Chapter 29
Lance stayed for dinner at Camilla’s place, and before heading out, he rolled up his sleeves and did the dishes. No matter how many times Camilla told him not to bother, he just smiled and kept going. She had heard all kinds of stories about him before. Most people said he was impossible, rude, the kind of guy you always had to watch your step around. But after actually spending time with him, Camilla started to realize those rumors were way off.
Now, besides thinking of him as a social wild card, she had to admit he was pretty handy around the house. He moved with this smooth, efficient energy, totally different from the spoiled rich kid everyone described. Before leaving, he even took out the kitchen trash like it was the most normal thing in the world. He moved around her kitchen like he’d lived there for years, and for a second, Camilla actually imagined what it would be like if he really was the man of the house. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she had to laugh at herself. Seriously, what was she thinking? Her, or the Carter family, was nothing like Lance. Yeah, he’d lent her a hand a few times, but whether it was out of boredom or just that he happened to dislike Barnard, Camilla was certain she wasn’t crazy enough to start imagining anything more.
Jasper, on the other hand, was a huge fan. As soon as Lance left, he tugged on her sleeve. “Mom, when can Lance come back p>
“You like Lance that much? Why?” Camilla asked. She couldn’t remember the last time Jasper got this attached to someone he’d just met.
Jasper grinned. “He’s so much fun! I like hanging out with him, and he makes me feel like we’ve always known each other. Like we’re close, even though we just met p>
Camilla muttered under her breath, “That’s a little dramatic, isn’t it?” Still, she couldn’t deny it. She felt that weird flicker of familiarity herself whenever she saw Lance.
“I don’t really know how to say it,” Jasper shrugged, “I just know Lance is really nice p>
After a moment, he added, “He’s better than Dad p>
That stung more than Camilla expected. Barnard had never been patient with Jasper. Even the one time he’d promised to take Jasper to the amusement park, he put Daisy first. As soon as Jasper mentioned Barnard, his little face fell. Camilla’s heart twisted, so she hurried to change the subject, telling Jasper to wash up and get ready for bed.
On her own, she started searching for nanny agencies, comparing profiles and narrowing down a list of candidates. She couldn’t take Jasper to her office, and it wasn’t fair to keep relying on Dahlia. She really did need someone to help out during the day.
After an hour of scrolling and reading resumes, Camilla finally picked a few that seemed promising. She set up interviews for six the next evening at a coffee shop near her office.
The next morning was a blur at work. At five on the dot, she clocked out and headed down to the lobby, only to spot Barnard’s car out front. He was waiting with a bouquet of blindingly red roses, and as soon as he saw her, he walked right up. His eyes were soft, almost too gentle, as if none of their past fights had ever happened. As if they were still deep in that early, all-consuming stage of their relationship.
People were streaming out of the office building, and more than a few turned to watch. Someone even called out, “Camilla, your husband’s here to pick you up again. You’re so lucky p>
Back when she and Barnard went to events or work functions, he always showed up to drive her. People at work thought it was sweet and were a little jealous. There was a time Camilla thought she’d hit the jackpot too, but now…
She frowned as she walked over, keeping her hands by her sides and ignoring the bouquet. Her voice came out cooler than she meant. “What are you doing here p>
Barnard tried to sound gentle. “I know I’ve been neglecting you. I just realized it’s been ages since we went out together, just the two of us. So tonight p>
“I have plans,” she cut him off, barely glancing at the car door he’d opened.
Barnard refused to give up and trailed after her all the way to the coffee shop. As soon as he figured out she was interviewing nannies, he scowled. “If you’re this busy, why not just bring Jasper back home with you? We already have nannies at the house. There’s no need for all this trouble p>
Camilla couldn’t be bothered to argue. Just then, the first candidate arrived.
Barnard stayed put, hovering nearby with a freezing look that made the air heavy and tense. Every person she interviewed seemed nervous and uncomfortable under his stare.
She had lined up four interviews, but none of the first three felt right. When it was almost time for the last candidate, the coffee shop door swung open and Davina walked in. She took the seat right in front of Camilla without waiting for an invitation.
Before Camilla could say a word, Barnard blurted out in surprise, “Davina, what are you doing here p>
Davina’s eyes flicked to the roses on the table, then back to Camilla. “Jasper only moved out because of Daisy. When I heard you were looking for a nanny, I felt bad, so I wanted to check in. If you’re really that busy with work, let me look after Jasper. I grew up helping my mom with nanny jobs, so I know how to take care of kids p>