I knew why Elsie wanted us to meet at the park, in the presence of her niece. She wanted to eliminate all possibility of us having sex again.

I was already longer in Chicago than I was supposed to be. I’d missed one important meeting in LA and I was going to miss another one tonight. I’d just have to do it over conference call. For some reason, getting Elsie on board was suddenly the most important thing in the world. I was stubborn.

I waited for Elsie at the park the next day. This was getting out of hand. We had had sex twice already and I was worried. I didn’t want to revert to those days of being obsessed with her. When nothing else occupied my mind other than Elsie. The past ten years were good for me. I’d achieved so much.

Elsie arrived with her niece at five. I watched them walk into the park hand-in-hand. I wasn’t especially good with kids. I hadn’t spent any time around them and I didn’t know what to say or do.

Elsie was dressed casually today. In a pair of loose jeans and a thin spaghetti-sleeved top, with her long hair plaited. Perfect park attire. She could have been one of the moms.

I stood up from the bench when they approached me. I saw similarities between the two of them. There was no denying they were related. The kid seemed cheerful and happy, and she had a skip in her step as she walked.

“Hello there.” I tried to sound cheerful too.

“Emma, this is my friend, Jared. Say hi,” Elsie spoke to her niece, who looked up at me with awe in her gaze.

“Hello, Emma. It’s very good to meet you,” I said, and bent forward to extend a hand to her.

Elsie chuckled while Emma stared at my hand like I’d offered her something horrible.

“She doesn’t do handshakes, Jared, she’s four years old,” Elsie said and I drew my hand away. I looked up at Elsie questioningly. I was beginning to panic. What the ?ell was I supposed to do with this child?

“Emma, honey, why don’t you go to the swings. I see Lucy there,” Elsie said and waved at another kid. I could sense that they came to this park often.

Emma ran off, skipping still, and Elsie sat down on the bench. She had every intention of keeping a close watch on her niece.

“May I?” I asked, tipping my head to the seat beside her.

“Do what you like; I’m not your keeper,” she said, keeping her face firmly ahead. My eyes swooped over her. Elsie’s top stretched tight over her perfect breasts. Her bare arms looked long and slender. Even in the simplest clothes, she had the ability of making heads turn.

I sat down beside her and watched Emma play.

“Sorry that was awkward. I don’t really know any kids,” I began.

“It doesn’t matter. You’re not here to impress Emma,” Elsie replied.

“Can we have a proper conversation this time?” I asked, and she finally turned her eyes to me.

“I can’t promise that I’ll like what I hear,” she told me and I nodded.

“I have that file here with me. All you have to do is go through the details of the position. I think it would be perfect for you. You’ll have a host of challenging responsibilities and I can assure you that working at my company has many rewards,” I told her. I was carrying the file under my arm and I extended it to her now.

Elsie stared at it for a few moments, gulped, and then took it from me. I watched her as she flipped through it in silence. I was hopeful that she’d say yes. I’d made sure that my offer was solid; something any sane professional wouldn’t dream of turning down. There were more perks that came with that job that anyone could hope for.

Elsie didn’t spend too much time reading it. Within a few minutes, she looked up from it again and flapped it shut.

“Tempting,” was what she said. I clenched my jaws. She was going to refuse me. Why? Because I’d offended her when we were kids?

“But…” I began, and she cut me off.

“But I’m not quitting my job to go work for you instead,” she remarked and handed the file back to me. I didn’t take it from her.

“You should probably spend more time with it,” I insisted. Elsie sighed.

“Lookm Jared, it’s very simple. My focus right now is building wells for drinking water in remote villages in North Africa. What you’re offering me, in comparison, is the opportunity to help you get richer. I don’t need to think about this. I know that I’m not going to work for you,” Elsie replied, and she placed the file between us.

I nodded my head.

“So, you think that my work isn’t worth your expertise,” I remarked.

Elsie shrugged her shoulders. “I think that you’ll be able to find many other people equally good at this job, or better,” she said.

I wanted her.

She was right. I could find someone instead of her tomorrow if I wanted. Elsie was good for the role, but there were thousands of others all over the world who were better. Still, I wanted her. I didn’t want to admit to myself why.

When I didn’t say anything, Elsie looked away from me.

“Oh my God. Where’s Emma!” she shrieked, jumping off the bench in panic. I looked over at the swings and saw that Emma was gone.