Chapter 1 #2
Finally forcing his feet to move, Daniel walked over to shake hands, and sure enough, the hand that grabbed his was hard and callused and swallowed his up whole, as if he was tiny or something, which he wasn’t.
He eeped a little bit and then backed off to thump down in the chair across from the desk. “Thank you.”
“No, I need to thank you for coming up at such short notice and to such an isolated place. I know it’s not easy for most people. The thought of staying up here over the winter probably reminds them of something out of a Stephen King book.”
Oh god, could this man read his mind? This was ridiculous.
If he could and Daniel couldn’t, he couldn’t have an employer who could just tell what he was thinking.
In this case, at least he was thinking about climbing the man like a naughty puppy and humping.
Mr. Sadler smelled so good like musk and pine and somehow soap with a tiny bit of lemon in it or something like that. Maybe lemon verbena. He didn’t know.
He realized that Mr. Sadler was staring at him again, waiting for him to answer, and he thought the guy probably felt like he was maybe a little slow or a lot socially awkward.
He cleared his throat, reminded himself that he was professional, and started over.
“I understand. Really. It’s hard when someone comes along in a family when you don’t expect to have them. ”
A small smile curled that beautiful mouth. “You can say that, for sure. I’m afraid I have absolutely no concept of how to deal with a baby, and Mrs. Bronson, while amazing, is incredibly busy as my housekeeper because, while she has a small staff, she runs everything.”
This man had a staff. It was like something out of a different kind of book, like a Regency or a Victorian romance.
Pat said this wasn’t fancy. He wanted to just laugh hysterically.
He didn’t because that would also make him look unprofessional. So instead, he simply took a deep breath and nodded it as if he understood all of that, even though the concept of having a small staff rather than a huge staff like at Downton Abbey made no sense to him…
At all.
“I understand, and I know that children who have been uprooted and moved from one family to another, even if they’re not old enough to really understand it yet, can be in crisis.”
“That is one way to put it, for sure.” Mr. Sadler gave him a keen look. “So did your service discuss your salary?”
“They gave me a range, and they said it would include room and board and that sort of thing. I understand that it can be very difficult to get out from up here during the winter, so time off is going to have to be… negotiated.”
One side of the big guy’s mouth kicked up, and he almost smiled but not quite.
“I understand. I work from home, so everyone thinks I don’t do anything really, and they expect me to be available twenty-four/seven.
I admit, up until now, I have been, but I intend to be involved in the baby’s life.
We will definitely make sure that you get your days off. ”
Involved . That sounded ominous. He didn’t intend to be the kid’s parent. He didn’t understand. Maybe that was what he got when he was with fancy people.
“I have everything written up for you here if you’d like to look it over, and then we’ll go meet the little one. I wouldn’t want you to commit until you know you can work with him.”
Daniel didn’t shake his head, although the urge was there.
“I can’t imagine there would be any reason I wouldn’t want to work with him, but of course I am anxious to meet him.
So I’ll totally look over that contract now.
” He was kind of hoping there was something in it that would make him be able to say he was leaving, but it was really in his favor.
“It all looks fine.” Daniel offered his new boss a smile. “Is there anything you’d like to ask me?”
Surely there was a list of questions. He knew Pat had offered over his qualifications, his references, but obviously Mr. Sadler would want to know something that wasn’t in his CV.
To his utter shock, Mr. Sadler shook his head. “No, I think we’re good. If you’ll sign your contract—there is a non-disclosure agreement, of course —I think we can get started.”
He had questions. How old is the baby? How did you acquire the baby? Did you kill someone to get the baby? Surely not because you don’t really seem to want the baby.
After all, he was going to be involved with the baby. Daniel still wasn’t sure exactly what that meant—involved.
He picked up his briefcase after he signed his contract. This was the weirdest job interview he’d ever been on. “I suppose I should meet the baby? And get settled in?”
“Absolutely. Come on.” Sadler rose again and led him out of the room. “The nursery is on the second floor, but right now Jacks is in the kitchen where Mrs. Bronson and Mrs. Lee, who is the cook, can keep an eye on him.”
