AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yes, I have a Honda Pilot.”
She smiled. “Perfect! You already have a mom car!”
I chuckled. “Yes, I guess I do.”
“You’ll have Friday afternoons, Saturdays, and Sundays off, unless Aiden needs help with anything. He’d also like for you to go to church with him and Hadley, but of course, he would never force that on you.”
“I have no issues with attending church.”
I didn’t want to tell Mrs. Piper I hadn’t been to church in the last few months. I’d felt like a hypocrite walking in and putting on a show for everyone. I was tired of pretending I had the perfect life. The perfect husband. He’d been far from it.
“Good!” she replied, then went on. “Any trips you take with Hadley, such as carnivals, museums, things like that, Mr. Bishop will supply you with a credit card to pay for his daughter’s way and your way as well.”
My brows rose. “He’s a generous man.”
“Yes, he is. Now, about dating?—”
I held up my hand. “You don’t have to even worry about that, I’m not the least bit interested. I recently came out of a very…difficult relationship. I have no desire to jump back into the dating pool.”
Her smile and eyes were very kind, as if she knew exactly what I was talking about.
“Well, just in case youdodecide to date, Mr. Bishop simply asks that you not bring anyone to the house, and if you have anyone at the apartment, be mindful of little eyes and ears.”
“Understood, but like I said, I have no plans to even look at men for a very,verylong time.”
Mrs. Piper winked. “I have a feeling you and I have more in common than we think.”
I wanted to ask why she thought that, curious about her own relationship status, but I decided it was best to let it go.
“Okay, so let me look over your application. From Dallas, moved here a week ago, thirty-two, thirty-three in a few days, no children.” Her eyes lifted to me. “Since this is a position with a young child, will your ex-husband be…a problem? You understand why I ask.”
Swallowing hard, I looked down at my hands and replied, “No, Ben will not be a problem.” I lifted my gaze to hers and continued, “I’ll be honest and let you know I had a restraining order against him while we were going through the divorce process, but Ben is no longer an issue. He won’t try to find me or reach out.”
Crap. Crap. Crap. Why did I give her so much information?
“Is the, um, restraining order still in place? Now that you’re divorced?”
I nodded. “It is. He doesn’t know where I am, and I honestly don’t think he cares now that we’re done.”
Her eyes looked glassy, as if they were beginning to pool with tears. She quickly blinked them away. “G-good.” She cleared her throat. “Well, then, I don’t really see why I can’t refer you to Mr. Bishop. He’ll want to meet you first, of course, and then introduce you to Hadley. If they both like you, then you’ll be able to move in and get started right away. Do you have many things in storage?”
This time it was me who was blinking back tears. “No, just a suitcase of clothes and a few personal items I brought with me.”
Mrs. Piper stared at me for the longest time before nodding. Again, I felt the same way I had with the woman on the plane. I let myself wonder if the two women did indeed have something in common with me. Their own monster they had walked away from, possibly.
“Wonderful. Then I’ll call Aiden…um, Mr. Bishop,” she said with a chuckle. “Once we speak, I’ll get the meeting scheduled.”
I laughed at her repeated blunders with saying her cousin’s first name. We shook hands. “I look forward to meeting him and Hadley.”
“Let me walk you out.”
As we walked through the waiting area, Eleanor jumped up. “Emma! If I need your help again, may I call you? We’ll pay you for your time.”
With a wide smile, I nodded. “Of course you can and no need to pay. I’d love to help out.” I gave her my cell phone number and wished both Eleanor and her mother a good day.
As I walked down the sidewalk to my car, I felt a lightness in my step I hadn’t experienced in years.
I had a job, possibly. I had a car. I had a place to live,ifI got the job.
