by Amy Brent
“I was told by a close friend that I should’ve worked with children before now. I always seem to connect with them.”
Alexis sat in the large brown armchair with her ragdoll dancing on her lap. She pulled it to her ear and nodded before hanging it by its arms again. She looked up and smiled. “Well, we—that is, Clara and I—we go to kindergarten. I’m halfway through, so I’ll be in big school soon. We get home for lunch. Can you make lunch?” she asked.
I giggled and flashed a glance at Damon, whose eyes ran up my legs, making me feel what I’d felt when the front door had opened earlier. I crossed them. “I can cook lunch. I’m an excellent cook. What does Clara like to eat?” I asked.
“Dada, she’s so funny. She thinks Clara can eat,” Alexis said. “She’s a doll and doesn’t have a real mouth. Look.” She jumped up from the chair and walked over to me. She held her doll up for me to look at and pointed to the stitches that made up her mouth.
I smiled at her cuteness. It was like watching sunshine bringing dawn to a new day. “She talks to you, though. Isn’t that right?”
Alexis stepped back and looked around. She pushed her finger against her mouth and shushed Damon and me. “That’s our secret. Dada, she knows the secret. We must keep her now.”
“Is that so?” Damon asked, beaming another one of his priceless smiles. For an interview, there weren’t many questions for me. Alexis filled in the gaps and guided the entire conversation. “You can’t just keep people. You need to interview them and see if they’re good enough to take care of you.”
“Dada, I don’t see what your problem is,” Alexis said. She yanked Clara up under her arm and hugged her with her stitched mouth close to her ear. “Tell her she has to take care of me. I see you telling other people what to do, and they do it. Karly doesn’t mind.”
Damon glanced in my direction with humble yet mesmerizing eyes. Alexis had made him out to be a bossy man who demanded things and ordered people around. “It’s nothing like that, I promise you,” he said. “Work stuff and kids in the office don’t mix.”
Alexis sat on the rug in front of the fire and placed her ragdoll in a sitting position. She walked off and returned with a plastic tea set and started filling the cups with imaginary tea. She chatted away as we sat and watched. Smiles filled both our faces.
Alexis looked up at Damon. She stood and walked to him and attempted to whisper behind her hand again. “Dada, you don’t have a drink, and Karla-good-girl might be thirsty.”
“Karly. It’s Karly,” he said with a smile that caught my attention. Alexis walked back to the rug and muttered to Clara that my name was, in fact, Karly and not Karla. Damon smiled at me. “She’s right again, though. Would you like a drink?”
“Anything. Tea or coffee is fine,” I replied.
I stood when Damon said to join him in the kitchen while he made us some freshly brewed coffee. He was out of tea but said if it was a drink I liked, he could get some in for me should I be the chosen candidate for the position.
I sat at the kitchen counter as Damon filled a sugar bowl and a cream pot. He slid it across the counter and then filled two mugs with hot, black, gorgeously strong coffee. And with that smile, he pushed one toward me.
“Why do you want this job?” he asked.
Oh brother. The interview question nobody wanted. I looked nervously into his eyes. There was no way I could lie about it. “I want this j—”
“Me, Dada. She wants to be with me.” Alexis had walked through the door and saved the day. She was adorable.
“Exactly. I couldn’t have put it any better myself,” I said, ignoring my own money reason and focusing on the little ray of sunshine that stood before me in all her glory.
“As you can see, Alexis is taken by you, and it appears Clara has nothing but good things to say about you,” Damon said with another perfect smile that filled his rugged face.
I mentally crossed my fingers that he would offer me the job. Alexis appeared to be a dream to work with and was absolutely gorgeous in every way. Paying the bills would be much easier if I was hired and would lift a weight off my shoulders. I needed to pay some bills before I got into the red. Being laid off hadn’t been part of my plan.
“Alexis, what do you think we should say to Miss Karly here?” he asked. “Should we offer her the job now, or should we hold a family meeting about it?”
Alexis walked up to the kitchen counter and pouted her lips as she cocked her head from side to side. She lifted Clara up and over her shoulder. She nodded a few times and then turned to her dad.
