"There's a whole ocean," Matt said.
"Maybe I don't want to give up the room service," Bailey said though he wasn't serious about that either. "It might be easier to work from here and keep an eye on Joey on the beach."
"Or you could hire someone to keep an eye on him," Matt said then he ran with that idea. "Like a live-in manny. You have the room here and that way I don't have to keep living with my sisterand her boyfriend, sometimes overhearing them having loud, heterosexual sex."
Bailey just blinked at him. He couldn't quite wrap his mind around the offer Matt just made, and he wasn't done trying to sell him on it.
"I can't be your room service too," Matt said as he leaned on the porch railing next to him.
"Huh?" was all Bailey could say as he started to imagine Matt coming into his room and...
"If I move in here, I can be your live in manny, housekeeper, everything," Matt explained.
Bailey got stuck on the everything, but then shook himself out of it. He was still speechless though, then he stammered, "I would have to think about that."
Matt didn't leave it at that. "The room and board would mean you wouldn't have to pay me that much. Sorry, I know I'm being pushy. I understand if you say no," Matt said and he smiled like he wouldn't hold it against him.
Looking at him, Bailey had trouble really thinking about his offer. Then Matt said he had to go, grabbed his tools, and he left. Stepping down off the porch, watching him go, Bailey remembered they were supposed to have dinner together.
He was conflicted about everything now. He could hardly think. He had to admit it would be nice to have the help, but his attraction to Matt complicated things. But maybe it didn't have to.
Matt wasn't interested in him so this attraction was just something Bailey needed to set aside. He could do that. He didn't usually chase after guys who weren't into him.
While Bailey was mulling things over, Matt had rushed off down the beach. Getting out his phone, Bailey made a quick decision and texted Matt that he was hired. Then he looked up from his phone and saw Matt running back, kicking up sand.
He stopped in front of Bailey, only a little breathless. "Thanks. This is great. I won't let you down," Matt said then he ran off again as Bailey gaped at him. He could have texted that.
Chapter 7
Bailey was bringing out two glasses of wine to the porch. Gwen was already out there and she grabbed her glass eagerly. "I would think you can drink plenty on the job," Bailey said to her.
She had dropped by the beach house before her shift at work, and now she grinned at him. "The hotel has a policy against it," she said. "But I'm cool with that. Customers are always trying to buy us drinks. This way we have an official reason to refuse."
Bailey went and got two boxes of juice too for Joey and the little neighbor girl. They had only moved into the beach house a day ago and Joey had already made a friend. Now the two of them were arguing if the small plane and the hang gliders they saw passing overhead could see them waving. "They can see us," Joey insisted.
"They aren't waving back," Louise pointed out,
"They have to hold on. They can't wave." Joey then turned to Bailey. "Right, Daddy?"
"You're both right," Bailey told the kids.
"Wow, that's some high level diplomacy," Gwen said while the kids both looked at him like he was crazy. She was drinking her wine and eyeing the porch and the work Matt had done to fix it up and painting it.
"Matt did a good job," Bailey told her.
"And now he's going to be your live-in manny," Gwen said with a raised eyebrow. Matt was busy with jobs he had already committed to so he wasn't moved in yet.
"You object?" Bailey asked.
"You don't need my permission," she said with a shrug but Bailey kept pressing her.
"But you think it's a bad idea."
"Honestly, I know that Matt really wanted to give me and Tom the place to ourselves. He might have rushed into this a little bit," she said.
"So is it that you don't trust me to be a good employer?" Bailey asked her but didn't go into what that might mean.
"It's not you," she assured Bailey with a smile. Then she waved it all away. "I'm sure it will all work out."
