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“Anna, I’m curious how you knew to draw an ice bath for muscle recovery. That’s not usually someone’s go-to after a strenuous workout. That’s the reason why I asked if my mom had said something to you.”
“Would you believe me if I said I saw it on TV?” I ask while Martha speaks over me and informs him, “She has a degree in Sports Medicine.”
“Really? Why aren’t you doing anything with that? That’s a very lucrative position and certainly pays more than being a nanny.”
“Aiden,” Reggie warns.
“It’s okay, Mr. Shaw. It’s a fair question.” I face Aiden, “Money isn’t everything. If you don’t enjoy what you do, then you end up bringing it home with you and wallow in misery. I didn’t choose my college major. My mother did. I wanted something more.”
He rests his elbows on the table and leans forward. “And you think being a nanny is more?” he asks. I feel the temperature rise in my cheeks, but I pause and consider his words. He’s not saying anything in a condescending tone. He’s genuinely curious.
Taking a deep breath, I tell him the truth. “I love kids, Aiden. They bring me joy. I love interacting with them and watching their personalities shine through, making even the grumpiest of men smile with their infectious positivity.” If this assignment had been anywhere other than here, I would have begged for it.
“That’s good to know. It’s got to be hard to pay off your school debt for a degree that takes 10-12 years to get,” he says, trying to catch me in a lie.
“I didn’t go beyond getting my bachelor’s degree—which is actually in Health and Nutritional Sciences—though I passed the Medical College Admissions Test with a 517 and had my pick of schools. I funded my entire education through scholarships and have zero debt.”
The MCAT test was tough, and if working for the FBI didn’t pan out, I wanted to keep my options open. It didn’t matter that I loathed the idea of going to medical school. If I had been left with no other alternative, I would have done it.
“Dad, didn’t you score a 511 on your test? Ha! You got beat by a girl!” Aiden’s parents laugh at Penny’s remark and Aiden’s reddening cheeks.
Now that the tables have turned, I can’t help myself from being inquisitive. “You planned to go to medical school? Why did you stop?”
“Because I loved hockey and was signed as a free agent when I graduated. I declined entry into the draft because I wanted to finish my degree first. However, when I got the offer from the Savannah Rockets, it was too good to pass up. Not to mention, it allowed me to play in my hometown.”
“Just so I’m clear, you decided that you loved hockey more than becoming a doctor and followed your heart and your passion. How does that make you different from me, Aiden?”
He ponders the question for a long moment. “It doesn’t. I guess you win this round, Anna.”
Chapter seven
Aiden
It’s a good thing I set the ten-minute timer for my ice bath because I was deeply entrenched in thoughts about Anna. A slow smile formed when I remembered how her hips swayed to the music and the sweet sound of her voice as she sang with my daughter. It disappeared quickly as my mind wandered, and I reflected on how I inadvertently insulted Anna. It wasn’t my intention, but looking back, I could see how my question might have been misconstrued. The first thing I had to do was apologize before my mouth got me into more trouble.
Dinner was going great at first, but then my father welcomed Anna into the family in front of God and Penny, throwing me off my game. Neither of us had expected that if I read Anna’s expression correctly. Instead of accomplishing what my dad had intended, it did the complete opposite. I knew I had to push Anna away so that my parents would back off their ploy to get us together.
I was blown away when Anna said she had an MCAT score of 517, which is exceptional and, as Penny had said, surpassed my score. I knew what it took for me to get a 511, and I studied night and day for almost a year to achieve that number. It boggled my mind that Anna would decide to be a nanny when she could have gone to any medical school of her choosing, but then again, she was right when she said, “Money isn’t everything.” Like her, I quit to follow my dreams. I just happened to have been blessed that my alternative career path actually paid something.
As honest and truthful as Anna had been, I got the feeling that she was hiding something. I planned to figure out what it was. I’ve had enough women after my bank account to know when ulterior motives are at play. I tossed and turned in bed all night, finding ways to extract the information. I ultimately decided that my best course of action would be to play nice, get her to trust me, and spill her secrets.
I wake up this morning with a grin on my face because “I’m a man with a plan,” and it’s time for me to set it in motion. I take a few extra minutes to get ready this morning, making sure that I go downstairs dressed and prepared for the day rather than wearing my fuzzy slippers and robe. I almost change my mind as I begin to imagine what Anna’s response would be like if she saw my eight-pack abs and broad shoulders exposed while eating breakfast. I chuckle to myself. I’ll leave that as a last-resort option.
My mouth salivates as the smell of bacon wafts up the stairwell, accompanied by the sound of laughter and eggs sizzling in a pan. It warms my heart to know that Penny is happy with Anna, even though it’s been a mere 24 hours since they met. Penny never acclimated to Angela, but then again, Angela paid more attention to Swank and me than my daughter.
Hoping to surprise the ladies in the house, I boom out in a deep and rumbling voice, “Good morning!” Startled, Penny and my mom both jump, but Anna keeps swaying her hips and humming a tune while flipping the eggs. I watch as she sets down the spatula and grabs the bread from the toaster, spreading it with a light layer of jam. She ignores me as she grabs two pans of bacon from the oven and sets them both on hot pads that are lying on the counter.
I pick up my daughter and hug her. “Hey, Pumpkin! Did you sleep well?”
“I did!” Penny squirms until I set her down, running over to get the silverware from the drawer. She grabs eight sets of forks, then returns for the knives and spoons. She keeps zipping back and forth across the kitchen until the table is set with everything but the plates, which I assume Anna will be filling.
Penny struggles with the pitcher of orange juice, so I rush over to help her. “I can do it, Dad! Anna didn’t fill it so that it was too heavy for me to carry.”
Penny has occasionally helped my mom or me set the table, but never by herself and never without a sigh to punctuate her disdain for doing it. “That was nice of her. Who asked you to set the table and why for so many?”
My mom laughs as she blots the grease from the bacon to help Anna, who has at least a dozen eggs on the griddle and a pan of cheesy hashbrown casserole cooling on the stove. “There are eight settings because Penny and Anna thought it would be a nice gesture to feed their bodyguards and you a hearty breakfast. The other question, I’ll let Penny answer.”
“Anna said that helping someone because you want to builds better character than having to be asked! And if someone asks you for help, you should do it with a gracious and open heart, never expecting anything in return!”