“Family meeting. Three of us,” she answered as she lowered Clara and walked off.
She paused and turned around in the archway of the kitchen. She looked at her dad and raised her arms. Clara the ragdoll hung with her face staring at me, and Alexis’s face beamed with the cutest smile she could muster. She turned and vanished into the living room, Damon following after her.
When they came back, Damon led me with a kind, arm-length gesture through the living room toward the door as he grabbed hold of Alexis’s hand. He explained it was courteous to show people out after they’d visited.
“Hear that, Clara? It’s good manners.”
“If it was up to me, I would make the decision straight away,” Damon said as he opened the closet door and reached inside for my coat. “Alexis and Clara have a couple other candidates to interview, so I’ll be in touch with you as soon as I can.”
“It’s not a problem. I fully understand.” I crouched as Alexis held out Clara’s hand for me to shake and mentioned that her arm didn’t ache anymore. “Clara, Alexis, and Mr. Jacobs, it was a pleasure to meet you all,” I said truthfully.
Alexis looked up as I stood. She screwed up her nose when Damon picked her up with his strong arms, accidentally lifting his shirt and flashing his flat stomach. Wow.
“You want me to hail a cab?” he asked.
I stepped from the doorway into the easterly breeze and pulled my collar up close around my neck. The cold disguised the pink flush covering my face.
“It’s fine. I’m going to walk a while. The fresh air will do me good.”
I turned and started to descend the steps. “You look good from where I’m standing,” I heard from behind me.
I paused and turned. “Say again? Sorry, the wind.” I was blushing like a tomato.
Damon grinned. “I said your chances look pretty good.”
I smiled and waved as a rush of wind caught me again. What an interview. I felt good, really good.
Chapter 3
Damon
“Okay, Rhonda, tell Derringer I’ll be giving him the biggest bonus this year. I might even take him to see a show,” I said. Silence settled on the other end of the line as Rhonda realized my meaning. I wasn’t talking about cabaret; Derringer was well-known for his love of strip clubs—the expensive kind.
“Oh. Yes, Mr. Jacobs. I will pass the message on. Um, Mr. Chan had another request while he was here too. He asked if he could go back to Cerro’s again tomorrow.”
My heart skipped a beat. Chan was in. He had to be. He never requested anything unless he was in. “Of course, and if he wants, he can go to a show. Give him anything he damn well pleases. Actually, book a private one for him. Send Benson to his motel room for that. He knows what to do.”
The line went silent, and I waited for Rhonda to scoop her bottom lip from the floor. She was always shocked when I asked her to arrange a show for the male clientele. “Um, yes, sir.”
“Use Candy’s for that, and put it on the corporate.” I heard her breathe out again, probably wishing I’d never said the words. Rhonda was quite a prude but brilliant at her job, even if it didn’t always align with her Christian religion.
“Um, yes, sir.”
The pinch of her moral code was getting to me, making me feel guilty for bringing it up. “Get Rani to book Candy’s. Then she’ll learn how to do it in the future.”
I pictured a smile forming on Rhonda’s fa
ce. Her words practically danced as she spoke. “Oh, thank you, Mr. Jacobs. I’m sure she’ll do that very well indeed.”
“Bye, Rhonda. See you in a few days. Any issues, tell me straight away. And keep Derringer fed and watered.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you. Have a wonderful day.”
I paced the kitchen. What the hell was I going to do with my morning? I wasn’t used to doing nothing, and I imagined my email box piling up with untold messages from clientele. That was one thing I would never allow Derringer to do. The bridges I’d built with the big fish clientele were my business. I could teach him all the important stuff, including legislation and how to manage a team of people or clientele, but he’d never get access to my emails. No one would.
I thought back to the interviews. Alexis was a handful and a half. She was either cheeky to the point of being rude or she was really, really shy. I couldn’t believe how well she had taken to Karly, though, like a duck to water. They got along as well as… Dare I even think it? Nearly as good as with her own mother. That was unheard of. Even Clara had liked her.
