Page 73 of Power Play

Tess had an iPad that was in a big pink protector and it sat on the table waiting for her mom’s nightly FaceTime call. So far, I hadn’t met her mom, but apparently Tess had told her all about me. If it was weird that the mom hadn’t talked to me, it was just one more weird thing about Liam being left in charge of Tess.

Even though I knew Janice’s story, and Liam’s history of big favors, something just felt off about all of this.

Except when you saw Liam and Tess together. Then it felt right. They adored each other. They had inside jokes and treated each other like family.

Maybe what was weird was that it wasn’t weird at all.

The iPad buzzed and Tess jumped up to answer it.

“Mom!” she cried.

I could hear the buzz of a woman’s voice asking questions.

“Yep. We made it. You want to see it?” Tess stood up and took off with the iPad, probably to give her mom a tour of the place.

I turned a page on Antony’s cookbook and wondered if I was skilled enough to make his Mushroom Wellington for Tess.

“My mom wants to talk to you,” Tess said, coming back into the porch. She held out the iPad and after a second’s hesitation I grabbed it.

“Hi,” I said to the beautiful but exhausted looking woman on the other end. She wore scrubs and was clearly in a hospital.

“Hi, you’re Kit? Like the fox.”

I smiled, of course that’s how Tess would introduce me. “I am,” I said. “And you’re the mom to a pretty amazing six year old.”

“Five and a bit – don’t make her older, I want her to stay this age forever.”

I smiled because I understood the impulse. “She is amazing.”

“Thank you. I’m Janice.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“I knew it would only be a matter of time before Liam hired a nanny,” she said.

“He’s got many talents,” I said. “But the practical management and feeding of vegetarian kids might not be at the top of that list.”

Janice laughed. “Oh yes, I know his greatest talents. I remember them well.”

I went bright red at the innuendo and shook my head. “Oh. I’m not…”

Sleeping with Liam was what I was going to say, but Janice put a hand over her mouth looking horrified.

“I’m so sorry. That was so not cool of me. Of course you’re not,” she swallowed. “Experiencing his talents. I did not mean to imply that you were.”

“It’s all right,” I said, ignoring that kiss today and the random electric pulses that rattled through my body when I thought about it.

“It isn’t,” she said. “But thank you. I’m so tired right now I’ve lost all filters and basic decency.” She ran a hand over her hair which was pulled back in a frizzy and wild bun.

“How are things going in Carson City?” I asked.

“Fine. I mean, not fine. At all. But I’m okay. The important question is, how is Tess?”

“Well,” I said with a smile at the girl who was curled back up on the couch, buried in her book. “She’s a very cool kid, but you know that.”

I told her about the books and the bird-watching we were going to wake up early and do. The plans for swimming and ice cream eating.

“It sounds like you’re going to have a real summer vacation,” Janice said. The FOMO in her voice was genuine.

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