Mommy for Hire

by Cathy Gillen Thacker

  Alexis tensed. “That sounds ominous.”

  “I asked Principal Jordan if Savannah was in some sort of trouble and she assured me that was not the case,” he continued, obviously sharing Alexis’s concern.

  She studied Grady’s worried-looking face. He didn’t let his guard down very often. She knew the fact he was doing so now—with her—was significant. “You’re not buying it?” she guessed in the same low tone.

  Grady tore the paper wrapper off his own burger and stuck a straw in his soft drink. They had promised Savannah she wouldn’t have to eat until after she had played awhile, so her meal remained on the tray.

  There was a moment of warm familiarity when his gaze met Alexis’s. This was what it would be like to be married to Grady and raising his daughter. This feeling that whatever problems came up, they would handle them together….

  “If it wasn’t bad news, why all the mystery?” Grady mused, searching her eyes.

  “Why Kit Peterson’s sanctimonious attitude?” Alexis countered.

  “Exactly.” He spread his napkin across his lap and picked up his double cheeseburger. “I hate this, having her in an all-girls school. I feel so out of my league.”

  Alexis imagined everyone who wasn’t in the school’s estrogen-driven in crowd felt that way.

  “Which is why,” he continued, some of the brooding intensity leaving his face as he looked at her yet again, “I was hoping you’d go with me Monday morning.”

  “For moral support,” Alexis suggested, trying hard not to read more into it than that. “For you and Savannah.”

  He acknowledged it with a shrug, adding, “And you’re a woman. You’ve worked with Savannah on her homework. You know how bright she is. And last but not least, I think you have more objectivity than I do right now.”

  Alexis wasn’t sure about that. She was feeling pretty emotional about the way Savannah was being treated by Kit Peterson, her daughter and classmates, as well as the school administrator. None of it seemed on the up and up, but then what did she know about the rarefied world of private girls schools? “If you think I can help,” she allowed, pushing away those turbulent thoughts.

  Grady reached over and briefly touched her hand. And in that moment, all the casualness of their conversation transferred into something deeper. “I do,” he confirmed.

  The touch of skin on skin created a ripple of sensation within her. Her pulse skittering, Alexis stared into Grady’s eyes. It would be so easy to fall in love with him, she realized. And so very dangerous.

  “Hi, Daddy! Hi, Alexis! We’re having fun up here!” Savannah shouted from up above, her grinning face pressed against the mesh-sides of the walkway.

  Just like that, Alexis noted in disappointment, the spell was broken.

  Grady withdrew his hand and waved back. “Be careful!” he called.

  “Okay, Daddy!” Savannah raced off, the other little girl and the three boys right behind her.

  Grady looked at Alexis, happier now. Knowing she needed to get the conversation back on a safe, platonic topic, she took a long sip of her diet soda and asked casually, “Where did you go to school, when you were a kid?”

  Grady relaxed even more. “Public school in Laramie, Texas. College at University of Texas in Austin. What about you?”

  “I attended public school in Arlington, then the University of North Texas in Denton.”

  He dipped an onion ring in ketchup. “I guess we have that in common.”

  Alexis ate hers plain. “I guess we do.”

  They exchanged smiles again.

  Okay, she thought, they really had to stop this. It was beginning to feel like a date. She concentrated on cutting her burger in half, reminding herself for the millionth time that all she was ever going to be was a family friend. “Where did you want to look for a graduation dress?”

  Grady’s dark brows drew together. “No clue. I thought you might have some ideas.”

  “Depends on how fancy you want to go, I guess.”

  “Knowing her classmates?” Grady said grimly. “We’re aiming for the Little Princess level.” He looked back at Savannah, who was still racing around, happy and carefree, then turned to Alexis once more. “Any ideas?”

  Her mind jumped ahead to the possibilities. “We’ll find her something every bit as special as the day. I promise.”

  ALEXIS MET THEM Saturday morning. Together, they hit all the high-end department stores. Savannah tried on dozens of dresses and modeled them for her daddy, but did not like a single one enough to purchase it. The more dresses she tried on, the more pouty she became.

