Marin followed her mother’s gaze to find Adam’s kids taking turns going down the rickety slide of a rusty old swing set while his assistant, a tall, thin woman with short salt-and-pepper hair who appeared to be in her late fifties, stood nearby talking on a cell phone. The picture had been some variation of the same theme for each of the past several days. The children entertained themselves while the woman talked on the phone or worked on her laptop.
Just then the woman started pacing. A moment later, she stopped at the picnic table where her laptop was running and lit a cigarette.
“I wonder how their mother died,” Marin’s mom said as she set down her tea.
“I should’ve asked Adam.”
Her mother raised her eyebrows. “When did you talk with him?”
“The other night when I went home early. He was sitting outside having a beer.”
“And you joined him. Hmm. He’s a handsome man.”
“Don’t even think about it, Mom. Me getting involved with any man right now is entirely out of the question. And a man with children? Never, ever gonna happen.”
The kids, bored with the slide, wandered over to a large, but sickly looking pine tree. The girl boosted her brother up to the lowest branch and slowly but surely they both climbed up the tree. Get off the phone, lady, and take care of those kids. Hell, even Marin, as inexperienced as she was around children, could tell that was an accident waiting to happen.
“Good Lord,” her mother murmured. “If they’re not careful, they’re going to break their little necks.”
They climbed higher and higher.
“That’s it,” her mother said, pushing off from her chair. “I can’t stand it.”
Oh, oh. Knowing exactly where this was going to lead, Marin followed her mother across the lawn. Angelica Camden was the sweetest person in the world until she was crossed or found a cause to support, and then the barracuda in her came out with a vengeance.
“Hello, I’m Angelica Camden,” Marin’s mother said as she approached the other woman.
Clearly surprised, the woman spun around. “I’ll have to call you right back.” She flipped her phone closed and set her cigarette in an ashtray on the picnic table. “Phyllis Pennick. Adam Harding’s personal assistant.”
“Did Mr. Harding ask you to watch his children?”
“Yes.” She didn’t look happy to be caring for two youngsters, but was entirely resigned to her fate. “Just until he can find a replacement nanny.”
“Well, in that case, I suggest you pay more attention to your charges, or there won’t be a need for a new nanny.” Angelica stalked over to the tree. “Children, why don’t you come down? You can play in the playhouse in my daughter’s yard.”
“We can?” the little girl said, her big brown eyes widening with excitement.
“Absolutely.”
“Awesome!”
“Only for a little while,” the assistant added.
The two kids scrambled down the tree, ran to Missy’s backyard, and immediately climbed the ladder into the tree house. The assistant, on the other hand, stayed in Adam’s yard, but now kept vigilant eyes on the children.
The little girl poked her head out from the window. “This is high,” she said, smiling at Marin and exposing permanent teeth that looked too big for her little face. For a kid, Marin had to admit, she was adorable. With brown hair, cut in a long bob, much like Marin’s, and brown eyes, she looked like her father.
“What’s your name?” she found herself asking.
“Julia.”
“And your brother’s name?”
“Wyatt.” He poked his head out from one of the other windows and smiled. His brown hair was cut very short, showing off cute little ears that bent a bit outward at the top like an elf. “And I like this.”
“Well, you both can come over here anytime you want,” Angelica said to them. “As long as it’s all right with your dad.”
Soon they were alternating between the slide, the fireman’s pole and the monkey bars, and Angelica was having the time of her life. “How old are you, Julia?”
“Seven and a half. I’ll be in second grade this year. But I don’t know anyone in my class.”
“Well, there must be other kids your age on the island.”
“Hello, there.” A man’s voice sounded behind them.
Marin turned. Adam. His gaze caught with Marin’s first and she couldn’t for the life of her stop the little flutter in her stomach at the sight of him. “Hi,” she barely managed to get the word out of her mouth. Dressed in jeans and a black polo shirt, he was the best thing Marin had seen all day.
He glanced from her to her mother. “Mrs. Camden.”
“Please call me Angelica.”
“I thought I’d stop up here and give Phyllis a break.” He glanced at his assistant. “You ready for some lunch?”
She nodded vigorously. “And I have several urgent emails that need to be addressed.”
“Go ahead. I got my kids.”
The woman nabbed her laptop and disappeared into Adam’s house.
Adam waved to his kids and turned back to Marin and Angelica. “So how are things going?”
Angelica raised her eyebrows. “Other than your assistant being too busy talking on the phone to pay proper attention to your children?”
Oh, God. Marin rolled her eyes.
Adam’s expression was completely unreadable. He could have been upset with his assistant, worried about his kids, wishing Angelica Camden would butt out of everyone else’s business, or any combination of the three. Then again, it was possible he found the entire episode entertaining. Marin had no clue.
“They were just climbing the tree, Mom,” she said, interrupting. “They were fine.”
“That’s what everyone says until a neck gets broken.”
“Mother—”
“How long until you find a replacement nanny?”
At that, he displayed his first show of emotion. Clearly, more than anything, he was worried for his children. “The agency said to expect it to take at least a month. I don’t want to rush things and get just anyone in here because I’d like to make sure whoever I hire is in for the long haul.” He paused. “Once school starts, things will be a lot easier.”
“Will they both be in school full-time?” Angelica asked.
“Yes, ma’am. Both of them.” Adam nodded. “The school on the island offers a full-day kindergarten option, so even Wyatt will be gone all day.”
“In that case,” Angelica said, “I can take care of your children, Adam, until you find a new nanny.”
What? Marin swung her head so quickly toward her mother she wouldn’t have been surprised had she snapped a vertebra in the process.
Adam smiled indulgently. “No offense, Mrs. Camden, but—”
“Oh, I suppose I’m not as limber as most nannies and I don’t have an education degree, but I do love children,” Angelica said. “Raised four of them virtually on my own. U.S. senators, you know, don’t have much time for parenting. And you won’t find me talking on a cell phone while they’re in my charge.”
“I didn’t mean to suggest