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“They are sweet kids. They are broken, too. The mom is out of the picture.”
Billie tilted her head to the side, touching her heart. “Oh. I’m sorry. That’s tough.”
“Yes. I don’t mind stepping in and helping out while the dad figures things out.”
Billie shot her a skeptical look. “What does he look like? This desperate dad?”
“Hmmm…” she stared up at the ceiling. How to give Billie a satisfying answer that wouldn’t lead to unnecessary teasing and follow-up questions? “He’s tall, looks all right if you’re into the whole designer suit thing.”
Billie picked a pint of strawberry ice cream from the fridge. “Okay. What a vague description.” Then, she sat it aside and grabbed her phone. “How do you spell his last name again?”
Oh, fuck.“Billie, please—”
A beat later, Billie’s catcall reverberated through the room. “Damn. He’s hot. I mean, looks tightly wound, and intense, but hot for sure.”
Poppy rolled her eyes. “I guess.”
“Though the suit type is definitely not my thing,” Billie said. Her cousin always enjoyed the outdoors and wide open spaces. Poppy had been surprised when she’d decided to come with Kira and Poppy to try life in the big city. Yet Poppy knew they shared the same desire to break free from Hope Springs, TX, and their complicated family. Especially Billie’s immediate family—her grumpy dad somehow never forgave her for not being a boy, and having her mom die when she was born.
Poppy rolled her eyes. “Good. So you dating my current boss isn’t one of my worries. Now I can sleep at night.”
“How about you dating your boss?”
“Forget it. Not happening.”
“Why not? It’s been forever since you last had a boyfriend.”
Did Charlie from high school senior year count? Poppy had dated a few men in Hope Springs, but didn’t want to form ties, otherwise it’d be that much harder to leave. “Because he’d never be just a boyfriend. He has two kids, and those children deserve someone for the long haul.” Besides, she doubted he’d want someone like her. He came from money, and would want a sophisticated, high-powered woman to be his match. Not a temporary nanny with podcasting dreams.
“What happened to the mom?”
Poppy shrugged. “She’s not in the picture, but I don’t know much about her to be honest. She may have had some addiction issues,” she said, remembering an article she read about Darcy Sterling. Also, Willow’s words about not seeing her mother for a couple of years.
“How sad.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, at least you’ll be living in some fancy address, right?”
“Temporarily. I’ll still pay my rent and bills, so don’t you dare find a replacement for me.”
Billie gave her a mischievous grin. “Now that you mention it, you do kind of spend a lot of time in the shower…”
Next day, Poppy entered the impressive 19th century looking building in a posh zip code in Upper West side. After she showed her ID, the security guard let her in and took her suitcase, and the lobby attendant greeted her, and showed her to one of the four elevators.
She held the box of assorted donuts she’d bought earlier, hoping some treats would be a good will gesture toward the kids. If carbs couldn’t be a great start for their relationship, what else did she have left? She glanced at the baroque mosaics adorning the walls, and the mix of new and old, the pristine stressed hardwood floors.
Today would be her big chance to do a good job and get his help. What if she screwed it up? She told herself to pull it together, but doubts crept in and she hopped into the elevator and watched it ascend to the top unit.
When she’d been threatened by Don the loan shark, Kira had stepped in to find the means to help her and pay him. She hadn’t been able to take care of the problem, and that vulnerability still stung. Because damn it, she always took care of herself and others. And today, it wouldn’t be different. Right?
The ding startled her, and she straightened her posture, ready to show them she was ready. She stepped out of the elevator and into the foyer, then walked several feet to the imposing large door. For the next two months, this would be her home. She sighed, then knocked on it, tentatively at first, then harder, to make sure she’d be heard.
After the fifth knock, it swung open.
“Dad, she’s here,” Willow shouted, barely giving her a glance.
“And she brought donuts,” Poppy said, lifting the box, hoping it’d get a smile from her.