  The look Grady sent Alexis, over Savannah’s head, said he was just as perplexed by his daughter’s temperamental behavior as she was. Usually, he’d told Alexis before they started out, Savannah loved trying on pretty clothing.

  “Maybe we should try a boutique,” Alexis said.

  “What’s a boutique?” Savannah asked.

  “A store where they only sell little girl’s clothes.” She consulted the list she had drawn up from her computer research, and they headed for the first shop on it. Located in a strip mall, the small store was bright and cheerful and had a rack of summer party dresses, perfect for the hot weather.

  Alexis showed Savannah the ones in her size. They picked out half a dozen and went into the dressing room, while Grady sat outside to wait.

  “Which one do you want to try on first?” Alexis asked.

  The corners of Savannah’s mouth turned down. She rubbed her toe along the carpeted floor.

  Alexis sat down on the bench along the mirrored wall, so they would be at eye level. “What’s wrong, sweetheart? Can you tell me?”

  She shrugged, but didn’t look up.

  Was she overwhelmed? “Is it too hard for you to try to pick out a dress?”

  A few tears trembled on Savannah’s lashes and trickled down her cheek. “They’re going to make fun of me,” she said.

  “Who is?” Alexis asked, even more gently, fearing she already knew.

  The child sniffed. “Lisa Marie and all her friends.”

  Alexis reached out and drew her onto her lap. “Why would they do that?”

  Savannah cuddled close and rested her head against Alexis’s shoulder. “They’re going to say I look stupid, ’cause I don’t have a mother to help me buy a dress, and then they’re all going to laugh at me.”

  Savannah wrapped her arms around Alexis’s neck, and the damn broke. She cried silently, her whole body shaking. As she witnessed the little girl’s misery, it was all Alexis could do not to break down, too. Her own eyes blurred with tears as she murmured soft reassurances.

  Finally, Savannah got it all out and settled down.

  Alexis stroked a hand through her curls. Still holding her tight, she pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I am so sorry those girls hurt your feelings. That is not nice. Not nice at all.”

  Savannah sniffed some more. Still holding on, she leaned back enough so she could see Alexis’s face. “I’m not mean to them.”

  Unfortunately, Alexis thought sadly, that did not always matter. “I’m glad to hear that, Savannah. Because all being mean to someone else does is make you feel bad inside.”

  Savannah clearly didn’t quite believe that. Which was why they needed to bring Grady into the situation, to offer counsel and advice, Alexis decided. “Tell you what. I think we’ve had enough shopping for one morning. Why don’t we forget about trying all these dresses on and go get your daddy and have lunch instead?”

  Savannah’s body sagged with relief. “Okay,” she said with a tremulous smile. She took Alexis’s hand. Together, they went to find Grady.

  GRADY DIDN’T ARGUE WITH the abrupt break in the shopping excursion. In fact, he looked every bit as relieved as his daughter to be able to go to a nearby barbecue place. Exhausted, Savannah fell asleep in the car on the way home afterward. He carried her inside and upstairs to her bed. When he came back down, Alexis was waiting in the living room.

&n
bsp; “Is she still napping?”

  He nodded. “Out like a light.”

  Alexis was glad. “We need to talk.”

  “I figured.” Grady sat down next to her on the sofa. Once again it felt more like they were co-parents than just friends. “What happened in the dressing room at the last place?” he asked. “When Savannah came out she looked like she had been crying.”

  “Yes. I wanted to speak with you about that privately before you talked to her.” Briefly, Alexis filled him in.

  Grady’s jaw hardened at the news of what the other little girls were saying to his daughter at school, when the teacher wasn’t within earshot.

  “Normally, knowing there are two sides to every story, and sometimes things can be said one way and taken another, I’d suggest you investigate more,” Alexis stated. “Give the kids the benefit of the doubt. But having seen Lisa Marie and her little pals in action last night, the way they seemed to be taunting Savannah from the back seat of Kit’s Jaguar, I imagined Savannah’s account is all too true.”

