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“Do tell,” I say sarcastically as I plop down into the chair next to him.
“Well, Hunter needs a nanny, and you need a job,” he replies as if he is stating the obvious. “Sounds pretty perfect to me.”
“Sure, itsoundsperfect, when you put it that way. But I think that you are conveniently leaving out the part about how he dumped me, broke my heart, and left me for dead.”
My brother raises his brow at me, and I have to admit that last part was a bit melodramatic. Still, it had made mefeeldead inside. So, it was pretty much the same thing.
“Give it a chance,” Jax pleads, looking more serious now. “Hunter has been through some crap and he’s changed a lot.”
“Just because he’s your billionaire best friend doesn’t mean he gets a pass,” I scowl. “I’ve been through some crap too and you don’t see me making excuses.”
“That’s not fair. Don’t play the best friend card with me,” Jax says. “You know that I’ve always had your back.”
He’s not wrong—hehas.
“We’ve all grown up and moved on from shit that has happened in the past. Maybe it’s time that you do too.”
“Iwasmoving on, until you dropped Hunter right back in my lap again.”
“Come on, Tabby,” he smiles gently at me. “You know you can’t fool me with that. I’m your brother, and I know you better than I think you know yourself sometimes. You haven’t moved on from him, and you never will if you keep running away from dealing with it. Your whole trip to Europe was nothing more than you running away. Maybe it’s time to stop running and face it head on. Now’s your chance, you can get a good paying jobanddeal with your past trauma.”
I roll my eyes at him again because he makes it sound as if I am still tethered to an emotional suitcase full of pent-up baggage.
“Fine,” I huff as I stand up to go to my room.
“Where are you going?”
“To pack. Didn’t Hunter tell you that it’s alive-inposition?”
For a second, my brother’s mouth hangs open. Then he snaps it quickly shut, trying not to look as surprised as he is. I guess Hunter left that part of the job description out.
“Well, I still think it’s a good gig for you,” Jax says as he tries to backpedal his reaction.
“Guess we’ll see,” I shrug. At this point, it’s too late to change my mind anyways. I’ve already agreed to the deal, and besides, I want that money.
I pack up my things, which isn’t a lot anyways since I lived out of a backpack my entire time in Europe before coming back home, and then flop down on my bed with a big exhale as my head hits the pillow.
What am I thinking?
I can’t believe that I have just agreed to this. Hunter knew that I couldn’t refuse an offer of that much money. He knew it would be impossible for me to turn it down and practically had me eating right out of his hands. But what’s the worst that could happen?
I like to play the “worst case scenario game” so that I know what I am up against in case everything goes to hell. In this case, I’ve only agreed to a six-month time period. Just enough for Hunter to get his relocated company headquarters all set up, like he says he needs to do. After that, I can bail and find a different job or maybe even live off all that money that he is going to pay me until I find something that Ireallywant to do. The money buys me the time that I need. All I need to do is make it through six months without falling back into old feelings. I should be able to do that out of sheer determination alone because I amdeterminednot to feel anything at all for that man again. I refuse to let Hunter Rogers emotionally destroy me for a second time.
The very next morning, I show up on his doorstep again—his big, beautifulmansion’sdoorstep. This time, I have my bag with me.
“Good morning, Tabitha,” he smiles as he pulls open the doors to let me inside.
I smile but say nothing because he looks all disheveled like he just rolled out of bed and it’s too hot for me to deal with. The way his messy brown hair falls to his eyes before he brushes it is an image that has haunted my dreams for more than one night.
“Let me show you to your room and get you settled before I leave for work,” he says. Behind him, I can see Theodore walking down the hall with some sort of stuffed bear tucked beneath his arm. He has his father’s hair—all messy in just the right ways.
“Teddie, go in and eat your cereal,” Hunter calls to his son. “I put it out on the kitchen table for you.”
Theodore nods and yawns before giving his dad a thumbs up.
“Why do you call him Teddie?” I ask as I follow Hunter up the stairs to the second floor of the mansion. “Instead of Theo, I mean, since his name is Theodore.”
I am really just trying to make small talk so that I don’t need to keep thinking about the way the muscles in his forearms flex when he reaches out to take my bag for me. But my random question seems to have struck a nerve.
