by Peters, Liz
Now, as she was about to leave, she hoped that they could see she was serious about this. She hadn’t told them her suspicions, afraid that they would go to any length to stop her if they thought she was going crazy, but the fact that she was moving out without warning was still a huge concern for them.
Raine understood. They had looked after her these last seven years, caring for her at the lowest point of her life. She knew they worried about what would happen to her out there on her own. Maybe they even worried that she would slide back into bad habits.
Raine couldn’t blame them if they did think that. She had tumbled backward more than once over the course of her recovery.
“I’m packed,” Raine assured them, closing her suitcase and hefting her bulging backpack over her shoulder.
“Are you sure this is the right decision?” her mother tried again.
Probably not, Raine thought, her mind flitting to the reason she had taken this job. “I know these last few years have been hard,” she said instead. “But I think I’m ready to get out there on my own two feet. Please support me in this.”
“We do,” her father said. “But I’m sure you understand why we’re worried.”
“I won’t promise I’ll be fine,” Raine admitted. “But I’ve learned a lot, and I’m much stronger now. This might be the push I need.”
With that, she knew she had them. All they wanted was to see her functioning again. They had been over the moon when she started working on her degree, and this was another step in her recovery.
“Just be careful?” her mother said with a sigh.
Raine nodded. “And I’ll call to check in as often as I can.”
She kissed each of her parents on the cheek. She loved them both, and she would be forever grateful for all their support. But Raine was on a mission, and she would find the answers she needed to get closure.
“We called a taxi,” her father said, pulling her into a hug. “Be safe, Raine.”
“Call us when you’re settled,” her mother chimed in.
In the few minutes it took a taxi to arrive, they extracted several more promises to contact them every two days and to let them know if anything happened. Raine was almost glad to disappear into the taxi when it pulled up in front of the house; she loved them to bits, but their concern was smothering her.
Despite this, an odd feeling of loss rose within her as the taxi turned the corner and her parent’s house disappeared from view. That house had been her refuge for seven years, but it was not until this moment, as she left, that Raine realized just how much she would miss it.
A familiar sense of doubt about what she was about to do overtook her. Part of her wanted to turn right around and head back to the safety of home. The rest of her, however, wanted to see this through, even if she ended up being completely wrong.
At least then, she would have answers.
Half an hour later, Raine began noticing familiar landmarks again, the trip far quicker than it had been by bus. Watching the small convenience store she had visited last week flash past, she wondered what Mrs. Prince would say when she realized that Raine was living in the area again and that she didn’t have a child with her. Raine heaved a sigh. The rumor mill would likely churn out some great explanations before long.
Soon, the taxi turned onto a street lined with manicured trees, and she watched as the estates grew larger. She had known, logically, that Mason Parker was the richest man in the city, but seeing all these mansions and well-kept gardens really drove that realization home for Raine. Unease bubbled up inside her; there was no way she would fit in here.
Finally, the taxi pulled up in front of a wrought-iron gate.
“You okay if I drop you off here?” the taxi driver asked. “It’s intimidating to drive into their driveways, you know?”
“It’s fine,” Raine assured him, paying him the fare. “Thank you for the ride.”
She exited the taxi and hauled her bags out of the trunk. The taxi driver waved at her, mouthing something that looked like “Good luck!” before he drove away, leaving her alone on the sidewalk. Mouth dry, Raine turned toward the gate and peered at the massive front garden beyond.
At least the gate was open, so it looked a little welcoming, she noted semi-hysterically. Just what had she gotten herself into?
The driveway was longer than any she’d encountered before, but it didn’t take her long to walk up it, breathing in the fresh scent of flowers as she did so. The front garden wasn’t over-the-top, but it was full of beautiful, well-cared-for flowers. By the time she reached the mansion, gaping at the sheer size from up close, Raine was feeling a little more relaxed.
That is, she was until she pressed the doorbell and cringed at the sound of it echoing through the huge house.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, she heard approaching footsteps. Raine straightened, trying to smooth out the creases in her blouse. Who would open the door? Would it be Oliver, giving her the first glimpse of the boy she was here to see? Would it be a butler?
When the door opened to reveal Mason, she was a little disappointed.
“Raine!” Mason said, grinning at her. “It’s good to see you. Thank you so much for accepting the job. Did you find the house okay?”
I would have had to be blind to miss it, she thought dryly.
“Yeah, the taxi driver found it easily,” she said aloud. “This is a nice place.”
“It’s a bit big,” Mason admitted. “Especially with just Oliver and me here. But there are so many memories here that it’s difficult to let it go.” He grinned again. “When Oliver gets older, we’ll be able to have the biggest birthday parties here, at least.”
Raine couldn’t help but laugh at the thought, imagining scores of shrieking children running through the halls and up the sweeping stairs. It was a warm idea, and, from the contented smile on Mason’s face, he liked the idea just as much.
Raine steeled herself. She hadn’t come here to make friends, especially not with the man who may have something to do with her missing child.
