Page 11 of The Summer Arrangement
“You’re the one who kept having a kid from me,” I quickly counter, trying to make light of our situation.
Shrugging, he rolls his eyes. “Do you blame me? I haven’t dated much since Milli was born, so I’m not exactly in the habit of giving my whole life story on a first date.”
“I don’t blame you,” I agree. “But speaking of Milli? Or should I call her Emilia? What do you want to do?”
“Since it’s usually just her and me, I’ve gotten in the habit of using her nickname regularly. She answers to either, but I reserve hergovernment name, as you call it, for when I’m being serious, or she’s in trouble.”
God, he’s adorable when he’s mocking me.
“Good to know… but…”
Shit. How do I say this?
“But???” he draws out, waiting for me to finish my thought.
“I guess the question we need to figure out is whether or not we should work together.”
His pensive expression is unreadable, and I have no idea what he’ll decide. His eyes drift to the floor, and he stares for a long moment, as the wheels spin in his head.
I have no clue what it’s like to be a parent, but I imagine finding childcare is a huge feat. Given the tangled web that surrounds us and our brief history, it’s truly a lot to consider. My family shouldn’t be a factor, but truth be told, because of them, no matter what’s decided today, I’m certain Cameron’s and my paths will cross again. Seaside may be a tourist town, but it’s not that big.
I’m so lost in my thoughts, I’m startled when he claps his hands together and says, “I’ll tell you what… Let’s put the past behind us… for now. Why don’t we sit down and truly talk through the details of you working as Emilia’s nanny. If we both come to a mutual consensus at the end, then the job is yours.”
With that, he leads me back to the sitting area where I read to Emilia. He sits on the edge of the sofa, and I take the armchair beside him.
Noting he doesn’t fully relax into the couch, neither do I.
Planting my feet solidly on the floor in front of me, I lean forward and treat this just like any other interview. Instead of waiting for him to ask the first question, I flip the script and ask, “So, what exactly are you looking for in a nanny?”
I ignore the way his navy-blue eyes sparkle but enjoy that his shoulders visibly relax. This tiny motion puts me at ease, and I feel the stiffness of my body loosen. Sighing heavily, he admits, “Unfortunately, I’m expected to work a lot of long hours this summer. I’ll do what I can at nights and on the weekends when Milli’s sleeping. But with planning for the festival in full-swing, I might need to be onsite more often and won’t always have a predictable schedule.”
He pauses to see if we’re on the same track. When I nod in agreement, he continues, “Until the week of the actual festival, I might put in some long hours, but you should… in theory… have Saturdays and Sundays off. If things change, I’ll try to work from home to give you two days off each week. During the festival itself, I’ll need to find someone else to also help with Milli, as I’ll be working round the clock at that point.”
“We’ll figure it out when the time comes,” I offer. “Not everything needs to be hashed out today.”
He nods, then proceeds to tell me Milli’s schedule for the summer. My heart goes out to him as a single parent. His desire to be there for Emilia resonates deeply, especially as a daughter whose dad was often deployed for long periods of time throughout my childhood. Cameron clearly knows the value of time, and Milli is fortunate to have a dad like him.
As he talks, my nerves nearly disappear. Relief flows through me as I find we see eye to eye on most scenarios when itcomes to expectations for Milli. Besides the elephant in the room regarding our personal past, if I were to get this job, it feels like we’d work well together to have Milli’s best interest in mind.
All is well until he asks, “What kind of vehicle do you drive?”
“I… uh… have my license. However, my Camry took its last joy ride a few months ago. I never really used my car in Portland, and with student teaching next spring, I decided not to replace Lola and save some money. During the summer, I typically use my sisters’ cars to get around, when I can’t walk where I need to go. Will that be a problem?”
He hesitates for a moment longer than I feel comfortable. “I’ve got a car you can use. Milli’s car seat is already installed and inspected. Do you live far? Sometimes my meetings will run later into the evenings.”
“This is Seaside. Everything isfairlyclose,” I quickly remind him. “Besides, like I said, I’ve got plenty of family around. They’ll give me a ride if necessary.”
He purses his lips, and I’m certain he isn’t impressed.
Please don’t letthis,of all things, be the reason I don’t get this job.
He surprises me when he says, “I don’t really like the idea of you walking alone after dark. But… as you say…we can cross that bridge when we get there.”
Our conversation quickly flows into further details of the day-to-day expectations of this position. Cameron adamantly insists my primary job is caring for Milli. I can expect to cook and clean up after her, including do her laundry if necessary. When he asks if I’d feel comfortable taking her swimming regularly, I smile. His mother and I had discussed this earlier, however I could tell he was surprised to know I’d been on the swim team in my youth.
By the end of the interview, I feel confident the job is mine.
That is until he says, “Just one last thing before we discuss salary. I’ve never had to ask this of any employee, but… I need to know your honest thoughts. Are youreallyokay working for me… given our history?”
