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Without sitting, he leaned forward and clicked it open.
That sounds perfect. Please let me know when and where you would like to meet or if there is anything else you may need from me. I look forward to meeting you and Hannah. -Nora
Hudson smiled as he looked over the calendar and sent appointment times back to Nora, letting her know they would meet at his home since she would want to see her new place of employment.
He stood and hoped this was going to be beneficial for Hannah, who had always been shy and withdrawn but was even more so after the accident.
Hudson prayed this would go well. He only wanted to do what was best for Hannah, and he hoped Nora was the answer.
THREE
NORA
Nora tucked her blonde hair behind her ear, adjusted her blouse, and took a deep breath before knocking. “Just smile and be yourself,” she muttered before internally chastising herself for talking to herself.
This was it. If she hit it off with them, then she would be getting the escape she needed from the ever-present death surrounding her.
After three raps, Nora heard footsteps approach the door from the inside and tried to calm her racing heart as she waited.
When it opened, Nora was caught off guard by howhotthe man from the other side of the email was.
He had come across as older. This guy was tall, muscular, and had an aura that was both brooding and methodical. His hazel eyes, which stood out from his ebony hair, seemed to glow in the dim light of the hall.
Nora realized she was staring at someone who she was hoping would employ her.
Embarrassed, she collected herself and stuck out her hand. “Hi, Mr. Connors? I’m Nora.”
The pull of a small, fake smile etched its way onto his sharp features. “Nora, hi. Thank you for coming.” He stepped back and gestured for her to come inside.
Nora took in the home.
It was comfy and huge enough for mobility in a wheelchair. And beautiful. A gorgeous, overly large log home, complete with a fireplace and stone inlays …it looked like a dream home to Nora. It was essentially a mansion but with the relaxed aura of a mere cabin.
It also added to the shock of how young Mr. Connors was. She wondered what his profession was that would pay for something this large and gorgeous.
She quickly pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind, realizing she didn’t care because whatever it was, it allowed him to pay her the amount he had advertised.
“Hannah.” His gruff voice jerked Nora back to the present. She had to admit that he was not only sexy but intimidating. Or maybe bitter seemed like a better word.
And that worried her. She didn’t need any more negativity in her life. And if he was like this at the first meeting, she couldn’t imagine how chipper he would be dealing with a young child with medical issues.
Before she could ponder too long, a timid-looking young girl rolled out in a wheelchair. Her big brown eyes told Nora that she had already seen her fair share of sorrow, and she wasn’t even out of elementary school.
Nora didn’t know the whole story since the emails between her and Mr. Connors had been brief, and the ad wasn’t full of details, just the highlights. But she could see in her eyes a similar sorrow to what Nora had recently gone through, only this was so much worse.
Nora focused on the girl hiding behind her brown curls and knelt down to her level. “Hi, I’m Nora. Would you, by chance, be Hannah?”
The girl shot a questioning look up at the solemn man. He must have given her a signal because she, too, forced a smile and introduced herself. “Yes. I’m Hannah.”
Maybe these two aren’t so different after all,Nora mused as she sensed how uncertain they both were around her. That was to be expected, she supposed.
They all eventually made their way to the sitting room, and Nora gently led the girl into opening up and telling a little about herself.
Mr. Connors stayed with them, Nora feeling how intensely he was taking in everything that happened.
She tried to ignore him, but it was hard. He had such a strong presence that it made him difficult to disregard. But eventually, she was able to block him out. Hannah made that easy.
She had just as many questions for Nora as Nora had for her.
