I'd been looking for some sort of summer camp, to be honest, but the agency sent me something entirely different. I’d laughed as I went through the job description. It said “child-minder,” which was a fancy way of describing a nanny.
I looked in the mirror, nodding appreciatively at my bright yellow dress. It had a boatneck and wasn’t too short. It looked professional yet fashionable enough, and I felt totally comfortable in it. I braided my long brown hair, detangling the strands as I went. My hair was naturally wavy, especially in the summer when the air was so humid. I'd only applied a little bit of makeup around my eyes to make the blue in my irises stand out, and I was ready to go in no time.
I lived in a super-tiny apartment in a forty-story building near Edgewater. Besides the relatively low rent, what sold me on this area was that I had the beach and the lake literally in front of the building. I wasn't overlooking the lake, because those apartments were one-third more expensive than mine, but all I had to do was to take the elevator twenty floors, and I'd be outside right along it.
I loved walking, even in summer, but today I Ubered. My potential employer lived in Lincoln Park, which was about a fifteen-minute drive away. I could bike the distance, but I risked arriving a sweaty mess, and I wanted to make a good impression. Even mid-June was hot and humid in Chicago.
I left a bit early, not wanting anything unexpected to make me late for my interview. In the Uber, I drummed my fingers on my thighs while looking out the window. I was so curious to meet the little girl and her father. The job description didn't give me much to go on, except that it was a single parent household and that she was nine years old. It was a great age. I loved being an elementary school teacher. At that age, an educator could have so much influence in shaping those little minds and feeding their curiosity about the world. I loved seeing everything through their eyes.
Kids had an innocence I adored. At thirty-one, I'd always hoped to have two kids by now, but things didn't work out, unfortunately. I’d had two long-term relationships that didn't end well, but it didn't matter. I had my friends and my parents, although they lived in Boston. I loved my tiny studio and my job. And I got so much love from all those kids I taught. Well, during the school year, at least. In summer, I was on my own.
Although, this summer was going to be different. I was hoping this job would pan out because it paid well—more than what I'd get at a summer camp. Besides, focusing on one child for once would be a nice change from my usual pace. But if things didn’t work out for whatever reason, I was determined to find something else.
My jaw dropped when the car stopped in front of the house—though mansion would be a more appropriate word. It was huge, with two stories, a white stone facade, a wraparound porch with columns, and a majestic staircase up to the entrance.
Wow. I rarely ventured on this side of town, though I knew they had lovely homes. But this wasn't pretty. This was like a small palace.
I wondered if it had a backyard. But even if it didn't, I was sure I wouldn't run out of options to entertain little Paisley in this huge house. I was a master at coming up with ways to keep kids busy, even when space was limited to a classroom.
"Thank you," I said to the driver before getting out of the car. I was still five minutes early, so I paced in front of the gate, glancing through the bars. A small stone patio led up to the steps of the front porch. There were gorgeous flowers and plants on either side of the pathway going around the house. I assumed there was a backyard too.
I was becoming a bit nervous. Plus, I hadn't been on a job interview in about seven years, ever since I started at my current school, The Stone Academy.
Two minutes later, the front door of the house opened, and my jaw clenched. The most handsome man I'd ever seen was looking straight at me. He had dark brown hair, cropped short, and blue eyes so mesmerizing that even from a distance I felt the sex appeal rolling off him in waves.
"Ms. Lexi Langley?" he asked.
"Yes."
"I’m Tate Maxwell. Come on in. You don't have to wait outside."
"Okay." Good God, Lexi, get a grip. You’re not going to get this job by giving one-word responses.
Tate climbed down the porch steps, coming closer. He was seriously movie-star handsome. His eyes were somewhere between tourmaline and turquoise. The white shirt he wore was rolled up at the sleeves, revealing very sexy forearms. Through the fabric of his shirt, I could see his biceps were just as muscular.
My mind immediately went to other places. Would his abs be as defined? Probably.
Swallowing hard, I forced my gaze to stay on his face.
Way to be inappropriate, Lexi. He could be your future employer. No sexy thoughts about him, even though his body is delicious, and that face... yummm.
He had a short beard, and the dark stubble made his eyes pop even more. I was tall at five foot eight, but he was even taller, at least six foot three.
I cleared my throat as he opened the front gate, holding out my hand. "Lexi Langley. Nice to meet you."
"Likewise. Come on in." He opened the door, and I stepped inside. He walked right next to me up on the steps of the front porch. I could feel his presence at my side, solid and hot as sin. He had an energy surrounding him that felt downright magnetic.
"You have a very nice home," I said, trying to focus on a neutral subject.
"Thank you." Opening the front door, he ushered me inside, and it was all I could do not to sigh. The interior of the house was as amazing as the exterior, decorated in old-fashioned, classic furniture complete with chandeliers.
"Let’s go inside the living room. We’ll be comfortable there."
“Yes, of course," I said.
“Do you want anything to drink?” he asked. “Coffee? Water? Anything else?”
“No, I’m good.”
"Okay. Please, have a seat." He pointed to one of the white leather couches.
I immediately sat down. He sat on an armchair opposite me. His presence had seemed larger than life and all-consuming even outside, but right here, enclosed in this room, the energy coming off him felt downright intense.
"Ms. Langley, I have looked over your résumé, and you have excellent qualifications. I was hoping to find someone for my daughter who has formal education in childhood development.”
"Well, yes, I've been an elementary school teacher for seven years."
"And now you're looking to change jobs?"
I frowned, not really understanding. "What do you mean?"
"Why are you applying for this job?"
"I have time during my summer vacation, and honestly, I need some extra money. This seems like a good job."
His expression darkened as his frown deepened. He got up from the armchair, pacing in front of me, crossing his arms over his chest. "That's going to be a problem. I want someone who can be with my daughter long-term, over the next few years."
"Oh! I didn't see that on the job description."
"I'm sure I told the agency to put it there."
"Maybe I just missed it. I’m so sorry. But may I ask, why do you need someone for her full time? She goes to school, right?"
"Yes. Paisley is in the fourth grade."
"I thought she might be. That’s the grade I teach.” Tate still looked confused, so I explained what I was getting at. “So, then, you presumably only need someone to pick her up from school and bring her home and stay with her for a couple hours until you come home from work? Is anyone else with her in the afternoons?"