Page 21 of The Redemption of Remy St. Claire

With a wave, she and Calleigh left. As she drove, she felt buoyed by his confidence in her ability to watch both of the girls. How hard could it be?

Chapter six

Justtwenty-fourhourslater,they sat across from each other in the living room of Remy’s parents’ home.Remy’s home. She was relaxing over a glass of wine while Rusty enjoyed a cold can of Diet Coke. They settled in the formal living room, and he worried about leaving a mark on the side table. This room didn’t scream comfort, but she’d picked it, and he’d go along with her decision.

The girls were tucked into their beds in the shared bedroom.

Rusty’d located a bed for Mira at a local store, and while the movers were picking up his boxes and desk, they’d also secured the bed.

The whole day’d been remarkably smooth. Good planning and competent movers made a huge difference. As he sipped his drink, he cast a surreptitious glance at his new boss. Despite her misgivings about being left alone with two toddlers, she’d managed admirably.

She took another sip of wine, angling herself toward him. He sat on the couch while she perched on an uncomfortable-looking wingback.

“We haven’t ironed out so many details. You haven’t even signed an employment contract.’

“You checked my references.”

Her eyes widened. “Of course I did. Impeccable references, but I suspect you already knew that. I’m referring more to details. What will your hours be? When do you take time off? When I was just hiring a nanny, things were much clearer. Now, with Mira in the mix, things are more complicated.”

“They don’t have to be.”Be careful.“I’m a full-time dad and have been for over three years. Mira does everything with me, and we’re rarely apart. I have a small computer-consulting business on the side that has been demanding more of my attention, and I didn’t like it. I’ll do more with it when Mira goes to kindergarten. For now, it’s something I focus on when Mira’s at preschool and in the evenings after she’s gone to bed.

“As for how things will work, I’m not sure. I plan to take care of both girls. I don’t see us setting up a schedule per se, and you’ve said you work a lot. When you’re here, you’ll be with us. When you’re working, I’ll be here.”

Her brow furrowed. “It doesn’t work like that. You need delineated time off. Calleigh can’t always be your responsibility.”

“Delineated time off is not high on my list of concerns.” He hesitated. The truth was, he’d done nothing but ruminate about this since she’d hired him—forty-eight hours ago. “You’re paying me a very generous salary, but I’m not doing this for the money. I want a job that keeps me as close to Mira as possible, so this is perfect.

“As for time off? Why don’t we say I get Sunday mornings off? That’ll be my special time with Mira and your special time with Calleigh.” The wary look in her eyes warned him he was losing her. “Instead of seeing this as a nanny/employer relationship, see this as more like a co-parenting situation.”

“Co-parenting?” She placed her wineglass on the coffee table and leaned forward. “You’re talking about meshing the personal and the professional. I’m not comfortable with that.”

This was a fight he had to win.You can do this.He’d do anything for Mira. “You’re giving me a one-month trial run to see how this goes. Why don’t we play it one day at a time?” He held up his hands when she began to argue. “I know you’d prefer things all nice and organized, but life’s not like that. Kids aren’t like that.”

Her lips pursed into a line. “You’re right, I prefer stability over chaos. Despite the unpredictability of my work, there’s a certain order and orchestration to it. There will always be victims, and there will always be bad guys to prosecute. I like symmetry.”

“See us as symmetry. Two heads are always better than one.”

“What if…” She began, then faltered. “What if Calleigh becomes attached to you? What happens when you leave?”

“I only got here. Don’t go writing the obituary for this yet.”

Picking up her glass of wine, she took a sip. “She’s already endured such upheaval. I’m scared you might inadvertently hurt her.”

How was he supposed to answer that? “I would never knowingly hurt Calleigh. We’ll do our best to explain the situation. She’s only three and has already had her security ripped from under her. You’re everything to her, but you also have to go back to work. At least she knows me and I’m not some stranger to her. When we finally say our goodbyes, she’ll be old enough to understand.”

“How old do you plan for her to be when that happens?”

“At least twelve.”

Jerking, she righted her wine only at the last minute, saving the cream carpet from a nasty red stain. “Twelve? That’s nine years from now.”

“And by that time, she’ll be old enough to cope without a nanny.”

“Nine years? I can’t contemplate Monday, and you’ve got a nine-year plan worked out?”

He raised a shoulder. “Mira and Calleigh both need stability. A long-term plan will give them that.”

She took a gulp of wine. And then another one. And then another.

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