"Okay," said Maddy, leaning across the table a little. "Now, stop me if you're not interested in part-time work at all...but didn't you study early childhood development for a while?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I almost finished my degree. Why?"
It took a second for the realization to kick in. Shit, I needed more caffeine.
"I really need some help," she said, that edge of desperation showing in her eyes again. "And in spite of what I saw you do on the trampoline at that one frat party, I actually trust you."
"That's unwise," I said, grinning. "But seriously, if you think Daniel will be okay with it..."
"Oh, he'll be fine." She nodded firmly. "You give off a good vibe. He likes no-nonsense people. And you'd still have time to audition - I'm thinking maybe three days a week? Just so I can get out of the house, get to yoga, do some gallery showings. Like the old days, before I voluntarily turned into a human incubator."
"There's the girl I remember." Laughing, I took her offered hand and shook it. "Gentleman's agreement?"
"Sure," she said. "I'll pay you the going rate for the area." Then, noticing my blank expression - "it's, you know, it's pretty generous. I think you'll be happy with it."
"I'm sure I will," I said, quickly. "I just...uh, I mean, thank you. Seriously. I didn't call to beg you for work, or anything like that."
"Oh, I know!" Her eyes widened a little. "I know you would never. I almost didn't bring it up, I didn't want you to think...but it's a great solution to both of your problems. Can you come by tonight? I'll just let Daniel know, and give him a chance to recalibrate for meeting strangers." She grinned. "Introverts, am I right?"
I laughed. "You're the biggest introvert I know."
"Yeah, yeah. So what do you think? Come have a nightcap, meet the baby? Take the grand tour?"
"Sure. It's not like I've got anything going on." I sighed. "But hey, it'll be nice to meet the man who finally got under your skin."
Maddy was smiling like the Mona Lisa. "Trust me, it was mutual."
Chapter Four
Jenna
Daniel Thorne was a presence.
There was simply no other way to describe him. Maddy answered the door, with little Laura on her hip, but I could feel the man's eyes on me as soon as I stepped over the threshold. He was observing, calculating, trying to figure out what made me tick.
I managed to get a little smile out of Laura, whose big, brown eyes fixed on me much like her father's did. She was very busy trying to understand the world around her, but she still had a little girlish giggle that was Maddy, all the way.
"Hi." Daniel had crossed the room in the blink of an eye, and he was holding out his hand for me to shake. He looked taller in person, with soft, thoughtful features that belied the stern set of his strong jaw, and the firmness of his grip. Radiating intelligence and power, he was basically the exact opposite of Grocery Store Jerk.
Well, that settled that.
His eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled.
"It's nice to meet you," I said. "Whoever can win Maddy over is obviously an impressive person."
"I'll have to add that to my resume." His smile grew a little. "It really is my most impressive accomplishment."
"Sure," said Maddy, laughing. "Come on in, Jenna. You want something to drink? I've got, uh...well, I haven't really restocked properly since the dry spell. But I've got some Bailey's and Kahlua, and if I send John out for some vodka and almond milk we can make a drink that tastes just like one of those coffee milkshakes from Dunkin."
Daniel looked pained.
"That's fine," I said. "Really, you know, I could do with some sobriety. I should probably start my tenure in New York with a clear head."
"Psssh. Overrated." Maddy waved her hand dismissively. "But yeah, maybe you should get used to Laura while you're sober. Make sure she doesn't drive you insane. That's one strict rule I have for my nannies: no drinking on the job."
"I'll try to keep that mind," I said, dryly. "You were in on the dry spell, too?"
I addressed this question to Daniel, who nodded. "I mean, aside from the scotch in my desk."
He was joking, although it took me a second to realize it. "Right. Like any self-respecting businessman."
I took Laura, sitting down on the sofa and plopping her down on my lap. So far, she seemed like a quiet, serious child. But I knew she'd only need a little trigger to turn into a complete nightmare - and that was my job to figure out.
Taking care of kids was actually a challenge that I enjoyed. Learning to connect and communicate with them, and work together towards a common goal. It was all about compromise and respect - not that different from dealing with adults, except that children were often a lot more reasonable.
Laura blinked rapidly, showing off her father's long lashes. She had his hair, too - his was carefully cut and styled, but it wasn't hard to see how it would fall in loose brown curls just like hers, if he grew it out. But I saw Maddy in her face - the shape of her nose, her chin, more feminine and delicate.
She'd grow up to be absolutely stunning. That was no surprise, really, although I knew Maddy never thought much of her own girl-next-door beauty. Now that she'd gained confidence, she truly looked like someone who belonged at Daniel Thorne's side.
As for the man himself - he wasn't exactly my type, but I could see why Maddy melted. He really was the ultimate fulfillment of all those quiet, thoughtful types she always liked. I still couldn't figure out how he'd convinced her to marry and start a family so quickly, but I supposed it was just one of life's unpredictables.
I tried to imagine what type of guy would be able to light my fire like that, and I came up blank.
Marriage and children wasn't something I objected to, exactly - though it was hard to imagine trusting someone that much. But I just couldn't quite picture my ideal man. Now that the foul-mouthed, cigarette-smoking assholes had lost their appeal, I didn't really know what I was after.
How about a clean, suit-wearing asshole with a taste for Ben and Jerry's?
Oh, hell. Why was I thinking about Grocery Store Jerk now? I was actually having fun, chatting with the Thornes while I chased Laura across the floor. But I kept going back to our encounter - the flash in his eyes, the way his body hunched over like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
Not that that was an excuse. But I was kind of curious. What drove a man to the store for ice cream, and to harass innocent bystanders? Maybe a bad breakup. Probably deserved, but still.