Page 8 of Whisper Sweet Nothings
He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “So you have zero experience with children?”
“No. I just don’t have siblings or nieces and nephews.”
“Nor have you been a nanny before.” He shook his head. “Why would Edith tell me you were great with children?”
“Because I love children. I just haven’t been around them all that much.” I shrugged. “But my ex-husband has the mentality of a toddler, so I have experience with grown men who behave like children.”
Loud laughter bellowed from him. “I’m sure that took some patience.”
“You have no idea.” I shrugged. “Listen, Mr. Chadwick?—”
“You can call me Archer. But let me be straight with you. I don’t think this is going to be a good fit,” he said, and my heart sank. “I can’t hire someone with no experience.”
I needed this job.
I could do this job.
I just had to convince him that I was qualified.
three
. . .
Archer
The woman had tenacity,I’d give her that. She’d walked in the pouring rain, even after ripping her pants and with a large gash on her knee. But even though I felt bad for her, she had zero experience with kids, and I couldn’t hire her just because her ex-husband was a man-child.
“Listen,” she said, just as a knock on the door had us both pausing.
“I’ll be wrapping things up shortly, Lucy,” I called out.
The door sprang open, and my cousin Bridger waltzed in like he owned the place. “We’ve got lunch plans.”
I looked down at my watch and gaped at him. “In an hour and a half.”
“Well, I called to see how the interview went, and Lucy told me that you were getting a late start, and I was visiting Emilia at the Vintage Rose, so I thought I’d come meet the new nanny.” He dropped into the chair beside Winnie.
Emilia was Bridger’s better half, and she owned an interior design firm, but she also ran her family’s flower shop, just a few doors down from my office.
“Dude. We’re in the middle of an interview here,” I hissed.
“Dude.Melody is my girl, and I need to meet whoever you hire. You can’t be trusted after your last pick.”
Winnie stood up and sighed. “Well, isn’t this interview over? You’ve already decided that you aren’t hiring me, right?”
Was her bottom lip quivering?
“That’s harsh.” Bridger gave me a look before turning his attention to where Winnie had just tossed the blanket on the chair. “Geez, is that blood on your pants? My God, what the hell happened to you?”
“You know what? ” She threw her hands in the air and turned her attention to me. “Let me tell you why I’m more than qualified for this job and why you’re missing out big!”
Now she was leaning over my desk. I couldn’t help but notice the way her wet cream blouse clung to her chest, accenting the two hard peaks poking through her bra. She was stunning, with her long brown hair falling all around her shoulders as her honey-brown eyes found mine. Normally, this sort of aggression would’ve pissed me off, but instead I found myself intrigued.
“Ah… I came at the perfect time,” Bridger said under his breath, though we both clearly heard him.
“First off, my car broke down in a rainstorm, yet here I am. I didn’t throw in the towel, find a phone, and call and reschedule. I was determined to get here, today, because I want this job.”
“And that’s reason to hire you, even if you have zero qualifications?”
