Fresh Meet

by Miller, Jasmin

  The smile on her face falls for a moment before she fixes it, but the spark in her eyes isn’t the same anymore.

  “Depends on who you ask.” Her voice is quiet as she stabs her fork into the pasta like it did something to offend her.

  “Why’s that?” I pause, not wanting to miss a moment of her expressions, knowing how much more I sometimes learn from her non-verbal clues.

  Her answering sigh is somber, like this topic has been heavily weighing on her for some time.

  When I think she might not answer at all, she clears her throat and looks out the window. “For me, having an office job where I stare at a computer and deal with paperwork all day long is the worst possible job. Just imagining doing that for the rest of my life . . . I’d feel like a caged animal that should roam around unrestricted and happy instead.”

  Tanner hums next to us, pushing his pasta away and trying to reach his applesauce. I push it closer to him so he can get it, and he completely ignores me, happily digging into his food.

  Turning back to Emilia, a small smile has returned to her lips as she watches us.

  Maybe I should leave it at that, but tonight, I feel like pushing.

  Maybe it’s because I’m going to meet her family tomorrow, or pure curiosity, but I want to know as much as I can. “I’m guessing your parents don’t agree?”

  She lets out a humorless laugh. “You could say that. They think it’s one of the most sanctioned ways to earn not only a living but also respect in life. Any sort of creative work is a joke in their eyes.”

  She puts down her fork and leans back in her chair, her expression a sad mask of her usually happy self. “It’s the equivalent of child’s play to them, something they’ve never known how to engage in either. They don’t work and play. They work and exist. In a rather miserable way, if you ask me.”

  I don’t know what to say.

  This is clearly a touchy subject for her, and I’m all the happier I’m accompanying her tomorrow. Even though I have a bad feeling about how this is going to go down.

  At the same time, I’m also more than ready to have her back in all aspects.

  After asking her questions all week and paying more attention, things have changed between us. The way I see her has changed.

  I’ve learned that Emilia is the absolutely perfect person to work with children. She genuinely enjoys being with them, even if it means she needs to make a fool out of herself. And I’ve witnessed before that Tanner doesn’t always make it easy for her. That child can flip a switch like no one else when he doesn’t get what he wants, even worse when he’s tired or hungry.

  I also know that she’s not a morning person. She’s usually still half-asleep when she gets here, and I have to admit, I like her sleepy face. It makes her look younger than she is, and a bit more vulnerable, but also more real. Even when she’s grumpy, which I’ve only ever witnessed in the morning.

  She tries not to eat refined sugar, usually putting some natural sweetener in her drinks and food.

  She got her bachelor’s degree in business—which I’m guessing wasn’t her idea—and music with a minor in dance.

  Another thing I’ve noticed is that she reads slowly and often uses read-aloud apps. Something she mostly does when she thinks I’m not there. I’ve never said anything, but it makes me wonder if she has trouble reading.

  I’ve considered asking her but refrain from it every time, because I don’t want to make her uncomfortable.

  Would I appreciate it if someone asked me a question like that?

  Probably not.

  Stubborn Emilia, always putting up a tough front and wanting to appear perfect. That probably is a huge reason for my apprehension and the feeling that I’m in for a show tomorrow at her parents’ house.

  The question is, how well will I take to watching that show go down? Just thinking about it not going well makes my body tense up, my flight-or-fight sense kicking in.

  But I’ve never been one to flee from anything, and I’m not going to start now.

  Especially not when it comes to making things right by Emilia.

  Eleven

  Emilia

  Jace and I decided to meet at the Berkeley Pier parking lot. It’s a beautiful morning, the North California summer temperatures warm enough to wear leggings and a T-shirt. I spot Jace and Tanner right away on the paved trail, both guys clad in sweatpants and hoodies.

  Jace is carrying a tricycle and running after Tanner, who’s apparently made it his mission to take off, trying to leave his dad in the dust.

  The scene is so comical, the joy on Tanner’s face so palpable in the way his chubby cheeks almost meet his eyes, that I stay in the car a moment longer, laughing at the scene like a schoolgirl.

