“He’s a great kid.” Smiling, I watch as he borrows a jaunty little topcoat from a doll and puts it on a T-Rex instead. “Are his parents interested in weekly tutoring sessions? Biweekly?”
“Actually…” Jane gives me an assessing look. “Are you still interested in a live-in nanny position?”
My ears perk up. “Absolutely.”
That would be my ticket out of the trailer for this summer. It would be a bigger paycheck than this afternoon part-time job too. I might even be able to drop the bookstore job. I like that job, but I wouldn’t mind having a day off every once in a while.
“Well, I think I have the perfect opportunity for you,” Janesays. “And since you and Jonah already get along so well, this will be perfect.”
JoJo is Jonah? Why does that name seem familiar?
Jane beams as she leads me by the elbow into her office, continuing, “The client just had his regular nanny head back to Europe, so he needs a replacement for the summer at the very least. He’s a single dad. And…” Her voice lowers to a whisper, her eyes sparkling. “He’s famous. So you’ll need to be discreet.”
My stomach drops even before she opens the door to her office.
Single dad.
Famous.
Has a son.
One with green eyes, glasses, and a fondness for dinosaurs, I bet.
And I realize why the name Jonah is familiar. Because it’s the name of the son of a certain country music star whose life I know way too much about and am now really wishing I didn’t.
As she swings the door open, there sits Walker Rhodes, long legs extending in front of him, sprawled out in that small office chair like it was built for someone half his size with a quarter of his presence. Dark green eyes already fixed on me like he's been waiting.
Jane bustles in, practically forcing me into the chair next to him.
“As I was saying, Mr. Rhodes,” she begins.
“Walker, please,” he interjects. With a sidelong glance at me, he says, “Mr. Rhodes is my father.”
“Walker,” she repeats. And then shegiggles. I’ve never heard Jane giggle in all my time with her. Fifty-eight years old and Walker Rhodes has her swooning like a teenager.
She continues, “Sadie is one of our most popular tutors. She’s going off to New York City to teach English in the fall.We’ll miss her so much, and I hate to lose her to you. But given what you told me about Jonah needing some extra help with reading, I do think Sadie here would be the perfect candidate.”
Walker raises a dark eyebrow.
“Would she, now?” he asks, in a tone that suggests he’s really sayingover my dead body.
Jane is oblivious. “Oh yes! I think you’ll be very pleased with her.”
The look in his eyes suggests pleasure has nothing to do with how he feels about me right now. Or ever, most likely.
I offer him a fake-sweet smile.
Feeling’s mutual, dickhead,I think to myself.
God. I used to fall asleep listening to this man's voice on repeat, convinced no one in the world understood heartache better than Walker Rhodes.
Turns out he just wrote about it well.
His eyes narrow.
“Perhaps Sadie and I can discuss this privately,” he tells her.
“Oh, of course! Please, take your time.” Jane puts her hand on my shoulder briefly and gives me an excited smile, like she’s so happy for me, like this assignment is a dream come true.
