“Nope. I assured him you would be there.”
“What if I’d said no?”
“You’ve forgotten who knows you best.”
Again. She was right.
By the time I left the café shortly after, something inside me felt lighter. The feeling wasn’t fleeting or riddled with uncertainty. It was just…promise. As I climbed the steps to the “L,” I sent out all the positive vibes I had that this went well.
At seven o’clock on the dot, I stood outside the exquisite brownstone where Aaron Matthews and his daughter lived. A black wrought iron fence surrounded the brick house, while circle-topped windows decorated the front. I looked at the roof, adorned with hanging vines bare from the winter, but no doubt gorgeous in the summer. The vines intertwined through tall, thin pillars that ran the length of the roof.
I rang the doorbell and waited while I continued to admire the outside of his home. To the right of the door, I noticed a small Disney princess figure. I bent down to pick it up as I heard the door open.
“Hello there. Calliope?” a deep voice said.
“Hi.” I lifted my face to look at him.
Then I almost fell over.
Oh. Hell. No.
Nope. Can’t work for this guy.
My eyes scanning over him created a multi-visual experience, every bit of his presence capturing me all at once.
He was tall, very tall, with an athletic build and dark hair that curled slightly at the edges. He smiled, a smile that accentuated his perfectly straight teeth and full lips. When my eyes reached his, the real trouble started. They were blue, the color of the light, aqua edges of forget-me-not flowers, and piercing against his dark hair and features.
Forget-me-not. It was unlikely to happen.
“Are you all right? You look a little pale,” he said, concerned. He moved from the doorway, stepping closer to me. “Do you feel faint?”
I took a deep breath and stood up. “Mr. Matthews, yes, I’m Calliope. Or Callie. Whatever. I’m so sorry. I’m just getting over a little cold and not quite myself yet.”
Nice save.
He extended his hand to shake mine, gripping it tightly. “Nice to meet you, Calliope. And please, call me Aaron. Thank you for coming on such short notice, especially now that I know you haven’t been well. Are you sure you’re up for the interview?” he asked.
“Oh yes, of course. Ah. Here,” I said, shoving the Disney princess at him.
He smiled and nodded, taking it from me. “Everywhere. They’re absolutely everywhere. Thank you. Well, why don’t we go in so we can talk?”
I followed him inside, desperately trying not to stare at his ass along the way and failing miserably. I reminded myself there was nothing wrong with a basic human reaction. We were animals by nature, and admiring another animal you found attractive was normal. Although…from where I stood, there wasn’t much normal about the way he looked.
I unbuttoned my coat and looked around the exquisite home. Marble flooring lined the hallway and extended throughout as far as I could see. I trailed behind him down the large foyer, which connected to a narrow hall leading to the rest of the home. To my right was a formal dining room with a long glass-topped table and several high-back chairs.
If offered the job, it would’ve been far and away the most beautiful home I’d ever lived in. My meager background didn’t lend itself to such expensive surroundings. It almost made me uncomfortable.
“Please sit down,” he said, motioning to the table and chairs. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“No, thank you,” I said, hanging my coat on the back of the chair. I looked across the table and saw a copy of my résumé and references that Evelyn had emailed earlier. I noticed a few notes in the margin.
“So, Calliope, why don’t you tell me a little about yourself?”
“Well,” I said, taking in a deep breath. “I’m a third-year elementary education major. I’ve been going part-time so I could balance work along with it, but I hope to graduate next spring, so I’ve taken on more classes this semester. I work nights at a downtown club, but that’s been temporary. My goal has always been to work with children.”
“Which one?”
“Which children?” I asked, confused.
“No,” he said, laughing, his bright smile lifting the corner of his mouth into a handsome grin. “Which club?”
“Oh. Right. Duh. Um, Venom? It’s near Rush—”
“And Division. Yes, I know it well.”
“You do?”
“Don’t act so surprised. I’m not that much of an old man at thirty-one.”
“No,” I said quickly. “Of course not. I didn’t mean to insinuate.”