  Jace finally snatches Tanner, and they both make their way in my direction. Tanner’s happily pedaling on his tricycle, or rather trying to keep up with the pedals while Jace pushes him. I get out of my car, pulling the knot of the long-sleeved shirt tighter around my waist before making my way to them.

  Tanner lets out a tiny squeal when he sees me, trying to scramble off the bike faster than he’s capable of and landing on his knees. I pause for a moment, holding my breath while I wait for his reaction, happy to see he’s still wearing the same cheerful smile when he gets up and runs toward me.

  I automatically quicken my step, trying to reach him before he tumbles to the ground again in his excitement. I easily catch him when he flings himself at me, feeling his familiar weight in my arms as he snuggles in to my neck.

  He makes an elongated “mmmm” sound, and even though it doesn’t sound like much, I’m convinced he’s trying to say my name. Which turns my insides to mush, absolute gooey-and-feeling-all-soft-in-the-knees mush.

  “You made it.” Jace walks up to us, his casual stride confident and full of swagger.

  There’s no better way to describe it, and gosh, it’s sexy as hell.

  With one hand in his gray sweats, the other one holding the tricycle, he smiles at me. It’s a real smile, not one of the polite ones he used to give me when I first started working for him.

  I’m pretty sure he either wasn’t my biggest fan back then, or he thought I was crazy. Something I’ve gotten used to over the years, especially when I’m in my tutu-and-bow ensemble.

  But things have changed. So much. It’s like he fits right into my life, both of them actually. Taking care of Tanner is my job, but it doesn’t feel like it. This whole experience isn’t even comparable to any of the previous nanny jobs I had. Those definitely felt like work.

  I actually look forward to seeing these two guys, even though I wouldn’t mind sleeping in for an extra hour or two in the morning. I’m slowly adjusting to that too though.

  Looking at him now, with that devilish smile aimed my way, and the sun illuminating his handsome face and brown hair, one thing becomes crystal clear.

  Jace Atwood might just be the sexiest man I’ve ever seen.

  When I realize I’m still staring, I nod. “I did. Couldn’t miss this fun hangout today. Especially on such a beautiful day.”

  “Very beautiful.” His gaze is intense as we have a mini-staredown. I suddenly feel like we’re playing a game I don’t know the rules of.

  I’m pretty sure he’s winning too since I’m the first one to look away, biting my lip to keep from grinning like a fool. Meeting with him today—with both of them—on my day off without an emergency, feels different.

  There’s a lightness in my chest that wasn’t there before, one that’s usually absent on the first Sunday of every month. Knowing it’s time for family dinner takes care of that, normally leaving me with a roiling stomach more than anything.

  But I don’t want to think about the inevitable family dinner yet. We still have several hours before that disaster is going to go down, and I plan on enjoying every single minute of it.

  With a smile on my face, I look first at Jace and then Tanner—tickling his side—pointing toward the trail that leads to the Be
rkeley Pier. “Shall we?”

  Tanner nods right away, wiggling both pointer fingers into the same direction, signing Go.

  “Let’s do this.” Jace sets the tricycle on the ground. “Do you want to get back up here, buddy, or walk instead?”

  He makes a pedaling motion with his hands, immediately jumping on the tricycle when I let him down. Grabbing the handles, he gives us a big grin and babbles.

  “Looks like he’s ready to go.” I chuckle, because listening to Tanner babbling never gets old. There isn’t really a word in there we can understand, but sometimes it sounds like a mix of Chinese and French, which is equally hilarious and cute.

  Jace pushes the bike, and we fall into a wordless, leisurely walk.

  The sun warms my skin as awareness spreads through my veins at the close proximity of our bodies. There’s almost no room between us that I could easily reach out and grab his hand.

  Why am I thinking of grabbing his hand?

  Having this dinner later today, and knowing he’ll have to endure time with my family—somewhat willingly—is harder to ignore than I thought. Because why would he do that? It doesn’t make sense. He said he wants to help because I helped him last week, but it’s really not necessary.

