Extensive (A Single Dad Box Set)

by Claire Adams

  I poured as much as I thought she needed and closed the top. She frowned but sensed that she wouldn’t get any more.

  She dug her fork into the pancake and dragged it to her mouth.

  I watched half of the pancake fall off the fork and into her lap. She jumped. Well, as much as she could, testing the limits of her chair straps.

  “I’ll get it,” I said, picking up the pieces from her lap.

  “Layla cut for me,” she said with a pout.

  This peanut loved her food. Which was why I made plenty of extra pancakes. I should have thought of cutting the food. I was a little out of practice with the daily routine of Gina. I cut up the remainder of her pancakes, and by the time I returned to the table after throwing away the wasted one, she was already happily eating the rest.

  I sat next to her with my own plate and dug in. We had eaten for a few minutes before I bridged the topic of a new nanny.

  “I’m sorry that Layla had to leave, but I’m going to start looking for another nanny for you,” I said.

  I don’t know what I expected. Maybe screaming or fighting about wanting to be with me. But instead, all Gina did was nod.

  So far, so good. As I wanted Gina to like the new nanny, and this kid was incredibly intelligent, I asked her, “What type of nanny would you like?”

  Her eyes lifted to mine. They pierced my soul, just as her mother’s did. “Um, someone who can play with me without going huh-huh.” She mimicked heavy breathing for me.

  I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing. There were many occasions where Layla was out of breath after playing with Gina outside.

  “What else?” I asked.

  Gina quirked her lips and looked at the ceiling, deep in thought. “She has to like tea parties. I love tea parties.”

  “I know you do,” I said. “Anything else?”

  “Would she be my new mommy?” Gina asked.

  I cleared my throat. I preferred to hire older women to care for Gina since they had life experience and there was no way that Gina would think any of them would be her new mom. But even lowering the age to a woman in her fifties might not be enough. I knew I’d have to open it up to someone much younger.

  “No, honey, whoever I pick won’t be your new mommy,” I said, wanting to nip that idea in the bud as soon as possible.

  “Oh,” she said dejectedly.

  “But I’m going to look really carefully this time to find someone who you like,” I promised.

  That seemed to make her happy as she bounced her legs against the chair. “Okay, Daddy.”

  I changed the subject, not wanting to get too bogged down with the process of finding a nanny quite yet. “How about we go to the aquarium today?”

  “Yeah!” Gina said, throwing her arms in the air.

  When we arrived at the aquarium, there was already a line about a dozen people deep. I was grateful for Layla for making me purchase a membership because we skipped the line before the rush came in.

  “Where do you want—” I said before Gina grabbed my hand and took off with me in tow. Even though she was small, she was strong. Holding my finger, she pulled me toward her favorite exhibit.

  “Sharks! Sharks!”

  We went to the shark exhibit and watched the massive creatures appear to float effortlessly through the water.

  “Turtles!” Gina cried and rushed over to the tank as one of the turtles pressed against the glass. She gave the glass a high-five, and I knelt down next to her.

  She shoved her hair out of her eyes a few times and started to get frustrated. Her little mane of brunette hair was always in a ponytail, and now I knew why.

  “Do you want me to put your hair up?” I asked.

  Gina turned to me, sighed, and nodded.

  I reached into her bag, which Layla always called her “bag of tricks,” and took out a hair-tie from a small plastic bag of about a hundred of them. She was always prepared. I hoped whoever I chose next was the same.

  “Ow!” Gina cried as I held a handful of her hair.

  I loosened my grip. “Sorry.”

  As I twisted the tie around her chunk of hair, her face scrunched together.

  “That hurts, Daddy.”

  I gritted my teeth in concentration, trying to be as gentle as I could. How did Layla make this look so easy?

  After I had wrapped the tie several times, I looked at the finished product. It wasn’t pretty. But it got the job done. I didn’t want to risk hurting her if I tried again.

  Gina seemed relieved and turned back to the glass tank.

  I stood up and scanned the area. Various families had arrived into the room. They were made up of many shapes and sizes. I wasn’t ashamed of our small family, but I frequently thought about how Gina would grow up without a stable female figure in her life. I noticed a few looks from moms and other nannies when they saw Gina’s eccentric hairstyle. Even though I could care less about their judgment, it still affected me.

  I had to make a note in my mind to pay more attention to the little things in Gina’s life. They were only going to get more complex over the next fifteen years.

  Maybe I should start thinking about dating again. A nanny was only a temporary position. If I was able to find someone to spend the rest of my life with and who Gina liked, then I would be back on track to the life I imagined for us. It was what Gina deserved. It was what we both deserved. But with my schedule, it wasn’t possible. I already spent enough time away from Gina; replacing that with dating wasn’t what either of us needed at the moment.

  After spending the entire day at the aquarium and taking Gina out to dinner, she was asleep by the time I pulled into the driveway. I carefully carried her inside and changed her out of her clothes and into her favorite princess nightgown. She must have been exhausted because she didn’t wake once in the process.

