Page 16 of Kent's Honor
Dixie shook her head. “Nicky means everything to me. I don’t see it as giving up anything when I’ve gained him.”
“I like you,” Tilly said, smiling. “Starting salary is forty thousand?—”
Dixie went into a coughing fit. No way could she have heard that correctly. The most she’d ever made had been fifteen thousand in one year.
“Are you okay? Do you need some water?”
“No, I’m good. Please continue,” Dixie said, mentally preparing herself for a different number.
“As I was saying, the salary is forty thousand. You’ll have two weeks paid vacation, five sick days and five personal days. I don’t roll them over to the next year. I work from home two days a week and in the office or visiting various programs and shelters the other three, and I expect you to come with me most days. If I need you at an evening function, I usually let you off work early that day or come in later the next day. I have a full-time nanny, if you need her services, but you’d have to work that out with her. My foundation also has a daycare on-site. If you need medical insurance, I can add you, but that comes out of your salary. You can look over the plan and let me know at any time.”
Dixie curled her fingers over the hem of her sundress to keep them from shaking. Her heart pounded so loud she thought for sure she wasn’t hearing everything right. “Are you offering me the job?”
“It’s yours for the taking.” Tilly stood, holding out a folder. “The details of the job offer and all the responsibilities are in this packet. Take tonight and read this. You can let me know tomorrow if you want the job or not.” She leaned across the desk. “I hope you’ll take it.”
“Thank you.” Her hands trembled slightly as she took the folder. She fought the tears forming in her eyes. “I won’t disappoint you.”
“Is that an acceptance?”
Dixie nodded.
“Well, all right, then,” Tilly said. The way her mouth tipped up into an elegant smile radiated confidence. “Let’s go downstairs and celebrate.”
Dixie stuffed the papers in her purse and followed Tilly out of the office and down the staircase that led to a back corner in the family room off the kitchen.
“Do you like white wine?” Tilly asked as she reached into a wine cooler.
“I do, thanks.” In the matter of three days, she’d landed a job and not just any job. Her aunt was right. This would be a fresh start. Her only worry now was Nicky.
“You look deep in thought.” Tilly set two glasses on the white granite counter adorned with green and light-gray swirls. The entire kitchen looked clean. Crisp. It had white and light-green shaker-style cabinets and a whitewashed wood floor.
Laughter filtered through the screen door. Nicky jumped from the side of the pool into Kent’s arms, screaming to do it again. Elle hung on her father’s back, egging Nicky on. He’d managed being a single parent just fine, which gave her hope. But it pained her how being around him affected Nicky. He craved male attention, and Kent was all male. Elle didn’t seem to be as needy around females, but she had Jackie, and from the looks of it, Tilly as well.
“It’s been a rough few months, and I’m a little overwhelmed with how quickly things are changing. I’m kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop.”
“I’m a good read of people, and I think it’s more than that.” Tilly pointed to the pool. “Nicky sure is attached to Kent.”
“He’s usually more guarded with men.”
“Why is that?” Tilly asked.
“His father stopped coming around to see him six months ago.” The only time Daniel ever really spent time with his son was when she pushed it, a decision she now regretted. “Stopped paying child support nine months ago.”
A soft, tender hand rested on her shoulder, sending warmth to her heart.
“Have you tried to find him? Take him to court?”
“I ran out of money and lost the energy.” She leaned against the island, sipping the butter-flavored wine, her taste buds exploding with excitement. The wine she’d been used to tasted like ethyl with a mix of berries. Taking a bit more into her mouth, she swirled it around, savoring every drop. “My mother left my dad when I was four, but really, she left me. She’s a bit of a free spirit and not cut out to be a nurturing mother. But my dad was so amazing that somehow he managed to make up for the lack of motherly affection. I thought I could do the same for Nicky.”
“Where’s your mother now?”
“She recently remarried and is living in the Panhandle. I think she’s finally settling down.”
“Do you feel loved by her?” Tilly asked.
Dixie nodded. “One thing about my mother is that she has never lied to me. She doesn’t make promises she knows she won’t keep and neither did my dad. I feel like I’ve been lying to Nicky because I really don’t believe his father loves him, much less wants to be in his life.”
“You’re a good mom, and Nicky will be okay, especially since we’re going to have to make sure he marries Annabelle. Look at them.”
