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“And you’re Graham Hilborne,” I said. “You have three seconds to tell me where my mom is.”
“I don’t need three seconds,” he said. “I’ll tell you right now that she’s inside.”
I laughed at him. “That’s the thing, Graham. She can’t be inside. She’s retired.”
“Not anymore. She’s taking care of my daughter.”
I took a step closer and got all up in Graham’s face. Well, as close as I could to his face. He wasreallytall. “Listen to me. My mom cannot physically continue taking care of your daughter. Not for any amount of money you might be willing to offer her.”
“Those negotiations are private between Carol and me,” Graham informed me, not backing down. “I’m not about to tell someone who wants to work for me that she can’t anymore.”
I took a step closer. We would’ve been nose to nose if I had been ten inches taller. As it was, I craned my neck up at him and was very nearly pressed up to his torso. I was close enough to smell his cologne—a rich scent full of timber and amber. It was heady and way too much of a distraction.
“Let me put it this way then, Graham,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “My mom had a heart attack, and her doctors told her she needed to retire. Are you prepared for your daughter to witness a subsequent much more serious medical incident her caretaker experiences in her presence? Are you prepared for your daughter to, God forbid, watch someone drop dead?”
Graham leaned close enough for me to see the gold flecks in his green eyes. “What would have me do? Collins loves Carol. I need someone I can trust taking care of my daughter, and I need someone my daughter trusts, too.”
“I know you’re in a difficult situation, but the situation doesn’t involve my mom anymore.” I frowned at him. “I know you have to have the resources to find someone new.”
“I don’t trust anyone,” he said after a beat. “Carol’s been…so good.”
“You’re a man of means,” I snapped. “Stop bribing my mom to come out of retirement. She’s sick. She can’t do this kind of work anymore. And you don’t want to subject your daughter to that kind of risk, trust me. I’ve counseled kids who have seen people die in front of them, and it is not pretty.”
Graham looked me up and down in a way that made me want to cover myself even though I was just wearing jeans and a T-shirt. “You’re a counselor,” he said slowly.
“Child psychologist,” I corrected.
“But you’re qualified. To be with kids.”
“To help children,” I said. “I have a degree. Several, actually.”
“So, you could watch Collins.” Graham’s eyes lit up like Christmas. Like he was about to substitute a mother with a daughter to secure another generation of childcare for his family. This was ridiculous.
“I’m only in the area temporarily,” I said. “To help my mom with her retirement. She’s moving, and we’re downsizing. That’s the only reason I’m here. I’m going back to New York City as soon as she’s settled.”
“I could work with temporary,” Graham said. “What do you say?”
“I don’t know what you’re trying to get me to agree to.”
“Take care of my daughter until I find someone else to do it full time,” he said. “I won’t bother Carol, but I need someone now, and so does Collins.”
“Who’s there?” someone skittering on the tiled floor bellowed from behind Graham. “Hello?”
“Collins, you little jitterbug, you better come back here!” my mom exclaimed, jogging behind her. Jogging was a no-no from the doctor. This wasn’t going to work out. “Heather!”
“Hi, Mom.” I waved as my mom came to stand by Graham, who was grasping his daughter’s hand. Collins was cute, but I’d met plenty of cute kids through my work. Kids who needed serious intervention. I was immune to cute.
However, I was starting to suspect it was her father who required the intervention, not Collins.
“You’re not mad at me, are you?” my mom asked, cringing a little. “Sorry for sneaking out.”
“Not mad,” I said with a smile to Collins. “Just worried. You know this isn’t something you should be trying to do, no matter how much fun it might be.”
How much money had Graham offered my mom to get her to come over here? Actually, no. I didn’t want to think about it. It would probably make me sick.
“This is Collins,” my mom said, holding her hand out to the little girl who was doing her best to sneak outside. “Collins, this is my daughter, Heather.”
“Hi, Collins,” I said brightly, extending my hand. “It’s so nice to meet you. You know, I feel like I already know you. My mom loves to tell stories about you.”
