“Will you be attending?” Kendra asked, still feigning casualness.
“I haven’t decided yet. Probably. What about you?” Tyler asked absently as he washed the plates at the sink. He wondered if he could get Bianca to go with him. Probably not, he thought, discarding the idea as soon as it popped up.
“Yes. I…I have to, which brings me to the question, have you checked into the latest batch of nannies who applied?” Kendra asked. Once she was auctioned off, she would no longer have free time to look after Sophie.
“No, I haven’t had the time. I’ll look in to it tonight though and I’ll probably have Beth schedule the interviews here.” Tyler said. He was well aware he was taking too much of Kendra’s time and quite frankly he wouldn’t want to impose further. Only if he could find a qualified nanny would he be comfortable enough to leave Sophie behind.
“Listen Ken, the past week had been crazy. I never really got the chance to thank you for all that you’ve done for me and Sophie. You have been wonderful and I am forever grateful.” Tyler said, his voice rough with emotions.
“No sweat, Ty. Tim and Melissa were like family to me.” Kendra smiled sadly, as she remembered two of her dearest friends.
“I know. I miss them so much. I still haven’t fully come to terms with their deaths, you know.” Tyler raked his fingers through his hair pensively.
“Oh Tyler. You have been wonderful with Sophie. I’m sure Melissa and Tim would be so proud of you.” Kendra reached out to rub his upper arm. She felt his muscles ripple in response.
“Thanks, Ken. I never knew a little girl could so easily turn my life upside down. It’s unnerving.” Tyler said with a chuckle.
“Wait a few more years, she will be a handful,” Kendra warned good-naturedly.
“Well, you don’t have to sound so cheerful about it,” Tyler said, trying to sound cross.
Chapter Five
The night of the event finally arrived. For the first time in its history, the wealthiest families of Montana flocked in the small town of Silver Bow County to attend the event. By 6:45 in the evening, guests slowly trickled in. Dr. Ackley shed her white doctor’s coat and played the part of a gracious host with such ease that it could only have come from years of experience.
Everyone was dressed to the nines. Even the hospital staff members who were in attendance donned their finest suits and gowns. Kendra decided to simply rent a gown for the event. She was wearing a haltered black sequined dress with a low back, which revealed milky white skin and a beguiling feminine curve. Her hair was pulled back in a loose chignon and her only accessories were a pair of pearl earrings and a diamond bracelet.
She arrived fashionably late, and drew admiring glances as she made her way across the crowded room. The people from the hospital openly gawked and told her she looked like she just stepped off of the cover of a magazine, which of course she lightly brushed off. She still had no clue if Tyler would be attending the event.
Today had been quite hectic for her. She rushed through a number of errands, picked up her gown and went to the salon for her hair and makeup. The hairdresser had cajoled her into agreeing to get some highlights to bring out her auburn hair. Despite her apprehensions, he also convinced her to get an edgier haircut, which would perfectly show off her neck and jaw line. When she saw the result, she could not help but gape at her transformation. She hadn’t looked this good in a long time, which made her wish she could have spared some money on some serious pampering.
The guests were treated to a sumptuous dinner followed by some local entertainment. The mayor, as she had promised, provided her full support and delivered the welcoming speech.
The lights slowly dimmed signaling the participants that the auction as about to begin. She was informed by Beth, Dr. Ackley’s secretary that she would be the first one to be auctioned off. Great, she thought. While Dr. Ackley delivered her speech, she anxiously scanned the crowd in search of some familiar faces. Tyler was nowhere in sight. She swallowed her disappointment. It’s not really as if he were the type to grace these kinds of events. Besides, he was probably busy playing nanny to little Sophie. The picture it conjured made her eyes crinkling with laughter. She never thought she would live to see the day a female would have Silver Bow’s infamous scoundrel wrapped around her pudgy little finger. Sophie had managed to do just that and then some—a feat no other woman could ever proudly claim on their own.
She was chuckling softly at the thought when her name was finally called by auctioneer Alain Peters finally could her name. Her nervousness returned full force.
