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“Rugby, darlin’.” CJ winks, flexing his biceps. I roll my eyes. I should have known from how sturdy and muscular their bodies are that they were rugby players. They look like the type to play an aggressive sport. Although, in all fairness I did expect rugby players to have fat on them, but looking at how Cole’s T-shirt clings to his chest, encasing his tight abs, there’s not an inch of fat on him, so I guess not.
“Ahh, I see.” I muse.
“So, about the babysitting job. Do you want it?” he tries again, his voice pleading.
I chuckle, looking nervously to Cole for a split second. “I don’t think you’re in the position to be hiring childcare for someone else’s kid,” I tell him as we step out of the lift on the ground floor.
The rain is spitting as we step outside, so I put my umbrella up, nearly smacking Cole and CJ in the process.
“Shit, sorry,” I blurt out.
“C’mon, Cole, man. Hire her arse so we can get to practise. She’s perfect for the job. She’s female, you know her, and you know where she lives. You can trust her.”
Cole’s magnetic gaze turns to me, pulling me in. His eyes are intent as he looks deep in thought.
“Do you want the job? She will pay ten pound an hour. Mum’s a nurse at the local hospital and my dad is a dentist, so they work a lot. They’re really good people,” he tells me sincerely.
I think about earning ten quid an hour. It does sound pretty fucking sweet. The library was only seven pound something. I eye Cole warily, wondering what the catch is.
“What days and hours are we talking?”
“Mostly Saturdays and Sundays, eight till six. Their other babysitter keeps letting them down,” he explains, his eyes boring into mine.
“Can I meet your mum first?” I ask quietly, really considering taking the job. For some reason though, the thought of meeting his mum scares me. It seems too personal. I know it’s only for the job, but I can’t help but feel like my attraction towards Cole is another factor in why I want to meet her so badly. It might help me understand Cole a little more. He does intrigue me. He’s just so serious, so broody all the time.
“Sure. I can take you now. If you want, you can start today. But only if you want to,” he quickly amends.
“If it’s okay with your mum, and who I’m babysitting, then yes, I don’t mind,” I agree gently, knowing how hard it is to babysit a kid that doesn’t like you.
“My little sister, Mia, is who you’ll be babysitting, and she’ll love you,” he promises, his eyes lighting up at the mention of his little sister. It’s clear he loves and adores her, which makes him more intriguing. His smile and affection for his sister is infectious, and I find myself looking forward to meeting the little girl who has captured his heart.
“How old is she?” I ask when we reach his car, which is much nicer than mine.
“She’s six,” he responds, a grin splitting across his face. Why can’t he grin like that all the time? Then again, I guess if he did, there would be riots with the female population fighting over him.
CJ scoffs over the hood of the car. “Don’t let her age fool you. That girl is all brains. She’s too fucking clever.”
Cole’s lip turns up as he opens the car door for me. To say I’m shocked would be an understatement. I’ve only ever seen such chivalrous gestures in the movies.
Giving him a wide smile, I jump into the front seat. The first thing I do is grab my phone and send a text to Allie, informing her of what’s happening. A girl can never be too careful.
WILLOW: I may have found a job. I’ll fill you in later on details but just wanted to let you know.
ALLIE: Jeez, you work quickly.
I laugh. I can’t wait to see her expression when I tell her who I’ll be working for. She’s going to throw a fit. In a good way of course.
As soon as Cole jumps into the front seat, starting the engine, CJ begins firing questions at me about Allie. It’s how we spend the twenty-minute drive over to Cole’s parents’ house.
CHAPTER SIX
Cole lets himself in to his parents’ house using his own key. Their home is located in a quiet area in a cul-de-sac. The houses look freshly painted, all with perfectly manicured lawns. Even the mini roundabout they have at the end of the cul-de-sac has rose bushes planted that I expect will look beautiful in the spring, adding to the street’s natural look. The trees lining the pavements give it a country kind of feel. The air smells fresh despite the rain still lightly falling. It’s a place I’d love to bring my kids up in one day. One day in the far, far future.
The front door shuts behind CJ, and the second it clicks, a high-pitched scream echoes down the hall from a room deep inside the house. It brings a wide smile to my face as I take in my surroundings. Pictures of Cole and a little girl, who I presume is Mia, frame the walls, along with an older couple, who I’m sure are his parents. The little girl looks just like her mother with a little of her father’s looks, but trying to find the resemblance of Cole in his parents is tough.
My eyes look back down the hall when light feet stomp their way down at an alarming speed. The first thing I notice is a head full of thick brown hair whipping around a little girl’s face as she charges towards Cole.
“Liam,” she squeals, her voice full of excitement at seeing her big brother. Not the reaction I was expecting. He doesn’t seem the type to interact with kids, but then again, his earlier reaction when he mentioned her should have given me a clue. “I haven’t seen you in foreverrrrrr,” she whines drastically.