  Grady looked deeply concerned, and once again way out of his league. “What do we do in a situation like this?”

  Alexis tried not to focus on the “we” in his sentence. It was figurative, just an expression. She shrugged. “I was going to ask you.”

  “That’s the hell of it.” He shoved his fingers through his hair, stood and began to pace. “I don’t know.”

  Alexis stayed seated. Savannah was Grady’s child—it should be his decision. “What’s your first instinct?”

  “To talk to the kids’ parents. In this case, though, I don’t think it would do any good, since children model their parents’ behavior.”

  And Kit Peterson was snotty to the core.

  Grady stared off into the distance. “If she were a boy—”

  “What would you advise?”

  “That he fight back. Stand up for himself.”

  Alexis thought about her own counsel to turn the other cheek. “What would your late wife have said?”

  “She probably would have gotten into it with Kit Peterson. Called her out and had a row. Tabitha was not one to shy away from quarrels with other women. In fact, I think there was a part of her that enjoyed those cat fights.”

  Interesting. It was the first time Alexis had heard Grady speak about his wife with anything other than total reverence. “Of course, the real problem is that these girls are in her class at school and she can’t just avoid them.”

  Alexis thought about the mother-daughter tea party coming up. “Maybe you could bring this up at the meeting on Monday with the principal.”

  “I don’t think we should involve her.” He paused. “At some point, Savannah does have to learn to stand up for herself.”

  “Grady. She just turned five.”

  “So you think the fact I want to give those little girls a talking-to myself without involving Principal Jordan is not out of line?”

  Alexis exhaled slowly. “Not at all.” She looked up at him. “Your mom seems very capable. What would she say?”

  Grady’s eyes glimmered. “She always wanted us to fight our own battles, but I can remember a time or two when she stormed into a school to give someone her opinion.”

  Alexis rose and moved closer. “Did it help?”

  “Sometimes.” Grady shoved his hands in the pockets of his shorts. “Sometimes not. I always felt better knowing she was on my side, though. There’s something to be said for having a parent as your staunchest defender. It makes you feel safe.”

  “Yes,” Alexis said, remembering a time or two when her own parents had gone to bat for her. “It does.”

  They looked at each other, in sync once again. Grady flashed her a bemused smile and she smiled back.

  “Fortunately,” he said with a sigh, “kindergarten graduation is just six days away. After Thursday, she won’t see those girls until the new term school starts on August first.”

  Not much of a break, Alexis thought. And nothing much would change to help the situation. Plus, there was the tea party at the Peterson home coming up in five days, although she figured they should hold off discussing that and just concentrate on one problem at a time.

  Grady turned back to her. “What do you think we should do about the dress?”

  Alexis shrugged helplessly. “I’m not sure. Savannah isn’t confident she can pick anything out that’s going to be bully-proof.”

  He leaned against the fireplace mantel with a rueful grimace. “Nice way to put it.”

  “I call it like I see it in instances like this,” she said quietly.

  Grady’s eyes narrowed. “You think I should take her out of Miss Chilton’s Academy, don’t you?”

  Yes. The sooner the better. But Alexis knew she was on dangerous terrain here—he was still a client, after all. “That’s up to you, Grady. As her parent, it’s your decision,” she stated carefully. “I would, however, suggest that you talk to Savannah and counsel her on how you think she should deal with female bullies. Because mean girls are tough to handle, even at that age.”

  Grady took Alexis’s hand, then, as if realizing what he was doing, released it. “You sound like you’ve had some experience with this.”

  Alexis’s skin tingled from the fleeting contact. Somehow, she forced a smile, before she edged away again. She was flirting with danger, getting so personally involved with him like this.

  “I was picked on a time or two, growing up.”

  His gaze drifted over her lazily. He, too, seemed to be struggling to hold on to the threads of the conversation. “What did you do?”

