Page 34 of Love Me Not

“I don’t fuck my employers.”

She tipped her coffee to me in a mock cheers.

“Does Bella have any hobbies?”I asked.

The driver let out a hum.“She paints on her iPad.Plays a few gardening games.But that’s it.”

I nodded and let that sink in before standing.

“Take me to the craft store then, will you?”

She hastily got up.

“Now?”she asked.“You have, like, all day.”

“After that you can drop me off back home,” I said and turned to the stairs that led straight down to the exit.

“Boring!”

I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my lips.

Maybe I can last a while at this job after all.

Chapter10

Juliette

Or not.

After spending all day between the craft store and setting up back at the house, I found myself with Marci back at the school and waiting for Bella.

I even planned exactly where we would get the bows.We’d stop at the big retail chain stores, and then there were a few boutiques that I personally knew of.

But as soon as I saw her walk out of the school gate, I knew none of that was going to happen.The very excited and happy eight-year-old came back a totally different person.Her hair and clothes might have been the same, but everything else had taken a one-eighty.I expected her to run into the car, excited for our shopping together, but she was like a dark cloud on a rainy day when she entered the car.

Even with the obvious change in her demeanor, I still thought I'd give it a go since she had been so excited for it in the morning.

“Are you ready to get your bows?”I asked, trying to get a good look at her face, but she kept dodging me.I waited, but she still didn’t look at me, choosing to cross her arms and pull her iPad out from her bag instead.She started up a small game and mumbled something under her breath.

“What was that, sweetie?”

“I don’t want stupid bows,” she said with a pout.

Oh, no.I knew this too well.If I wasn't careful, we were going to have a tantrum.I just hoped no one said anything today to hurt her or make her think something she loved—like bows—was stupid.

“Really?”I asked and leaned forward to try and get a look at her face again, but she hid it from me.I knew something must have happened at school, but I didn’t want to call her out on her behavior.If I did, this might make the whole situation worse.There was never any use trying to get kids to talk about anything if they didn’t want to.You had to wait until they were ready.

So that was what I did.I waited.

Marci met my eyes in the rearview, silently asking if we should steer off course.I nodded.We could always go later if Bella wanted.

“Anything interesting happen at school today?”I asked.“Did Carly get in trouble for her obvious cheating?”

Bella didn’t take the bait and remained focused on her game, her little fingers tapping the screen a bit harder than necessary.

Okay, then.I took the hint.

The rest of the ride was silent.When we got to the house, she stormed out of the car and went through the door without even waiting for me to get out.

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