AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Alice tipped her head to the side. “Then what?”
“I don’t know if you’re seeing someone—”
Alice visibly blanched. “You want to know if I have a boyfriend?”
“Yes. No. Not exactly. I wanted to ask that you not bring one home. You can go out. But I don’t want a guy around my daughter.” I rushed through the speech I’d rehearsed in the shower. It sounded a lot better in my head. A lot less accusatory.
Alice straightened. “I would never do something like that, and I’m not seeing anyone. You don’t need to worry.”
“It’s just that you’re young and beautiful; you can and should date.” Not under my roof or anywhere near me. The thought tore at my insides, and I couldn’t understand why. She wasn’t under my protection. She wasn’t a sister-figure to me. My fingers tightened on the countertop.It’s because I want her.
“Well, I’m not. I haven’t dated anyone since I moved here.” Her eyes widened, as if she hadn’t meant to admit that out loud.
She hadn’t dated anyone in three years? I wanted to ask follow-up questions, but it wasn’t my business. Instead, I held up my palms. “I had to say something in case it wasn’t clear. I don’t bring women around Maggie, and I’d expect the same from you with men.”
Alice tipped her head to the side. “May I ask where her mother is? I’d like to know in case I run into her.”
“She lives out of state. She’s welcome to see her anytime she wants, especially if she travels here, but it doesn’t happen often. Felicia doesn’t stick to a visitation schedule.” I couldn’t keep the bitterness out of my voice. When she proposed the idea, we’d come up with a plan, which she’d promptly broken. “You probably won’t need to worry about it.”
Alice chewed her lip as if what I’d just revealed bothered her. “What should I tell Maggie if she asks?”
“She knows her mother is a doctor at a big hospital in Maryland. Anything other than that, I can handle.”
“I can do that,” Alice said.
“I’m getting used to having you living here. There are bound to be things that come up, but you can talk to me about it. This is new for me too.”
Alice’s voice was quiet, almost hesitant, as if she wasn’t entirely confident in her abilities, or maybe she wasn’t sure of her expectations here. “That works.”
“Here’s the salary I intended to pay you.” I pulled the paper out of my back pocket. Hopefully, she was okay with the number. It was more than I’d ever paid anyone else. She’d already proven herself worth the increase.
Her eyes widened as she read the number. “This is more than adequate.”
“If you need anything, let me know. This is a partnership.”
Alice nodded and stood. “I’m going to head to bed.”
It didn’t seem like I needed to worry about the nanny walking around in skimpy pajamas or staying up late. She seemed to keep early hours. But then I knew how exhausting kids could be.
I was relieved that I was finally going to have some help around the house. Someone I could count on. I hoped it lasted.
CHAPTER5
ALICE
Eating dinner with my family on Sunday evening was bittersweet. It was hard to believe I wasn’t still living there. At the same time, it was like no time had passed at all. Amelia was her usual self, except she’d missed me and wanted to show me everything she’d done while I was gone.
I’d not only gotten a play-by-play of what I’d missed while she was in school, but she pretended to be the teacher and went over everything she’d learned her first week.
It was good to be back, even if it was only for a few hours.
When Gray took her up for her bath, Elle visited with me in the living room. The room itself looked like a tornado named Amelia went through it, so I started tidying. It was a habit I couldn’t seem to stop.
“You don’t need to do that anymore.”
I smiled at her. “I don’t mind.”
“How are things going with your new job?”
