Page 7 of Cross My Heart
I don’t officially have the job, but I took pity on him. The least I can do is help get the kids settled. I walk around the corner and come across the cutest little boy crouched down next to a smiling replica of the baby girl in my arms.
“Hey, buddy,” I say, walking over to him. He looks up at me and frowns.
O-kay, not the greeting I usually get with kids. I think back to the file Molly emailed me earlier. His name is Tate, and he is six years old. He has been having a tough time since his mom left. I quickly wonder where the hell she would have gone. How can you leave Mr. Sexy Pants and these beautiful children?
I shut that train of thought down immediately. I can’t start thinking of Mr. Cross as Mr. Sexy Pants, or I’ll say something inadvertently. I know myself and lack of filter at times.
I look around the kitchen. It’s similar to the disaster I found Harper in. Oh boy, what have I gotten myself into? Another quick scan of the room and I decide it’s time to get to work.
“Hey, buddy, my name is Lanie.”
He scowls again. He is so much like his father, it’s scary.
“Listen, I know you’re probably not psyched to be meeting someone new again, and it's okay.I get it, trust me. But here’s the thing, I’m pretty sure your sister is getting her top teeth.That’s pretty painful for babies, so I’m going to need you to help me out for a minute.”
His big grey-green eyes soften slightly, and he nods once.Okay, note to self, he likes helping,I tuck that away for use later. I’m vaguely aware of eyes on me, but decide to focus and get this situation handled.
“Do you know if you have any of those super soft baby washcloths?” I ask him as I’m pulling open the door to the freezer. He doesn’t answer me, just again nods and makes a move to what I’m guessing is a bathroom.
While he is on his mission, I search through the mostly empty contents of the freezer and pull out what I’m looking for—frozen peas. I hold them up in victory and hear a quick, brief bark of laughter. That's when I remember I have an audience. Taming the horrid blush rushing over my cheeks, I turn and give Tate a fist bump just as he hands me the small pink cloths.
“Thanks, buddy! Can you open this bag of peas for me?” He gives me a little side-eye but again nods his head.
“Lanie Heart.” I hear my name in a low, silky voice that makes me blush again, I know it belongs to Mr. Cross. Jules always tells me I can’t hide shit in my facial expressions, so I make no move to turn to him. Instead, I interrupt whatever he was about to say by holding up my hand and hear a small gasp.This time, I’m assuming it came from Molly.
“Hold, please…let me get this butterball settled, then we can talk.” Did I seriously just basically tell this man to shut it in his own home? I dare sneak a glance, and both he and Molly stare on with open mouths. Ah, hell. I bet no one talks to Mr. Tall, Dark and Slightly Scary this way, but I’ve already done it. I might as well own it, so I commit wholeheartedly.
I turn to Tate as I’m wetting the little pink cloth. “Hey, Tate, did you just get home from school?” He nods once.
“Have you had a snack yet?” He shakes his head once to say no and glances at the doorway like he was checking to make sure that was alright. I look up quickly and see Mr. Hot Pants smile at Tate. Oh hell. Scowling, he is sexy, but that smile leaves me breathless. Why is he affecting me like this? No one has ever gotten me worked up like this before.Focus, Lanie, geez!
I move the damp cloth to the counter and lay it flat. While I’m dumping a small pile of frozen peas to the center, I turn back to Tate. “Do you know where the snacks are, buddy?” He nods.
“That’s great, I can tell you’re a great helper already. Why don’t you grab a snack you’re usually allowed to have and bring it over to the table? It looks like you’re doing homework?”
Another nod of his head.
“Is it going well, or do you need help?” He shocks me when he says very quietly, “I can do it.”
I whip around and smile at him. “I thought so, but first, can you help me with one more thing?”
“Yes,” he whispers, and I smile to myself. His file said he didn’t talk at home to anyone but his dad, and even then, only occasionally.
“Awesome-sauce,” I give him a little fist bump and his lip twitches.
“Can you pick up this cloth and twist all the ends together like a little pouch so I can wrap my hair elastic around it?” He gets to his task while I gently sway Harper from side to side and grab the elastic off my wrist. While he holds it, I wrap the elastic around and around until it's secure.
"Thanks, Tate-o-nator." He smiles and walks off to the pantry. I turn my attention to Harper.
“Ms. Lanie Heart, I…”
I cut him off again. “Almost ready, Mr. Dexter Cross, I’ll be right with you.” I hear Molly snort. Oh shit, I am never going to get this job if I can’t stop sassing him. I look over to Tate, who is sitting down at the table, giggling. I chance a peek at Mr. Hot Pants, and his eyes are darting everywhere with his mouth hanging open.
I spy an empty baby bouncer next to him and Sara, so I give Harper my makeshift teething ring and walk that way. His eyes are on me the entire way, and I’m transfixed. I can’t look away.
I don’t know what comes over me, but as I walk past him, I put my fingers under his chin to close his mouth. His eyes snap to me, then to Molly, who appears completely flabbergasted. As I bend down to put Harper in her seat, it seems he has finally come to his senses.
“Ms. Lanie Heart, Harper won’t sit in that thing, she will just scream. Give her to me.” Instead of listening, I go about buckling her in, and he makes a sound that I could swear was a growl. A growl? No, surely not, but the expression on Molly’s face informs me maybe I’m not wrong. I make sure Harper has her teething ring and turn to Sara, who I can smell from a mile away and pick her up.