He held up his hand, continuing to smile. “You were right to assume it isn’t my type of crowd, but I used to be part owner of it. I sold off my piece some time ago, but it’s good to know it still has some wonderful employees there.”
He paused, his eyes running across my face, as his smile faded. There wasn’t a sound surrounding us, but the energy in the room more than made up for the silence. The quiet sound of something brewing. Shivers rushed across my body.
“Have you always lived in Chicago?” he asked.
“No, but I never want to live anywhere else. I love it here.”
“Agreed. Best city in the world.”
He paused, glancing down at my résumé. “Your résumé is very thorough,” he said, running his finger down the margin where his notes were. “I really asked for the interview to see if we’d be a good fit, or if rather, you’d be a good fit for us.”
I nodded, waiting for him to continue.
Or maybe I was fixated on the fact that the way he said fit, a normal, everyday word, sounded so sexy.
Or maybe I realized my ogling was going to get me fired before I was hired.
“Why don’t I tell you a little bit about us now?” He ran his hand through his hair and smiled. “I’m sure Evelyn has explained my situation. My mom’s having surgery this summer, and I’ll need someone full-time to help with my daughter.”
As the word daughter left his mouth, his entire face lit up.
“What’s her name?”
“Delilah and she’s four. She’s very smart and very high-energy. I love the idea of having someone with an education background. I’d love for her to go to the museums, take classes, and things like that.”
“Absolutely.”
“And I’m sure as is the case with many four-year-olds, she’s very stubborn and isn’t afraid to let her opinion be known.”
“It’s very common. Testing boundaries and all that.”
“Well, she can definitely win top prize in the most dramatic tantrum competition. But she’s sweet, and while I’m sure I’m biased, I think she’s the most beautiful little girl, inside and out.”
“Is she here? Can I meet her?”
“I thought it best that I meet with any candidate when she was not here. She’s actually spending the night at my parents’ tonight.”
“Well, she sounds like a remarkable little girl.”
“I think so,” he said with a nod. “I understand you’ll need some flexibility with your hours?”
“Yes. Three mornings a week I have class, but that’s only for the next six weeks until summer. Obviously I’ll be completely available then during the summer.”
“It wouldn’t be a problem. Even though my mom has been watching her while I worked from home, Delilah has been used to having me here. I wanted to ease her into someone new for the first few weeks. She’s really only been looked after by family, so as you can imagine, she has one overprotective daddy.”
The way he said “Daddy” was so endearing I melted a little.
“Totally understandable,” I said.
“So, in the fall, you’ll be in your final year?”
“Yes.”
“That’s wonderful.” My eyes glanced over the white collared shirt he was wearing and to the small patch of chest hair that peek
ed through.
He slipped a piece of paper out from under my résumé and pushed it across to me. “Would this be acceptable to you?”
I looked at the paper and the number on it referring to the weekly salary he was offering. It was more than I’d made in a week at any job ever. My eyes looked it over again and again, as he tapped his pen on the table. This was in addition to the free room and board. My mind was blown.
“Very,” I responded as calmly as possible. “Thank you.”
“Of course that includes room and board, meals and such. I’d like to check out your references and verify the background check before we go any further. However, I do promise to call you by Monday with my decision regardless of what I decide.”
“Great. Thank you.”
We stood and I grabbed my coat from the back of the chair. He walked me to the front door, and as he opened it for me with one hand, his other hand brushed against my back. His touch, as light as it was, sent a shiver through my body. “Thank you again for coming on such a short notice.”
“My pleasure.”
I stepped outside and walked down the stairs as I buttoned my coat. I stopped at the bottom and turned. He still stood in the doorway, watching me. I smiled and waved.
He returned the smile, and even in the chilly temperature, my body grew warm all over. If offered this job, it might be the best employment opportunity ever or a mistake of epic proportions.
I went to work that night and the following, thinking of not much else besides Aaron. I worried that if I did move in, my infatuation would only increase and cause me to screw up one of the best jobs I might ever have. I mean, a child was involved with this. Plus, one bad reference from a prominent Chicago figure could jeopardize my future teaching career.