“Ladies and gentlemen, first one on our auction block is the lovely Nurse Kendra Simmons.” Alain announced with flourish. “We call on Miss Simmons to join me here on stage.”
With heart beating loudly, Kendra summoned a smile, showing off her perfect set of white teeth. At her appearance, she heard a resounding applause, which somehow made her feel more at ease.
“My, my—I have to say, you look very lovely tonight, Kendra.” Alain said charmingly, his eyes glowing with appreciation.
“Good evening, everyone.” Kendra said as she accepted the microphone proffered to her. “And thank you Alain, you look fetching in your tux.” Her voice sounded cool and confident. Unlike other women who seek attention, Kendra had always preferred to blend in rather than stand out so it was quite a surprise to her that despite the initial trepidation, she felt at ease in front of such elite crowd.
“Folks, Kendra Simmons has been with Willow Creek Community Hospital for six years now. She graduated from Montana State University and currently works under the pediatrics department.” Alain continued to rattle off key information about her work and her qualifications. “And lastly, I know this is not in the cue card, but in case a few of you gentlemen have been wondering, I had it from a reliable source that Ms. Simmons here is single and unattached at the moment. Not that we’re auctioning her off for marriage, but I thought I’d do some gentlemen the favor by answering a question on their minds.” Alain wiggled his eyebrows mischievously. A fresh wave of laughter reverberated across the room.
Despite her calm and collected demeanor, a faint blush crept up Kendra’s face, making her look flushed and radiantly beautiful. She simply shook her head and smiled amid the embarrassment.
“For those of you who are interested in contracting Ms. Simmons’ expertise as a pediatric nurse for one full month, bidding starts at $500,000.” Alain announced smoothly. “Now, as I mentioned earlier, there are envelopes distributed around the tables. Simply write down your bid on a piece of paper with your name and signature. Our ushers will collect them shortly. The highest bidder will be notified and acknowledged later.”
Kendra could hear papers rustling as some people wrote down their bids and handed them to the attendants. She heaved a sigh of relief. Her fears were unfounded after all. A lot of people seemed to be in generous spirits.
“And now, I would like to bid a temporary adieu to the lovely Miss Simmons. We will invite her to join us again later. For the meantime, please help me welcome the Silver Bow Children’s Chorale to serenade us with a beautiful medley.” Alain announced as he ushered Kendra backstage.
She entered the room where she joined the other hospital employees will also be auctioned off. Among them was Dr. Dylan Ross, the hospital’s resident heartthrob looking bemused as he observed the flurry of activity around him.
Alain Peters profusely thanked the chorale and acknowledged some sponsors. Beth had already prompted Kendra to be ready to join Alain back on stage.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to invite Nurse Simmons back here on stage as we announce the highest bidder. Again, on behalf of Willow Creek Community Hospital, we would like to extend our sincere gratitude for your generosity and support in our efforts to save the hospital.” Alain met her halfway and ushered her back to the center.
“Now, Nurse Simmons, while I was backstage, I was told that the highest bidder is a man and a single one, at that.” Alain playfully winked at
the audience, who responded with a collective chuckle. “Seriously now, in exchange for such generous bid, the highest bidder contracts Nurse Simmons’ professional services for one full month.” Alain proceeded to provide the details of the service.
Upon Alain’s request, Dr. Ackley and Mr. Deveron joined them on stage. Alain was handed an envelope containing the name of the highest bidder and the amount of the bid. For some reason, Kendra could feel her insides quake in anticipation.
“Ladies and gentlemen, for tonight’s first highest bidder, we would like to invite Mr. Tyler Chadwick of Chadwick Builders to join us here on stage. Mr. Chadwick has generously placed a bid of $2.5 million. A round of applause, please.” Alain announced with flourish.
Kendra gasped in surprise. Tyler! She never saw it coming. She never thought he would have the patience or interest to attend events like this. From the dark corner of the room, a familiar figure strolled up to the stage casually, grinning from ear to ear. The spotlight was on him and everyone in the room craned their necks to see the generous benefactor.
