"Rosalee is the nanny?" I appreciated that he was no longer laughing.
"Yeah. She's been damn insistent that there had to be some kind of details provided to me, and she found them." I should be grateful, and maybe later, I would be. Right now, I was still just angry and frustrated. And attracted.
"Why in the hell haven't you cracked open that envelope yet, Xavier? I know you've shrugged off your corporate persona and attire, but that killer instinct? That cynicism that made this place a success? Come on, brother."
"I don't have an answer." The truth was, if I opened it, I would find out the truth, and maybe I wasn't ready for it yet. "What do I do, Nate?"
"First, you open up the damn envelope and read every word on every single sheet of paper in there."
"Yeah," I sighed.
"Then, no matter what the paper says, you take that little girl, get a paternity test, and do it quickly. If you are her father, use the power of your wealth and your name to expedite custody, just in case the mother comes back looking for some kind of payday." He scoffed. "If she found you, she knows who you are. She probably thinks she'll let you get attached and then show up to get you to pay her to stay away."
"Damn, that's cynical even for me." It was unheard of for my brother. He was all bright sides and optimism.
"Well, trust me, I have a bit more sympathy for your cynicism these days."
"That sounds like a story."
"One I'll tell you when I come up to meet my niece, once you have confirmation she is my niece. And a name."
I laughed, feeling lighter after my brother's counsel. "Thank you, Nate. This was just the kick in the ass I needed."
"It's what I'm here for. And do me a favor."
I held my breath because Nate's favors could be something simple, like a charity donation, or something more complicated, like our mother's dinner party. "What is it?"
"Tell Rosalee that your more handsome older brother says hello." His laughter rang out as I ended the call, putting a smile on my face as I stood and tucked my phone back into my pocket.
If I thought the smells outside the cabin were amazing, it was nothing compared to the garlicky, meaty smells wafting around inside. I made my way to the kitchen, feeling better than when I'd left, to find Rosalee was nearly finished with her meal. "Hey."
Her eyes drifted up to my face and she silently arched an eyebrow as if to say, "That's what you're going with?" before she returned to her food. If I wasn't mistaken, she ate a little faster, as if she couldn't wait to get away from me.
I deserved it, I knew. But it still stung.No, it didn't, I reminded myself. I cherished my peace and the quiet of living on the mountain, and I refused to let her change that. "Thanks for dinner," I murmured and headed to the sink to wash my hands.
"No problem," she replied, barely above a whisper. Rosalee finished her food just as I took my seat, and rather than sitting with me, she scooped up the baby and rushed off like her ass was on fire.
It was just as well anyway since I had more pressing matters to deal with, namely that damn, mocking envelope. I ate quickly, savoring the juicy, well-seasoned steak and the creamy mashed potatoes.
And dessert was answers.
There weren't many answers contained within the envelope, but a birth certificate meant a name. One for the baby and one for the mother. Judy Haskell. The name still didn't ring a bell, but she'd listed me as the father when she gave birth, nearly a year ago. I had some answers, but not enough.
I clutched the papers in my hand as if that act alone would give me more information on baby Violet and on Judy. I read and reread everything as Nate had advised, and all I had were more questions to go with a few scant answers. I had a starting point, which meant I could get more answers.
Tomorrow.I took the papers and carried myself upstairs, stopping at Violet's room to check on her as I'd been doing since she arrived on my doorstep. She was asleep on her back, a pink blanket draped over her little body, both hands balled into tiny fists. She made such a sweet picture that before I knew what I was doing, I pulled out my phone and snapped an actual photo. "Good night, Violet," I whispered and pulled the door half-closed.
I wasn't sure if she had the personality of a Violet yet, but at least she now had a name.
It was progress, at least that's what I told myself as I fell into a deep sleep, filled with dreams of a mouthy nanny.
Chapter 10
Rosalee
It's so quiet up here. Always quiet.This was the third, or maybe the fourth, day I'd had this thought. When Serenity first told me about a placement on the mountain, my biggest concern was the wild animals. Hearing sounds all through the night had me feeling hesitant and terrified, but after a few nights—and days—the silence was more problematic. Aside from a few cries from Violet—she finally had a name!—it was so oppressively silent that my anxiety ratcheted up about a million points, or however anxiety was measured.
All week it was the same. Xavier was gone when we woke up and started our day, he came back briefly around lunch, and then he stayed gone until after sunset. I didn't ask what he was doing or where he went because it wasn't my business, and he'd made it more than clear that his business—personal or professional—was none of my concern. When he came back in the evenings, the silence remained, but it was accompanied by tension as I kept my word and taught him the ins and outs of parenting a baby.
