three years. It was time to move on. And Gina needed a mother. I knew he would be less stressed out if he had a consistent woman in their lives.
Gina cared so much for Noah. I hoped he would do this little thing for her so she could grow up with two loving parents.
Around five, Gina and I were playing outside in her huge backyard on the massive wooden playset when I heard a car come up the driveway. I brought her over with me to peer through the fence to see Noah coming up the walkway.
I had to check my phone again to make sure I had the right time.
“Your dad is home,” I said.
Gina bolted to the sliding doors, and I sprinted to keep up. They opened as she approached and she flung herself into Noah’s arms.
“Hey, honey,” he said, lifting her into the air.
Her little face scrunched up as she hugged him tight against her.
“Hey, Jess,” he said.
“Hi. How was your day?” I asked.
He placed Gina on the ground, and she took off toward the swings again. We both walked over.
“Busy as usual. How was Gina?”
“She was great,” I said. “I took the car out to this local bakery that I love, and we picked up some bread. Then we did a few errands. That car drives nice.”
He nodded. “It has the best safety rating.”
During Gina’s nap, I had checked the MSRP on the car, out of curiosity. The car was worth over eighty grand. Even though his house was massive and I knew he made a ton of money, the sticker value still shocked me. I could do a lot with that kind of money.
He stood behind Gina on the swing and started to push her.
“Higher!” she cried, giggling as he obeyed her request.
I stood next to him, watching them interact. If someone were to take a picture of this moment, no one would guess that Noah was a single father who barely had time for a home life. They loved each other so much. The thought brought heat to my eyes.
“She loves to swing,” I said.
“She certainly does,” he said. “When she was younger, the only way I could get her to stop crying was in one of those mechanical swings. And then she’d sit there all day, looking around and smiling.”
“That’s a beautiful memory,” I said.
He nodded.
I didn’t want to inter
rupt any of their bonding time, so I said, “I’ll make you two a quick dinner before I go if you want? I can whip up some pasta. It pairs with that bread—”
“On Fridays, we order pizza,” he said.
“With cannoodles!” Gina said.
Noah chuckled. “With cannolis.”
“Oh, okay,” I said. “I guess I’ll see—”
“You’re welcome to stay,” he interrupted.
“Please stay!” Gina begged.
I didn’t have any plans. I rarely made plans the nights I worked in case parents came home late. But none ever asked me to stay for dinner. “I would love to. As long as I’m not intruding.”
“Not at all,” he said. “It should be here around five-thirty. I ordered on the way home.”
The pizza and dessert arrived right on time. Noah insisted we use paper plates since they were easier to clean up. Even though he was rarely home, he knew his way around a kitchen. It was almost cute.
We all sat at the kitchen table together.
“So, tell me more about yourself,” Noah said. “This hiring process moved along a lot quicker than I expected and I didn’t get to ask many personal questions.”
“I’m an open book. What do you want to know?” I said.
“When did you move to the States?”
“About four years ago,” I said. “After graduating college, I moved out here on a whim, and I haven’t looked back.
“I bet your family misses you,” he said.
“I only have my mom out there,” I said, and I hoped he didn’t delve deeper into the subject. History with my family wasn’t something I shared with anyone, especially my employer.
“We don’t have much family around either,” Noah said and then ruffled Gina’s hair. She swatted at his hand. “My wife had been an only child, and her parents had passed away before we were married. I have a brother who lives in Texas with his family, but we don’t see each other much.”
“On the phone we do!” Gina said.
Noah smiled. “We do video chat on occasion with her cousins.”