“Of course she did.”
I hated being so nosy, but I was intrigued. “If she knew he was cheating and didn’t care, why did your father tell her about you?”
Miles let out a slow breath. “I’m not sure, perhaps for spite. He claimed to have loved my mother and was devastated when she disappeared. He always suspected that Imogen had driven her away.”
I stared down at Henry, trying to make sense of Miles’s sad tale, but I don’t think there was any sense to be had out of it.
“You are wondering why my father stayed, are you not?”
It bothered me that he could read me so well. I looked up and found him peering at me as if he too were concerned with how well he could read me. But his concern was quickly replaced with a warm smile.
“I am curious,” I admitted.
“Tradition and unwritten societal rules keep my father and Imogen miserably together. It is one of the reasons why Sophie sought out the American.”
“Did she love him?” fell out of my mouth.
“Very much. Kevin showed her a way of life she never knew. I hate that they both perished, but it was merciful they went together.” He clapped his hands and gave me a pointed look. “You are probably wondering why I’m sharing all this with you. I have good reasons for doing so. First, you need to know that as much as my siblings Amelia and Charles, and even theirdearmother, Imogen, have made their arguments that they are better suited to raise young Henry, my father, for all his faults, has silenced them on the issue. Henry is to remain in my care as Sophie and Kevin wished.”
That was a relief if I decided to take this job. But what came out of his mouth next left me unsettled.
Miles leaned back and gripped the table all while tenderly looking at me holding his sweet nephew. “Aspen,” he whispered my name as if he wanted to keep it a secret for only himself just like I had imagined him doing many times in my dreams. It made me hold my breath, waiting to see if he would lean in next. When he did, I bit my lip. It drew his attention toward my mouth. I could almost feel this thumb gliding across my lower lip. He raised his hand almost as if he was imaging the same thing, but his hand dropped, and he steeled himself. “Aspen,” he spoke again, this time in lesshushed tones. “I must admit you are fetching, very fetching, indeed.”
I swallowed hard and blinked an inordinate amount of times. Normally, I would have stopped him right there and told him I wasn’t interested, but the words never came. More disconcerting was there would have been no truth in them had they been spoken.
“If circumstances were different, I would have invited you to dinner for strictly personal reasons, but . . .” he forced himself to say, “I need to think about someone else for a change, like Sophie reminded me. I must think about Henry.” He sat up straight as a pin. “If you agree to work for me, I promise you we will have a purely business relationship. For the sake of Henry, I will not entangle myself in a scandal with his nanny.”
Every muscle in my face worked to create a full-scale frown.
Miles returned it with a pressed-lip smile. “Please do not take offense. I’m not implying that you would even entertain the thought. For all I know, I repulse you.”
I wish.
“I only want to be upfront with you. As such, I will require that as part of your contract, you will agree that there will be no romantic entanglements between us. This is as much for your protection as it is mine.”
There was no way to hold back the incredulous look on my face. “You must think very highly of yourself.” Now I was sounding like my old self.
He chuckled. “On the contrary, it is you I think highly of.”
Istared down at Henry’s angelic face, not sure how to respond. And, admittedly, I felt stupid. For a moment, I had let myself fall victim to his charm. Worse, I welcomed it.
“What do you say, Aspen, will you come work for me?”
I contemplated his offer while stroking Henry’s curls. My heart said I was meant to take care of this little boy. Almost like a voice that spoke to my heart pleading for me to. For a second, I thought it was Sophie. What a crazy thought.
But what about Henry’s uncle and his contract? Another little voice asked, why does that bother you? You don’t like men.Or do you?it taunted. Great, now even my subconscious was becoming prickly. But it was right. Maybe this was the perfect situation for me. More money, free rent, and a contract guaranteeing I wouldn’t have to worry about any unwanted advances.Unwanted?my annoying subconscious asked. Seriously, she and I were going to have a talk about her attitude.
I looked up and found Miles waiting anxiously for my reply. I flashed him a smile. “We are a match made in heaven.”
Miles’s shoulders dropped. “Darling, believe me, I wish we—”
“You misunderstand me,” I interrupted him before he made me second-guess myself. “I meant that ‘romantic entanglements,’ as you call them, have only caused me grief, so I avoid them at all costs.”
He released a heavy breath. “I should have known.”
“How could you have?”
“You remind me of someone close to my heart,” he admitted reluctantly. “But that is neither here nor there.” A sense of loss lingered in his words. “Do you accept my offer?”
