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I clear my throat. “I saw you pull up.” I nod at her. “Come on in.”
“I brought over copies of all my certifications, a copy of my driver’s license, and some letters of recommendation.” She hands me the manila folder. I’d called two of her references, both mothers who raved about how wonderful she’d been with their children, and assured me, no matter how old my kids were, I’d hired the right woman for the job.A modern-day Fraulein Maria, one had saidminus all the singing.
“Great, thank you.”
“See, look at this. I knew you’d be the perfect fit,” River says as he looks back and forth between us.
She looks at my brother and I hate that I notice that she doesn’t look at him the way a lot of women do; like they’d be ready to fuck him in the blink of an eye. I get that too, but it’s been a long time since I’ve been out without one of my kids in tow and they, particularly Margot, usually serve as a deterrent when it comes to women’s blatant attention.
She gives him a polite smile before turning to me. “I brought over some of my stuff as well.”
“Oh great. River can help with that.” I look at him and nod toward the door. “SJ!” I call, wondering if he’s even awake because I haven’t seen him since breakfast and he’s known to go back to sleep after that.
“I saw him in the pool when I came in. Looking reallygrounded,” River snorts.
“You have a pool?” Elianna blinks her wide eyes at me. “And he’s out there…without supervision?”
“Oh, all of my kids can swim.” She stares at me almost dumbfounded, and again, I hate feeling like the world’s worst parent. “Isla knows not to go out there without Margot.”
“Margot was out there too,” River adds and I wonder if she really was or if he just sensed my embarrassment over not being more present while my ten-year-old is in the pool.Or even knowing he was out there for that matter.
“And is this how it’s going to be?” I ask her. “You just constantly making me feel like I don’t know what I’m doing?”
She furrows her brow but doesn’t appear to even be the slightest bit contrite. “No, but more than half of the drownings that occur each year are in home pools, and while yes, they are typically younger than your children, there is a large number of those between the ages of five and nine.”
“Good thing my son is ten and on a swim team, I might add.” I watch as her warm brown cheeks grow a tinge red.
“As much as I am living for the love fest already, I’ll go get your stuff.” River holds his hand out. “Keys?” She hands them to him and he’s out the door without another word but shoots a look from behind her while he mouths the word,RELAX.
I begin to walk away from her, hoping she’ll follow when I feel a hand on my arm and a gentle squeeze stopping me in my tracks. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to make you feel any type of way,” she says once the door closes. “I’ve just seen accidents with kids and pools and while it’s been nothing fatal, I’m just very cautious.” I look down at where she’s holding me and try to ignore the way her warm palm feels against my skin or the way my pulse skitters a little. When she slides her hand away, I hate the way I notice the absence of her touch.
“It’s not you, Elianna. I’m just a little defensive, but I appreciate your apology.” And I suppose I shouldn’t be considering I hired her because I need help.
She bites her bottom lip and my eyes immediately move to her mouth again.Fuck, eyes up. “Are you ever going to call me Ellie? That’s what people call me.”
I raise an eyebrow at her. “Well, you didn’t tell me I could.” Even though my daughter called her that when she introduced us, I don’t believe in calling people by their nicknames until they express permission.
“Well, you can…” She trails off.
“Noted, but Elianna is a very nice name, it would be a shame not to use it.” She averts her eyes even as a smile pulls at her lips.
SJ saunters in from the back door, very clearly having been in the pool and I give him a look. “What part of ‘grounded’ makes you think you’re entitled to a pool day?” I ask him as he pulls some chips out of the pantry. He has a towel wrapped around his shoulders that he pulls over his head like it’s a hood.
“You said I had to clean the pool today, you didn’t specify that I couldn’t clean it while swimming,” he says as he opens a bag of Doritos. He lifts his chin at Elianna. “Oh, I can’t wait for this. YO, MARGOT!”
“Sawyer,” I warn him. “If you don’t want to be groundedthroughHalloween, I suggest you not instigate,” I threaten, knowing my son loves Halloween and more importantly, all the candy he eats for the weeks following.
“Dad, me and my friends already have a costume planned.”
“And you’ll be staring at it while it sits in your closet on October thirty-first if you don’t behave for the next six weeks.”
“Fine,” he grumbles as he leans on the counter and continues stuffing his face with chips.
Margot comes walking into the room and her eyes meet mine first before dropping to the woman standing next to me who I just noticed has an amused expression on her face like she found my interaction with my son humorous. I also notice that Margot appears from a different part of the house making me believe that she was definitely not outside with Sawyer like River suggested.
“Hi,” she says, and while my daughter isn’t shy, she is sometimes a little uneasy around new people, so I’m not surprised when she comes to stand between me and her brother.
“Hi, Margot,” Elianna says with a warm smile, and then before anyone can say anything she speaks up again. “Do you think you and I can talk for just a second? Without these two?” She nods her head toward me and SJ and Margot’s eyes widen. She shoots me a look and Elianna lets out a laugh. “I’m not going to bite, but I figure you’ll give me the most honest interpretation of what actually happens around here.”