Tyler looked every inch a sleek, successful and exceptionally gorgeous businessman. The room was abuzz with whispers as women gushed at this modern day Adonis. Kendra silently cursed him. He seemed to be enjoying the attention and nonchalantly taking everything in stride.
By the time Tyler reached the stage to join them, Kendra’s eyes were shooting daggers at him. In response, Tyler simply quirked one eyebrow and gave her a slow lopsided grin. “Right back at ya, missy!” Tyler whispered to her ear, chuckling softly. Despite her simmering anger, Kendra felt her knees wobble slightly as she felt Tyler’s hot breath tickle her ear.
‘You’re crazy, you know that?” Kendra muttered under her breath as she struggled to paste a polite smile as Alain, Dr. Chadwick and Mr. Deveron warmly thanked Tyler for his generosity. Kendra only listened with half an ear and politely nodded as she went through the motions. Her mind was curiously blank, still reeling in shock at the unexpected turn of events.
She knew it was Tyler’s way of getting back at her for her cheekiness yesterday. Of course, hiring her for a month would present a perfect solution for him since he had adamantly refused to leave the care of his precious niece to a stranger.
And where did that leave her? Kendra could not help but wonder. She knew the very reason for her anger—she was placed in a situation she could not control. She felt out of her depth and she could not seem to do anything about it. The past few weeks with Tyler at close proximity have wreaked havoc on her nerves and inner peace. He was just too…too virile, too handsome, too hot for his own good and Kendra resented it.
For years, she had managed to keep Tyler at arm’s length and scoffed at those women who made complete fools of themselves as they pined and fawned over someone who appeared to have serious commitment issues. Now that she was forced to be with Tyler for one full month, she wondered if she would survive it unscathed.
The rest of the evening unfolded in a blur. Tyler invited her to his table and tried to engage her in a conversation, which proved futile. He knew Kendra was seething with anger and he could not really understand why. He thought it was a brilliant win-win solution for everyone—the hospital gets additional funds, he could get his accountant to write the millions of his income tax, Sophie would have someone to take care of her, at least for a month and Tyler could slowly ease back to his old lifestyle.
“If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to call it a night. I’ll report for work on Monday.” Kendra said coldly. She still refused to meet Tyler’s eyes.
“I’ll take you home.” Tyler insisted quietly. His tone revealed he would not take no for an answer.
“Suit yourself.” Kendra simply shrugged and made her way out of the hotel without bothering to look back.
When they were finally inside the car, Tyler sat there for several seconds staring ahead. “Listen, Ken. I’m not sure why you’re angry at me, but from the looks of it, you have probably killed me several times in the last couple of hours and I’d like to know why,” he chuckled dryly.
“More like wrung your neck and screamed bloody murder a few times over,” Kendra muttered irritably.
Tyler laughed sardonically. “And may I ask why?” he narrowed his eyes as he looked at her closely, as if trying to read her thoughts.
Kendra could not seem to form a coherent thought when he was looking at her like that. Crossing her arms across her chest, she stubbornly kept her silence while she glared at him. Wrong move. The movement directed Tyler’s attention to her heaving chest. As if mesmerized, Tyler stared at the white mounds that seem to strain against the fabric of her gown.
Instead of shirking from his bold stare, Kendra raised her eyebrow and silently waited for Tyler to look back at her. When Tyler finally managed to break free from the spell, he grinned at her wolfishly. He looked totally unrepentant and unperturbed having been caught openly gawking at her breasts like a wayward schoolboy.
“I hate the way you audaciously flaunt your wealth to get what you want without any consideration for other people’s feelings,” She spat out heatedly.
His forehead furrowed in bewilderment. “The way I see it, I have been exceptionally generous with my money and put it to good use. And contrary to what you may think, I don’t carelessly ‘flaunt’ my money, as you claim. I want the best care for my niece. Now tell me, it if were someone else who won the bid, would you have reacted the same way?” Tyler asked deprecatingly.
