Page 13 of Revived

Chapter 5

Rachel

I’m early. But then again, I’m the type of person who thinks being fifteen minutes early is actually arriving on time, and arriving on time is being late.

As I pull up to the curb outside of the charming house in the small neighborhood in the northern part of Emerson Falls, I double check the address to make sure I’m in the right place. A silver SUV is parked in the driveway that connects to a sidewalk that leads up to the front door. Several trucks and toys are scattered on the grass in the front yard, indicating there’s definitely a small child that lives here. The front door is a dark blue with a matching security screen, which contrasts nicely against the white stucco of the house, and a few pink flowers fill two planters on the porch. For being an older home, it’s well taken care of but definitely shows it’s being lived in. And the warmth I get just looking at it actually reminds me it’s a lot like my house from when we lived in the Bronx, just less run down of course.

“She’s here! Daddy, Rachel is here!” The voice I could never forget pulls me from my perusal of the yard as his face comes into view behind the steel security screen attached to the front door, his smile so bold and genuine, it assures me that this is where I’m supposed to be right now—taking care of this little boy for the foreseeable future.

Reaching for the bag on my seat first, I exit the car and climb up the small hill from the sidewalk to the front door. I can see the little boy bursting at the seams through the screen opening just as Luke comes around to where Grayson is standing, dressed in a button-down shirt and slacks, a far different ensemble than the one he was wearing at the coffee shop earlier.

“Hold on, Grayson,” he chuckles as he reaches to unlock the deadbolt, the clank of the metal granting us the freedom to hug once the door swings open and Grayson launches himself into my arms.

“Rachel! My daddy says you get to watch me tonight!” Grayson is vibrating with his excitement and I can’t help but reciprocate.

“I know! I’m so happy to see you again, sweetie! And look,” I gesture to the bag sitting on the ground beside me. “I brought games for us to play and stuff to make cookies.”

“Yes! This is going to be the best night ever!” He shouts before turning away and running back inside, leaving me alone with Luke.

As I stand from my crouched position, I take him in slowly as I rise. He’s got large feet—which you know what they say about that—big shoes. His long legs are clad in dark grey slacks that showcase the muscular body I’m sure he’s hiding underneath. A nice bulge hits my eyes next as I desperately try to avoid looking at it, but fail miserably, before my eyes travel up the broad torso of this man that is easily over six feet tall. A plum dress shirt stretches across his chest, leading up to his neck and jaw covered in dark stubble even thicker than it was this morning. His eyes meet mine as soon as I register that he’s watching me, making me swallow hard while wondering if he can read my mind.

When I first saw him yesterday, I couldn’t deny how attractive he was, but I never thought I’d see him again. Now that we’ve talked more and I’ve agreed to be a caregiver to his son, I’m chastising myself for thinking of him this way—as a man who’s so stunningly handsome, I think I’ve made a huge mistake in agreeing to work for him.

But his son—the little boy who stole my heart—is the true reason I’m here. And as long as I can remind myself of that, I think I’ll be okay.

“Hey. Thanks again for this,” he greets me, ushering me inside as Grayson comes running around the corner.

“Rachel! This is my Spiderman doll! Isn’t he cool?” Tiny hands shove the plastic doll as close to my face as possible.

“So cool, buddy.”

“Do you want to see my room?” He yells, bouncing up and down on his toes.

“I do, but I need to talk to your dad first, okay?”

His face falls flat, but then Luke chimes in to save the day. “Why don’t you go make sure your room is picked up so when Rachel sees it, it looks perfect.”

“Okay, Daddy.” He takes off down the hallway to my left as I turn to observe the rest of the house. When we walked through the door, we landed right in the living room, where a dark brown sectional couch faces the television on the furthest wall. An entertainment center houses the TV, along with a hefty collection of DVDs and a few pictures and candles lining the shelves. An organizational cubby with fabric containers is situated in one corner, topped with several toys too big to fit inside. Behind the couch is the kitchen that opens up to the living room with a decent-sized island stationed in the middle that will be perfect for cooking in while allowing me to keep an eye on Grayson. Dark brown cabinets and granite counter tops give it a masculine feel, but still makes it feel like a home.

“Here, let me take that,” Luke interrupts my observations, reaching for the bag of goodies for Grayson and walking further inside the house, depositing the bag on the island as I follow closely behind.

“Thanks. Your house is lovely.”

He looks around for a minute before focusing back on me. “Thank you. I guess it will be your house too now, for the foreseeable future.”

I let out a small chuckle. “I guess you’re right.”

“Okay,” he clears his throat and then reaches for a piece of paper on the counter. “I wrote down everything I could think of—Grayson’s schedule, his likes and dislikes, and a few emergency numbers. You have my number, but in the event I don’t answer my phone, these people should be able to help you. He doesn’t have any allergies that I know of, so you should be good on the food front. However, he’s a kid, so one day he likes something and the next day he won’t eat it. All I ask is that he gets at least one vegetable and fruit with his dinner.”

“I can manage that,” I assure him.

“Okay. I talked to my lawyer today and he’s drawing up a contract for you to sign. As of right now, I know I’ll need you until Grayson starts kindergarten in the fall, so at least for the next six months.”

“Well, that’s when I’m due to start the credentialing program, so it works out perfectly.”

“Awesome. I can pay you for the rest of the week, and then every two weeks after that, if that sounds reasonable?”

I nod, knowing that the money isn’t the reason why I’m doing this, but I want him to feel confident in his decision. “Yup. Perfect.”

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