Page 4 of The Housekeeper's Billionaire Boss
At this rate, he’d need a woman just to keep from giving himself food poisoning. A second-long debate had him dumping the bag in the trash and grabbing his keys. This time next year, maybe life would be different.
Chapter 2
With a toss, Molly’s keys clinked as they hit the metal dish sitting on the kitchen counter, and she shrugged out of her coat. “I’m home.”
The babysitter walked into the tiny living room, holding Ellie. “She’s such a good baby.”
Weren’t all babies good babies? Maybeeasierwas a better word, and Molly was thankful for that. Oh, she still woke up every few hours to eat, as evidenced by the dark circles around Molly’s eyes. Ellie was worth it, though. That little smile, those kissable sweet cheeks, and her tiny fingers as they wrapped around Molly’s finger and her heart. This tiny bundle of joy was worth everything to Molly.
She took Ellie from Lisa and smiled down at her. “Hey, you.”
Sinking onto the couch, Molly cradled Ellie and stared at her in wonder. When her brother, Derek, showed up four months ago with Brenda, his pregnant girlfriend, in tow, asking for Molly’s help to put the baby up for adoption, she’d been stunned.
First, her brother had spent most of his life in and out of jail. After he stole Molly’s credit card, she’d cut off all contact. She’d almost told him to go away, until his girlfriend came into the frame of Molly’s doorway. At that point, it wasn’t just him; it was the girl he’d knocked up. Molly just wasn’t tough enough to send her away—which meant three people living in her matchbox apartment.
They’d looked at several agencies, but the more Molly helped, the more she wanted the baby. At first, her brother wasn’t so sure it was a good idea to give a baby to a single woman with a housekeeping job, but Molly had made the argument that at least he’d have peace that the baby would be loved. Wasn’t that what mattered?
Eventually, they’d agreed with her, and three weeks ago, Eloise Grace Hines was born. Ellie cooed and hiccupped, and Molly smiled. This wasn’t how she’d planned to start her family, but sometimes plans got changed. For the better.
Molly tapped Ellie lightly on the nose and then kissed her little cheek. She was the most perfect little human being Molly had ever seen. Head of blonde hair, blue eyes, and the most adorable chubby cheeks.
Lifting her gaze to Lisa, Molly said, “Thank you for staying a little late. Mr. West is going home for the holidays, so he won’t need me. I figured I’d go ahead and start putting in applications.”
“If he’s as nice as you say, I bet if you told him you need to work, he’d help.” Lisa crossed the room and took her coat from the hook by the door. She stuffed her arms into the thick knee-length coat and picked up her purse. “It wouldn’t hurt to at least ask.”
Mr. West was more than nice. Josiah. Just his name was like cotton candy on her tongue. He was flat-out dreamy. Just a hair taller than her with thick dark hair, blue eyes, and a smile that could bring a woman to her knees. And that deep voice? Holy macaroni, was it ever yummy.
The bow on top of that neatly bundled present of a man was that he was as kind as he was good-looking. She knew he’d only given her the housekeeping job because he caught her crying after she was fired from the coffee shop. The first day she’d arrived, she’d been suspicious because the messes were just too…neat? She had a big brother, and she knew what a real one looked like.
As wonderful as Josiah was, now that Molly had Ellie, dating was on the back burner. It had been a sign when her boyfriend dumped her. In passing, she’d mentioned thinking about adopting her brother’s baby. That was all it took. He was “too young to be a dad,” and if she was going to pursue that, she’d be doing it without him.
Molly didn’t want Ellie to see her go through one boyfriend after another like Molly had done as a child with her own mother. All those men, in and out of Molly’s life, had been hard. Just when she would think things were settled, her mom’s relationship would end. From the time she was five until about nine, her world was rocked more times than she could count. Then her mom met her stepdad, and Molly loved him. After he married her mom, he’d adopted her and her brother. Even so, it didn’t change all the heartache she’d endured, and Molly didn’t want that for Ellie.
“I really can’t ask him for more work,” Molly said.
Lisa opened the door and paused. “I really think you should tell him. It would make life a little easier.” With that, she shut the door, leaving Molly alone with Ellie.
Easier, but she’d feel rotten telling him, especially when she knew he didn’t really need her cleaning his apartment. She made a decent wage. Enough to pay her rent, food, and take care of Ellie. That’s all she really needed anyway.
Now she just needed another job while Mr. West went home for the holidays.
Chapter 3
Three weeks later, Wednesday of Thanksgiving week, Josiah stood in his office holding an envelope in one hand and several hundred-dollar bills in the other, trying to decide how much money Molly would take without a fight. He knew she wouldn’t take pay without having earned it, but Christmas bonuses didn’t count, right?
He jerked his head up as he heard the door open. “Oh, man.” It was decision time.
“Mr. West?” Her voice carried through the apartment. “I’m sorry I’m late.”
“Uh, that’s okay.” He stuffed some bills in the envelope and put the leftover in his slacks’ pocket. “I’m still packing.”
As he reached the doorway, he nearly ran into her.
“Oh, I’m so sorry.” Her eyes went wide, and she stumbled. “I should have looked first.”
He steadied her and smiled. “It’s okay. I think this one’s on me.”
Stepping back, she tucked a silky lock of hair behind her ear. “I’ll get out of your way so you can pack.” She looked around his apartment. “Mr. West, nothing’s dirty. I’m not really sure you need me today.”
