Page 27 of Nanny for the Silver Fox

"I worry," he says. "It's a father's job." We stop at a red light, and a hoard of tourists rush across the street. "I know some nice young men that work for me, and the good thing is I've run their backgrounds."

I laugh. "Is that a condition of the next guy I date?"

"Something like that," he says with a wink. "Would you be open to meeting one of them?"

“Maybe.” I take a deep breath. I don't want to disappoint my father, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to date yet, and I don't want to be set up by my dad. That is super weird.

He chuckles and squeezes my shoulder. "I want you to take your time, but going out with a guy for something casual like coffee won't hurt. It would be best if you weren’t still looking when you're Ivan's age. He still lives like he’s in his twenties." He looks at me and adds, "I love the guy, and he's a good businessman, but he should take his personal life more seriously. Women are constantly falling all over him. Surely he can find one to settle down with."

I nod in agreement but say nothing. I fear my voice will give away my feelings.

He pulls out his phone and starts tapping. "I know the perfect guy for you. Mark is the new head of my IT department, and he's perfect for you. Also, I think Ivan might be perfect for Trisha in accounting. They are about the same age, and she can hold her own." He laughs. "Any woman who is with Ivan needs to hold their own."

"Yeah, but maybe you shouldn't set either of us up with someone who works for you. If things go wrong, it could get messy for you." I laugh shakily.

He thinks for a moment. "You're right. I need to let go of my dream of being a matchmaker."

We laugh. The light turns green.

"I'll set him and you up with someone who doesn't work with me," he muses.

"Dad, you don't need to do that."

"Damian Cruz. I've known him for a couple of years, and he has a great career as a lawyer. He's a good man, and I think he's perfect for you."

I can’t tell my father I don't want to go out with that Damian because I'm into Ivan. But I don't want to feel this way about Ivan, so a date with another man might be just the thing I need to get Ivan off my mind. I can't ever be with Ivan, so pining over him is pointless.

"Okay," I say. "I'll meet him for coffee."

My dad grins. "You won't regret it." He turns his head to look out the window. We drive in silence as we approach the ferry station.

"Have a nice day, baby," he says as he steps out of the car with his luggage. "I'll see you back in Boston." He touches my arm. "I know you are upset about losing the apartment because you want to be on your own and independent. I promise I’ll help you find another one. Staying with Ivan is temporary."

"Thanks Dad," I respond.

Losing the apartment was upsetting, but that is not the reason for my anxiety. Staying with Ivan is unsettling and has nothing to do with losing independence, and more to do with losing my heart…among other things.

"Your happiness is my top priority."

Tears well up in my eyes. I drive back to the beach house. All I can think about is how much it would hurt Dad to learn about Ivan and me. Nothing has happened yet, but I can't deny how my body feels when he's nearby. I know it's wrong and off-limits. So, instead of focusing on my needs, I focus on finding someone to make Dad happy.

No matter what happens in life, family comes first.

I pull into the parking lot of a nearby beach, wanting to avoid returning to the house and facing Ivan. I need to think about how I'm going to handle being alone with him.

My phone chimes.

Ivan: Don't make plans tonight. I'm preparing dinner for us.

I frown at the phone.

Me: You can't cook.

Ivan: You don't know what I can do.

Me: I'll have dinner elsewhere.

Ivan: You're having dinner with me. I want to thank you for being such a good hostess.

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