Page 12 of Shot to the Hart

No way! Are you going through with the interview? If so, update me afterwards.

Me

Yeah, I definitely am. Talk later.

Sticking my phone back into my pocket. I question why I even told Tatum about the grocery store incident, since it’s when he got his ‘I told you so’ moment. My Dad stepping back just sent us careening off the edge.

I return and notice that she is gently pulling a hair tie on her wrist and letting it recoil against her skin. That can’t feel good. I hand her the water, give her a smile, and sit down across from her.

“So Ms. Roscoe, I guess I should tell you first that I am a professional hockey player, hence Tatum keeping details to a minimum during his phone call with you. But, based on our interaction in the grocery store, I assume you didn’t know who I was anyways.”

“Uh, Kodi is fine, if you’re okay with calling me that. But that would be correct, I have never been much of a sports fan myself,” she laughs nervously, a light pink tinting her cheeks.

“No problem there. So tell me what made you apply to be an au pair? I noticed that you previously nannied for a family with three kids for about six years, but it seems that ended abruptly.”

“Well Bill, the father, got a job opportunity in another country, so although they moved I decided to stay here. They offered to take me with them, but all my friends and family are here. I couldn’t move to another country. Bill and Trent were so good to me, and I loved working with them and their kids. And to be frank, the pay and living opportunity was a big selling point. I recently found myself in need of a new place to live, so this would work out perfectly,” she responds with a shrug..

I hate that she feels like I don’t want to hear her story, I really do, but I remind myself I don’t need to know that to know if she is a good candidate to care for Bella. I can’t explain why, but something about her is intriguing to me.

“I see. So, what do you feel makes a person a good fit to be an au pair?” The length of work with her previous family shows that she is capable and trustworthy enough that someone decided to keep her around for a while with their kids but it still feels necessary to ask.

“Well, honestly, I think taking care of someone's children requires a lot of patience and energy, willingness to play with the same toys or sing the same songs all day, every day. I feel like being able to pivot and adjust as a child learns and grows is also important. I will always follow whatever schedule and rules youhave set because in the end, she’s your baby, and I want to help you raise her the way you envision when you aren’t able to be present.”

I’m just about to tell her that I liked her willingness to work with me and that Bella does require a lot of patience and energy, when the monitor linked to Arabella’s room lights up and her light cries drift through. I look at Kodi. “Excuse me. I need to go get her back to sleep. I am so sorry, I will be right back to continue this.”

She gives me a genuine smile and says, “Of course. I’ll just hang out here.”

I swiftly head towards Bella’s room, knowing the sooner I get to her, the easier it will be to get her back to sleep. She has always been like this. If she wakes up and you get to her quickly, she will almost immediately pass back out, but if you take thirty seconds too long, she will be wide awake, and it takes ten extra steps to settle her back in. Quietly, I creep into the room, swoop my sweet little girl into my arms, holding her close to my chest. She immediately pushes back against me with all the strength she can muster in her little body, trying to flail around, so I settle her deeper into my chest. I know this game and I won’t give in. “It’s okay Bella, Daddy’s here. Just go back to sleep.” Easing my hold just a little, I begin humming,”You’ll Always Be My Baby” by Alan Jackson. It always seems to soothe her, and her body becomes lighter as she begins to relax into my hold. After a few minutes of this, her soft snores are audible enough that I can safely lay her down.

I sneak out of her room, smooth my shirt back down, and run a hand through my messy hair that I know Bella’s hand had clutched to as she got comfortable. At this point, I'm not sure I should continue this interview. Can I really have this woman, who I am extremely attracted to, working and living with me?Will I be able to stop the attraction that I’ve had for her from going any further?

8

KODI

PROBABLY NAKED TOO.

As soon as Maverick exits the living room, I grab my phone and pull up the group chat. As I begin typing, I hear Mavericks soft mumbles to Arabella and then he begins humming a tune I’ve never heard through her monitor.

Me

You will not believe who I am interviewing with right now.

Darcy

Is it Tom Hiddleston? Because if so, I need pictorial proof.

Me

*eye roll* No, Darcy. First, why would Tom be interviewing for an Au Pair in Tampa? Does he even have kids? Anyways, It’s Maverick from the grocery store. The one who was more handsome than Tom Hiddleston and had the cutest daughter on the face of the planet.

Sin

No fucking way. Are you about to live out a boss and employee-to-lovers trope?

Me

OMG, absolutely not. As much as I would love to climb him like a tree, I would love to have a job more.

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