3. Good Vibe

3

GOOD VIBE

O h my God, Taylor,” Crystal all but squealed in the car when she was pulling out of the driveway. “It went so well.”

“That was fast,” Taylor said. “I didn’t expect to hear from you for another thirty minutes or longer.”

“I’m just pulling away from the house now,” she said. “I dialed from the driveway and hoped they weren’t looking out the window with me squealing.”

Her sister laughed. She never thought she’d be close to any of her sisters. Anne was eight years older than her and a teacher, married with two kids. She was pretty straight-laced and always said Crystal should go to school to be an elementary school teacher.

That was too much structure for her. Not just the schooling to be a teacher, but following all the state guidelines and rules. She’d never been much of a rule follower in life.

In the daycare, they had more flexibility, and it was just as she’d told Phoenix and Carolina, that keeping the kids engaged worked the best and being able to let them choose.

Taylor being five years older than her ended up being more laid back than she remembered. Or maybe it was that Taylor didn’t judge and Crystal felt judged enough in her life.

“I’m so glad it went well. Tell me about the job if you want.”

“It’s really sad,” she said. “Elsie is five. Her mother died from injuries in a car accident three weeks ago. Phoenix was Elsie’s mom’s best friend and got custody of her.”

“Wow,” Taylor said. “Sad and odd, don’t you think? No other parent in the picture? Or a grandparent?”

“I did ask,” she said. “I thought it’d be best knowing what I could about Elsie’s situation. Not only for the little girl, but for me too. I want to know what I’m getting into.”

“That was smart,” Taylor said.

“I’m smarter than you all think I am,” she argued.

“I never said you weren’t smart,” Taylor argued. “I just thought you danced to your own tune. It makes you different, but not that you aren’t smart.”

“I know,” she said. “I have to stop being so defensive too. Anyway, Phoenix said Maryn was a single mother and there was never any father in the picture. I’m not sure what that was all about, but if I get the job, I’ll ask. He did assure me there wouldn’t be any man in the picture either, other than him.”

And what a man he was.

Over six foot. Brown hair, brown eyes.

Kind eyes. That was what she saw. Then the sadness behind them.

It wasn’t just Elsie who was struggling, by her guess, but Phoenix too.

The fact he was Maryn’s best friend made her wonder if Phoenix was gay or not. He didn’t look it to her, but most women and men weren’t best friends unless one was gay. At least in her experience.

Then it hit her. Maryn had to be the one who was gay. Duh. No father in the picture.

That was her guess, but she’d learn more if she got the job.

Best not to jump to conclusions. None of that mattered anyway.

“What does the job entail then?” Taylor asked.

“The funny part is, not much. At least not compared to what I’m used to doing. Phoenix even asked if I thought I might be bored.”

“Why?” Taylor asked.

“I’ve got to live there, which to me is the best part. He’s got a guest suite with a tiny galley-style kitchen, but the stairs to the suite are off the kitchen so I could use that too.”

“You’d be in the house with him?” Taylor asked. “And he’s single you said? You might want to look into him some.”

“I know, but I’ve got a good vibe from him,” she said. “He owns some business. I didn’t ask and he didn’t volunteer it. He works a lot and needs someone to drive Elsie to and from school daily and any activities she is in. Most nights he’s home by six. Once he’s home I can go do my own thing. When Elsie is in school I just need to be available for any emergencies. Obviously during the summers and school breaks, it’d be full time.”

“That sounds like a great deal between the living quarters, since you wanted to get out of your current situation, and the free time. Do you have to work weekends? It seems to me he’s paying a lot for getting very little.”

“I would have to cover on the weekends if need be, but he said he’d make sure that I had one solid day off each weekend for sure to make plans. Most times he might be able to take Elsie with him if he had to go into the office or he’d work from home.”

“That all sounds great,” Taylor said. “I’m happy for you. I hope you get it.”

“Me too,” she said. “It couldn’t be any more perfect. I literally could put my paycheck away. He even said he’d pay for my gas bringing Elsie back and forth. He asked if I was okay using my car. I told him it’s only two years old and very safe and reliable.”

“You are sounding like such an adult,” Taylor said.

“I hear the sarcasm in your voice,” she said. “And I don’t care. I went in there like I would any other interview. I kept it as professional as I could, but I thought I slipped at one point.”

“What did you say?”

“I said it was neat his and his mother’s names were cities. But his mother laughed and said Phoenix was the oldest of nine kids. Nine! Can you imagine? And they have city names. I didn’t ask what they were, but she did say Phoenix’s father’s name is Austin.”