Alexis had probably liked her the most because she had intently listened to what she—and Clara—had to say. The other girl hadn’t. She’d been more concerned about how I was feeling about her. She had batted her eyelids as if she’d had something caught in her eye. Fuck, that had been funny. Alexis had naively asked her if she had spilled “somethink” to make her blink so much. Then, she went on to say that Clara could “probabubbly fix it” but that “she didn’t want to because she thought she looked like a witch.” The look on the woman’s face had been priceless. Of course, I’d had to warn Alexis with a timeout if she kept that kind of behavior going.
I really wanted to make my decision. Alexis had liked Karly the best, and, in truth, so had I. She’d come across as warm and bright, and she was extremely beautiful. Not that it should matter. But she was, and I’d be crazy or dead not to notice. She had to be the one. I’d call her and tell her my decision.
My anticipation welled up as I pressed the keys on my cell. I itched to talk to her, which wasn’t something I’d wanted to do in years. Even waiting for her to pick up the phone sped up my heart rate.
“Hello. Karly Lewis speaking.”
“Hello. It’s Damon Jacobs, Alexis’s dad.”
“Oh, Mr. Jacobs. How are you?”
“Please, call me Damon. I’m much better now. I wanted to let you know I believe you’re the best fit for us, for Alexis.”
“Oh, really? That’s wonderful. It’s the best news I’ve had all day.”
The excitement in her voice made me want to talk longer. “How has your day been so far?”
I felt the sunshine in her voice breaking through. I had a knack for feeling others’ emotions. I always knew where I stood with people somehow, kind of like a sixth sense. “Well, I’ve just been cleaning my apartment and hoping you’d call me, actually. Alexis is such a beautiful child. I was blown away by her yesterday.”
My heart pulled as I remembered their interaction. It was as if I hadn’t been there, as if they’d been together for years. They’d had a totally natural, authentic conversation. “Can you start tomorrow afternoon? I really need to be a CEO again. I’m used to being there to oversee it. I have a big client I need to deal with as soon as I possibly can. He’s over from Shanghai.”
“Oh, goodness, it sounds like you have your hands full. Yes, of course. I can be there whenever you need. What time would you like me there?”
“Well, I would be super grateful if you could come by at eight o’clock. Then I can deal with my client.”
“Yes, that’s fine. Is there anything more about Alexis I should know? Like allergies or medical needs?”
“No, but I’m sure she’ll tell you what she likes. And Clara, too, of course.”
Her laugh on the other end of the line was bright and light and like a breath of fresh air coming into me as energy. It was like nothing I’d heard in a long while. “I think it’s just plain gorgeous. That doll is an extension of her, like a little friend she can talk to, a bigger part of herself.”
My heart skipped a beat. She understood her like Alice had. “Yes, it is. Clara had been part of her, ever since her mother…” An awkward silence prompted me to change the subject. “I need to go now. I have some stuff to get organized before I pick up Alexis from kindergarten.”
“Yes, of course. Thank you, Mr. Jac—I mean Damon. I’ll be there at eight.”
“Thank you, Karly. I’ll be waiting for you.” I hung up. My throat still got scratchy when I mentioned Alice, although it was slowly getting easier to cope with. That was especially true when I pushed myself into my work and when I spent time with my buddy, Eric. He’d been a saving grace for me.
***
I felt happy about Karly, and admittedly, I was taken by her. She was going to be great for my Alexis. I could sense it in my bones. Not to mention her amazing looks. God. She had shoulder-length dark hair and bluish-green, mesmerizing eyes. Dimples. And curves. She was totally gorgeous in body, mind, and spirit, it seemed. This one might have just been a keeper.
My attention snapped back to reality at Alexis’s voice. “Dada, I want a rainbow one. And Clara says she would have a peppi-mint one, but she still has a sore tummy from falling off the bookshelf at kindy.”
I widened my eyes. “She didn’t fall off, did she?” I looked at her cute face. “And I think the word you were looking for is ‘peppermint.’”
Miss Six placed her newly given ice cream into her mouth and licked it with a huge slurp. She said, “Dada, stop correctin’ Clara, because it makes her angry, and she’s already gotta sore tummy!”
