Page 5 of Sew Matcha in Love
“She thinks it’s a great idea,” Tasha said, not meeting my eyes.
Zaki leaned forward. “It’s not forever. Just until the end of the season.”
I hesitated, my mind racing. On one hand, the idea of working for Zaki was overwhelming. He was loud, unpredictable, and frankly, a trifle intimidating. But on the other hand … the money would be a lifesaver. And the twins seemed like great kids.
As if on cue, Isla tugged on my sleeve. “Do you like ballet?” she asked, her big brown eyes wide with curiosity.
“I do,” I said softly. “Do you?”
She nodded enthusiastically. “We want to learn to dance like swans!”
“LikeSwan Lake?” I asked, smiling despite myself.
“Uh-huh! Daddy says he can be a swan too, but he’s not very good at ballet. He’s notgracefulin slippers!” She giggled.
Zaki groaned, then snorted. “Thanks, Isles. Throw me under the bus, why don’t you?”
Amelie climbed onto the chair beside me, holding her soda with both hands. “You speak French?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Oui,” I replied. “Tu parles français aussi?”
Her face lit up. “Oui!”
“She’s fluent,” Tasha said, nudging Zaki. “See? Perfect.”
I looked back at Zaki, who was watching me with an expression I couldn’t quite read. For once, he wasn’t grinning or cracking a joke. He just looked … hopeful.
“Okay,” I said finally, surprising even myself. “I’ll think about it.”
The twins cheered, and Monty flashed a triumphant smile as he bounced Melody in his arms. Zaki’s grin returned, causing my heart to beat faster and overriding my brain, which wanted to continue loathing him. For a brief moment, I wondered if I’d just made a mistake. But when Amelie climbed into my lap to compare the shade of her red hair to mine, chattering excitedly about swans and ballet, I realized maybe, just maybe, this wouldn’t be so bad.
“Can you come to our house tomorrow afternoon?” Zaki asked. “You can see the place, and we can talk about the costume.”
I nodded. “I’ll need to measure you.”
Monty smirked, and I sent him a death glare.
The guys hung out for a few more moments while Penny snuck behind the counter to make them their coffees. After they left, Tasha walked me outside.
“I still don’t know why you think this is a good idea,” I said, turning to Tasha.
“Because you’re amazing,” Tasha said patiently. “You’ve been a nanny before, you’re fluent in French like the twins, and you can sew while they’re at school. Plus, you need the money for your house repairs.”
I flinched at the mention of my house. It had been my father’s pride and joy, an old Victorian tucked on the edge of town, full of charm andproblems. The roof needed work, the heating was unreliable, and every time it rained, I prayed the basement wouldn’t flood. I’d been scraping by with freelance costume commissions, but it just wasn’t enough to keep an old house—and my sanity—afloat.
“Still,” I protested weakly. “He’s…”
“Ridiculously handsome?” Tasha offered, grinning.
“I was going to say ‘a walking hurricane,’” I muttered.
“Same thing,” she replied with a shrug.
CHAPTER 2
Zaki
I’d lost track of time again.