“That sounds pretty fun to me,” Taylor said. “Something you’d get a kick out of.”

“Wish me luck,” she said. “I hope I hear something soon. He said he’d like to get this squared away as soon as possible. I told him I’d have to give one week’s notice. I left early today so I didn’t use a full day off, but it took me thirty minutes to drive to his house.”

“What do you think of the property and the neighborhood?”

“It’s really pretty. It’s a development, but the houses aren’t on top of each other. His is in a cul-de-sac. I always thought of the American Dream home like that and not sure why. It’s silly, I know.”

“Not silly,” Taylor said. “We had anything but the American Dream growing up. We were all crammed into bedrooms and in rented houses. Living with Reed now and the life I’ve got, I can understand why you feel that way.”

“Thanks for that,” she said. “His house seems pretty big, but I only went in the front door and to his office. It looks like it’s one story from the front, but he did say the guest suite is over the garage. It has outside access from a deck and stairs and then inside by the kitchen. He said there is a bedroom, a bathroom with a shower, a little seating area, and a small galley kitchen. That’s more privacy and space than I’ve got now. And it’s free so beggars can’t be choosers.”

“It all sounds wonderful to me,” Taylor said.

“They asked for references too,” she said. “I took that as a really good sign.”

She’d had them all ready to go and handed over the piece of paper. Good thing she had all the names of people she’d watched on the site alone in the past year. She wasn’t sure she wanted her current job contacted and asked that he didn’t unless he was considering her. She didn’t want to deal with that mess if they worried she’d be looking for a job if she didn’t get this one.

“It all sounds it to me too,” Taylor said. “I never ask people for references unless they are going to get the offer in my mind.”

“Then I’m going to go on that assumption too. I’ll keep you posted.”

Taylor hung up after that and Crystal cranked the music up. She was all but bouncing in her seat and singing along when there was a call coming in on her dashboard the minute she pulled into her apartment complex.

She answered quickly when she recognized the number. “Hello,” she said.

“Hi, Crystal. This is Phoenix Westerly. I am calling to offer you the nanny position if you’re interested.”

“Yes!” she shouted, louder than she meant. “Sorry. I’m in my car and tend to talk louder.”

He laughed and there was a heat that sizzled in her belly and dropped between her legs. Oh no. That wasn’t good.

She had to put a cap on that and twist it tight.

“Not a problem. I’ll take that as excitement. I know you’ve got to give a week’s notice and then need time to move.”

“I could give notice tomorrow and start next Tuesday,” she said. “If it’s okay with you, I could be packed up and move in this weekend. I’d love to meet Elsie before too. Would that be possible?”

“You see,” he said, “that’s the thing that sold me right away. My mother pointed out that I should have you meet Elsie before I make the offer, but I’m in a bind.”

“I understand. She might be shy and withdrawn regardless due to everything else going on in her life.”

“Yes,” he said. “I’ve been in her life since the day she was born, but she’s not even talking much to me. I’m hoping your energy and understanding will help.”

Awww. He just gave her the sweetest compliment without even realizing it.

“I hope so too,” she said.

“I have to get Elsie in an hour and what I should have done was see if you could have stayed to meet her.”

“You know,” she said, “if you don’t mind, I can turn around and come back. Maybe we both should do that before a full decision is made.”

She was stupid saying that and knew it, but maybe Elsie would hate her and she wouldn’t want to give notice at her job and be stuck with nothing like she’d had happen in the past.

“I can reimburse you the gas,” he said, “to have you drive back out. You said you’re about thirty minutes away.”

“No, please,” she said. “It’s fine. I’d love to come back. It’s nothing more than like having a second interview. You tell me the time.”

“Would you mind coming back around five then? Does that work? You could meet and have dinner. I can show you the house and hopefully everything will meet your standards.”

“That’s perfect,” she said. “I’m excited about it.”

“One thing I didn’t bring up. I guess I got sidetracked and I should have said something. I’ll have a contract for employment for you to sign. But in terms of guests…”

“Don’t worry,” she said. “I’d never bring anyone over.”

“It’s where you live and I know I can’t ask someone to never have guests.”

“Well,” she said. “You can. I’d be living there for free, which is the best perk ever. But the truth is, if I’m going to hang out with friends, I’ll go to their place. There is no guy or woman or anyone else romantically in my life, so no worries there.”

“Thanks for that,” he said. “I’ll see you soon.”

“See you soon, Phoenix. Bye.”

Why did she say she had no guy or girl in her life? He probably thought she was flirting with him and that was a surefire way to get the job offer rescinded.