“And we had a long and happy life together.”
“Did you?” I can’t keep the skepticism out of my voice. It’s hard to believe Dad was nice to anybody.
“Ruby Banks. Your father was a good man. He had very high standards.”
That’s one way of putting it. “Well, I’m taking this job.”
She shakes her head. “Remington Key is a handsome man. You cannot work for him.”
I snort a laugh. “That’s just… Looksism!”
“You made up that word.” Her voice is stern as she sips another spoonful of soup. “You don’t know how to cook.”
“I’ll learn.”How hard can it be? I also don’t know anything about kids, but Lillie’s not a baby.
“You will be living in sin with him.”
“I will be living in the lap of luxury, getting paid a lot of money I will then use to figure out what I want to do with my career.”
She sits back in her chair and crosses her arms, still not smiling. “What you will do is get in trouble.”
My stomach squirms, but I won’t give in to this feeling. I will not let her be right. Emotions come and go, and I will not blow a great opportunity just because the guy holding it out to me happens to be obscenely sexy.
I’ve dated more guys than I can count, and I’ve always been in control of the situation. There is no reason this time should be any different.
Even if it is, I will not let my hormones or Ma’s negative attitude screw it up. Steeling my resolve, I focus on my vow to myself in the bathroom mirror.
“Will you have a little faith? Please?” I can’t believe how calm my voice is. “I will not get in trouble. I’ll get what I want.”
“Only if you know what you want.”
That’s the problem—I think I do.
4
Remi
Lillie chases a macaroni noodle around her bowl with her fingers, and Eleanor grabs her wrist, wiping her small hand with a cloth. It’s the only thing that breaks her lecture.
“Use your fork, Lillian.” Just as fast, she’s back on me. “You cannot hire that girl to live in this house.”
“I can do whatever I want.” My voice is level. “It’s my house.”
Eleanor’s voice goes low. “I saw the way you spoke to her at church. You have chemistry with that girl. It’s a bad idea.”
“If I thought it was a bad idea, I wouldn’t have given her a contract and asked her to start this evening.”
Lillie looks up from her plate, where she’s putting mac and cheese on her fork with her fingers. “What’s chemistry, Daddy?”
Her question makes me grin. “Remember Bill Nye the science guy?”
She nods quickly, that cute little dimple appearing in her cheek when she smiles. I wasn’t sure I could love someone this much until she was born. Now I can’t imagine my life without her.
“Well,” I continue. “He does chemistry.”
Her little eyes widen. “He makes things go boom! Will you make Ruby go boom?”
I cough a laugh, shifting in my seat and imagining how that might go… and how it might sound. “It’s different with people, honey.”
