“Yo, where you from?” He asked with a smile on his face so I assumed he wasn’t asking to be mean.
“Sag Harbor, New York.” I wasn’t going to specify and it was much easier to say Sag Harbor than to say theHamptons. Most people didn’t make the connection.
“Ah, that’s what I hear.” He tapped the side of his ear with a nod on his head.
“What do you mean?” That was the second time a man had made a comment about my accent and frankly they were about to give me a complex if they kept on.
“That northern sound in your voice. Really flat.”
“And where are you from?”
“California.”
“Would’ve never known.” Nothing in his voice or his diction sounded West Coast to my ear.
“Damn, what that mean?”
“You have a slight drawl to your voice.”
Realization dawned on his face, and he nodded his understanding. “Oh, that’s because my people are from Alabama. Well, at least half of them. I mean we’re two generations removed but that doesn’t mean the cadence ain’t still there.” He shrugged like he was used to hearing someone say that about him. “Besides, I played D-1 ball in the South. It was going to come out one way or another.”
“So, two different coasts so I’m sure that we’ll have to get used to each other.”
His eyes flickered over my face but stopped respectfully at the base of my throat. I was thankful that he wasn’t going to be on that type of time but it also increased how bad I felt that I’d noticed how handsome he was earlier.
“Some, but you seem cool. But let’s get started with the tour.”
He showed me around his house and admitted that he hadn’t lived here long himself. The house wasn’t one of the most impressive size-wise that I’d seen. I could tell by his personality that Aldrich was probably a flashy person. I mean his nickname was Money so I wouldn’t be surprised if he were. The house was plain now but it had great bones. Anyone who would purchase a seven-thousand square foot bachelor pad was someone who didn’t care about what other people thought about him. As it stood his kitchen was pristine and looked as though it had been newly remodeled. It had a primary show kitchen done in a modern Tudor style and the secondary kitchen was in the scullery where the actual mess happened. The rooms were actually rooms and not the mass of open-concept plans that everyone seemed to swear by in the last thirty years. It was one reason I loved my cottage. It was small but I could shut off roomswith actual doors, transforming the space. Open-concept homes made me feel like I was back living in a studio apartment I’d had while in college just to spite my mother.
“What type of style is this?” The exterior had an almost Tudor feel like the kitchen with the stonework, but I knew that wasn’t what this was called. There were French elements too with the ironwork but the large roof made the house look deceptively small from the outside.
“They call it Dallas eclectic according to the realtor. It’s supposed to be a play off the French eclectic style. I appreciated it because the lot was big and the neighbors weren’t right up on me. I also like that so much was located on the first floor and the house kind of wraps around on itself.” He nodded to a courtyard that was to the left of the front door. It was off the kitchen and looked like a great spot to enjoy coffee. The house had actual wings to it even though it wasn’t necessarily a mansion by most standards.
“It’s unique. Like a mix of ranch but also colonial.”
“So you approve?”
I knew he was teasing but I also didn’t want him to think I was judging him against any of the other houses I’d been in while nannying. “I mean you’ve got good taste but it isn’t anything that I have to agree with. This is your home.”
“If you say so. All the bedrooms I figured we would use are off of this wing but the master splits off from this point. You can pick whichever guest bedroom you think is the most appropriate.” He pointed to another of the Y-shaped hallways. There were two rooms to one side and the primary suite was on the other. Both of the hallways ended in the backyard so there wouldn’t be any street noise to contend with.
“And which one is the baby’s room?”
“I haven’t chosen it yet. I figured you would.” He spoke so indifferently I again wanted to ask questions but I knew it wasn’t any of my business so I shouldn’t.
Instead of being nosy I just nodded, taking in again how empty the entire house felt. Kinda like its owner. “I can do that. I’m going to assume that certain items need to be purchased for the baby.”
“Yeah there’s nothing here.”
“Um, is it a boy or a girl?” I’d thought I’d heard them say she and her, but I needed confirmation.
“Girl.”
Again, no attachment and very little emotion.
“Would you like to go with me—”
“No, I’m not sure how you would like to work this out. I can give you the cash or get you a card attached to an account.”
