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I wanted to say no. I wanted to say this was all a huge mistake and slam the door in their faces, but my respect for the Montgomery’s trumped all else in that moment. “Myra,” I greeted congenially, the last thing I wanted to do was insult a good woman. “Good to see you again.” I leaned in as she lifted herself up on her toes, giving her an easier reach to press a kiss to my cheek. Once she finished that, she brought her hand up to pat that cheek, affectionately, but also with a little force, scolding me for my lack of manners.
“I know it is,” she said with surety. I couldn’t help but grin at the woman. She really was a force to be reckoned with. “Now, be a gentleman and help with the bags.”
Bagswas a bit of a stretch. All they had was a small weekend bag and a suitcase, both of which looked brand new.
“Of course, sorry.” I shook myself out of the stupor that exhaustion had put me in and that the sight of the new Deva had only made worse. “Come on in,” I offered as I took both bags and pulled them across the threshold. “Can I get you anything? A cup of coffee?”
“That’s sweet, but I’ve got to get going, start my day, you know?” Myra took my hand and gave it a squeeze. “I just wanted to see my girl off for her first day.”
She turned her attention to the woman in question. The smile she gave Deva was full of affection and pride. “You’re going to do great, sweetheart. Just great. And remember, I’m only a phone call and a few minutes away.”
Deva pulled the older woman into a tight hug, squeezing her eyes closed as her expression washed over with emotion. I felt like I was witnessing something private, something incredibly important that I didn’t understand.
They finally broke apart and Myra offered one last goodbye before heading out, leaving me and the new nanny standing in the entryway, staring at each other in awkward silence.
Chapter
Ten
DEVA
The wayhe was looking at me as the silence enveloped us in a swirling cloud of awkwardness wasn’t doing anything to help calm the butterflies in my stomach. This was supposed to be my new home, but the hardness in his eyes and the flutter in his clenched jaw didn’t exactly come off as welcoming.
In fact, as he stood there glaring at me, I wanted to turn and run in the opposite direction. That was, until a little voice broke the silence.
“Daddy. Who dis?”
My heart instantly squeezed as I turned to look at the little boy who’d just—gratefully—interrupted us. He was the spitting image of his father, only in toddler form and without all the tattoos and muscles, of course. Everything from the mop of raven hair standing on ends on top of his head to the slate-colored eyes was that of his father.
The air suddenly shifted with Laeth’s rapid change in demeanor. Gone was the scowl and cold, hard eyes as he moved his focus from me to his son. “Cash, buddy. This is Deva. Can you say hi?”
I smiled down at the toddler, expecting him to do as his dad just asked, but was surprised when, instead, he gazed up at me with a hawkish intelligence in his gaze that no two-year-old should have. It was like staring into the eyes of a much older person.
I felt like I was under a microscope as he watched me closely, quietly, for several long seconds before finally whispering, “Hi.”
I lowered myself down, crouching in front of him and extending my hand. “Hi, Cash. It’s nice to meet you.”
He took my hand for a shake but pulled his bottom lip between his teeth without another word.
“This is your new nanny, bud. She’s going to play with you and look after you while I’m at work. Why don’t you go finish your breakfast while I talk to her?”
He nodded, giving me one last assessing glance before turning and padding back into the kitchen.
“Come on,” Laeth said, his voice coming out flat and empty now that his son was out of earshot. “I’ll show you where your room is.”
He led me past a large, airy living room, kitchen, and dining room, all open concept so you could see everything no matter where you stood, pointing each out as we moved past it.
“My room is down that hall there,” he said, pointing to the right to a short hallway just off the kitchen. “Your room is down here by Cash’s.” He threw open the first door on the left-hand side of the hallway. “This is Cash’s room.” It was decorated in cartoon fire trucks, police cars, and ambulances, with neon stars stuck to the ceiling above the twin-sized bed. There were toys scattered everywhere, and fun, brightly colored posters tacked to the walls. It was adorable, and I could see a little boy having fun in there.
“Guest bathroom is across from it on the right. That’s the bathroom I have set up for Cash. You have your own attached to your room.”
“Oh. Great.” I tried for a bright smile, still feeling totally out of my element. “Thank you so much.”
He grunted in response, the muttered words that spilled past his lips under his breath impossible to make out, but I had a feeling they weren’t very nice. I wasn’t sure if I had done something to make him angry, or if that was simply his factory setting. Thinking back to the interview, he hadn’t exactly been the most pleasant of people in that room.
He'd been looking at me this morning the same way he had when I’d admitted to living with the Fellowship of the Enlightened, so I could only assume that was the reason he was still being so callous.
However, I would show him.
