Wouldn’t miss it.
She put away her phone and took the resumes and her plate to go in and eat next to Granddad.
“This is good,” he said, pointing at his sandwich. “Is it from that deli Taylor used to take me to?”
“Am I in trouble if I say yes?”
Granddad smiled. “Not at all. It’s good of you to put up with an old man like me.”
Emma instantly felt guilty for her frazzled text to George. “You and Granny raised me. There’s nowhere else I’d want to be.”
“What about when you get married and start your own family, like Isabella?”
Emma shook her head. “I’m twenty-four. There’s plenty of time to worry about that later.”
Grandad harrumphed. “I’m holding you back. Promise me you won’t wait on account of me.”
“I promise.” They were placating words. She would not leave Granddad to fend for himself, no matter who came along.
He put on his reading glasses and reached for the resumes Emma had set aside. “More interviews today?”
“Yes, both of those.” She wanted to take the papers out of his hand before he could read them over, but she held her hands in her lap.
“Harriet Smith. She sounds British and matronly. I’m not sure how I’d feel about that.”
Emma ate a chip and suppressed an eye roll. “I’ll meet her and find out. You, meanwhile, are going to watch Jeopardy. They put another season of it up on Netflix.”
Granddad tilted his head down, looking at her over his glasses. “I should be helping with these interviews.”
“You’d be helping me by exercising your brain and relaxing, rather than fretting over who’s coming over. If I like them, I’ll bring them in to meet you, and we’ll go from there.”
He looked like he wanted to argue further, but he dropped it and went back to eating. If they didn’t find someone soon, the deli around the corner would be getting a lot of their business.
They finished lunch, and Emma had just settled Granddad with his show in the den when the doorbell rang. Right on time, which was one point in the person’s favor.
Harriet Smith, it turned out, was neither matronly, nor British. In a soft southern accent, she introduced herself, and her kind, shy smile put Emma at ease. Emma gestured for Harriet to come in and follow her to the office. They sat in chairs across from each other, and Harriet fiddled with her jean purse before setting it under her chair and sitting up straight.
She was dressed in an electric blue, pleated skirt paired with a white button-down shirt under a hot pink cardigan. And bobby socks with tennis shoes. Clearly, she enjoyed fashion but also didn’t care about what was fashionable. Interesting.
With thin, blonde curls that kind of fluttered around her cherub face, she looked like a little kid trapped in an adult body. Emma snuck a glance at her resume one more time.
“You’re a registered nurse?”
“Yes. I finished my schooling last year, and I’ve been working at the hospital, but …” She hesitated. “I have plantar fasciitis, and the doctor says if I work on my feet all day it will make recovery impossible. I’m as flat-footed as a duck so I have orthotics now, and I do exercises…” She trailed off, and her cheeks turned into patchy, red blotches. “I didn’t mean to gab on about my health problems. I’m very competent and hardworking, and I’m great with older patients. Does your grandfather like someone who talks a lot or would he prefer a quiet person? I swear I can be either of those things.”
Emma hid a smile. Harriet was the worst interviewee of the bunch so far, and yet Emma couldn’t help liking her.
“My granddad spends a lot of time worrying about things. He would do best with a calm and positive person who could redirect his thoughts to more interesting subjects.”
Harriet beamed. “Oh, that’s me. I’m sure we’d get along.”
She was definitely positive. That was a good start.
Emma pulled out the sheet under Harriet’s resume and handed it to her. “What about cooking and cleaning. Are you okay with the list there with your feet hurting?”
Harriet nodded, though her cornflower blue eyes carefully scrolled down the list, reading every item. She finally put the paper on her lap and gave Emma a curious look. “Can I ask why the pay is so good? I’ve been looking at similar positions for weeks, and most of them don’t pay even half of what you’re offering.”
It was something Emma was quite aware of, and yet Harriet was the first person brave enough to ask.