Now there was a cook, too. He trailed along, feeling like he’d stepped back in time or something, except the house was totally modern rustic with some touches of original art and antiques…
“So his name is Jacks?”
“Jackson, actually. But we call him Jacks as it seems to fit him better.”
“Ah, how old is he?”
The kitchen was huge and full of light. The baby was sat at one end, away from anything dangerous, in a pack and play, batting and tugging at toys on the mobile hung above him.
Three months…
The service had told him three months. There was no fucking way. This baby was making a lot of noise and reaching for and grabbing toys with his hands. And he was good-sized but not huge, not totally out of range for what a three-month-old could be, but so much closer to six months.
“Oh, when’s his birthday?”
“Well, we’re not sure exactly. He is a foundling.”
Did people use the word foundling anymore? “Ah, I’m sorry.” So, he’d been in foster care; that was why they didn’t know. He was guaranteeing this child was six months old. “Hey, Jacks, how are you?”
The baby looked up at him, and he swore he felt a jolt of static electricity. Weird. He needed to remember to pick up his feet on these floors obviously. The static was bad at ten thousand feet.
Jacks waved his pudgy hands and squealed, and Daniel felt relieved to note that he didn’t feel as if Jacks was in any way scared or shut down. He looked happy and well-adjusted.
He waited to see what Sadler would do, and to his surprise, the guy went right over to pick Jacks up. “Jacks, this is Mr.—”
“Daniel, please.”
“This is Daniel.”
That baby fastened him with a look like he was trying to figure out exactly what Mr. Sadler said.
“Hey, Jacks, how are you? It’s good to meet you. Aren’t you a sweet-looking boy? We’re going to have a lot of fun together.” He didn’t try to take the baby or reach out for him.
He just smiled, letting Jacks get used to the idea of another new face, another new person.
Then, to his ever-loving shock, Jacks squealed again and threw himself at Daniel, arms out.
Daniel caught him, although he didn’t think Mr. Sadler would have let Jacks go if Daniel hadn’t reached for him. In fact, he seemed better with the baby than Daniel had expected.
“Well, hello there.” He took Jacks into his arms, and, wow, that was a heavy baby.
He was like a neutron star and, even though he was bigger than most babies his age, he should not be in this weight category. How the heck was that even possible in the way of physics?
Jacks patted his chest, and in his head, Daniel ran down the three-month baby milestones.
Better head and neck control, recognizing their caregiver, starting to squeal and laugh.
This baby was at least double that in development.
Holding his head up just fine, motor control in his hands a little bit when he was patting down Daniel’s chin and chest and neck.
Maybe none of these people had children. Maybe Mrs. Bolton and Mrs. Lee didn’t really know either. Just like Mr. Sadler, they were kind of clueless and isolated up here with no one to help them. They had no idea where in the developmental stage a baby should be.
Jacks’s eyes were blue, like his.
Well, not like his.
His were just your normal everyday blue kind of blue.
This baby had eyes that were turquoise and clear as the sky. They were beautiful.
“Aren’t you amazing?”
Jacks grinned, his eyes lit up. “Ah ah ah!”
How charming. “Is that right?”
“Ah ah ah.”
“We’re going to have so much fun, you and me. We’re going to go play outside in the snow, we’re going to make art, we’re going to sing songs, read books together. It’s going to be amazing.”
Jacks smiled again, held on to his shirt, then looked over to Mr. Sadler. “Ah ah ah!”
“Well, I’m glad,” Mr. Sadler seemed to respond. “Most excellent.”
He certainly hoped so.
“If someone will show me to my room, I’ll start unpacking.”
That baby had a death grip on his shirt, and he didn’t show any indications of letting go.
No one seemed inclined to separate them, either.
“Someone will have to tell me his schedule, so I’ll know when it’s time to put him down for a nap.” Obviously Jacks wasn’t going to take that right now, so Daniel would unpack when he did.
“Of course. I’m so glad you’re already taken with each other. Mrs. Bolton?”
“Right away, Mr. Hayden. Come on, you two.” The housekeeper bustled out of the kitchen, and he followed, carrying Jacks.
It looked like he had a job.
Go him.