Page 20 of Single Dad Dilemma
A shocked gust of air left my mouth as I stared at this woman. It was strange—almost uncomfortably so—to have someone meet me head-on with such ... I didn’t even know. Audacity?
Deference, I was used to. A certain level of respect afforded to me because of my position, even when the players did stupid shit like start fights and skip meetings. But based on the absolutely unbothered way she spoke to me, shewantedto piss me off. There was a distinct tightening in my stomach, and I ignored it.
“I’ll survive,” I answered dryly.
“Oh, goodie.” She picked up the bag and finished frosting another cookie, then wordlessly moved on to the next. How did she keep her hands so steady? They were allperfect. “You know, I think I’ve changed my mind.”
“What?”
Her eyes moved up to mine. “Don’t blow a gasket. I changed my mind about the pay.”
“Are you negotiating for more?” I asked incredulously.
After another beat, her gaze returned to the baked goods. “Tempting, but no. I don’t want you to pay me at all.”
I pushed my tongue into the side of my cheek. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
Her hand made this seemingly innocuous little swirling motion on the frosting bag, and the result had me leaning in a little bit. How was she doing that?
“It strikes me as a horrible idea to put the two of us in a transactional relationship,” she said calmly.
One eyebrow arched slowly. “Does it?”
“You’re witnessing this, right? I’m no friendlier than you, cupcake, and my verbal filter is low on a good day, which is why I typically avoid people as much as possible.”
“So it’s not just me,” I mused. “I’m unbearably touched.”
Lily let out a small laugh. “Oh, it’s you.” Her eyes flicked between mine. “When someone tellsmeto jump, I don’t have the best track record.”
“You don’t say,” I said in mock disbelief.
In that woman’s mind, she was flipping me off with the biggest middle finger she could conjure. I could see it in her eyes. “I don’tpeopleif I can help it, but I liked your kids. And since I spend most of my time alone, it won’t hurt me to, you know ... socialize or whatever for a couple weeks. Maybe I’ll come out of this a friendlier, warmer Lily, who knows.”
“Not sure my kids are that powerful,” I muttered.
Her lips pursed slightly, but she didn’t respond right away.
“You must be nicer at work than you are to your neighbors.”
“I’m nice to Scott and Patty.”
“If you think I’m not asking them questions about you after this, you’re out of your mind. How am I supposed to knowyou’retrustworthy?”
“You don’t,” I told her unflinchingly. “But you can trust that I’m honest. I don’t want to be here asking you this. I want to be at home with my kids because I don’t get very many nights like that this time of year. Even being home before they go to bed is a fucking miracle in this job, and that’s because I’ve had to fight for it. If you say yes to this, you’re doing me, and my kids, a massive favor. I don’t like asking favors of anyone outside of my parents, because then I feel like I’m in their debt. It makes me uncomfortable, but I’m here because they matter more than that.”
It was so much more than I wanted to say. And judging by the look on her face, she could tell. There was a slight softening, but other than that, Lily Townsend, with the bright hair and the tattoos, did a good job of keeping her facial expression locked down.
“Starting tomorrow, I’m assuming?” she said.
Relief had me exhaling heavily. “If you’re available. I’ll text you when I’m almost home, and you can send the kids over. You won’t even have to see me.”
She tilted her head. “Well now, that’s the perk you should’ve started with. I would’ve accepted immediately.”
“I’ll keep that in mind the next time.”
With brisk movements, Lily slid a dozen cookies into an airtight plastic container, the layers separated by wax paper.
“I’ll have some rules,” I told her.
