Page 18 of One Pucking Life

I hitch my thumb over my shoulder, already half turned toward the steps. “Should I just go? We can forget the interview?”

“Are you kidding?” He smiles wider and steps back, motioning me inside. “Come on in. I’m only teasing. As you said, it could’ve happened to anyone.”

He winks.

And I don’t like the way it makes me feel.

I hesitate for half a second before stepping through the doorway. His house smells faintly like cedar and laundry detergent, and it’s so clean I wonder if he hired a crew before I arrived—or if he’s one of those secretly tidy guys. Though, somehow, I doubt it.

Max closes the door behind me, still balancing the baby like it’s second nature. “This is Caroline,” he says, adjusting her slightly so I can get a better look.

She’s beautiful—big blue eyes, chubby cheeks, and a faint fuzz of dark hair sticking up on top of her head like a little duckling. My heart squeezes.

“Hi, sweet girl,” I murmur, smiling softly. She blinks up at me, curious, her tiny fist working its way toward her mouth.

“She likes to chew on pretty much everything,” Max says, shifting her higher on his chest. “I think she’s teething, but I could be wrong.”

I smile, already slipping into my familiar rhythm. “You’re probably right. I’ve cared for babies who cut their first tooth around four or five months. She could be working on one.” I glance at him. “And for what it’s worth, you’re holding her like a pro.”

His gaze meets mine, something warm flickering there. “Thanks. I’m trying.”

I nod, letting my eyes sweep over the entryway. “Nice place.”

“Thanks,” he says. “I live here with one of the guys, but he’s moving in with his girlfriend soon. So if you take the job… it’ll just be us.”

I swallow. That shouldn’t bother me. I mean, I knew the deal. But still, the weight of those words sits heavier than I expected.

Max gestures toward the living room. “Want to sit? I can grab you some water or something?”

“I’m good, thanks.”

I follow him into a surprisingly cozy space. A playmat is spread out near the couch with a few baby toys scattered across it. There’s a bottle on the coffee table and a soft blanket draped over the arm of a chair. It feels lived in, like a home. And somehow, that eases something in my chest.

Max drops onto one side of the couch, Caroline cradled against him like she belongs there. It’s hard to believe he’s only had her a week. They’re already so comfortable together.

“You’re really good with her,” I say before I can stop myself.

His mouth tips up in a crooked grin. “I’m trying. She kind of threw my whole life upside down, but… I wouldn’t change it.” He runs a gentle hand down her back. “It was pretty much love at first sight. She’s so easy to love. That makes it simple.”

I blink, caught off guard by his honesty. And… okay, maybe I misjudged him. At least a little.

“So,” he says after a beat. “You’ve got experience with babies?”

I nod. “A lot. I’ve been a live-in nanny for years. Infants, toddlers, siblings… I’ve done it all.”

“Well,” he says, leaning back, “Iris swears you’re amazing, and that’s good enough for me. I’m not gonna lie. The interviews I’ve had before this were disasters. I’m insanely desperate. Nameyour price. I’ll pay whatever you want. I’ll try to give you as many days off as possible. Summer’s the best time for extended breaks since it’s the offseason. During the year, I’m gone a lot, and we’ll need you the most then.”

I stare at him. “Wait. That’s it? You’re offering me the job?”

“Yeah. Of course.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that.” He gives me that grin again, the one I’m realizing is dangerously charming. “If the worst thing you’re gonna do is give me some attitude while trying to steal my car, I’ll take it. Plus, did I mention I’m desperate?”

I huff out a quiet laugh despite myself. “Should I hold her? Make sure we have good chemistry?”

He shrugs, already handing Caroline over. “Sure. She’s pretty easygoing. She likes everyone.”

---