Chapter Two
1162 Words
The air shifted the moment he entered the room.
Dean Carter wasn’t the kind of man you just noticed; he was the kind you felt. His presence was a storm wrapped in a tailored suit, silent thunder crackling beneath the surface.
“Liam,” he said, his voice deep and firm. “Give Angel some space.”
But Liam just clung tighter to me, his little head tucked against my shoulder. “But Daddy, she’s my friend.”
I froze, caught between his warmth and the weight of Dean’s gray eyes on me. They were exactly as I remembered, cold, assessing, like they could slice through any façade I tried to put up.
“Friend?” Dean repeated, one brow arching. “You spoke to her once in the park, Liam. That doesn’t make her your friend.”
I felt the sting of his dismissal, but I forced myself to sit straighter. I wasn’t here to impress him personally; I was here for the job.
“Actually,” I said, carefully choosing my words, “we talked for quite a while that day. Liam’s very bright. He told me all about his favorite dinosaurs.”
Dean’s gaze narrowed, like he was testing whether I was lying. “Is that so?”
“Yes!” Liam piped up, grinning at me. “I told her about the T. rex and the triceratops. She remembers!”
For the first time, Dean’s mask cracked, just slightly. His lips twitched, almost like he was fighting the ghost of a smile. But it disappeared as quickly as it came.
“Liam, go play in your room. I need to speak with Miss…” His eyes flicked to me expectantly.
“Rodriguez,” I supplied. “Angel Rodriguez.”
“Miss Rodriguez,” he repeated, the name rolling off his tongue in a tone that made me shiver for reasons I didn’t want to unpack.
Liam frowned. “But”
“Now, Liam.” Dean’s voice held no room for negotiation.
With a pout and a reluctant glance my way, Liam shuffled off down the hall. The moment he disappeared, the air thickened. Dean turned fully toward me, and it felt like standing under a spotlight.
“Sit,” he said, gesturing to the chair across from his desk.
I obeyed, my palms damp against my knees. His office overlooked the Miami skyline floor-to-ceiling glass revealing turquoise waters and skyscrapers gleaming under the sun. It was breathtaking, but all I could focus on was the man sitting across from me.
He leaned back, steepling his fingers. “You’re here because you applied for the nanny position. Why?”
Straight to the point. No pleasantries, no warm-up. My heart thudded, but I forced myself to meet his eyes. “Because I love working with children. I’ve babysat for family and neighbors since I was a teenager. I’m responsible, patient, and I”
“That’s your résumé answer.” His voice cut sharply. “I don’t want rehearsed lines. I want honesty. Why do you really want this job?”
Honesty. The word twisted in my chest.
Because my father ruined our lives and left me drowning in his debt. Because my mother works herself to the bone every night. Because I’m desperate.
But I couldn’t say that.
“I need steady work,” I said instead, keeping my tone even. “And I think I can offer Liam stability and care. He’s a wonderful boy. He deserves someone who actually listens to him.”
His jaw tightened, and for a second, I thought I saw something flicker in his eyes: pain, maybe, quickly masked.
“You think I don’t listen to my son?” he asked, his voice low, dangerous.
Panic fluttered in my chest. “No! That’s not what I meant. I only”
He raised a hand, silencing me. “Careful with your words, Miss Rodriguez.”
My cheeks burned. He was impossible, cold, unreadable, like every sentence I spoke was a test I was failing. But then I thought of Liam’s arms around me, his small voice declaring I was his friend. That little boy needed someone on his side.
I straightened my shoulders. “All I mean is that kids need attention. Consistency. Someone who doesn’t see them as… an obligation.”
The silence that followed was heavy. I wondered if I’d just blown my chance.
Dean’s gaze pinned me like a butterfly under glass. Then he asked, almost too quietly, “And what makes you think you can give him that?”
Because I know what it feels like to be left behind. Because I’d never let a child feel that kind of emptiness if I could help it.
I swallowed hard. “Because I care. I don’t see this as just a paycheck. Liam deserves to be more than a name on someone’s calendar.”
His expression didn’t change, but I thought I saw the faintest crack in his armor.
“You said you’ve babysat. Any formal training? Degrees? Certifications?”
My stomach knotted. “No. I couldn’t afford college. But I’ve worked part-time in a daycare, and parents have always trusted me with their kids. I can provide references.”
He tapped a pen against the desk, considering me. “You don’t have the qualifications I’d normally require.”
“I know,” I admitted, forcing myself not to fidget. “But I make up for it with dedication. I won’t let you down, Mr. Carter.”
The pen stilled. His eyes locked on mine, unyielding. “Many people have let me down, Miss Rodriguez. I don’t forgive easily.”
The words carried a weight I didn’t fully understand, but I felt them settle in the space between us like a warning.
Before I could respond, the sound of little feet came pattering back into the room. Liam burst in, holding a toy dinosaur.
“Daddy, can Angel play with me? Please?” His bright eyes darted between us, hope shining in them.
Dean exhaled slowly, then looked back at me. For the first time, something in his gaze softened, barely.
“You’ll start on Monday,” he said abruptly.
I blinked. “Wait, you’re hiring me?”
“I’m giving you a trial,” he corrected. “Two weeks. If I’m not satisfied, you’re gone. Do you understand?”
Relief flooded me so fast it nearly knocked me over. “Yes. Thank you, Mr. Carter.”
“Don’t thank me yet.” His voice was sharp again, closing the window of vulnerability. “Just do your job. And don’t forget this is about Liam, not you.”
I nodded, clutching my bag as I rose. “Of course.”
But as Liam tugged me toward the floor, giggling and insisting I roar like a dinosaur, I couldn’t help noticing the way Dean watched us. His face was unreadable, but his eyes…
For just a moment, I swore I saw longing there.
- Writer
