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“You’re cleaning person coming tonight?”
“No,” I admit.
She shrugs. “I don’t mind doing it. It’s nice to wake up to a clean kitchen.”
As she’s walking toward my front door, I’m struck by the feeling that I don’t want her to go, not yet. My mouth takes over before my brain can catch up.
“Do you have any plans right now?”
She looks around her as though there might be a party she’s unaware of. “Now? I was going to drive home to Berkeley.” I know this, too. Saw her address at the top of her resume, which was when it impressed me even more that she arrived here at six in the morning that first day.
The birds that were chirping have been replaced by crickets and the low rumble of cars on the main road. It’s that time of day when it’s still too light for headlights to make much of a difference, but dim enough that it’s a little hard to see. I don’t want her on the road in that tiny car right now.
“That’s a long drive after a long day.”
She shrugs. “They’re all long days. I’m good with it.”
“Have you eaten? Dinner?”
Shaking her head, she starts putting the cookies into a container. “I’ll grab something when I get home.”
“It’s a good hour drive. There’s a decent burger place up the road, and I’m antsy to get away for a bit.” I’m not sure what the fuck I’m doing. Asking her out? No, I’m not doing that, especially when she’s still on her trial run with this job, and now, I really want her to stay. So I’m just being considerate.
Or am I? She’s had a long day, and I’m making it longer.
Her eyes go glassy at the mention of food. “Burgers?”
“Pretty much all they have, but they’re great.”
“Wow, that sounds amazing. What about Fiona’s bedtime?” It warms my heart that her first thought is about my daughter, but I’m also highly aware that she’s not so swept away by me that she’s lost touch with sensibility. Which means I need to ratchet my libido right down to the ground where it belongs.
“My sister’s coming over,” I lie, but I make good on it by texting Beatrix.
Me: Hey. Can you hang with Fi for an hour? She’ll be in bed, and if you’re lucky, she’ll stay there
B: Sure. You still working?
Me: No, but I need to clear my head. Heading out for a bit
B: Ok. Don’t rush. I’m good. I’ll be over in five
Me: Thanks
B: Seriously, don’t rush
I gesture with my head in the direction of my car. “Come. Take a drive with me.”
She bites down on her lip, hesitating. “Does this mean you’re hiring me?”
I bark out a laugh at how fixed she remains on her end goal. And how suspicious she still seems of me.
“Relax. This isn’t a test. Yes, I will hire you, okay?”
She does a little dance with her fists in the air. “Okay, awesome. I don’t know if you’re aware, but you’re a little hard to read, Jackson. I wasn’t sure if you liked me or not.”
Ginger, you have no idea.
It’s probably for the best that Ruby can’t get a read on me. Otherwise, she’d know just exactly how much I like her, and that wouldn’t bode well for her. Or for me.