  When I finally got her into the bed, I watched her sleep for a few minutes. Spending the day with her was exhausting but perfect at the same time. Even at thirty-five, I was affected by her energy. Having someone to help me until I was able to get back on the dating scene needed to happen sooner rather than later. If I had help, then I could be less distracted at work and be able to get home sooner to be with Gina.

  That would work for everyone.

  I slowly backed out of the room and closed the door, even though I knew she wouldn’t wake.

  With a renewed burst of energy, I poured myself two fingers of scotch and sat down in front of my home office computer. I pulled up the remote server for Stone Medical and drafted an email. When I finished, I read it over a few times. I rarely mixed business with personal, which was probably why I was so successful, but I needed help as soon as possible. And it wasn’t as if I wanted to hire my employees to watch Gina, but asking them to pass along any information on recommendations wasn’t completely out of the ordinary. They all knew Gina, and I trusted them implicitly.

  I clicked send and sat back in my chair. All of my employees had access to their emails on their company phones. And even though I didn’t expect any responses this weekend, I felt better about taking the next step forward. I hoped that something would come out of it. If I didn’t hear anything by mid-week, I’d have to post another listing. I preferred to get personal recommendations, but desperation might force me to widen the job search.

  When I finished my glass, I poured another. The drink eased the tension in my shoulders, and I headed into the living room to relax for a few minutes but found myself drifting off to sleep with an image of a smiling Gina in my mind’s eye.

  Chapter Four

  Jess

  Sunday morning, I woke to the blaring sound of Mom’s ringtone on my cell. I rolled over and pressed my fingers against my temples. The ringer radiated through my brain. Last night rushed into my mind in a flash. Sierra had canceled on me when she got last-minute tickets to a band she liked. And I was stupid and took it upon myself to drink the bottle of wine I got for us on my own. And mixed with the overeating of Chinese take
out, my body was not feeling so hot.

  I grabbed the phone from my side table and turned off the ringer. I squeezed my eyes closed, wishing the world wasn’t so bright at that moment.

  I pressed my pillow to the back of my head, cutting out all light from my world. All I wanted to do was drift off to sleep again.

  But Mom had other ideas.

  The phone rang again. She wouldn’t stop until I picked up.

  I groaned and accepted the call, pressing the phone to my ear. “Hey, Mom.”

  “Did I wake ya?” she asked.

  “No, I was just lying around,” I lied.

  “With the boy? Ricky was his name?”

  I rolled my eyes. She knew damn well that was his name. We’d only discussed him every Sunday for the past two years.

  “Yeah, Mom. I don’t work for them anymore. Remember?”

  “Did you get fired?” she asked.

  I gritted my teeth. “No, I didn’t get fired. He’s five now. And since it’s school break, the family didn’t need me anymore.” Her memory wasn’t fading. It was the lack of attention she paid to anything that I said.

  “Have you got another job lined up?” she asked before I finished speaking. Why did she bother asking me questions if she wasn’t going to listen to the answer?

  “No,” I said, hesitating. I already knew what she was going to say, so I braced myself for her reaction. “I’m taking a break from working.”

  “A break? What do ya mean a break?”

  “Yes, a break. I need to clear my head before starting another job.”

  She made a dismissive snort on the other end. Why the hell did I pick up the phone? Even from ten thousand miles, away she was mothering me. I should have turned my phone off. But Sierra wouldn’t appreciate a phone call this early in the morning. Mom had insisted I have an emergency contact in case I didn’t pick up the phone. Sierra had agreed to be that person, but I never let it get that far. I didn’t want to torture my friend with any of my mom’s accusations.

  “What do ya need that for?” she asked.

  “A break? I don’t know, Mom, maybe because I worked my butt off for two years. What’s wrong with taking some time off?”

  “You need to keep earning money, love. You’re going to get lazy.”

  I groaned. “I’m not going to get lazy. I’ve already found a few positions I’m interested in. I’ll contact them in a few days, all right?”

  “No need for the talkback, love. I’m just trying to help keep you grounded.”

  I dug my fingers into my temples. God, I wished this headache would go away. “I know.”

  “You know you’re always welcome to move back home. There isn’t as much hustle and bustle as America, but I would love to see you every day.”

  I had no desire to move back home with her. Not in a million years. The dull ache settled into the front of my head. And I knew it wasn’t just the hangover. She had a way of doing this to me.

  “Tell me about your week,” I said, moving the subject away from me.

  After the conversation with Mom, I got out of bed, took two aspirin, and washed it down with two glasses of water. I rarely drank that much, but I knew dehydration was about to settle in and I wanted to have a productive Sunday. Especially after the conversation with her. Bright and early next Sunday morning she was going to call and ask about the job hunt.

  So much for my break. I could inform the prospective families that I had a particular start date in mind, but most long-term nanny positions were looking for their chosen candidate to start right away.

  At least I had today to myself, and I would make the best of it.

  After showering and changing, I went back to the computer and continued my job search. I had read a few listings before my phone rang.

  Sierra’s face lit up the screen. I pressed the DECLINE button and went back to my job search. I didn’t want any distractions. Besides, she was working today. The Baker brothers would be happy I didn’t take up their employee’s time. She probably wanted to talk my ear off about the concert. I would stop by later and talk to her, once I felt better.