  Meeting my family, and having to spend time with them, seems more like a punishment than anything else.

  One I might owe him for once it’s over. Most likely, for the rest of my life.

  Jace’s fingers touch mine for a moment, and my gaze snaps over to his.

  “What are you thinking about so hard?”

  I sigh, not even wanting to know how he knows. “Dinner.”

  He nods as if he understands. And maybe he does. After all, he witnessed that awful phone conversation I had with my mom. That should have given him some indication. “Why do you go?”

  And there it is.

  The real question.

  I expected him to ask me eventually.

  Because why do I?

  The way he says it, combined with the way he studies me, it’s not as uncomfortable as I thought it would be. Because he doesn’t judge me. He seems genuinely curious. And I don’t blame him since it’s a legitimate question. One I’ve asked myself a million times over.

  And truthfully, I still don’t have an answer. At least not one that makes sense.

  So I shrug. “Because they’re my family.”

  He seems to think that over for a moment before he nods. “Well, I can’t wait to meet them.”

  I laugh at that. It’s pretty easy to tell by the deep frown on his face that there are probably a million other things he’d rather do. And not for a second do I blame him for feeling like that. I share that dreadful sensation through and through, just for other reasons.

  “You’re one strange woman, Emilia.” He shakes his head but can’t keep the corners of his mouth from lifting.

  “Thank you.” I wink at him as we reach the closed pier. The Golden Gate Bridge serves as a beautiful background in the distance, and I take a moment to enjoy the view before focusing back on the trail ahead of us. “Let’s get him out so he can walk for a bit.”

  Jace stops, and I unbuckle Tanner, who’s already trying to get off the tricycle.

  With Tanner’s hand securely tucked in mine, we keep going at a slow pace, Tanner’s footsteps comically loud for such a small body. We walk for a while, Tanner stopping every few feet to look out over the water.

  It’s relatively quiet today, and the water’s gently lapping against the rocks at the shore. Tanner excitedly points in all directions as if this is the coolest thing he’s ever seen.

  When we stop once more, and Tanner is enthralled in watching a man throw a stick for his dog, I peek at Jace. He hasn’t said much for the last few minutes, mostly staying a step or two behind us. His head is turned toward the water, his chest rising and falling in slow succession.

  His eyes are closed, his face relaxed, and I wonder what this must feel like to him. Does he get out like this very often? From the looks of it, my guess would be no, but he certainly seems to enjoy today’s outing.

  My attention zeroes in on Tanner when he pulls on my hand, and we continue to walk a few more feet until we reach the end of this loop before circling back around. There’s still time before lunch and his nap, but the first signs of tiredness are already taking over his features. As if to confirm my thoughts, he rubs his eye with his free hand.

  Jace must notice it too as he nods in the direction we came from. “Looks like it’s time to head back, huh?”

  “Yeah.” I smile down at Tanner, who’s happily trotting along, once more stopping every few feet to gaze at the water. “I don’t blame him. I could use a nap too.”

  Jace waits for us to fall into step beside him. “Are you tired?”

  “A little. Didn’t get a good sleep last night.” I’m not about to tell him that I’m getting my period and one of my PMS-symptoms is crappy sleep.

  “Maybe you should take a nap when you get home.” He’s still carrying the tricycle, softly swinging it next to his body like it doesn’t weigh a thing. “That’s what I plan on doing once Tanner’s out.”

  “You sleep a lot, do you know that?” I chuckle and without thinking about it, I nudge him with my shoulder.

  He doesn’t react, just goes along with it like it was nothing out of the ordinary. And maybe it’s not. Maybe women nudge him all the time, who knows? Even though I wouldn’t know when he has time to meet up with one seeing how incredibly crazy his schedule is. He barely has time to spend with Tanner as it is.

  “I love to sleep, and know that sleep is a very important part of my training. I need my body to be well rested so it can perform at its best, especially with the strenuous training sessions we do twice a day.”

