Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 61199 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61199 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Jack stared at Sasha with a smile. “She’s good. If you get tired of the nanny gig, come talk to me.”
Her gaze narrowed in Jack’s direction but I’d tuned them out, because my mind and my heart were focused on the thought that Dixie might not be mine. It had only been a few days, just over a week since she entered my life, but now I couldn’t imagine her anywhere else.
“That’s not an answer,” she said in a voice so calm that it sent ice barreling through my veins.
“That’s why I didn’t come by yesterday to warn you before your name and face were splashed all over the internet, I was waiting for this.” He pulled an envelope from the inside of his jacket and handed it to me. “It came in yesterday afternoon.”
I stared at the envelope that held my entire future in it. It’s just some results. Yes or no, maybe a few percentages. Nothing more than that, I told myself.
This is what I wanted, what I needed to know to figure out what my next step would be. Not too long ago I told Sasha I didn’t know what outcome I wanted, but as I stared at the envelope sandwiched between Jack’s fingers, I knew that was a lie. I wanted Dixie to be mine. I wanted to be her father and her protector. I needed her as much as she needed me.
“Alex.” Sasha’s soft voice tugged me from my frozen position in the middle of the kitchen. She placed a hand on my arm until our gazes collided, hers was filled with concern and worry.
“Take the results,” she said and plucked the envelope from Jack’s hand and put it in mine. “Go open this in private. Read it and then re-read it. Process your feelings before you do anything else.”
I nodded at her suggestion and wrapped my fingers tightly around the envelope. “Yeah. I think I will.”
“Go,” she said softly and gave me a gentle shove.
I walked out of the kitchen and towards my bedroom, but not before I caught Jack’s last words. “See? You two are already a good couple.”
I shook my head. Jack wasn’t wrong, so far Sasha and I were a good team. A team though, not a couple.
In the quiet of my room I peeled the flap off the envelope and slid the paper out until it fluttered to the floor. I picked it up with shaky hands and read over the results at least a half dozen times until the truth settled in my bones and down to my soul.
Dixie was my daughter. She was mine.
Whatever else was true, that was settled. I could move forward with that knowledge and plan accordingly. I sat there and did as Sasha had instructed, I thought about the results and how I felt about them. I thought about the pros and cons of Jack’s plan, devoting a solid ten minutes before I got to my feet and rejoined Jack and Sasha.
We had a future to plan.
Chapter 12
Sasha
“This is good for everyone.” Jack flashed what was supposed to be a charming smile, but it was borderline smarmy. “Seriously, we’ll negotiate a big fat sum for pretending while you continue to do your job and take care of this little one.”
I understood what Jack was saying, and I really didn’t want Alex to get in trouble when he was only trying to make sure his little girl had everything she needed. But the downside was a dealbreaker.
“I don’t lie.”
“Ever?” His question was so incredulous and the smirk on his face made me want to smack him. “You never lie?”
“No. The truth is easier to remember and no one gets hurt.” Mostly. The truth could hurt a lot, but it hurt worse after a lifetime of lies. “Sorry. I’m not agreeing to deceive the world.”
He leaned forward with that car salesman look on his face. “I mean you’re not exactly the paragon of truth, are you? Playing at being a nanny despite who your family is.”
“I’m not playing at anything. I’ve been doing this job for years, I earned it and I’m damn good at it.” I wished that looks could kill, because I really wanted to hurt him for that comment.
“No offense,” he said and held up his hands defensively. “And you don’t have to worry about lying anyway because this marriage will be one hundred percent real.”
“Real.” The word fell from my lips as if it was foreign, as if it held no meaning. “You mean that your plan is for us to get married for real? In front of a preacher and everything?” I shook my head because this was now getting even more ridiculous.
He shrugged. “You can choose about who officiates the thing with Alex, as long as it’s real and legal, I don’t care.”