Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Wesley ~~

It’s early on a Saturday morning, and I’m trying to ease myself into what will be happening today with a cup of coffee. Ariel is generally as regular as the sun when waking up in the morning, but I think some of the restless nights are finally getting to her, and she’s still asleep.

The sleepless nights are certainly getting to me. Sleeping on an air mattress in her room is wreaking havoc on my back. My chiropractor has made a small fortune on me over these last few weeks. I suppose I could have had her sleep on the air mattress in my room and saved myself the pain, but I was afraid that taking her out of her own bed would cause her to regress further.

Coming back to Austin permanently has seemed to unsettle her quite a bit. Probably doesn’t help that we spent so long in Crystal Creek or that my mom didn’t come back with us. She hasn’t been sleeping well, and she has been having meltdowns as we try to reestablish our routine.

The best days that she has had recently were when Adrienne was here. It was like being able to grab onto something familiar helped her relax, and she was always tearful when Adrienne left us at the end of the day. After all our tours of daycare facilities, it was clear to me. Ariel needed something that those professionals, as qualified as they were, couldn’t give her. She needed Adrienne.

That’s why she’s moving in today.

I made sure to make an offer that would be entirely too tempting to turn down, and I’ve been dreading it since the moment she accepted.But I made a promise to Erik to give Ariel everything she needs; if that’s Adrienne, then she will have her. I’ll just have to figure my stuff out.

My phone alerts with a text message from her: On my way. Should be there late morning.

Sigh. I still have a few hours to get my mind wrapped around the fact that the woman I’m fighting an attraction for — who is stirring up things that I need to stay buried — is getting ready to move into my house for the foreseeable future.

Yeah. A few hours and this cup of coffee is not going to be enough.

Adrienne ~~

This traffic. Is it worse on the weekends? At least Mr. Hawthorn lives on the outskirts of Austin, where the pace of life—and the traffic—is a little slower.

Not that it would’ve mattered. With the salary he offered, I would have made the same decision even if I had to move into the heart of downtown. He offered me more than twice my yearly pay in addition to free room and board and health and dental insurance. All to be a live-in nanny and personal occupational therapist for Ariel.

I think I thought about it for a whole twelve hours...just to say I did. I knew I was going to say, “yes,” the minute I heard how much he was paying.

Besides, I love that little girl.Something about her just calls to me in a way that I never experienced with another patient.

The only sore spot about this is the reaction from my parents. I really shouldn’t have been surprised that they had major reservations, but some of the things they said when I called a few weeks ago were hurtful. Thinking about the conversation now still smarts...

*******

“You’re doing what?” my mother’s voice tells of her dismay.

“I said I’m moving to Austin--”

“Nope, nope. After that.” she commands.

“I’m going to be a personal occupational therapist--”

“Adrienne Simone don’t play with me! You know what I'm talking about! What is this about being a live-in nanny?” Her voice drips with displeasure.

“Wow, Mama. You say, ‘nanny,’ like it’s something to be ashamed of--”

“What did I just say? You know good and well which part of that I think you should be ashamed of!”

I sigh. “Mama, I don’t think it’s unusual for nannies to live in the homes where they are employed, especially in a situation where the child has special needs.”

My mother scoffs. “It should be unusual for you! This is not how we raised you. I can’t believe this. My daughter, shacking up with some man!”

“Who’s shacking up with some man?!”

I groan as my father’s angry snarl is heard in the background, and I hear commotion that suggests he’s snatching the phone out of my mom’s hand. “Nobody, Daddy. We are not shacking up. And he’s not ‘some man.’ He’s the CEO of an international company and happens to be a freaking billionaire!”

“Watch your mouth, young lady. I’m still your father, no matter how grown you are.”

I bite my tongue to keep from making the situation worse. “I’m sorry, Daddy. I don’t want to argue. I was just trying to ease your mind that he is not some average Joe that is just inviting me to move in with him. He offered me a job and is paying me extremely well.”

“That’s makes it worse, Adrienne,” he snaps. A rich, older man moving a young girl into his home?”

“What’s wrong with him being rich? You are.” As an investment banker, my father has done very well for our family. Not billionaire status, but we were always more than comfortable.

There is a pregnant pause before he asks the next question. His voice sounds strangled as the words leave his mouth. “Why not? Look, Adrienne, I’m not asking because I personally have a problem with it. I’m asking because I’ve been in this world a long time, and I know how the game is played. I know how it’s going to look to his colleagues, his friends, his family. I know what people will say about you, a young girl, in that situation.”

That hurts, and I don’t respond for several seconds, rubbing my temple with my fingers. This is one thing about my dad. No matter how much he infuriates me with his way of always treating me as a child, he does have a way of forcing me to look at the things I’m trying to ignore. He’s bringing this up because he knows it hits a little too close to home.

“I’m choosing to believe that situation was an individual case, Daddy. Not all men are like… him; I refuse to believe that.” I answer him thickly. “Mr. Hawthorn is simply a man who needs help raising his goddaughter who has autism.” I leave out the part where he is also in the middle of a nasty custody battle with the grandparents. No sense in throwing that flame on the fire. “And to be perfectly honest, he really doesn’t like people that much, like in general. Keeping this strictly professional and above board is not going to be a problem.”

“I don’t like it, Adrienne. I don’t like it at all,” my father warns. “Don’t take this job; I’m begging you...”

*******

Of course, I didn’t listen, and things between my parents and I have been tense. I’m even more glad than I usually am that they live in Atlanta and can’t actively meddle in my life.

It’s not that I don’t value my parents’ opinion—sometimes. But most of the time I feel like they don’t remember that I'm a grown woman who has been living on my own for quite a while. I’ve made pretty good decisions for myself and have made a good life. In fact, they haven’t had anything to complain about until now. I’ve thought about what they said over and over, and I just don't see the downside to this arrangement.

There’s the whole “he doesn’t like people” thing, right off the bat. Yes, he’s a little older than me, but I don’t think it’s enough for him to be considered an “older man.” He works all the time, according to Lyle. And he hasn’t given one indication that he’s into me or is looking for anything other than a straightforward, Employer/Employee relationship. He just adores that precious child and wants what is best for her.

And on top of that, even if they don’t trust him, they can trust me. It took me some time to recover from my … personal situation, but I did, and I’m in no hurry to risk my heart again.

Even if the man is question is nice, tall drink of water.

What? I said I wasn’t looking, not that I can’t see.

All things considered, I’m excited about this opportunity, and as I turn down the long drive toward my new home, I have a feeling that this is exactly the right decision for me.

I’m going to be right where I’m meant to be.