“Willow,” I said. My voice was harsh and scratchy. I had to clear my throat. “I don’t want you dancing at that place again.”
A look of sadness crossed her face, but all she did was lift an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
“I— ah.” I shoved my hands in my pockets. I probably shouldn’t have given her an order like that. “I just mean, I really don’t think you should. You’re way too innocent and wholesome to be there. A place like that can ruin you.”
“I wish I didn’t have to.” She shrugged and turned toward the family room. “But I need the money.”
No, I wanted details. I moved to catch up with her.
“Why? How can you need the money that badly?”
“I already told you.” She moved through the room, picking up the few toys that were still out. “My brother is in the hospital and has a lot of medical bills. And you know hospitals, they’ll just let him die if we don’t pay them.”
“Willow, stay…” Damn it, I was going too far now.
“What?” she said, stepping back. “Stay? Here?”
“Let me pay you just as well. I love my little girl and spare no expense when she’s concerned. Tell me what you need.”
She gaped at me for a moment, then shook her head.
“I can’t let you do that, it’s entirely too much. I can do it by my— woah! What’re you doing?”
I scooped her up into my arms and marched upstairs fast enough so that Ariel wouldn’t see. Once I got to a spare room, the closest one to my bedroom, I sat her down in front of the door and opened it.
“This will be yours. I’ll pay you four thousand dollars a week. Is that enough? You can stay here—”
“No, I can’t!”
I pulled her in by her waist and she gasped. Her slender back against my hands… she fit me so perfectly.
“Willow. Stay.”
I was on the verge of begging. I never begged. But Willow wasn’t leaving here. I had my mind made up.
She belonged here. Staring me in the eyes, she sighed and relaxed her shoulders.
“Why don’t you go put Ariel to bed, and we can discuss it?” She pushed me away, gently but firmly. “I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”
I blinked. “The kitchen?”
“Well, what were you thinking? The conference room?” She snorted out a laugh. I couldn’t help but appreciate her sense of humor, even at a crazy time such as this.
“Well… that is why I have it. To have conferences.”
“Um, no. Kitchen. Take your time. Have you eaten?”
“Yeah.”
I shook my head at the memory of my new clients ordering drink after drink at our so-called business dinner. I’d gotten the contracts, but I’d also had to call a cab to get them back to their hotel.
“Fine. Go to Ariel. I’ll be waiting in the kitchen.”
She turned her back to me to pick up some crayons Ariel had left out, so I exited the room to get my daughter. A drink, a story, and several “bedtime snuggles” later, Ariel was asleep in her bed and I was on my way to the kitchen.
“Four thousand dollars…” she began. She blew out a breath. “That’s a lot. I have some questions.”
“Of course.”
I didn’t know the details about this brother of hers, but I already knew she was loyal. She wouldn’t do anything that would mess up her chance at helping her brother.
“What are the hours?” She held up her hand. “I’m actually pretty flexible, but will I have time to go check on my brother every day?”
“Of course. Ariel will be in school most of the day, so your time is your own until then. For the most part, you’ll have weekends off, unless I have to go on a business trip. If I’m home, you’re free to have your privacy.”
“And you’d want me to…what? Pick her up from school, supervise her after school, see that she eats dinner, and direct any evening activities until you get home?”
“Pretty much.” I got up and went to the cabinet where a decanter of whisky was on display. Now that I was home, I could indulge in a drink. Maybe it would take the edge off the burn I felt every time I thought about having Willow in my home.
“I don’t have a car.”
Oh, yes. I’d forgotten. She’d been content to take the bus, even in the dark hours of the morning when anything could happen to her.
“I have a few extras. You can pick one of those and I’ll have you added to the insurance. I’ll want you to buy a new booster seat for Ariel, so there’s one in each car she spends time in.”
“Oh sure.” She nodded sarcastically. “I’ll just pick one of your extra cars.”
I stared at her, my brow furrowed. “Is there a problem? Do you want me to buy you a new one?”
I would, of course. I wanted to help her, to give her everything she wanted.
She laughed. “Of course not! It’s just…most people don’t live like that!”
“Like what?”
“Like being able to say you have a few extra cars just lying around, and then handing them out to people like candy!”
I smiled wryly. “No, I guess not. Any more questions?”
“Just one. Okay, well, maybe two.”
“Go for it. What are they?”
“Do you really expect me to live here?”
I hesitated. I wasn’t stupid, I couldn’t have a relationship with Willow without risking my daughter, so having her around would be torture. Sweet, exciting torture…
“Yes,” I said anyway, trying to sound more like a successful alpha male and less like a teenager with a crush. “My schedule can be irregular, and if I’m called out late, or even early, I don’t want to leave Ariel alone, and I might not have time to wait for you to get here. I want her to know that one of us will always be here with her.”
“That’s fair,” she said, her mouth twisting a little. I wondered what else was going on in her head. “One more question?”
“Okay.”
“How does Ariel’s mother fit into the picture?”
I exhaled into my highball glass. “That’s…complicated.”
She held up her hands. “I’m not trying to be nosy. I mean, your private business is your private business. That’s cool. But I probably need to know a little bit in order to take care of Ariel, and answer questions if she asks them.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” I contemplated pouring another whisky, but instead put the crystal glass carefully in the sink and returned to the stool next to Willow.
“So…”
“Her mother and I are in the final stages of our divorce. We’re both suing for full custody, but she—” God, how did I tell her any of this without dragging her into all of it? I shoved my hands through my hair. “Anyway, Ariel goes to her house every Friday night and comes home on Sunday morning. I’ll try to be the one who takes her or picks her up so you don’t have to deal with that.”
She looked at me for a long minute. When she started fiddling with her hands, I knew it. She was going to agree.
“Sure, okay. Let’s see how this goes.”
“Good.” I blew out a big breath. At least this part of my life was coming together. “Great, Ariel will be pleasantly surprised to know you’re going to be staying for a while. Why don’t we go to my extended garage and pick out a car so you can get around tomorrow?”