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Zoe disappears as quickly as she arrived, and Pike stares at me stonily. “You can come and sit down, you know?”
But this room is for kings, men like Pike Hartley who are comfortable in its luxury, not for the hired help, orphaned deadbeats who can barely survive paycheck to paycheck.
Assuming I am the hired help.
I’ve nannied for wealthy parents before, but never in a house like this—and never for someone as wealthy as Flint Sterling or as famous as Pike Hartley. Caden Taylor’s summary was oddly brief, stating very little about who he is or what he does, but I assume he, too, must be wealthy if he lives with the others.
Swallowing, I inch my way inside, sure that I’m leaving an entire trail of dirt in my wake.
Zoe flies by me, a tray in hand, and I marvel at how fast she’s got the pitcher of sweet tea with four glasses. Wedges of lemons sit on a plate next to the sweating jug. She flashes me a grin as she sets the platter down.
Flint follows behind her, thanking the housekeeper as Zoe again vanishes, and Caden wanders in after him, rubbing a hand through his rugged, dark beard. He’s found a dirty undershirt that does little to hide his rippling muscles.
A sweat breaks out over my hairline.
I didn’t even notice the beard in the garage. I’d been so busy looking at his abs and intelligent hazel eyes, the combination tantalizing.
“Finally,” Pike grouches at them both, and I wonder if he’s always in a bad mood or if I have anything to do with it. “Can we get on with this?”
“Where’s Lilbug?” Caden asks, but he’s looking right at me, as if I should have an answer.
“With Zoe in the kitchen. We don’t have a lot of time before she wanders in here,” Flint warns him. “Let’s get to the heavy stuff before she can overhear. She and Ryan can only keep her distracted for so long.”
I wonder if Ryan was my driver, but I don’t ask.
Caden plops down on the couch, a little close to me, and I feel all the blood rush to my head as I fix my gaze on Flint, who is suddenly all business.
“First, thanks for coming all the way out here, Ms. Palco.” He sits back and crosses an ankle over his knee. “Usually, we’re a bit more organized than all this.”
“Speak for yourself,” Caden chirps, and Flint casts him a scathing look that silences him but doesn’t make him lose his smirk.
“It’s not that far from Atlanta,” I reply quickly. “And please, call me Aspen.”
“That’s a fine name!” Caden says. “Does it have any significance?”
“Caden, really?” Pike barks. “She’s not a patient.”
Caden shrugs, and I eye him, wondering what kind of doctor he is and if he can fix my many ailments. I give him a sheepish smile, and he winks at me. “We’ll get to know one another later,” he promises.
My cheeks flame crimson.
Flint clears his throat. “I don’t know how much they told you about our situation at the agency.”
“A little,” I say, unsure of what the correct answer is in this position. “I only know that the three of you have been Lily’s guardians for the past two years.”
Caden’s smile finally falters as he looks at his companions, and a somber cloud falls over the living room.
“Her parents, Alexandra and Ryker, passed away two and half years ago in a car accident,” Flint explains, his voice taut. “Lily doesn’t remember them at all.”
I make a commiserating sound, but again, I’m not sure if that’s the response they need. I am totally out of my element and terrified of saying or doing the wrong thing.
“We all loved them,” Caden adds, sounding serious for the first time since I’ve met him. “A staple in the community.”
“Cypress Gardens?” I ask.
“Yes.” Flint hesitates. “It’s a close-knit group here. We’re not just neighbors; we’re friends.”
“After attending boarding school together,” Caden volunteers, catching my confused look. “And college, we ended up with property here.”