  Alexis backed up even more, pretended to inspect a photo of Grady and Savannah on the bookshelf next to the fireplace. “I usually went off to hang out with the guys.” She tossed him a wry look over her shoulder. “They were much easier to get along with, even when they didn’t particularly like someone.”

  “That’s true,” he admitted without a grin. “When boys get in an argument with each other, they lay it all out in the open and deal with it, and it’s over.”

  Alexis could imagine him tussling with one—or even all four—of his brothers when he was growing up. She imagined Josie and Wade had had their hands full back then.

  She swallowed around the parched feeling in her throat. “So back to the dress…?” she prodded, knowing it was time to get on task once again.

  He studied her as Savannah came downstairs to join them, sleepily rubbing her eyes from her nap. “I’m guessing you have an idea?” he said as he swept his daughter up into his arms.

  Alexis watched Savannah lay her head on her daddy’s broad shoulder. “I do.”

  “YOU DON’T GET TO COME in with us, Daddy,” Savannah told Grady a short time later, as the three of them stood in front of a popular bridal salon in downtown Fort Worth. Looking well-rested and in a much better frame of mind after her nap, she cupped both hands around her mouth and hissed, as if it were a secret, “This place is only for girls.”

  Grady nodded as if it was news to him. “Oh,” he said gravely. He turned to Alexis with mock seriousness. “How long am I supposed to get lost?”

  “I think an hour should do it,” she answered. “There are some bookstores and coffee shops down the block….”

  Grady patted his cell phone, in the pocket of his sport shirt. “You know how to reach me. Otherwise, I’ll see you ladies in an hour.” He headed off.

  Alexis held out her hand. Together, they went inside.

  Savannah gasped in delight as she walked across the velvety red carpet. Eyes wide, she looked at the wedding gowns displayed on the mannequins, the rows of gorgeous white dresses on hangers. “These are so fancy!”

  Alexis’s friend Lynn Delgado appeared. Alexis had already made prior arrangements with the bridal shop proprietress, explaining the need for TLC during this sensitive dress shopping expedition. Lynn knelt before Savannah and introduced herself. “I understand you’re looking for a dress for a special occasion.”

  S
avannah nodded vehemently. “Savannah is graduating from kindergarten on Thursday,” Alexis explained.

  “And I don’t want to be made fun of,” the child said.

  Lynn, who made a living soothing nervous brides and members of the wedding party, had no problem reassuring her. “Well, I promise we will find something that is absolutely perfect for you!”

  “Like a fairy princess?” Savannah suggested hopefully.

  “Like the little princess you are,” Lynn agreed. She led Savannah and Alexis to an area full of multicolored flower girl and bridesmaid gowns. She had already pulled out three beautifully made frocks in a classic tea-length style. “What do you think?”

  Savannah shyly touched the silk chiffon with breathless reverence. “It’s soft,” she said.

  “And very comfortable,” Lynn promised. “But you should find that out for yourself. Try it on. And then come back and stand on the pedestal so you can see yourself in the three-way mirror.”

  Savannah glanced over at a bride-to-be doing that exact thing. Still a little awestruck, the child turned to Alexis. “But you’ve got to try one on, too, Alexis.”

  Given all it had taken to get this far, Alexis wasn’t about to rock the boat. She reached for one of the bridesmaid gowns. “Not that one!” Savannah protested. “A white one!”

  Alexis flushed and knelt in front of her. “Sweetheart, those are wedding dresses.”

  “That’s okay,” she said enthusiastically, “you’ll look real pretty.”

  “Sounds fun to me!” Lynn said.

  And that, Alexis found, was that.

  GRADY PACED AND BROWSED, and got a cup of coffee he didn’t particularly want. Finally, forty-five minutes had passed, and he couldn’t wait another moment longer. He had to know if things were going better for Savannah than they had this morning.

  He pitched the paper cup in the recycling bin and headed back toward the bridal salon, figuring there’d be no harm in walking by and sneaking a look in the window.

  As he reached the plate glass, a happy bride-to-be and her mother swept out of the shop, laughing and smiling, two gowns in tow.