  Later that afternoon, I gave myself a break from staring at the computer screen. I’d updated my resume and sent it off for five different positions. I wasn’t thrilled about any of them, but any job would pale in comparison to being with Ricky all day. The interview would be the deal breaker. Getting along with the child was paramount for me, and I wouldn’t mind going on a bunch of interviews to find the next kid.

  I hoped that would appease Mom for a little while, though I doubted it the moment the thought came into my mind. I never told her how much I made, but for me to be able to have my own apartment and pay all my bills should have been enough for her. I supposed she thought that if I couldn’t afford a plane ticket back to Australia, then I didn’t make enough. Little did she know it was more my apprehension about going back home that kept me rooted in St. Paul than my bank account.

  My stomach growled, needing sustenance. I packed up my laptop and notes and shoved them to the back of the table. I’d come back to all that tomorrow. I decided to get food and visit Sierra to find out what she called about earlier.

  When I arrived at the record shop, Sierra had a line of two customers in front of her. She rolled her eyes, and they clearly saw her. I stifled a laugh and went to the back of the store and browsed through some records. I had no interest in the older music, but I enjoyed looking at the beautiful cover art.

  A few minutes later, Sierra joined me.

  She hugged me. “What’s up, girlfriend? How come you ignored my call earlier?”

  She had a way of getting right to the root of a conversation. “I wasn’t ignoring you. I was busy.”

  “Busy with what? Or should I say whom?” She leaned forward conspiratorially.

  I whirled on her. “What are you talking about?”

  “Sorry I bailed on you last night, but I figured since your night was free, you might have checked out that dating app I put on your phone.”

  “First of all, I’ve never used that app. And second, you know I haven’t found a man worth my time since moving here,” I said. I’d dated a lot when I first moved out here, but I’d placed myself on a year-long hiatus. Most guys my age wanted one-night stands, and that wasn’t for me. Sierra didn’t seem to mind that way of life, but I certainly did.

  “You should at least try,” she said. “At least it would help you to get to know more people in the area.”

  I wasn’t willing to meet horny strangers to appease my best friend. “Anyway, I spent the whole morning looking for a job. I wanted to focus, so that’s why I didn’t pick up.”

  “Hold on.” She raised one of her thick eyebrows. “I thought you were taking a break? You just said that yesterday. Why the change of heart?”

  I shrugged and went back to absently browsing the records. I couldn’t meet her eyes. “I was, I mean, I am, but—”

  “You spoke to your mom this morning, didn’t you?” she asked, resting her hand on her hip.

  “Yeah, well, she got me thinking…” I trailed off.

  “I know she’s your mom and everything, but you should do something for you for a change.”

  “There’s no harm in looking for a nanny job. I don’t have to take it if I don’t connect with the child—”

  Sierra waved her hands between us. “Oh! That’s what I wanted to tell you.”

  “Tell me what?” I asked.

  “I have a friend who works for Noah Stone. He’s a big medical supplies executive—”

  I rolled my eyes. “Sierra, for the hundredth time: I told you I don’t want to be set up—”

  “If you’d listen,” she said, grabbing my hands to grab my attention. “This guy is looking for a nanny for his daughter.”

  “Oh,” I said. “How do you know him?”

  “My friend Rachel works for him. He sent an email last night about needing someone to watch his daughter. Like right away. Since you changed your
mind about the break, at least having a reference from Rachel might help. Apparently, he’s super gorgeous, and his kid is like three or four? Anyway, Rachel says the kid is a cutie, and I think it would score some good points for her if you got the job. I told her you were the best nanny around.”

  I smiled. “That’s sweet of you to say. Too bad you don’t know any other nannies.”

  “You’re welcome!” she trilled.

  “Do you have his information?” I asked.

  She pulled her phone from her back pocket. “Yeah, he was doing interviews today.”

  “On a Sunday?” I asked.

  “My friend said his nanny left on Friday. So, he seemed motivated to get someone right away.”

  I’d hoped I’d have more time for my break, but if this guy was an executive, then he might be able to match the pay I got from Ricky’s parents.

  “Do I have to call for an interview?” I asked.

  She scrolled through her phone and then made a face. “Ugh.”

  My heart sank. “Did he hire someone already?”

  “I have no idea, but the interviews were until five.”

  I checked my phone. It was already five-thirty. Damn. I should have picked up the phone when Sierra called before. But if it was meant to be, then it was meant to be. I wanted to get my name on the list at least. I couldn’t imagine he’d hire someone in one day. I could call in the morning and squeeze myself in for an interview. There was no harm. At least I could rehash my interview skills.

  “Send me that info,” I said to Sierra. “I’ll contact him and see if I can interview tomorrow.”

  “Sure thing,” she said and forwarded me the info.

  The name Noah Stone popped up on my phone screen. A light tingle ripped down my arms. There was something serendipitous about the whole situation. I had to take the chance on the job.

  “Thanks,” I said. “What are you doing for dinner?”

  “I’m free as a bird,” she said. “You?”

  “Let’s get some food, and you can tell me all about last night.”

  “I’d love to. What are you in the mood for?”