Page 3 of Easter Daddy

That makes me highly uncomfortable, the thought that part of my job might have been manufactured for my sake. I hope that it wasn’t. I hate to be that girl who just got in because of who she knows and not because of what she can do. Maybe, I shouldn’t have accepted my stepdad’s offer. Then again, if I didn’t, it would have looked somewhat rude and ungrateful.

Shaking off my feeling of unease, I take the box she hands to me.

“This box is also a PlantPlast box,” she says with a smile. If he weren’t my stepbrother, I would probably work at his company because I’ve always had an interest in environmental issues. So not only is he devastatingly attractive, but he’s also making a good difference in the world. I wonder if he’s passionate about it or if he just wants to multiply his wealth.

I’m led to yet another area in the building, where the smell of paint is strong and tons of art supplies are everywhere. She quickly fetches a couple of paint buckets before leading me near the cafeteria so I can start painting.

I always got good grades in art, and I make quick work of it. Aside from my passion for the environment, I love working with children. At the very least, I got a job that I like. If I must partake in nepotism, I might as well enjoy it.

One good thing about this is that it’s temporary. It’s only for one day, only for today. So soon, I will be able to move on and find a job elsewhere. I just really needed the money, and I didn’t want to look rude.

Once I’m done painting the eggs and they’ve sat long enough to dry, I pack them back into the box and carry them out of the cafeteria. Janette is right there in the main receptionist area with a parent and a little girl.

Perhaps I could try nannying. I’ve nannied little cousins before and I think I’m good enough at it. Today, however, I need to do it along a trail outside and for more than thirty children. Thirty children that I, along with their parents, will be in charge of. One by one, families file into the office, little kids bouncing with joy and excitement. I loved Easter egg hunts as a child, and I still do.

While the children wait for the hunt to begin, I go out to hide the eggs at certain points in the pastures. What I’m not expecting is for Liam to join me and help me hide the eggs.

“So,” he says in a rough voice as he carries the box while we walk to our first destination—the barn. “Are you going to college?”

“Yes,” I confirm. “I am, but I want to take a gap year.”

“Really, now?” he asks. “And what do you plan to do with that?”

I cannot read his tone. Whether he’s being judgmental or curious, I don’t know. I answer him anyway.

“Get a job,” I say. “Probably as a nanny.”

“That won’t look particularly good on a resumé,” he comments. “I can give you a job,” he tells me, looking directly into my eyes. They’re beautiful, and for a moment, as we both stand there, neither of us moving forward, I feel as though I might drown in those depths.

I look away first.

“No, thank you.” I shake my head as I start walking. I don’t want to look rude or ungrateful, but working for an entire year for him because of our relationship? As a handout? I don’t think I could stomach it. “I want to feel as though I’ve earned it,” I tell him, “if I’m going to work long-term.”

He just shrugs. “Well, my offer still stands if you ever change your mind.”

“Thank you.”

“And as I said, nannying isn’t exactly the best thing to write on a resumé. You want to go for jobs that add value to your experience.”

I nod my head. He’s right, of course, but I wasn’t planning on resumé-building this year. I just wanted to get some life experience.

When we make it to the barn, there are, unfortunately, no horses. My favorite animal is a horse since it’s the closest I can get to a real-life unicorn. Horses might not be there, but Liam is, and I’m suddenly very aware of the fact that we’re alone and it’s semi-dark in here. His blue eyes, made darker by the shade, look me over lazily, and I can feel them drinking me in.

He's eye-fucking me.

Well, that’s what it feels like, and it scares me. Not because I think he will hurt me but because if he feels the way that I feel, this is dangerous. It’s bound to end badly. He’s my stepbrother, and it’s wrong for us to fulfill these desires.

“I think we should put one here,” I say to him, placing an egg on a bale to break the tension.

“And in one of the stables,” he says. He picks up one egg himself and goes into a stable. “You paint well,” he calls to me.

“Thank you.” That’s the only thing I manage to say because all of a sudden, my throat is dry and I’m parched.

We don’t talk much for the rest of the time that we’re alone together. Once I get to the children who are now lined up outside, I breathe a sigh of relief as I don’t have to be alone with him anymore. Liam now attempts to school his features into a neutral expression. It’s an attempt because I can clearly see the discontent on his face. He doesn’t want to be here. I figure it’s the children.

I’m having a good time with them, though. One girl in particular, Stacy, is my favorite. She’s sweet and holds my hand the whole time. Liam lingers a little bit behind, and a few times, I almost forget he’s there. Almost, because I can’t fully rid him from my mind.

“Can I see you again?” Stacy asks me sweetly once it’s over.

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