Page 10 of Hidden Truths

Harlow cocks her head to the side and studies me. “Hire me,” she says with a confident smile.

I’m so distracted by how her smile lights up her beautiful face that it takes a moment to process her words. “Hire you?”

“As the nanny, Callahan,” Belle says, bumping my shoulder as she comes to stand next to me.

“You want to be my nanny?”

“Well, I was kind of hoping to be your daughter’s nanny. I’m not really qualified to watch adults,” Harlow teases.

Willa snickers, not even trying to hide her amusement.

“Do you have childcare experience?” Belle asks. Thank fuck for my sister. Since I can’t seem to get my brain to function right now, I need someone to ask the important questions.

“I do!” Harlow says, happily handing over a sheet of paper. I take it and look down. It’s her resume. I read through it three times, fully aware that the silence is awkward, but when it comes to Cora, I’m not willing to just hire anyone. Even if that person took my breath and every brain cell away the moment I laid eyes on her.

Belle snatches the paper from my hand and starts asking the standard questions she’s asked everyone that’s come to interview. I hang on to every word Harlow says. She babysat through high school, was a nanny in college. She took a child growth and development class one summer between semesters. The only reason she’s unemployed is because the radio station she was working for just shut down.

Everything she says seems genuine and impressive. Which immediately makes me wary. It shouldn’t. She’s done nothing to earn my distrust, but when you’re in the spotlight like I am, it’s hard to trust anyone.

“What’s your plan?” I blurt. Three sets of eyes turn to me. Three sets of eyebrows are scrunched in confusion. This is why I let Belle ask the questions.

“I mean, what’s your plan career wise? You can’t be planning to be a nanny forever if you were a producer on a radio talk show, right? Are you going to get a job in a week and leave?” I ask.

Harlow blows out a breath and shifts on her feet. I haven’t even offered to let her sit. I’m such an asshole.

“Honestly?” she asks, and I nod. “I’m not sure. I think I need a break from all that. I loved my job, but it took up all my time, and not in a good way. I ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner at my desk. I took my phone to the bathroom so I could respond to emails as I peed. I would get calls in the middle of the night from the executive producer about the latest celebrity bullshit that broke and needed to be added to the morning show.”

“We totally get that,” Willa says. “Our last label worked us to the point of burnout and then told us to keep going.”

“I need something different. I love working with kids. Do I think I’ll be here until your daughter turns eighteen? No, but I think I can at least help you for now. I want to spend time with my dad until I figure out my next step.”

That could be anywhere from a month to several years. I chew the inside of my lip, thinking. I trust Harrison, which makes me want to trust Harlow. Just from instinct alone, I don’t feel like she’s someone that would sell stories to the media to make a few bucks. But that’s only half of it. She needs to be good with Cora too. What if Cora loves her, and she doesn’t stay? Shit, this is hard. As if she knows I’m thinking about her, Cora’s cries echo loudly through the baby monitor.

“The star of the show is awake from her nap,” Belle jokes, making her way up the stairs to get my daughter.

I look over at Willa. Her expression is soft and understanding. I know there must be a look of panic on my face because I can feel how rapidly my heart is beating against my chest. I haven’t let anyone that’s interviewed even lay eyes on Cora, and now Harlow is about to meet her. Belle didn’t ask, but I know she wouldn’t be getting Cora if she didn’t feel comfortable with Harlow. Next to me, my sister is the most protective of my daughter.

Harlow must read my expression. “I can leave if you want.”

My eyes flick to hers, and I can see the indecision there. She wants to stay, probably needs the job, but she doesn’t want to make me uncomfortable. And that alone is what has me shaking my head.

“No. Stay and meet her. She just hasn’t met anyone outside of family, and it makes me nervous,” I admit. Harlow smiles softly and nods. “Willa is family,” I add, even though she didn’t ask. “Maverick and Kai too.”

Harlow laughs and fuck does that laugh do something to me.

“Family isn’t always blood. I get it.”

I look over at Willa to see her smiling smugly. I roll my eyes and flip her off, which just makes both women start laughing at me. Great. There’s two of them now.

“Cal?”

I look over my shoulder to see my sister holding Cora. I immediately take my girl into my arms and snuggle her, smelling that baby smell you always hear people talking about. It’s a real thing, like a fucking drug I need a hit of. It calms me, just like holding her close so I know she’s okay does.

“Hi baby girl. How was your nap?” I whisper softly into her hair. Cora just makes a bubbly gurgle and snuggles into my neck. “There’s someone Daddy wants you to meet.” Cora lifts her head and manages to hold it for a few seconds before crashing back down onto my shoulder. My girl is practically made of Jell-O when she first wakes up. She’s almost six months old now and it feels like time is just flying by.

“Hi sweet girl. My name is Harlow.” I can hear Harlow’s voice from behind me where she moved so she could see Cora, but I swear I can feel her presence. Like I’d know where she was no matter where she stood in the room. “Can I?” I hold Cora tighter for a moment and then let out a slow breath. I hand her over to Harlow with less reluctance than I thought I would have.

Cora immediately grabs Harlow’s curls and drools on her shirt.

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