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“Just helping my mother out. She wants a bunch of cookies for brunch tomorrow.”
“They smell fantastic. I didn’t know she had such a baker under her roof.”
I giggle. “I’m just following my grandmother’s recipe. I grew up on these cookies.”
I pull them out of the oven, seeing that they are exactly the right shade of brown. Not too soon, not too late. Perfection. I set them down to cool.
“Kind of surprised to see you here, Cadence,” he says. “You’re usually not here when I come to visit your mother.”
“I’m usually busy with school or work. I don’t get to spend a lot of time in the house these days.”
“School? I thought you graduated.”
“I’m going to the county community college. It’s a bit of a drive, but I can’t imagine living so far from home, and the community colleges don’t have dorms, anyway.”
“What’re you studying?”
“Early childhood development. Fancy term for being an educated nanny or daycare specialist.”
He laughs. “Maybe it needs a fancy term. It sounds like important work that society seriously underrates.”
“I’ll mostly be making sure they’re fed, having fun, and aren’t hurting themselves.”
“There’s an art to that. Or science, I don’t know. But it isn’t as simple as you’re suggesting it is.”
I put my hands on my hips. “Carter Rowdy, I never expected you to have such strong opinions on childcare.”
He cackles. “I guess I do. It’s hard work. And I don’t think you should undersell yourself. You’re doing more than I would.”
I don’t know what to think of his words. They’re flattering, but it doesn’t seem insincere. “Are you suggesting you dislike children, Carter?”
Stroking his chin, he shakes his head. “I am not saying that. Most people wouldn’t allow me around children, though.”
“And what do you mean by that?”
“I’m a bit of a troublemaker, Cadence. People don’t want someone who’s going to start fights and curse up a storm around their kids.”
I smile. “I don’t think you’d be that bad around kids. You seem like a gentle soul underneath the gruff exterior.”
“And I think you’re a bit naïve.”
“You’re here for my mother to teach you how to sing, Carter. You’re not the uncomplicated soul you’re trying to sell yourself as.”
He breaks eye contact, and there’s a long pause between us. “So, do you work alongside your education?”
“Same thing, pretty much. I take a lot of shifts at the church’s daycare, helping those parents who can’t afford commercial daycare but still need to work.”
“Will look real good on your resume, too.”
I giggle. “Not sure if I’ll ever be applying for a job that requires one. I like helping at the church. If I can do that forever, then I will. But I suppose it’s a nice fallback plan.”
“If you’re doing something you love, keep at it. I’m sure plenty of guys love a woman with a huge heart and plenty of room.”
“Like you, Carter?”
A smirk comes to his lips. “Yeah, like me.”
I sway a bit as I lean on the counter. “So what about you, then? What do you do? I don’t think getting in fights at bars pays very well.”
