“Reece is the most qualified candidate. Big girl here thought he was
all The Wiggles rolled in one and I like him, but I never envisaged hiring a
male nanny. Having Cameron see me in a dressing gown is one thing but—”
“This
does call for a new dressing gown.” Less shimmered her shoulders. “Something
with slink.”
“And
that’s one of the reasons I’m conflicted. That I’m thinking about new sleepwear.
But then, hot girlfriend, so what does it matter if he sees me in tea-stained terry
towelling?”
“I
want to ride now.”
Les
took her hands off Mia’s scooter. “Really terry towelling?”
“Fleece,
but most of my sleepwear has unfortunate stains. It’s not like anyone but Mia
sees them.”
“And
that’s too much information even for me. Aud, if it bothers you to hire Reece,
don’t. No point torturing yourself over it.”
True.
If only Mia hadn’t taken so easily to Reece and the idea of a male presence in
her life more constant than Joe didn’t appeal. If the idea of giving talent and
qualifications over gender their due wasn’t important to her.
“Let’s
go, then. Get this over with.” Maybe Mia would react differently this time and
decide things for them. Audrey had never hoped for an unreasonable toddler
tantrum before but now was the time for Mia to go crazy.
The
three of them moved across the park. Mia on her scooter. Reece saw them coming.
Hopefully he hadn’t seen them playing peekaboo. Hopefully he couldn’t see the
ambivalence in her expression. He detached himself from his entourage at the
same time as Mia dumped her scooter and made straight for the playground network
of tunnels, ramps and bridges. Audrey scooped her up and copped an elbow in the
ribs. There were a lot of other kids using the facility, most of them bigger
than Mia. When she looked up, Reece was there with his youngest sister.
He
smiled. “Hi, Audrey.” He ducked so he was level with Mia. “Hello, Mia.” Mia
slammed her face into Audrey’s neck. “This is my sister, Pippa.”
Audrey
eased Mia to her feet and she buried her face in Audrey’s hip. Pippa put her
hand out to shake, she took it. “Everyone calls me Flip.”
“Hello,
Flip. This is Mia and my friend, Leslie.”
Reece
held his hand out to Les and she took it and murmured her hello, call me Les. She
might as well have had her head in Audrey’s other hip. She might as well have
said call me Less. She’d reverted to type. Reece pointed over his shoulder. “My
sisters, Etta, Neeva and Ginnette. My girlfriend, Sky, and my best mate Marcus.”
“Everyone
calls him Polly,” said Flip.
Reece
went to his haunches. “Hello, Mia. Did you forget me?”
Mia
shook her head, but she wouldn’t look at Reece, except for sneaky little
glances. Monkey wasn’t scared of him, she was making this a game. And he knew it.
“Oh
no, Mia doesn’t remember me. It’s young for treat ‘em mean keep ‘em keen, but I
gotta respect that.” Mia giggled. “How will I make Mia smile?” Mia turned her
face away from Reece, but it was all teeth and shiny eyes. Audrey could feel the
tremble of Mia’s excitement against her leg. She didn’t react like this with
any of the other applicants. At this rate there was a new dressing gown in Audrey’s
future.
Reece
sighed, elaborate and theatrical, and that was all it took for Mia to launch
herself at him. He laughed and let her push him over so he sat on his backside
on the grass, his long, strong legs sprawled in front of him, and Mia giggled
in a wet her pants way. Reece did have that effect on you. He looked up at
Audrey, a whole lot of what else do I have to do to get this job in his green eyes.
As a negotiation tactic, it was impressive.
“I’ve
spoken to Nina Flannery and Karla Ramsey. Both families gave you great
references.”
Reece
rocked into his hand and flipped over to his feet, his broad back and taut butt
to them momentarily. Les whimpered and covered with a fake sneeze. Mia clapped
like
all The Wiggles rolled in one and I like him, but I never envisaged hiring a
male nanny. Having Cameron see me in a dressing gown is one thing but—”
“This
does call for a new dressing gown.” Less shimmered her shoulders. “Something
with slink.”
“And
that’s one of the reasons I’m conflicted. That I’m thinking about new sleepwear.
But then, hot girlfriend, so what does it matter if he sees me in tea-stained terry
towelling?”
“I
want to ride now.”
Les
took her hands off Mia’s scooter. “Really terry towelling?”
“Fleece,
but most of my sleepwear has unfortunate stains. It’s not like anyone but Mia
sees them.”
“And
that’s too much information even for me. Aud, if it bothers you to hire Reece,
don’t. No point torturing yourself over it.”
True.
If only Mia hadn’t taken so easily to Reece and the idea of a male presence in
her life more constant than Joe didn’t appeal. If the idea of giving talent and
qualifications over gender their due wasn’t important to her.
“Let’s
go, then. Get this over with.” Maybe Mia would react differently this time and
decide things for them. Audrey had never hoped for an unreasonable toddler
tantrum before but now was the time for Mia to go crazy.
The
three of them moved across the park. Mia on her scooter. Reece saw them coming.
Hopefully he hadn’t seen them playing peekaboo. Hopefully he couldn’t see the
ambivalence in her expression. He detached himself from his entourage at the
same time as Mia dumped her scooter and made straight for the playground network
of tunnels, ramps and bridges. Audrey scooped her up and copped an elbow in the
ribs. There were a lot of other kids using the facility, most of them bigger
than Mia. When she looked up, Reece was there with his youngest sister.
He
smiled. “Hi, Audrey.” He ducked so he was level with Mia. “Hello, Mia.” Mia
slammed her face into Audrey’s neck. “This is my sister, Pippa.”
Audrey
eased Mia to her feet and she buried her face in Audrey’s hip. Pippa put her
hand out to shake, she took it. “Everyone calls me Flip.”
“Hello,
Flip. This is Mia and my friend, Leslie.”
Reece
held his hand out to Les and she took it and murmured her hello, call me Les. She
might as well have had her head in Audrey’s other hip. She might as well have
said call me Less. She’d reverted to type. Reece pointed over his shoulder. “My
sisters, Etta, Neeva and Ginnette. My girlfriend, Sky, and my best mate Marcus.”
“Everyone
calls him Polly,” said Flip.
Reece
went to his haunches. “Hello, Mia. Did you forget me?”
Mia
shook her head, but she wouldn’t look at Reece, except for sneaky little
glances. Monkey wasn’t scared of him, she was making this a game. And he knew it.
“Oh
no, Mia doesn’t remember me. It’s young for treat ‘em mean keep ‘em keen, but I
gotta respect that.” Mia giggled. “How will I make Mia smile?” Mia turned her
face away from Reece, but it was all teeth and shiny eyes. Audrey could feel the
tremble of Mia’s excitement against her leg. She didn’t react like this with
any of the other applicants. At this rate there was a new dressing gown in Audrey’s
future.
Reece
sighed, elaborate and theatrical, and that was all it took for Mia to launch
herself at him. He laughed and let her push him over so he sat on his backside
on the grass, his long, strong legs sprawled in front of him, and Mia giggled
in a wet her pants way. Reece did have that effect on you. He looked up at
Audrey, a whole lot of what else do I have to do to get this job in his green eyes.
As a negotiation tactic, it was impressive.
“I’ve
spoken to Nina Flannery and Karla Ramsey. Both families gave you great
references.”
Reece
rocked into his hand and flipped over to his feet, his broad back and taut butt
to them momentarily. Les whimpered and covered with a fake sneeze. Mia clapped
like
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