Page 8 of Forbidden Hearts
He can arrest me any day.
Excuse me, officer, I’ve broken the law. Come find me.
Are handcuffs included in every package?
Yeah, he’s that guy. Tall, dark brown hair that has this slight wave through it, scruff along his chiseled jaw, and eyes that could do a girl in. The different shades of blue almost swirl, and one second, it’s sapphire, and the next, you’re sure it’s aqua.
Anyway, those eyes are trained on me and not in a sexy way.
I roll the window down and try to salvage this so I don’t look ridiculous. “Hey. I’m here.”
“And late.”
I huff. “And not late, thank you. I have five more minutes until I am required to be here, which is fantastic considering I was just told about this an hour ago.”
“This is a mistake.”
My brows shoot up. “Excuse me?”
“You have been sitting in your car talking to yourself for the last three minutes. Also, why are you out here?”
“Because you need someone to watch Olivia . . .”Duh.
“I meant the car. Why aren’t you inside, meeting Olivia and preparing? I have to be at the station in ten minutes.”
“You mean the one that’s a whole street over?” I ask, refusing to let him push me around. “How ever will you make it on time? Listen, if you’re late, I’ll call Daddy and ask him to let you off with a warning. Can you scoot so I can get out please?”
He takes two whole steps back, which gives me just enough room to open the door without hitting him.
“Assoonas the agency finds a replacement,” Asher mutters.
That’s a relief. I might not have to do this all summer. Thank the Lord. “You know, you could say thank you, considering I’m giving up part of my summer to help you out.”
It’s really hard growing up in a town like this. Every mistake you make is part of the gossip mill, and no matter how small or insignificant it is, you never get to live it down. Sometimes, you can’t even live down the stuff you didn’t actually do either. Like when I took the heat for the senior prank that involved putting food dye in the pool and turning half the swim team blue. Why were the fingers pointed at me? Because no one would think to upset the chief by blaming his daughter when they all want favors. All the time I took the blame and looked ridiculous, and half of it, I didn’t even deserve.
I wasn’t always innocent, like when Asher caught me skinny dipping in Principal Symonds’s pool when she was out of town. That I totally did.
Not like the Whitlock family is without their screwups, but heaven forbid anyone holds a single one of those against them.
My big screwup hasn’t even hit the gossip mill yet, and this is just me paying for being an immature teenager.
“I could, but I won’t.”
My eyes narrow, and I really freaking hate this guy. So, just to be petty, I drop my voice to a deep baritone. “Thank you, Phoebe. You’re really saving my ass by watching my daughter.” Then I go back to my voice. “You’re welcome, Asher. I am so happy to help you when you’re in this bind.”
Not that I had a choice. My father informed me it was this, go back to Iowa, or tell him why I came home. Off to be a nanny it is.
When we head inside, the house is still quiet, but it’s six thirty in the morning, so I’m not surprised. I know I would rather be asleep.
“Where are your bags?”
“What?”
“Bags, you know, clothes, toiletries . . . the essentials.”
I must look ridiculous as I stare at Asher in confusion. “Why would I need a bag? I live down the road.”
“Right, but sometimes my shifts go until two in the morning, and I’m always on call. Plus, we rotate days and nights. You know this.”
