One executive in particular just watched her with an odd expression. Panic flared up in my chest. I hoped he wouldn’t file a complaint after. But.. from this angle, he did look kind of familiar. I tilted my head, but Xavier was blocking half of his face.
Xavier caught Zoe's eye and murmured something I couldn't hear through the glass. She nodded seriously, like she was receiving important instructions, and settled against his shoulder. Quiet now. Watching the screen like she was part of the meeting, like she belonged there.
The call continued. The executives were smiling now, well, all but that one man. The deal was closing. I could hear it in the tone of the conversation, see it in the body language on the screen. Something that had been stuck was now flowing, and my daughter was perched on Xavier Dubois's hip like a mascot.
Fifteen minutes later, it was over. The moment the video disconnected, I burst through the door.
"Mr. Dubois, I am so sorry." The words tumbled out, tripping over each other. "I had no childcare, my neighbor had a family emergency, I couldn't find anyone else and I couldn't miss another day. I know this was completely inappropriate and unprofessional and I understand if you need to let me go. I just—I didn't have any other options, and I thought I could keep her hidden but she got bored and she didn't mean to interrupt, she's usually so good, she?—"
"Kim."
I stopped and realized I was shaking. Realized Zoe was watching me with wide eyes, still cradled against Xavier's chest.
He was smiling, eyes crinkling at the corners, transforming his face from handsome into something else entirely.
"Relax." He shifted Zoe slightly on his hip. "She's a natural. She just helped me close a twenty-million-dollar deal."
I stared at him. Waited for the other shoe to drop. For the real reaction, the cold one, the one that said I'd crossed a line and there would be consequences.
It didn't come.
Xavier looked at Zoe. "What's your name?"
"Zoe." She said it with complete confidence, no shyness at all. "Zoe Young. What's your name?"
"Xavier."
She giggled. "That's a funny name."
He laughed. "Yeah, I guess it is."
"Are you my mommy's boss?"
"I am."
"Are you nice to her?"
I watched Xavier's expression shift. The amusement was still there, but something else flickered beneath it. Something harder to name. His eyes met mine for a moment, then returned to Zoe.
"I try to be," he said.
Zoe thought about this. Nodded slowly, like she was deciding whether to accept his answer. Then she reached up and patted his cheek with her small hand.
"You have nice eyes," she announced. "And this room is very pretty." She twisted to look around the conference room. "Can I come back tomorrow?"
Xavier laughed again. He looked at me over Zoe's head. "Use my office for the rest of the day. There's a couch. She can watch movies, color, whatever she wants. It's not a big deal."
"Mr. Dubois, I can't…"
"Xavier." He said it firmly this time. "And yes, you can. I'll work from the small conference room."
I wanted to argue. I wanted to insist that I didn't need special treatment, didn't need his charity, could handle my own problems the way I'd always handled them. Alone. Without help. Without owing anyone anything.
But Zoe was already looking around the office with wonder, pointing at the view, asking if those tiny cars were real or if they were toys. And I was so tired. So tired of fighting everything, of carrying everything, of pretending I could do it all myself when I so obviously couldn't.
"Thank you," I said. "Really, thank you."
Xavier nodded. Set Zoe down gently, ruffling her hair as he released her. "I'll be down the hall if you need anything."