I smiled at her, trying to hold back my belly laugh. How could I argue with the cutest, sweetest, most headstrong person I’d ever had the pleasure of knowing? She was going to love what I had to tell her next. “Alexis, do you remember the interviews we did the other day? The ones we did for a nanny, just for you.”
“Yes, I remember.” She looked at Clara. “Clara hated that! Except for Karly-good-girl. She was fun and pretty.”
“Karly-good-girl?”
“Ahaaa. She’s always good, and she liked Clara the bestest.”
“The best.”
“Dada! Is Clara going to be looked after by Karly-good-girl?” She took another rainbow lick. “I like her a big lot much!”
I refrained from correcting her words because I wanted to tell her the happy news. I was bursting to. “From tomorrow and after kindergarten, Karly will be looking after you and Clara while Dada goes to work.”
Her big eyes widened, and I waited for her words to envelope me. But there weren’t any. It was just a huge cuddle with wet ice cream on my ear and a squeeze that made my heart melt away with the complete joy that only she could bring.
“Dada loves his favorite girls!” I said as I wiped my ear.
“Clara and I loves you too.” She looked at me with a smiley ice cream face. “I mean love you. Oh, and Karly-good-girl too. Dada, can I have another ice cream after this one, please?”
“No, sweetheart. One is plenty.”
“But, Dada,” she said, giving me a confused look, “how am I going to be sweet enough without more ice cream?”
I gave her my widest smile. “Good try, sunshine.”
Alexis rolled eyes. “Now Clara is mad at you again!”
I laughed. “Again? Goodness me, it’s super hard to keep her happy lately, isn’t it?”
She licked her ice cream. “Uh-uh.” I tried to hug Clara but she “wasn’t in the mood.”
Chapter 4
Karly
I thought about how cute Alexis, with her gorgeous long hair and her beautiful, wonderful, inspirational personality, had been when I’d spent time with her the other day at the interview. Cuteness had been coming out of her like little rays of sunshine. I wanted to make a difference in her life. I’d make sure I was always on time and absolutely bouncing with love for her. Children needed so much love,
and they thrived when you let their imaginations run wild. Clara was a good thing for her.
My heart skipped a beat as I looked at the door handle. The gold lion peered out, looking at me like it knew the whole story of me. Who had come up with the novel idea of adding a lion to a door knocker? It was such a striking and weirdly good idea.
“Okay, twenty minutes early and ready to be the best nanny I can be,” I said to myself. I pressed the button and wondered if the lion secretly wished it could be used instead of the more modern chime. My imagination was just as good as Alexis’s was, it seemed.
The navy door opened wide, and I wore my ready smile. It was the super handsome Damon who stood there in a pale blue shirt while fixing his maroon tie. “Hey, Karly. You’re early!” He gave a rugged smile. Today he was clean-shaven and smelled like a masculine aftershave. It was gritty with a hint of spice. It took over the whole atmosphere.
I followed him down the hallway. “I didn’t think you would mind if I came a little early. I know you have a client.”
“Actually, I have the really big one and three others today too. I might not be home until seven.”
“Oh, that’s okay. I have just you on my schedule from now on anyway. Well, all week at least.” I felt that lump in my throat annoy me, but it settled a little more easily than it had the other day. A new job was always a nerve-racking experience. I would do great, I hoped.
“Okay. I just need to grab my briefcase and run. I’ve left every number and address you’ll need on the countertop. Linda at kindergarten knows you’re the new nanny, so I’ve signed for you to be the responsible person in terms of drop-off and pick-up duties. Thanks so much. I’m impressed you’re here early. Rhonda, my personal secretary, will be delighted I’m in early too. She’s been dealing with the headaches for the past few days.”
I was about to speak, and then Alexis entered wearing a pink set of clothing. It was made up of a cute rainbow tee and denim pants. “You look beautiful, Dada! But Clara doesn’t like that silly tie.” She noticed me immediately. “Karly-good-girl! You’re just in time for the curly wurly hair machine. How many minutes do I have, Dada?”
