“No, Taysom.” I laugh and wave him off, taking his phone from his hands and
securing it in the stand.
“Please? The public is demanding it.”
“A few comments about it hardly means they’re demanding it!”
“I just think it’ll be nice for people to see the face behind the Early Childhood Center, you know?”
“I’m not the face of the center…”
“You are, in a way. You’re doing this whole big screening even though you’re losing your job. Do you understand how unique that is? Most people wouldn’t go to these lengths for an organization that can’t keep them on. They’d be looking for the next best thing. They’d be moving on.”
I am trying to move on. I’m getting my resume in shape. I’m pouring over job boards. “It’s for the kids.”
“Exactly. Which is so cool.” He appraises me. “Just be in the video. It can be short. But I think you saying a few words will add credibility to what we’re trying to do here.”
“I’d need to change my clothes and pull my hair back.”
“Why?” His smile snags something inside of me, something old and worn and forgotten about. “We need to be spontaneous, remember?”
I swallow hard. This is really happening, huh? It’s like I’m trying to retrieve a ball of yarn, bouncing away from me. “I’m not used to attention like you are.”
He sets Miley down on the floor, stands, and steps to me. He lifts a section of my hair and runs his fingers through it. “It’ll be okay. Let me take the lead and you follow. It’s going to be great. You’re…” His gaze darts down to my mouth and then back up to my eyes. “You’re beautiful and smart and you care so much about this. I think me and Miley can only take it so far. We need you.”
“I…” I’m lost in his bright blue eyes. I grab at my hair to twist it around on top of my head. “Let me just grab a clip.”
He grabs my hand. “No.” He blinks rapidly. “I mean, you can pull it back if you want, but why are you trying to hide the sunset?”
The look I give him must show him my confusion. “The sunset,” he repeats. “Your hair has always reminded me of the colors of the sky at sunset.”
My mouth forms an O before I compose myself from what is probably the nicest thing any man has said to me. “Well, thanks.” I run a hand through it. “You know I’ve always hated it.”
He grabs a lock and peers at it. “Like the whole spectrum of the rainbow. I mean, it’s cool. There’s some blonde, some red, a tinge of brown…”
“And orange,” I say.
“What’s wrong with orange?” His eyes dance. “Besides, it’s more pumpkin, anyway.”
I groan. “I have pumpkin-colored hair? So…like a jack-o’-lantern.” I give a sharp nod. “Thanks.”
“What? I happen to love orange and pumpkins and…” He stares at me. “All I’m saying is I love your hair. I told you this before. I think it’s beautiful, so can we agree to disagree?”
My mouth twitches. He’s convincing. His tone and the look in his eyes tell me he’s not pretending. He’s not trying to flatter me. Still, it’s so…self-indulgent of me to be one of those women who hates how they look—who has difficulty finding anything about their appearance that they like. It’s so self-deprecating. Is it an attention grab? Is it me being too into myself?
Because being too into myself, too concerned with what I want, was what got me into trouble. It’s what put my little sister in harm’s way.
I push the thoughts aside. “Let’s just get the filming over with, okay? I have some major job searching to do.”
His smile is broad as he scoops Miley up into his arms. “Are you ready to break the internet with your cuteness, Miley?” He says to her as if she’s a baby. “And you, too?” he asks me, his gaze raking over me. It’s not said to me like I’m a baby. It’s said as if I’m a fully grown woman.
My heart catapults through my chest.
I am in trouble.
Chapter 16
Charlotte
