We went downstairs and I hoped I’d given Frankie enough strength to deal with her unstable mother. Evander looked at me then at Frankie. His eyes absorbed her as he checked to see if she’d been crying. “You okay, kiddo?” he quizzed.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Are we all gonna talk or is it time to go?” She asked her mother.
“We can talk.” Alexis’s demeanor had done a complete 180 after Evander laid her out.
“Good,” Frankie hung her bag on the back of a chair then had a seat.
“What do you want to say, sweetheart?” Evander asked, clasping his hands on the countertop.
“Mom, I want you to sign the pickup papers so Xari can drop me off and pick me up from school. Also, I want you to stop being difficult about her being my nanny. I love her. She’s so cool.”
“You love her,” Alexis scoffed.
“Let her talk,” Evander grumbled.
“That’s all,” Frankie said.
“Well, Frankie if Miss Lucas will accept, I’m proud to offer her the job permanently,” Evander said quietly. I tried not to smile too big and bright but I couldn’t help letting a little grin cross my face.
“Of course,” I said.
“Good. I’m happy to have you on board.” His buttoned-up tone was back.
“I’ve been on board,” I said, crossing my legs under the table.
“Now you’re official. There’s a difference.” He pinned me with his gaze.
“Is there?” I asked, lifting an eyebrow. The energy between us crackled to life, charging the air.
“I just told you there was. Stop being difficult.”
I eyed him for a few quiet beats then bit the side of my lip.
“I still don’t feel comfortable with her being around you, Frankie.” Alexis refused to look at me. She focused all her attention on Frankie. She stroked her knuckles. “You know I’m just trying to keep you safe.”
“I am safe and if you don’t sign those papers, I’m not going to your house every other weekend.” I had to do a double-take. Did that come out of Francesca Freeman’s mouth?
“What?” Alexis damn near choked. Her eyes were wide with awe before she narrowed them. “You’re giving me an ultimatum over this woman? Are you serious right now, Francesca?”
“Yes.” Frankie’s voice was small but strong. I was beyond proud.
“Well, you heard the girl.” Evander pushed the papers toward Alexis then dropped a pen at her fingertips. The silence in that kitchen was stretched so thin it would shatter under the next inhale.
Alexis’s throat dipped when she swallowed. Several tense seconds ticked by before she growled and picked up the pen, signing the papers for Frankie’s school.
“Thank you, Alexis. Now maybe you can accept the fact that Miss Lucas is Frankie’s nanny. She’s perfectly capable of handling our daughter. They already get along famously and since Miss Lucas has been with us, I’ve noticed Frankie coming out of her shell in a good way.” He paused for a few seconds and looked at each one of us.
“In order to make this work for all of us, you need to practice cordialities. I don’t care how you feel inside. As long as Miss Lucas hasn’t disrespected you, you don’t need to disrespect her.” He was in full-blown politician mode.
His words came out stiffer and his tone was diplomatic and even. His whiskey brown eyes swept back and forth between me and Alexis. I flashed a smile and said, “I’m fine with that. I’m just here for Frankie.” I pretended not to see the way Alexis rolled her eyes at me.
“Fine.” Alexis stood and looked at Frankie. “Come on, baby. Let’s go.” She steered toward the foyer and Frankie’s body seemed to shrink. She pulled her shoulders up near her ears and cast her stare down.
“Bye Daddy. I’ll see you on Sunday.”
“Okay, sweetheart. If you need me or Xari you can call either one of us. I have some office stuff to do later but after that, I’m in the house, okay?” He smoothed her curly hair back and kissed her forehead.
My heart knocked against my chest watching how much he loved his daughter. It made me think about my father. He loved me like that too. Spoiled me rotten every chance he got. Probably how I ended up in my current predicament but I loved him for it.
I waved goodbye to Frankie and she pulled away from her dad to hug me instead.
“By, Xari. Don’t forget, I want this face beat when I come home.”
“You got it,” I chuckled tossing a wink at her.
Every time she left to stay with Alexis, I missed her like crazy. In a short month, Frankie had become my little BFF. It was weird how quickly someone could move into your heart and set up shop.
“I have to go to the office for a few hours, then I have a charity golf tournament to show face at. You wanna come or…” His last word hung in the air. An empty hand waiting for me to grab hold.
Did he just ask me out?
Was I reading into it too much?
“Um…” I tugged on my springy curls and looked up at him. His brown eyes were full of regret.
“It’s fine. I just didn’t want you in the house alone, I guess.”
“You think I’m going to steal something? Evander, I’ve been in your house alone almost every day for a month.”
“No, I don’t think you’re going to steal anything,” he stammered. He shoved his big hands into his pockets.
“I have to practice playing,” I told him honestly. He pulled a smile tight across his face like a mask then nodded.
“Right. I forgot how disciplined you are when it comes to the harp. Well, call me if anything comes up.” He walked away from me, into the den and my shoulders fell.
Normally, I would have given him a hard time and threw it in his face that he technically asked me out. Something wouldn’t let me do it though. Something in me wanted to go with Evander to his office and the tournament. I liked his company even when we weren’t at each other’s necks.
I couldn’t abandon practice though. He knew that about me. I practiced daily. No matter what. It’s how I stayed sharp and on top of my game. It’s how I remained the best.
I was fixed to my spot by an invisible force. It held onto my shoes and gripped my ankles. Why the hell couldn’t I just call out to him and apologize?
I rubbed the bridge of my nose and went into the formal living room to light my candles and sit at the harp. I needed to disperse the weird energy trickling through me. The only way to do that was to dig into my music.
…
TWELVE
When I got home from the golf tournament, a cold glass of whiskey was calling my name. I walked into the kitchen and went to the Subzero to grab a piece of ice before heading to the den.
I didn’t bother going upstairs to my room to undress because I’d been away from my book all day and my characters were racing through my mind. Words were piling up in the corners of my brain and dripping down my conscious. It was a melody that I had to get out.
When I crossed into the den, I heard the familiar sounds of harp strings plucking notes into the air. It unwound the tightness of the day note by note. It was like a massage for my soul.
I’d never been into classical music no matter how much my parents tried to force it on me. I was a hip-hop and R&B kind of kid. I rejected Mozart and Bach. Instead, Aaliyah and Tupac songs fueled me.