“I’m a little nervous about all this, to be honest,” Mason said, reaching out to pick up her suitcase. “It’s been just Oliver and me for so long that this will take some adjustment for us, as well.”
“What happened to your wife?” The question was out of her mouth before she could think about it. Raine flushed. “Sorry, you don’t have to answer that.”
“No, it’s fine,” Mason said with a laugh. “She left us several years ago and we haven’t heard from her since.”
Raine hadn’t known that. There had been speculation in the magazines when Mason Parker’s wife, the beautiful Emily Parker, had disappeared from his side, but none of those magazines had ever confirmed anything. Recognizing the pained smile on Mason’s face, Raine felt guilty for dredging up an obviously bad memory.
“Why don’t I show you where you’ll be staying?” Mason offered.
Raine smiled. “That’ll be great.”
When Mason turned away, Raine pressed her lips together and set her shoulders. This was it. There was no turning back now. No matter what, she would find out the truth while she was here.
She would find out if Oliver really was her son.
* * *
Mason hoped he didn’t look as nervous as he felt. He hadn’t lied to Raine; having another person in the house would be a huge adjustment for him and Oliver. And it didn’t help that Raine, dressed today in jeans and a t-shirt, looked even more attractive than she had the day of their interview.
He shook himself. It had been far too long since he had gone out to meet anyone. Maybe his rising attraction to Raine was a sign he was ready to find someone else with whom to share his life.
But not Raine. Raine was Oliver’s nanny, and Mason refused to mess that up just because she was attractive.
Glancing behind him to make sure Raine was following him, he saw her examining the walls as she passed, her eyes scanning the photographs he had hung there. Her eyes lin
gered longest on the pictures of Oliver, and his spirits lifted; she was obviously excited to meet his son. That was a good sign.
“I know this place is large, but I promise you’ll be able to find your way around soon,” he said to her.
“I am a little worried about getting lost here,” she admitted. “It’s a lot bigger than home.”
He glanced back again. “I noticed you live on the other side of the city. Do you live with anyone?”
She shrugged. “Just with my parents. They’ve helped me a lot the last few years.”
“I understand,” he said with a small smile. “My parents were invaluable after Emily left me. I’m not sure Oliver and I would have gotten through it without them. You’ll probably meet them sooner or later; they like to visit often.”
“I look forward to it.”
A comfortable silence fell over them. Mason felt a little like Raine was a kindred spirit; she, too, had gone through tough times in her life, and she had struggled to get through them in one piece. She also didn’t act like a silly fangirl, and he hoped that the two of them might eventually become friends. He didn’t have an awful lot of friends anymore.
“Here’s your room,” he said, reaching a closed, white door. “Oliver’s room is right across the hall, and my room is at the end of the hall, about three doors down. I hope it isn’t a problem that your room is so close?”
She shook her head. “It’ll make it easier if Oliver needs me during the night and if I need to alert you of any trouble.” She laughed. “Also, I’ve been living with my parents, so it would feel strange to sleep somewhere entirely on my own.”
“Great,” Mason said, pleased. He opened the door. “It’s a little sparse, but you can decorate it however you want.”
Raine stepped into the room, and he followed her. Unsure what sort of person she was, he had chosen a deep blue comforter on the large bed to offset the cream walls. He had also set up a simple wooden wardrobe, a desk, and a bedside table with a lamp and a digital clock.
“It’s lovely,” Raine said, smiling at him. “Thank you.”
Mason put her suitcase at the end of the bed and watched as she dropped her backpack on the desk. He was glad she seemed to like the room; he saw genuine delight on her face as she sat on the edge of the bed and ran a hand over the soft comforter.
Still, there was one more thing to do today, more important than anything else.
He cleared his throat and drew a deep breath, unable to deny the way his nerves skyrocketed. “Ready to meet Oliver?”
“Of course,” she said, getting to her feet. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting him.”
Remembering Oliver’s glare last night when he’d told him Raine would arrive today, Mason hoped that she would still be interested in getting to know his son after she met him. There was nothing he could do about it now.
All he could do was hope for the best.
Chapter 5
It became clear to Raine, as Mason led her back downstairs, that he was worried about Raine’s first meeting with Oliver. She couldn’t say why exactly; was he just anxious about a stranger meeting his son? She couldn’t say she blamed him for that. She would have been the same if…
Stop, she told herself. Stop thinking about it.
“What’s Oliver like?” she asked Mason, needing to distract herself from her thoughts.
Mason’s eyes lit up. “He’s a sweet kid, always curious and very intelligent.” He grinned sheepishly. “But I might be biased.”
“Is he in school, or do you homeschool him?”
“He started kindergarten last year,” Mason said. “He goes for half-days in the mornings, so I’ll need you to take him and pick him up as one of your duties. Do you drive?”
Raine frowned. “I have a license, but I don’t have a car.”
“Oh, that doesn’t matter. You can use one of my cars.” Catching the look on Raine’s face, he laughed aloud. “I only have two. One is mine; I take that one to work. The other was Emily’s. I keep it serviced, so it will be good to see it out on the road again.”