I spent Sunday mulling things over and decided to relax until I heard from him. He may not even offer me the position, and in that case, all of this was for nothing. From working and worrying all weekend, I was exhausted. After a long shower, I put on my most comfortable pajamas and climbed into bed.
Sleep came fast and hard, and I didn’t wake until my phone buzzed on my nightstand the following morning with an incoming call. Groggy, I tried to identify the number on the caller ID, but it was no use.
“Hello,” I said, my throat full of morning phlegm.
“Hi, Calliope? It’s Aaron Matthews.”
I shot up, clearing my throat. “Oh, hi. How are you?”
“Good. I’m sorry if I woke you, but I wanted to catch you before you went to class.”
“Oh no,” I lied. “I’ve been awake for ages.”
“Well, the reason I am calling is that I would like to offer you the nanny position. Pending the rest of your references coming through as glowing as the others, of course. Plus, I’d like you to meet Delilah beforehand as well.”
“Really?” I said, excited. “That’s—”
Fantastic?
Yes. I wanted to say it was fantastic. It was, but it was something else, too. The emotions I had when we met, the way my body responded, was not only out of character, but frightening. With my focus being solely on school and work for so long, I didn’t have time to date, let alone even be completely attracted to someone. What would happen when we were living together day in and day out? That was a recipe for a very volatile situation.
“What do you think, Calliope? Will you be our nanny?” he asked eagerly.
I had a choice. Either I could turn down the job, fearing my initial emotions would filter into my daily life. Or I could stop worrying about what might happen, take hold of this amazing opportunity, and know I could handle anything that came my way.
I mean, was there really a choice?
“Yes, of course, Aaron. I’m thrilled to be your nanny.”
Acknowledgments
I can say wholeheartedly I don’t know where I’d be without my superstar agent and friend, Kimberly Brower. You push me, encourage me, and reassure me, all while juggling all your other commitments without missing a beat (or stopping to sleep. Ever). Thank you times a million for all you do even when I’m shouting, “I’m freaking out!” at you.
My amazing editor, Megha Parekh, at Forever Romance is an editor that authors dream of having. Thank you for your guidance and for helping me make this book, these characters, more than I envisioned. Also, Lexi Smail and the entire team at Forever Romance for their continued support and enthusiasm.
Amy E. Reichert and Sarah Cannon. You two are a piece of my heart. You inspire me creatively and always know when I need you. You both are unicorns.
To Benjamin and Zac at the Violet Hour for being so gracious with their time and expertise and for letting me sip on the best Manhattans in Chicago while I eavesdropped at the bar.
The keeper of my secrets, Karin, and the person who had a front-row seat to watch (and aid) in my evolution. You helped bring me here, and I don’t even think you realize it. This book, my entire life, changed because of you. Thank you.
Sometimes there is nothing in the world better than watching Friends and eating cereal in bed with your best friend. Muffin, I miss you every day. Thank you for living in a place that has inspired me and for you having the soul to comfort me.
My MR Girls: You are the strongest and most courageous group of women I’ve ever known. You, my dear friends, have seen me through over a decade of the highest highs and lowest lows. Thank you for never leaving me lonely and representing true friendship.
My mom and dad, three big brothers, and my entire extended big Italian family for being the most enthusiastic cheerleaders a girl could ever ask for. Not a day goes by that I’m not beyond grateful to be surrounded by such love and support.
And to the two boys in my life, L and J. You both mean more to me than you’ll ever know. Our love surpasses labels and the word “family” doesn’t even begin to touch the devotion that encircles us. Thank you, the both of you, for being you.
About the Author
Melissa Marino is a full-time writer and part-time Stormtrooper collector. When she’s not writing, you can find her watching Friends reruns, mastering her cupcake frosting swirl, and hunting for the perfect red lipstick. Melissa lives in Chicago with her husband, son, and very opinionated dachshund.
Learn more at:
Melissa-Marino.com
Facebook.com/MelissaMarinoBooks
Twitter, @MelissaWrites2
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