NORA
Charlotte chatted happily around bites of her brownie as Theo and I carried dishes to the sink and leftovers to the counter after dinner.
At some point this week, his house had started to feel familiar. The cabinets. The drawers. Even the way the light slanted across the island. It felt almost like a second home.
“Do you have a few minutes to go over more details about the job?” Theo asked as he set the hot pads I’d used earlier in a drawer by the stove. “I’ve got a few things coming up this summer that I should probably walk you through.”
I checked the time on my watch out of habit, even though I had absolutely nowhere else to be. No plans aside from chilling on my couch with whatever show I’d half-watch until bed.
“I don’t have anything else going on,” I said.
“Awesome.” He smiled. “The weather’s actually pretty nice tonight. How about I get this food in the fridge and then we can sit out back and talk while we eat the amazing brownies you and Charlotte made?”
“Sounds good to me.” Then noticing he was still wearing his suit, I said, “Actually, how about I put all this away? I’m sure you’d want to change into something more comfortable before we go outside.”
He looked down at himself like he’d forgotten what he was wearing. Blue suit. Tie loosened. Lawyer mode still mostly engaged. “That would actually be great.” Then, checking himself, he added, “That is, if you’re sure you don’t mind?”
“Go ahead.” I waved him away. “I’ve learned my way around the kitchen this week. I think I can manage leftovers.”
His smile was quick and grateful. “Thanks.”
Before he disappeared upstairs, he turned to Charlotte. “Hey, have you gone to the bathroom recently?”
“I’m otay,” she said automatically, licking some brownie crumbs off her fingers.
“We’re going to play in the backyard once I change,” he explained, already anticipating an argument. “How about you go potty real quick so we don’t have to come back inside?”
She hesitated, lips pursed in clear resistance.
“Come on, Char,” he said, gently.
“Fiiine.” She sighed dramatically, then slid off her chair and followed him up the back staircase.
Once I was alone in the kitchen, I started opening cupboard doors, trying to remember where I’d seen the glass storage containers and their lids. Then I checked the cabinet directly beneath the island counter where the food was sitting.
There they were.
That made sense. Keeping them right where they’d be used.
I wasn’t exactly sure how Theo liked to store leftovers, but since he’d clearly been doing something with the food this week, I portioned everything into smaller, lunch-sized containers and lined them up neatly in the fridge.
I was just finishing up, sliding the last container onto the shelf, when I heard footsteps on the stairs.
Theo and Charlotte came back into the kitchen hand in hand. Charlotte had changed into a swimsuit, because even though they didn’t have a pool or hot tub to my knowledge, of course she had.
Theo, on the other hand, had swapped his suit for a plain mauve T-shirt that fit him far too well, paired with casual shorts and slip-on sandals. Comfortable. Relaxed. The kind of outfit that screamed Dad enjoying a summer evening in his own backyard.
It was perfect on him.
And while I’d already noticed during dinner how good his forearms looked in rolled-up sleeves, this version of him was somehow just as distracting.
Maybe even more.
And there I went again. Mentally cataloging how attractive my boss for the week was.
Wait.
Not my boss for the week. Just… my boss.
Wow.
Theo Archibald was officially the man I worked for.
Which meant, I really shouldn’t be noticing things like how broad his shoulders looked in a soft T-shirt or how effortlessly he carried himself once he was out of work mode.
I’d already learned the hard way last summer that summer flings with a person you worked with rarely worked out well long term. And I really didn’t need another complicated situation.
Especially when both Theo and I wanted this job to last longer than the summer.
Not that Theo would ever be interested in a summer fling with me, anyway.
Still, I needed to smother the small crush I had on him for good now. And the sooner, the better.
“Hey, you can just leave those,” Theo said, pulling me out of my thoughts when he noticed me loading the dishwasher. “I can get to them once Charlotte’s in bed.”
“Oh, it’s no problem,” I said, waving him off. “It’s only a few things. And I made the mess, so I should clean it up.”
“You cooked dinner for me.” He chuckled dryly, folding his arms across his chest. “That hardly counts as making a mess.”
“It’s fine.” I smiled. “Charlotte’s been excited to see you all day. Go spend time with your girl, and I’ll come out in a minute so we can talk through your summer calendar.”
“Are you sure?” He hesitated, lifting a dark eyebrow as if torn between politeness and knowing how much that time mattered.
“I’m sure,” I said. “Either you let me do this now, or I’ll just tell you to leave them in the sink tonight for your nanny to take care of in the morning.”
