Page 14 of That First Night
I am so damn proud to be her big brother. Emiline has worked so hard since she graduated high school. She’s always wanted to be a nurse like our mom. She never let boys get in the way of anything either. She still hasn't been in a relationship, or even kissed a boy for all I know, and I would like to keep it that way. I will never stop being protective of her.
“Okay. Okay.” I rub my hands down my face. “I guess I do need a nanny.” I pause for a second thinking about this. “Let me at least come with you to the park to meet your friend. If she’s going to be spending time with my kid and possibly moving in, I think I should approve. Don’t you agree?”
James jumps up and down like a little kid on Christmas morning, “Yes, Daddy!! Come to the park with us.” He pulls Emiline’s arm down so he can whisper in her ear, “Does this mean we don’t get pasties with holes?”
She laughs at him. “Maybe we can talk your dad into donuts for once in his life. He needs to understand that one donut treat isn't going to destroy his 8-pack that he's got going on.” Turning her gaze to me she asks, “What about work? Don’t you have to get to the office?”
“I’m going to call and work from the home office today.” I reach for my phone in the back pocket of my pants and click it open,.“I just have to call into a conference call in about a half hour. It will be quick.”
“Whateverwill the office do without you, Mr. Ford?” She sighs, throwing the back of her hand over her forehead in a very dramatic fashion.
I growl at her in frustration, “Let’s just go and get this over with.”
Sitting here on this bench in Central Park, all I can think about is the fact that I should have worn a tank top or a sundress. I can’t believe how hot it is right now and it’s the first week of September. I am so ready for fall.
I feel the sweat dripping down my back as I sit here waiting for Emiline so I can meet James. That’s when my phone starts vibrating in my purse and I just hope it isn’t her canceling on me. I need this job so much.
Fetching it out of my wristlet, I see Kali’s name flash across the screen with a video call.
“Hey Kali, I am still waiting. Looks like they are running a little late.”
“Ahh ok. I was calling to make sure you’re ok and ready for the interview. As in, I’m just making sure you’re not running off to bake a batch of fucking cookies.”
I bake when I'm stressed, and it seems that’s been happening a lot lately. Some people cope with stress by working out, cleaning, drinking, or whatever their vice is. My vice is baking cookies. Kali and Avery always know when it’s been a day for me when they come home from work and I’m standing over the oven waiting for the timer to ding. Trust me, they aren’t mad that there is always a chocolate treat waiting for them, but I can tell they get concerned.
“Kali, it’s barely an interview.” I laugh. “I’m just meeting the kid and seeing if we would be a good fit.” I shrug, fanning my face because this heat is insane right now.
“Like I said, an interview.” She throws her head back and laughs at me.
“Whatever,” I say, giving her an eye roll. “I can’t tell if this New York heat today is making me sweat or if it’s my nerves. I should have just gone with the sundress.”
“I wasn’t going to be the one to tell you, but yeah, that shirt does nothing to show your—” she pauses as her eyes trail my upper body in the frame of the phone. “Assets.”
In the last year, I’ve lost about 15 lbs, but my tits stayed nice and plump. I am not mad about that, and I feel so much better about myself. I was going down a slippery slope with weight gain. I wasn’t eating right. I eat strictly vegan, but it wasn’t the healthy vegan options I kept reaching for. I still like to indulge in my famous vegan chocolate chip cookies once a week, though.
A text notification pops up at the top of my screen from Emiline telling me she is walking up now.
“Kali, I have to go. She’s going to be here in a minute.”
“Okay sister, you got this! Remember, you are a ray of fucking sunshine,” she shouts.
I laugh at her giving her a nod. “Thank you, girl.” And quickly hang up the phone when I see a girl walking up with a little boy. This must be them.
She is simply stunning. She looks to be about 21 years old, dressed in the most beautiful baby blue sundress. She has long, light blonde hair and from the looks of it, it seems like she doesn’t even break a sweat in this heat. Shit, I should have worn the damn sundress.
“Hi, Emiline?”
“Yes! I am so sorry we are late. James was playing dinosaurs at home.” She giggles. “Then we had to wait for his dad because he decided he was going to come and join us to meet you too.”
“Oh, of course,” I mutter in a voice lower than I intend it to be.
Shit. Now my sweat is definitely from nerves. I was not ready to meet a daddy today. I need to brush that thought out of my head. Avery has put it in my head too much that daddies are all hot. For all I know, this could just be your average Joe. Either way, I am not here to meet a guy, I am here for a job. A job I need more than anything right now. So ifdaddyis fine as fuck, I need to push that down immediately.
“W-where is he?” I ask.
“He’s parking the car and then he had to take a conference call quickly. Those meetings can be such a bit-biscuit,” she quickly corrects herself and winks at me.
“Aunt Em, why are meetings such a biscuit?” the little boy wonders.
