Page 11 of Worth the Try
But…no. I won’t ask her. That feels like an intrusion.
“Do you like kids?” Rosalie asks after I finish with the phone and slide it back to Ansel.
My gut twists painfully, but I plaster on my trusty smile and answer, “I do.”
“Do you have any?”
I fight to keep my expression steady. “I don’t.”
“Rosalie,” Ansel warns. “We talked about that question.”
“It’s revelant,” Rosalie protests, her little voice full of indignation.
“Relevant,” Ansel corrects, a smile playing at the corners of his lips.
My heart melts. Something about a newly minted five-year-old using big words is just too much for me to bear, even if the question hurts. “It’s okay,” I assure them. “Do you have more questions for me?”
Her hazel eyes light up. “I do!”
It’s a solid half hour before I’ve answered all of Ansel’s, and a fraction of Rosalie’s, questions. Her questions are definitely more fun than her father’s: favorite place to visit, favorite color, childhood pets, current pet, is my hair always this curly, favorite rugby team, favorite sport, did I know who Bluey was, can I count to ten in Spanish, and so on. But in the end, Ansel nods decisively. “The job’s yours if you want it. Assuming you pass the background check.”
“Right,” I tease him. “Trust issues. Got it.”
Rosalie slides off her dad’s lap and gives me a hug, smelling of sunshine. “I hope you get it,” she whispers loudly.
We stand, and Ansel towers over me once again. I move back, having forgotten just how big he is.
He clocks the move, making his own retreat by a couple of steps. “I’ll be in touch. Should only take a day.”
Kari and Lennox join us. “Took you long enough,” Lennox says. “I’m starving.”
“You ate all Rosalie’s snacks,” Kari points out. “How are you starving?”
“Woman, have you looked at me?”
Kari shrugs, pretending to be thoroughly unimpressed with Lennox’s hulking form. “I’ve seen better.” Then she turns tome as Lennox protests behind her. “Come on. I’ve sorted out who’s helping you move already. I’m allergic to this place on the weekends.”
I laugh and lean forward to kiss her on the cheek. “You’re the bestest best friend.”
She smirks. “I know.”
Hooking my purse over my shoulder, I begin to follow her without a backward glance.
“Elodie,” Ansel calls.
My feet stop of their own volition, and I turn back to him.
He holds Rosalie’s hand, keeping her steady as she hangs from it and lets her body go limp to dangle inches from the floor. It’s clearly a move he’s used to. “I’ll be in touch.”
I smile. “You said that already.”
Chapter 5
Ansel
ROSALIE IS VIBRATING with excitement. Today’s the day we move Elodie into the pool house, and you’d think my daughter was preparing for a visit from the queen.
I still can’t believe my luck. Having Elodie practically drop into my lap was the second luckiest thing to ever happen to me, without question. The past two weeks have been…overwhelming. Even more overwhelming than usual, and that’s saying something.