Kendra knew she was being unreasonable but she did not dare tell him the real reason for her misplaced indignation. She broke off eye contact and tilted her chin an inch higher, choosing to maintain her stoic silence.
“Look, if you’re uncomfortable with this setup, I am sure the hospital administrator can provide a replacement nurse if that will solve your problem.” Tyler offered as he started the car.
Silence settled like a thick blanket inside the car. Kendra could tell she had offended Tyler. The hurt in his voice made her feel a little guilty, but her pride prevented her from acknowledging her fault.
When they finally reached her house, she turned to him and gave a tentative smile. Tyler simply looked at her with his usual brooding expression. “I…I’ll be there Monday morning,” she said quietly as she hurriedly got out of the car.
Tyler was angry. He had never experienced any form of rejection in the past. Kendra’s negative reaction left him smarting. He hadn’t seen it coming. In fact, he was expecting quite the opposite reaction as it was the perfect solution to everyone’s dilemma, including his.
Kendra had always been polite to him in the past but she had always been somewhat aloof and detached. He had been too busy with his own affairs to really pay attention to it. Until now.
Chapter Six
Monday came around too soon, at least for Kendra. She spent a quiet weekend doing some long overdue spring cleaning. She focused all her pent-up energy scrubbing her floors and vacuuming every nook and cranny of her tiny apartment.
She had always lived alone. Aside from her sister and mother who were both based in Montana, she never really has any immediate relatives in Silver Bow. But all through the years, she’d never felt so acutely alone. Not even when Michael, her ex walked out of the door two years ago. Looking back, she felt more relieved than heartbroken when they both finally called it quits.
Her relationship with Mike had been, for lack of a better word, too safe. At the back of her mind, she knew something was not quite right. There was no spark, no fizz, no anything. She secretly longed to feel that wild, passionate abandon she used to read in books. Mike was just too predictable and staid.
Maybe it was because working as an accountant he thrived on predictability. Perhaps it was her busy schedule or the lack of real effort in the relationship that drove Mike away. He was gentleman enough to tell her the truth—he fell in love with Sally, the new secretary at their firm.
Kendra can’t help but laugh at the memory of Mike’s contrite face as he struggled
to tell her the truth. He was stammering badly that she honestly felt sorry for him. Midway through his carefully rehearsed little speech, Kendra decided to make it simple for him and reassured him it was perfectly fine. She even helped him pack, which was weird now that she really thought about it.
Now Tyler is the exact opposite of Mike. Despite his success, he still has that devil-may-care attitude about him that attract women like moths to the flame. She wondered what Tyler would be like as a lover. She gave herself a mental shake when she realized where her thoughts were leading her. Despite her resolve to keep Tyler at arm’s length and treat the whole arrangement like a business transaction, she could not seem to take her mind off the look he gave her inside the car and how his eyes seemed to undress her when he stared at her heaving breasts.
Her daydream was rudely interrupted by the shrill ringing of her mobile phone. It was nine o’clock in the evening and she had just finished packing her clothes. Tyler was on the other line, which gave her a guilty start. Could he have known she was secretly fantasizing about him?
“Ken? It’s Tyler,” his voice sounded husky and warm, making her toes curl in response.
“Yes?” Her voice sounded a little gruff even to her own ears.
There was silence on the other line, as if Tyler also noticed the sultriness of her voice. She softly cleared her throat consciously. “I was just about to go to sleep. What is it?” Now she was sounded defensive, rolling her eyes in embarrassment.
She heard a sharp intake of breath on the other line. Too late when she realized her words may have conjured images of her in bed. She silently cringed at the thought.
“Uh, listen. I called to tell you Sophie and I will be picking you up tomorrow on our way to Doctor Morrison’s clinic.” Tyler said after a few tense seconds. Kendra remembered Sophie is scheduled for a doctor’s check up.
“Okay, sure. I’ve already packed my things. I should be ready by eight.” Kendra said in a brisk voice.
Accidental Parents Page 3