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‘No, I haven’t been anywhere... I mean, I’ve not travelled much.’ Actually, not at all, but she saw no reason to invite another sardonic brow lift.
‘My present flat is not a suitable environment for a child.’ That truth he had already recognised but the solution had been something to be dealt with down the line.WouldGreece be a realistic suitable solution? he wondered. This could actually be a test run of the viability. He could stay in London during the week and commute at the weekend. After all, a young child wouldn’t notice if he was there or not.
‘So you are moving to Greece?’ She glanced around the office. She had no idea how that would work, but his life had different rules from her own. Even so she did admire him, despite her prejudices, for being prepared to accept such a massive change to his life.
‘It might not be a permanent solution but in the short term until the baby has...’ he paused, trying to recall the phrase the nanny had used ‘...established a routine,’ he offered glibly.
When lying it was always better to stick as close to the truth as possible and his solution to Marco’s request had pushed his own thinking about the future along, and with those thoughts came nagging, actuallyscreamingdoubts.
Zac was not a man who lacked confidence or self-belief, and finding himself in a situation that he felt unqualified for on so many levels was disconcerting. Parenthood was something he had never envisaged and he felt uniquely ill equipped for the role.
Yet he had an excellent example. Kairos had been his age when he had taken on another man’s son, and that man had been no friend. Had it come naturally to him or had he had to work at it? He dismissed the possibility before it had taken root in his head. Kairos had been a natural at parenting—he let his children make their own mistakes but had always been there to offer advice if they asked for it.
Zac made mistakes but he never asked for advice. Asking for help equated in Zac’s head with admitting to a weakness. It was not something that thetough onedid... Sometimes the roles assigned to children in families were hard to shrug off in adulthood.
In his case Zac hadn’t tried—showing weakness in the world in which he operated was not the road to success.
‘I need someone qualified to step in—’
‘Why me?’ she cut across him with the blunt question as she heard Jac groan in her head. She imagined her friend’s reaction to her hesitation.
Don’t ask why, just grab it with both hands! Travel, get paid for it, what’s not to like? Out of your comfort zone? About time!
‘Not that I would be the right person.’
‘That’s an unusual interview technique you have there.’
His drawl brought a flush to her cheeks but she didn’t drop her gaze. ‘It’s not an interview.’
One dark brow lifted. ‘Pedantic but true,’ he conceded. ‘But the situation does preclude a long drawn-out process and, contractually, it would simplify things. You already work for me. I don’t need references or security checks.’
‘I’m sorry but—’
‘You have no dependents...elderly parents...?’
‘My father is alive, but he isn’t...he doesn’t need me.’ Until the next time he needs money or a bed or... He’d never find her in Greece. Ashamed of the thought, she added firmly, ‘But I’m sorry, my life is here. I’m not interested in going to Greece. It’s out of the question.’
He sighed. ‘That is a pity—your choice, but, quite honestly, probably the right one. He’s not an easy baby, he doesn’t sleep... It’s almost as if he knows that he’s alone.’
She felt an ache in her throat as she watched him lift a hand to shade his eyes. Just because he didn’t show his emotions didn’t mean he didn’t have them, she thought, feeling a surge of empathic warmth.
Fighting the crazy impulse to lay a hand on his shoulder, she held her ground and cleared her throat. ‘He’s not alone, he has you,’ she husked out firmly.
‘I know nothing about... I’ll learn.’
‘Of course you w-will,’ she agreed, thinking, What next? A herd of pigs flying overhead? I feel sorry for Zac Adamos.
Zac heard the emotional catch in her voice and thought,Gotcha.
His hand fell away, his long elegant brown fingers briefly catching and holding her attention. When her gaze lifted he appeared sombre but composed and thankfully unaware of the distracting tactile image that had floated into her head that involved his fingers against pale skin.
‘Well, thank you for your...’ He paused, dragged a hand through his dark hair and added as an almost embarrassed afterthought, ‘Look, it probably won’t make any difference to your decision, but because of the lack of notice and upheaval I am prepared to offer an exit bonus.’
The hook was in; all he had to do was reel her in.
‘It’s not the money—’
He mentioned a sum that made her jaw drop.
