Page 14 of The Summer Arrangement
Oh, my fucking god. I’ve never been intoanydad I’ve worked for.
Look what he’s turned me into.
This is one-hundred percent Cameron’s fault—and mine for agreeing to go out with him in the first place.
Why did I break my rules for him?
Focus. You’re here to do a job.
Speaking of job—where’s Milli?
Shit! I can’t lose her in the first five minutes on my very first day. I’ll be fired before he can even leave for work.
Frantically looking around the room, I find her obliviously sitting at the kitchen table. She’s got a crayon in one hand and is diligently coloring her own picture on a piece of construction paper, while chomping on a long piece of bacon from the other. Thank God she’s so focused on her drawing, she doesn’t even notice I’m having an existential crisis.
“Hey, Milli, you ready for an omelet?”
She’s so focused on her drawing, she doesn’t even look up. Face down, she mumbles something that sounds like, “Uh-huh.”
Needing to make myself busy so I’ll stop thinking about Cameron in the other room changing, I focus on Milli’s needs. Walking to the stack of plates set out on the counter, I can’t help but grin at the stack of bacon sitting next to a large pile of omelets.
Geeze, these omelets are enormous.Who the heck is he planning to feed this morning?
There’s no way Milli can eat one on her own. Taking the spatula propped against the griddle, I split one in half, then add another slice of bacon to her plate. Not seeing any forks set out, I make myself at home. After two failed attempts, I find the silverware drawer.
“Want some help cutting this up?” I offer, setting her plate beside her.
Milli’s so engrossed in her drawing, she doesn’t even react. That is until Cameron unexpectedly breaks the silence in the room a few seconds later.
“Mills, it’s time to put the drawing aside and eat.”
His no-nonsense tone has her setting the crayon down and looking eagerly for her plate as if she had no idea I’d put it beside her in the first place.
As Cameron approaches, I catch the faint scent of his cologne. My mouth waters, and tingles spark up my spine as flashes from our night together pop through my mind. Needing to keep my sanity, I clear my throat and force myself to breathe through my mouth.
Focus your attention on Milli, Elizabeth.
Quickly holding up her fork, I ask, “Want me to cut this up for you?”
Beautiful blue pleading eyes that match her father’s level me. Add in the tilt of her head and the most adorable “Please,” rolling off her lips, my heart completely melts.
From my years of working with children, I can tell there’s not an ounce of manipulation behind this request. Clearly, Milli has manners—or at least the adults around her have worked with her on this.
From my peripheral, I spot Cameron grabbing an omelet for himself at the counter. “Have you eaten?”
“Not yet. But I brought something in my bag,” I admit, placing Milli’s plate in front of her.
“You’re welcome to anything we have here. Milli was extra helpful in helping me break eggs this morning, so please eat. Otherwise…” He grins knowingly at his daughter before adding, “We might have omelets for breakfast and dinner… reheated eggs turn rubbery.” His faux-horrified expression is hilarious.
“Well, we wouldn’t want that now,” I say on a laugh.
Without another word, he piles food onto two plates, grabs utensils, and brings them to the table. Placing a plate in front of me, as if it’s something he does every day, he walks to the chair on the other side of Milli and eats.
As I bite into the cheesy goodness, I notice there’s not only bacon but mushrooms, along with some seasoning that makes me eager to eat more. Once I finish chewing, I remember to thank the cook. “This is delicious. Thank you.”
“It’s not a problem. I don’t get to do breakfast like this every morning, but I try when I can. You’ll find Milli’s not too picky when it comes to food.”
“That’s good to know. Do you have a specific meal plan for Milli?” Some families are rigid, others are lax. I’m more of a mood eater but I can adjust to whichever suits their needs.