  “I can’t imagine training that much. Does it not get old doing the same thing all the time?” I know I get bored with my workout quickly, and I’m not doing half as much as he does.

  “It does sometimes, but I also love it. My . . . my dad was the one who introduced me to swimming, and I fell in love with it from the first moment. We shared our passion for it. There’s just something about the water that . . . I don’t know, speaks to me I guess.”

  “Your dad?”

  He’s quiet for a moment, brushing a hand through his wind-tousled hair. “He passed away when I was a teenager. I think of him every time I’m in the water. It’s my element and where I thrive to be my best. My dad always said I could be the best, have the most medals, and I believed him . . .”

  The wind, Tanner’s footsteps, and his squeals, are the only noise until Jace lets out a deep breath. “I still want to make him proud and achieve that goal, even though I could have retired after the last Olympics.”

  I watch him, trying to wrap my head around this new info of Jace and his father when my hand jerks away.

  Tanner’s on the ground on all fours, his shoulders shaking as the first wail rips out of his throat. He must have tripped, and I lost my grip on him. Dang it.

  “All good, monkey. Come here.” I bend down and lift him up into my arms.

  Like I hoped, he doesn’t seem to be hurt badly and calms down within a couple minutes of me rubbing his back. When I try to put him back down, he tightens his arms and legs around me.

  “Do you want me to take him?” Jace’s voice is mostly calm and collected, but he can’t hide the small leftover of worry in it.

  “I’m okay, thanks.” I tighten my grip on Tanner and fall in step next to Jace.

  The parking lot comes into view in the distance as my eyes land on a couple on the trail ahead of us. They’re a tangle of limbs, apparently trying to suck off each other’s faces. I squint, my heartbeat picking up speed as I try to make sense of what I’m seeing.

  “Emilia, you okay there? You look a little pale.”

  Shit.

  This can’t be happening.

  I bite back the cuss words on the tip of my tongue.

  Instead, I switch Tanner over to o
ne hip while grabbing Jace’s hand with the other, pulling with all my might. Walking as fast as I can, I turn away from the couple until I pull us behind the nearest tree.

  Blowing out a shaky breath, I push Jace against the thick trunk, begging him with a pleading look to be quiet. Using the tree as cover, I slowly peek around him, hoping I imagined the whole situation.

  Nope.

  My brother-in-law is still tightly wrapped around the blonde gazelle that is most definitely not my sister.

  Shit, shit, shit.

  Tanner giggles into my shoulder, probably thinking we’re playing a fun game of hide-and-seek. Thank goodness.

  My brain is spinning, trying to figure out what’s going on. How can he do this to her? And for how long? Does she know? Gosh, I hate him. Ashley has always been the perfect daughter, and I’ve envied that. She has the right job, the right husband, the perfect children . . . but even still, no one deserves this.

  When I look again, they aren’t in the same spot but now in the parking lot. Is this where they always hook up? Where does Ashley think Shane is right now? That scumbag. Shane and his lady friend bid each other farewell—after more disgusting lip-locking—and leave in separate cars.

  I wait until they’re both gone for sure before I sag against Jace.

  Holy moly.

  And I’m pressed against Jace from top to bottom.

  I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths, trying to calm my still-racing heart.

  “What’s going on, Emilia?” Jace’s voice is full of concern, his brows drawn together tightly.

  I draw back, suddenly having the strong urge to leave. Even though it’s highly unlikely they’ll come back, I’d rather not be here either way. “I’ll explain later, okay? Let’s just get out of here. I need to . . . I need to get home.”

  This will be another check mark on Emilia’s craziness list I’m sure Jace keeps. I’m a lost cause.

  Tanner giggles into my shoulder before pulling back to look around the tree trunk.

  I practically sprint back to the car—much to Tanner’s delight—and after handing him off to a still-bewildered Jace, I promise once more to explain later when he picks me up. That’s if he’s still going to dinner with me. I wouldn’t blame him if he makes an excuse about not going.