Labor of Love
Page 22
When Mabel mentioned Ariel to him, Caleb knew she had his best interest at heart. She explained that Ariel worked with children in the church nursery and that she was different. When he pushed for more information, Mabel would only say it would be good for Ariel to be around Joshua during his birthday.
Now he waited, in the freezing cold, on a woman he’d never seen and knew nothing about. Caleb Reed, ex-fitness trainer, turned writer was going to depend on a stranger to clean his home, cook meals, and care for his child. All the things Kelly should have done. But he wasn’t going down that road again.
Caleb sighed as depression threatened to hit again when Joshua ran toward him with a huge grin. He fell into Caleb’s lap, hugged him, and galloped off inside.
The door banged shut and Caleb heard a car pulling into the driveway. Looking toward the driveway he realized, he’d formed assumptions about Ariel based on Mabel’s descriptions and they’d all been wrong. He’d thought she was sending him a little old lady, or perhaps a Mary Poppins character. But his expectations hadn’t been the girl stepping out of the small sedan.
First of all, Ariel looked to be around twenty-five and around five foot seven in height with a slender frame. Light brown hair cascaded down her back in soft waves. She wore jeans and a sweat shirt that read, “Bona Fide Jesus Freak”. Her hands were stuffed in her pockets, as she approached the porch. A smile spread evenly across her face. When her sunglasses were removed, he saw a sparkle of emerald green eyes.
Whistling low under his breath, he stood. Caleb was going to have to have a talk with Mabel. Was she trying to find him a housekeeper or a model? This young, wisp of a thing reminded him of a rare specimen, a rose in a garden that begged for a passerby to stop and smell it. With her beauty, the party scene was probably more her thing. There was no way this girl was going to want to stay at home and just play house.
Holding out her hand, she spoke, “Hello. My name is Ariel Lauren. Mabel sent me.”
Caleb felt goose bumps tingle down his spine at the sound of her voice.
Ariel held an air of authority in her squared shoulders. She gazed at him, with a smile on her lips. Confidence exuded from her tone, but when Caleb looked deeper into the green depths of her eyes, he thought he saw a hidden sadness.
A sudden urge to delve into her feelings and decipher what had caused such a look on her youthful face overcame him, but instead Caleb offered his hand in a formal greeting, enveloping her small, soft hand in his larger one. “Hello. I’m Caleb Reed. It’s nice to meet you. Mabel’s told me a lot about you.”
“It’s nice to meet you as well, Mr. Reed. I hope everything Mabel said was good.”
“Of course it was. You know Mabel. Oh, please call me Caleb. Mr. Reed makes me seem so old,” he answered, with a light hearted smile.
“Okay,” she said, shyness overcoming her.
The feeling of camaraderie passed and silence descended. Caleb was on the verge of talking, when she spoke again, “Mabel told me you needed someone to help around the house and to watch your son for a few months?”
“I do.”
“How much do you pay?”
Direct and to the point, that was good. “I’ve taken the liberty of writing down a figure.” Caleb handed her a slip of paper. Ariel’s eyes rounded as her jaw went slack. He wasn’t sure from her reaction if she thought it was too little or too much. “Is there a problem with the figure?”
“No, no problem,” she stuttered, still glancing down at the numbers. “When can I start?” she said, stiffening her spine and adjusting her purse on her shoulder.
“Well, I thought I might take a few days to check your references, if you don’t mind.”
“No, of course not. I understand.”
“Do you have a resume?”
“A resume?”
Judging from her frown, he figured the answer was no. “Yes. Do you have a list of your previous places of employment? Is there anyone who can vouch for you and your skills?”
Ariel’s head fell, her eyes facing downward. She looked around at the neighborhood, her brows furrowed as lines of worry appeared upon her face. After a few moments, she lifted her head with renewed optimism and smiled. “I don’t have a resume prepared. I’m sorry. I had the impression from Mabel this was more of an informal position. But what about a trial run? I’ll work free for a week. If you’re unsatisfied, then you can release me, no questions asked.”
Caleb’s first instinct was to flat out refuse her offer, but something about her called to him. What was her story? There was no denying it; there was a story. Mabel was a sneaky one, no doubt about it. And she had a reason for recommending Ariel. Caleb hated to admit it, but he was curious.
He found himself agreeing to her terms. He nodded. “One week.”
“One week,” she agreed.
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