“So either way, you’re doing the dishes?” he asked, a dimple appearing in his cheek.
“Yep. Gotta show my new boss that he made a good choice in hiring me.”
“Well, thank you,” he said sincerely. “You’re the best.”
“I’m glad you think so,” I said, adding a quick wink before my brain could stop me.
Crap.
I had just winked at my boss.
I forced myself to breathe. Theo and I had always had a slightly flirty dynamic. Something that came with being his little sister’s best friend, with years of harmless teasing.
So hopefully, he wouldn’t think I’d crossed a line.
Still… things were different now. We had new roles, which would mean new boundaries.
I licked my lips and drew in a steadying breath as I rinsed a plate under the running water, hoping the normalcy of the task would ground me.
“Go on,” I said, keeping my tone light as I nodded toward the back door. “I’ll be out in a minute.”
He gave me a grateful look before turning back to Charlotte, who was already bouncing toward the yard like she’d been released from captivity.
Once I’d finished loading the dishwasher and wiping down the counter, I cut two big brownies and slid them onto small plates.
One task down. Now to focus on the logistics of my new job and keeping things professional.
By the time I stepped out back, Theo and Charlotte were already working to build a sandcastle in the sandbox. She was crouched beside him, tongue poking out slightly as she pressed damp sand into a plastic bucket while Theo held it steady.
“Okay,” he said once it was full, carefully turning the bucket upside down. “Moment of truth.”
When he lifted the bucket, revealing the compacted sand beneath, the castle held.
“It wooked!” Charlotte clapped, gasping like they’d just pulled off a magic trick.
“It absolutely worked,” he said, holding out a hand for her to high five. “That’s a solid structure right there.”
I pulled one of the patio chairs closer to the sandbox and sat, watching the two of them. Theo with sand on his hands. Charlotte beaming at him like he’d personally invented sandcastles.
It was way too cute.
“All right,” Theo said, handing Charlotte the little shovel again. “Think you can fill this one up on your own?”
She nodded eagerly, taking the shovel in her hands.
While she got to work, Theo brushed the sand from his hands and turned toward me.
“Thank you,” he said, smiling up at me when I offered him the brownie and glass of milk I’d brought over for him.
And man, that smile of his really was something—making my chest pulse before I could stop it.
“You’re welcome,” I said quickly, taking a bite of my own brownie so I didn’t just sit there staring at him like an idiot.
We ate in companionable silence for a moment. The air was warm. The sky was soft with that golden-blue early evening light.
“Okay,” Theo said, setting his brownie and glass down in the grass beside him and leaning back. “So as far as my summer schedule goes, most weeks will look a lot like this one did. I’ll leave the house around six in the morning and usually get home around six or six-thirty.”
I nodded. “That works for me.”
The mornings were early but would be manageable.
Especially if I could get over my fear of him seeing me in my natural state and actually take him up on his offer to let me get ready here, instead of showing up each morning with my hair and makeup already fully done.
Theo pulled out his phone and scrolled through his calendar.
“Now, as far as trips,” he said. “I do have a conference the last week of July.”
“Okay,” I said, already mentally mapping out a week at his house.
“It’s in Hawaii,” he added. “Maui, specifically.”
“Oh.” I blinked. “Nice.”
“I was thinking of bringing Charlotte with me.” He nodded. “I’ll be tied up during the day, but I’ll be available in the evenings to spend time with her.”
“Okay…” I said slowly, waiting for the rest.
He exhaled and scratched the side of his head.
“When I was first planning it, I thought it might be nice if Charlotte and her nanny came along. I know there are childcare options through the hotel, but since I don’t know anyone personally, I’d probably just spend the whole conference worrying about her. ”
That made sense.
“So…” he continued, glancing at Charlotte and then back to me.
“I don’t know if this is something you’d even want to do.
But if you’re open to it, I’d love to have you come with us.
You’d watch Charlotte during the day, and in the evenings you’d be free.
Explore. Do your own thing. I’d give you a stipend for activities.
Luaus, snorkeling, excursions, whatever sounds fun. ”
“Oh wow,” I said after staring at him for a beat. “That would be amazing.”
“Really?” he asked, like he hadn’t expected that answer at all.
“Did you think I’d say no?” I laughed. “As in, ‘I’m sorry boss, but watching your daughter in paradise sounds like such a drag.’”
He scrunched his nose and chuckled. “Well… maybe?”