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He pauses. “I’m not saying that. But I’m notnotsaying that, either.”
“I can’t tell if you’re being sexist or savvy or both right now.”
“Admittedly, probably both. But you know I’m right about this.”
I shake my head. “Look her up. Her portfolio should put your mind to rest on the matter.”
“Sure, but how much of it is her work and how much of it is the work of some nerd who she took advantage of?”
“Speaking from experience?”
He levels a glare at me. “That’s hitting below the belt.”
“Not my fault that you were the resident nerd in your private school—
“We don’t need to rehash old times. I came here to figure out a solution.”
“And you know what to do. Call her. Set up a meeting. Get a feel for her. If she doesn’t fit the project, we hire someone else. Easy enough.”Which he already knew I’d tell him…“Why are you really here, Beau?”
He sighs. He knows I’m onto him. “I heard about Lily.”
Reality sinks its fangs into my jugular. “You’re here to discuss my love life? Since when?”
“Since I heard thewholestory about Franny from Abigail in the grocery store. I don’t know why I had to hear it from her instead of my own brother, other than Lily must have ripped out his heart and stomped it flat, leaving him catatonic and incapable of using his phone. Maybe I’m assuming too much—
“No. You’re not.”
He sighs again. “I was afraid so. How are you holding up?”
“I’m sorry you had to hear it from her.”
“That’s not an answer to my question, but apology accepted.”
“It’s…I don’t know.”
His eyebrows furrow. “You sound way more upset than needed for a mere fling.”
“It wasn’t a fling, Beau. This wasn’t just a case of a man diddling the nanny. I am—Iwas—in love with her.”
“Oh.”
“And now…I’m regretting everything.”
He nods knowingly. “Well sure. I mean, Franny—
But I raise my hand to stop him. “Of course, I regret what happened to her. What I mean is, I regret how things went down between me and Lily. The breakup.”
“How so?”
“I should have fought her on it. Should have fought for us. Instead, I just…I don’t want her to feel worse than she already did. She feels especially responsible for what happened to Franny—
“She should. She was her nanny.”
I shake my head. “Lily wasn’t on duty at the time, Beau. It was the weekend, and she was only scheduled to work for the week. She was there to spend time with us. Not to work.”
He takes a beat. “It must be hard to work out when a nanny is on and off. I never really thought about it before, but unless they live with you, then they have off times.”
Nodding, I go on, “And I was home. I feel like everyone forgets that part. Abigail wants to blame it all on Lily for distracting me with sex and so does Lily, but I am just as much to blame in this, if not more. They’re my kids.”
