Page 5 of The Redemption of Remy St. Claire

Saturday morning, a moving crew was coming to her condo to pack her few personal items as well as her clothes, and move them here. She’d donated her furniture to a local charity thrift store. The furniture was nice, but she had no sentimental attachment to it. She didn’t have sentimental attachments to anything.

Except Calleigh.

She eyed him. “I need a babysitter Saturday morning while I move. Let’s consider it a trial run.”

“I appreciate you keeping an open mind.”

His face shone with gratitude. He wasn’t like the people she normally dealt with. The people she dealt with were liars. They’d lie to her face without a moment’s hesitation and without an ounce of regret.

She and her coworkers had to have poker faces. Shows of emotion could get them in serious trouble.

Rusty Stevens didn’t fit into those categories. During the entire interview, he’d had an open countenance. His horror at being accused of being a child molester or rapist had been palpable. When he talked about Mira, there’d been boundless love.

She both respected his honesty and envied his transparent emotions. But her feelings had to stay bottled up. Otherwise they might burst out and never stop.

Okay, deep breath. Trust your instincts.

“Let’s give it a one-month trial-run.”

His brows shot up. “What changed your mind?”

“I need someone right away.” She shrugged, attempting for nonchalance. “I’m checking your references today. Obviously, if things are in doubt, then I’ll rescind the offer.”

“Of course. You should be cautious.” He indicated her pad of paper. “I’ll write them down.”

“That’s fine. I’ll need to see them in person.”

As he wrote out the information. she glanced over the list. Two women from the daycare, two librarians, and Doctor Marco Raymond. He was also Calleigh’s doctor and had been helpful over the past couple of weeks. She could probably catch him this afternoon.

She was rising when her phone rang. About to send the call to voicemail, she hesitated. No ignoring the office. “I have to take this.”

“Of course. Would you like me to…?” He pointed to the door.

She waved at him to stay where he was. This would only take a minute, and she still had a few arrangements to make.

Chapter two

Rustyglancedathiswatch. Still plenty of time before he needed to pick up Mira.

He glanced at his new employer. Interesting, she looked nothing like her blonde-haired, blue-eyed sister. Her straight, dark-brown, shoulder-length hair was almost black, and her eyes were a deep chocolate brown. The petite woman was probably eight or nine inches shorter than his own six-foot frame. He worried his size might intimidate her, but it didn’t seem to.

Everything today had been a surprise. When he’d dropped Mira off at preschool this morning, he’d had no thought of applying for a job. The truth was, he and Mira had a good life. They had enough money to live on and a cozy apartment.

But something was missing.

Mira was lonely.

He was lonely.

Waverly from the daycare center had mentioned this job, and Rusty figured working as a nanny was a way to solve those problems. A way to find companionship for Mira without romantic entanglements for himself.

If things worked out, then maybe this could become a long-term arrangement.

Okay, don’t get ahead of yourself.

Remy’s initial reticence and then complete one-eighty was a little dizzying. In one breath she suggested he might be a rapist, while in the next, she offered him a chance at the job.

He could make this work. Hehadto make this work because Mira wasn’t just deprived of a sibling’s love—she was deprived of a mother’s love. She needed a female influence in her life. Not that he didn’t believe he was doing a good job. He was coping the best he could, but he could be doing better.

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