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“What’s that?”
“I feel really bad she has to do this instead of going with the career she’s wanted,” I replied. “I know she’s got a degree, and it has to be a real blow to her confidence to have to take a job that isn’t in the field of her study.”
“She’ll be alright,” Rob said. “I told her about what you needed last night, and she said she thought it would be a great idea for her to do while she was still working a bit on the side as she could. She’s not making the money she needs to be able to support herself with her writing alone, and she knows that. If there’s one thing I can say about my daughter, it’s that she is damned reasonable when it comes to the facts about life.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” I said. “Because she’s not walking into any mansion here. She’ll be comfortable, but it’s not like she’s going to be coming in to work for someone who flaunts the money they have, if you know what I mean.”
“Good,” he said. “I want her to get a taste of the real world without falling under any of the delusions of the world. I really do think this is going to be as good for her as it is for Libby, but in a different way.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said. “And try not to feel too bad about having her come down here for this. I mean, I want to be a good father to my daughter, and I’m not sure it’s really saying I’m the dad of the year with the way I’m asking for someone else to come in and help me with my own daughter.”
“Don’t give it too much thought,” Rob said. “You’re doing the best you can, and I think it shows a lot of strength for you to have another person come in and help. You can admit that you don’t have it all under control yourself, and with that being the case, you can bring in someone who can do what you need to have done. If anything, you’re being smart about this, and I commend you for that.”
“Thanks,” I said. “And you said she’s going to talk to me about the job? Do you have her number I can get from you, or are you going to give her mine?”
“I’ll give you hers,” he told me. “I’m not sure where she is right now, but she did say you could give her a call whenever. She’s looking forward to the position, so cut the bullshit trying to convince her this is a good idea and just tell her what you need.”
I laughed. “You know me too well. I feel like I have to sell everything, don’t I?”
“A little too much,” he said.
He gave me the number for his daughter, and I jotted it down. Then, we chatted for a few more minutes before I hung up. I wanted to call her right away, but I forced myself to take a breath and wait a bit. It had been nice to talk to her father – my best friend from the military – over the phone again, and I wanted to just take a few minutes and reflect on the conversation we had with each other.
I didn’t know what to expect from his daughter, and I really did want this to go well for everyone. Libby was the most important person in my life, and I felt this could be the best idea I’d had in a long time.
As long as Erin was as good as her father said she was, I wouldn’t have any problems with her taking over.
I just hoped this wasn’t too good to be true.
Chapter Four
Erin
“Whatdoyoumeanyou’re going down to the Keys?” Krissy asked, showing every bit of her surprise in her tone.
I was waiting for the phone call from my dad’s friend, but he hadn’t given me any specific time of when that was going to happen, so I really was just keeping an eye on my phone. But I felt it was a good time to give my best friend a call and tell her what was going on in my life – it was, at least, a turn from what I had been doing the last time we texted each other.
“My dad came outside when I was texting you last night and told me that he thought he might have a job for me. Or, rather, an old friend of his might,” I said.
“Down in Florida?”
“Down in Key West.”
“What the fuck could you be doing down there? Is it writing?”
“It’s being a nanny,” I said.
“A nanny? You?” she laughed. “Since when do you like kids?”
“I mean, I don’t dislike kids,” I said. “I haven’t really given them any thought at all. You know I was an only child, and you were too, so it’s not like we have had much experience with other kids who weren’t our age or older.”
“Right,” she said. “I don’t know. You just strike me as the kind of woman who is more interested in going places with her career and doing things in her life than raising a baby.”
“It’s not a baby,” I explained. “This girl is twelve years old, and from what I understand, she’s been through hell already. I actually feel really bad for her.”
“I’m assuming she doesn’t have a mom if you’re going to be her nanny,” Krissy commented, and I told her what happened.
“I don’t remember this very much, but I remember being in school when I heard that my dad’s best friend’s wife had been killed in a bad car accident, and his daughter had been injured. She survived, obviously, but from what I hear, the accident was pretty bad. Like, I’m sure this poor girl has a lot of issues after the fact.”
