Page 21 of Peaches & Pistols

Me: I’ll ask him, thanks brother.

Reid: Harper’s a bit young for driving lessons. Got anything to tell me?

Me: Yea. Shut the fuck up.

Me: Reid said Delilah’s car might be available?

Connor: Hello to you too, Grey.

Me: …

Connor: She never uses it. Why?

Me: My nanny needs a reliable way to transport Harper and her kid.

Connor: Your nanny, huh? I thought Harper needed a nanny.

Connor: She tuck you in at night? Sing you to sleep?

Me: Fuck. Off.

Connor: Do you need the car or not?

Me: Yes.

Connor: What’s the magic word?

Me: I’ll pay to rent the car. Don’t fucking test me or I’ll make your life a living hell.

Connor: You sure have a way with words. Yea, man. Come get it whenever you need it.

Me: Thanks.

“Ican’t accept this.” Mia’s arms are wrapped tightly around her chest, hands tucked into her armpits.

“It’s not a big deal.” I try again to hold out the new smart phone for her to take.

“You’re essentially giving me and Everly free room and board. You’re renting me a car. You installed new car seats in the car. And you bought me a phone? It’s too much.”

I scrub my free hand down my face, dropping the phone to my side.

“You’re Harper’s live-in nanny. These are standard items you need to properly do your job, don’t you think?”

“Of course. Did you buy any of your past nannies phones or cars?”

“Well, no…”

“Did any of your past nannies live here free of charge?”

“No, it was never…”

“Exactly.” Clearly she feels like she’s made her point, because she cocks out her hip with a spark of attitude, giving me a glimpse of who Mia might be beneath the layers of trauma.

“Listen. This is a unique situation. I need someone here for Harper, you need a job, somewhere to stay with the ability to watch Everly. If that means renting you a reliable vehicle to safely transport the girls and yourself and buying a goddamn phone so you can call me if you need help, I’d say it’s completely justified. Just let me do this for you.”

My frustration is mounting. I’ve never claimed to have good people skills, especially not with beautiful women. Why won’t she just accept it as a job perk, or a fucking gift, and move on? Wait until she finds out I’m paying 100 percent of her family healthcare out of pocket. She’ll shit a brick.

That plump lower lip’s quivering, and the apples of her cheeks are reddening.