“Thanks,” Raine said. “I’ll take you up on that. What about shopping? I’m happy to take care of that while Oliver is at kindergarten if you’d like.”
“I wanted to ask you about that,” Mason admitted. “I may not always have time to do the shopping. In that case, if I need you to do that for me, I’ll reimburse you for it, or just give you the money before you go.”
Raine nodded. “Sounds good. Kindergarten, the occasional shopping trip, and looking after Oliver at home. Is there anything else I need to know about?”
“Are you happy cooking?” Mason asked.
“I can cook,” Raine said, thinking of simple dinners of cheesy pasta, spaghetti, or chicken and vegetables. “As long as you don’t expect complicated meals.”
Mason laughed. “We live off take-out, frozen meals, and my parents’ home cooking. I can’t cook. Anything will be an improvement over that.”
A laugh escaped Raine before she could prevent it. Mason was more down-to-earth than she had expected. It was making it hard to remember that she wanted to be angry at him.
Mason led Raine to the living room, past a large, framed photograph of Mason, Emily Parker, and a tiny boy that must have been the younger Oliver. The little boy grinned from between his parents, both of whom looked happy. Looking at the smiles on their faces, it was hard to believe anything could have gone wrong between them.
Noticing that Mason had gotten ahead of her when she’d paused in front of the family photo, Raine quickened her steps. An odd sense of dread developed in the pit of her stomach as they approached the living room.
What was Oliver like?
Was he happy?
Would he like her?
Mason turned to her. “Ready?”
Raine sucked in a deep breath and nodded. She was as ready as she would ever be.
The living room was not as spotlessly clean as the rest of the mansion. Instead, color exploded across the floor, toys tossed in every direction. A teetering tower of children’s books sat by the couch. In the midst of it all was the little boy from the park, and Raine’s breath caught in her throat as she saw him.
“Oliver,” Mason said with a hopeful smile. “Raine is here.”
Oliver looked up from his toys, a bright red firetruck in one hand. His eyes were just like his father’s, and Raine smiled at him with a small wave.
His eyes narrowed as a childish scowl formed on his lips, and he pointedly looked away.
Startled at the reaction, Raine looked at Mason, wondering what was going on.
Mason sighed and shook his head, shooting her an apologetic look. “Sorry, he’s a little… confused about what’s happening.”
All at once, Raine understood, and she felt a little stupid for not realizing it sooner. Mason had told her that this change would be difficult for both him and Oliver. Of course, a little boy who had lived alone with his father for five years wasn’t going to like the stranger who had moved into his home.
“I understand,” she said to Mason. She forced a smile. “He needs time to get to know me. But maybe…”
“It would be best not to force him,” Mason finished with a sigh, glancing at his son. He ran a hand through his hair. “He’s normally a sweet kid, I promise.”
Raine gave Mason a reassuring smile. “I believe you. I’m sure it’s a lot for him to take in right now.”
It surprised her how much Oliver’s rejection hurt. Every time she had imagined her first meeting with the boy she suspected was her son, she had imagined him happy and smiling, much like the cheerful boy she had first seen in the park. While she understood what was going on, she had hoped that it would be easy to get to know the boy.
“Why don’t I hang around for the rest of the night?” she suggested. “It might help him get used to my presence. I can also make dinner tonight if you want?”
“Oh, no, don’t worry about dinner. I promised Oliver that we woul
d have Grandma’s cooking tonight,” Mason assured her. “Today is just for you to meet us and get used to the house. Your duties won’t start until tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” Raine asked.
Mason hesitated. “Well, I need to go back to work tomorrow.”
If Mason went back to work tomorrow… that would leave her with Oliver, who didn’t seem to want anything to do with her. She could see why Mason was so worried that Oliver wasn’t willing to get to know her.
“I’ll be fine,” she said to him. “Let’s see how tonight goes.”
Mason nodded and drew in a deep breath as though he was taking in courage. Then, he strode into the room, leaving her by the door.
As Raine watched, a smile spread across Oliver’s face as his father approached. Mason dropped into a sitting position beside Oliver and reached for another truck, making his son giggle in delight.
Raine moved into the room and perched on the armchair furthest away from them so she could watch Mason and his son play on the floor. They both seemed to have forgotten Raine was even there.
Mason loved Oliver. The thought hit her hard. She had known, just hearing him talk about his son, that he adored the boy. But seeing them together like this just made it more obvious. For the first time since this entire situation had started, Raine wondered what would happen next.
If she discovered that Oliver was her son, what would she do about that? Naturally, a large part of her wanted her son with her. She wanted to take her son from the man that had stolen him from her. But she hadn’t considered, until this moment, what she would be taking him from. The man who had raised him. The only parent he’d ever really known.
A wave of nausea rolled over her at the thought, and Raine wanted to flee the room. But that would look too strange, so she forced herself to stay where she was and watch the two of them play.
At that moment, Mason looked up. His hair was a little wild and his face creased with laughter as he met her eyes. There was something inviting in his expression, but then he turned away again, the moment lost.
