“Eight. And the boy does not look like me.”
The boy? Her eyebrows hiked at his phrasing and testy tone. “Sarah said Graham is eleven months old. He’s big for his age and really gets around well. When did he start walking?”
“I don’t know.”
How could he forget such a milestone? Or maybe he was being rude because he didn’t want to talk to her. She lapsed into silence, but that lasted less than five minutes before the uneasiness made her ask, “When is his birthday?”
“Next month.”
“Well, yes, I gathered that. If you want to have a party, I could help plan something.”
“That’s his mother’s job.”
“But…I thought that Graham’s mother might not be back by then.” She couldn’t imagine missing one of Cody’s birthdays.
“I am doing everything in my power to make sure she is.”
How sweet of him—even if it did mean Anna’s job ending sooner. “Well, anyway, if she can’t make it, I’ll help. Turning one is a pretty big deal. You could videotape it so she wouldn’t feel as if she were missing out.”
“There will be no party,” he snapped in a voice so low and adamant that it sounded more like an animal’s threatening growl than human speech.
The Hollister family’s dynamics were strange to say the least. The best she could do was figure out the parameters of her role, and to do that she’d need more than the scanty details Sarah Findley had provided.
“Which parts of the day would you like to spend with Graham?”
“None of them.”
Anna blinked in surprise. “You won’t be joining him for lunch or dinner or anything?”
“I need to work. Having him here has put me behind schedule.”
Need to work. Behind schedule. The words could have been straight from the chorus to the song of Anna’s life. She, her sister and her mother had eaten most of their meals alone even when her father had been in the house because he’d stayed locked in the library working. She couldn’t imagine having a child and not wanting to be a part of that child’s development.
She made a conscious effort to relax her jaw muscles. Clenching her teeth guaranteed she’d give herself a tension headache. “I see.”
He frowned harder at the disapproval she hadn’t quite managed to keep out of her voice. “Apparently Sarah didn’t explain the situation to you in a way you can understand. Graham is your responsibility until this job ends. The housekeeper will give you short breaks if absolutely necessary. I expect this to be a short-term position. You are being generously compensated for the overtime. I am on a tight deadline and don’t need interruptions.”
The hair on her nape prickled. His speech sounded awfully familiar, and for a moment she could have sworn her father had risen from the grave. “You’re saying you don’t want to spend any time with your son?”
He flinched. “No. Is there a reason for your inquisition, Ms. Aronson?” He bristled a “back off” warning.
“I’m trying to get a feel for Graham’s emotional state.”
“He’s a baby. All he cares about are food, sleep and a clean diaper. I hired you to be his nanny, not his shrink.”
“Being one pretty much requires being the other. Since babies can’t verbalize their needs—”
“Just keep the damned kids quiet and out of my way. That’s what you’re being paid to do. In fact, I’d rather not even know the three of you are in my house.”
Taken aback, she stared at him. She’d known the job sounded too good to be true. It looked as if she’d discovered the catch.
“Yessir.” For a moment she felt sorry for herself for finding a job that was going to evoke so many bad memories. But most of her sympathy pains were reserved for a little boy who would never understand why his daddy didn’t want to spend time with him.
Been there. Done that. And the pain…well, it wasn’t something you ever forgot.
Hollister steered his car into his driveway and her questions dried up. The tall iron gates crept open and he passed between the pillars. In the side mirror she watched heavy metal close, sealing off her escape route. Her heart raced faster and her palms dampened.
You’re being stupid, Anna. If you’d really thought he was a pervert you never would have taken the job.
But for a woman who loved horror stories and movies about things that went bump in the night the situation had all the makings of a gothic novel. Reclusive millionaire. Secluded mansion. Walled property. Cloudy coastline.
Hollister drove around the cobblestone circular drive and stopped in front of the sprawling gray stone house with white trim. Anna hadn’t noticed before, but the house’s cool colors and lack of flowers made it unwelcoming. Like its owner. Not that the landscaping wasn’t lush and impressive, but it was monochromatic. Green. Like money.
The front door opened and Sarah Findley stepped out, looking a bit harried. She held Cody’s hand and carried a red-faced Graham. As soon as Anna stepped from the car her son pulled free and rushed toward her. His little arms lifted and he bounced on the balls of his feet. “Up, Mama. Up.”
Anna scooped him up and rose, hugging him close. He smelled of sweaty little boy and sunshine.
Hollister’s assistant bypassed her boss and handed Graham straight to Anna, leaving Anna to juggle two warm, wiggly bodies.
“I ordered a second crib and had it installed in the guest suite while you were out, Anna. I also ordered dinner for all of you. It’s waiting in the kitchen. I’m off. There’s a bubble bath waiting for me.” She extended her hand toward her boss. He dropped the keys into her palm.
It seemed a little unusual given Hollister’s obvious wealth that he and his assistant were sharing a car. But then so many things were not making sense.
“Mind if we unload before you race off?” A trace of humor warmed Hollister’s voice and a crooked smile lifted one corner of his mouth—the first smile Anna had seen from him. Her breath caught. He was quite attractive when he wasn’t being a sourpuss and his eyes were actually warm instead of coal hard. But that his affection was aimed toward his assistant instead of his son bothered her. He hadn’t even looked at Graham once since their arrival.
Sarah smiled. “I’ll even wait until you’ve put my bags in the trunk.”
That’s when Anna noticed the suitcases by the base of one of the large porch columns. The assistant’s eagerness to leave only increased Anna’s anxiety level. What was wrong with this picture?
Sarah turned toward Anna. “I didn’t show you your rooms earlier. Why don’t you go ahead and check them out. Top of the stairs. Turn left. The nursery and your suite are over the garage.”
Anna glanced questioningly at her new boss. He nodded. “I’ll bring up your stuff.”
“I…Okay, thanks.” She took the boys inside. Graham laid his head on her shoulder and popped his thumb in his mouth. Poor tired puppy. She had no clue of his schedule, but she suspected his naptime wasn’t far off.
She set Cody down in the foyer. “Let’s go upstairs, baby.”
He scampered on all fours up the steps ahead of her. Anna paused on the landing, noting there were no baby gates at the top or the bottom of the stairs. That was a safety hazard that had to be remedied.
Following Sarah’s instructions, Anna turned left and located the first room above the four-car garage. The bedroom was beautifully decorated in soothing blues and greens. An original John Singer Sargent seascape hung above the