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“Scratch that, doesn’t matter. Have you ever taken care of a kid before?”
“Not quite, sir. But I did own a dog once, and I took really good care of him. His name was—”
“My daughter is not an animal. She isn’t your dog. Why would you even make such a reference? Are you really sure you want this job?”
“I’m really sorry. I didn’t say she was. I—”
“She’s got different needs, way more complicated needs.”
“I understand perfectly, sir.”
“Do you?” I didn’t wait to get a response. I turned around and left her in the living room.
I walked into the kitchen and shut the door tight. I scrolled through my contacts and dialed Amelia. “What did you do?”
“A beautiful afternoon to you, too, Hudson.”
“There’s nothing beautiful about this noon, young lady. Why would you set me up in such a manner?”
“Set you up? What do you mean?”
“The nanny? The agency? Why did you tell them she could stay at my house? I don’t need her to stay here. I can cater for June at night.”
“What happens when you are required to travel for business?”
“You can take care of her then. I don’t plan on going on any long business trips.”
“Hudson, I love you and June very much. And truthfully, I would love to babysit June when you’re away. But I cannot guarantee that I’ll be available a hundred percent. You know I’m getting married soon. The preparation comes with its own stress, coupled with the demands of my fiancé. I’ve got my whole life to worry about now, including starting a family of my own. June needs a more stable hand to take care of her. Besides, the poor girl is an orphan. She hasn’t had the opportunity to earn enough in her lifetime to secure her own place yet, and she hasn’t been adopted by anyone.”
“So, I’m supposed to sympathize with her now? I don’t even like her.”
“Quite frankly, you haven’t liked anyone in a long while, not even yourself.”
“This is different, Amy.”
“All right. Tell me, what makes this different? What could she possibly have done so wrong in only a couple of minutes?”
“She is a handful—overly confident and misguided. She looks like a chatterbox, too. I can’t trust her with my child. She could get a lot of silly ideas into her head. She looks like a teenager to me.”
“You need to relax, Hudson. You’re getting yourself worked up over nothing. Why do you have a problem with her being younger? Did you want a grand nanny instead?”
“What does that even mean?”
“I don’t know. I assume you have all the answers and do not trust my judgment anymore. I think you should give her a chance. Give her time. You just might have a change of heart in the long run.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust your judgment, but she’s only catered for dogs, Amy. She has no real experience with kids. Isn’t that a sign that she’s not cut out for this?”
“It’s not like you needed any qualifications or experience to become June’s father. All right, let’s make a deal. Give her ten days, tops! If she’s not kicking ass at the job after ten days, you can dismiss her, and I won’t say a word.”
“I don’t like this, and I don’t like that you’re making me agree to it. I feel like I don’t even have a right to refuse.”
“I’m sorry. Please, just make it through ten days.”
“I’ll try. And I’ll be on the lookout for new help while at it, one who doesn’t have to live in my house. I have to get off now. I’ll talk to you later.”
If I knew my sister well, she would be gloating and resisting the urge to laugh at me right now. I was certain she did this intentionally. She had been going on and on about opening my heart to people once again, and I had repeatedly made it known to her that I wasn’t quite ready for that.
I ended the call and walked back into the living room. June was out of her room. The sound of the doorbell had woken her up as well. She stood next to the nanny, oddly getting acquainted.
