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Just six months ago she had decided to pursue her latest passion: cooking. All her life she had liked to cook, to make meals and desserts for family and friends. After hearing a radio show where a woman had talked about how people should turn their passion into a career, the proverbial light-bulb had turned on in her brain. She loved to cook. She should become a chef.
Salina had done her research and learned that it would cost a small fortune to go to a respected culinary school. But there were other ways to achieve her dream. If she could be hired as an apprentice, she could learn the ropes from a master and gain the skills necessary to become a chef and open her own restaurant one day.
“Can’t guess?” Emma asked.
“Well, I know it’s not going to be police work,” Salina said, smiling sweetly. “Is there a community pool that needs a lifeguard?”
“I’ve gotten you a job as a nanny,” Emma told her, since she clearly couldn’t guess.
“A nanny?” Salina asked. “I’ve never been a nanny.”
“That’s why I said that it was sort of in a field you’ve worked in before. A colleague at my law firm needs someone immediately. His nanny had to go to Mexico for a family emergency, and he’s left in a bind. He needs someone right away.”
“But I’ve never been a nanny,” Salina repeated.
“But you’ve worked in day care. You worked in day care for four years. That’s a long time, and that’s relevant experience.”
Salina frowned, but realized that her sister was right. She did have experience, and she could work as a nanny, even if she hadn’t officially done so in the past. “Who needs the nanny? Is it someone I met before?”
“Jake McKnight,” Emma replied. “And yes, you met him.”
Even before Emma said that Salina had met him, a vivid image of Jake McKnight came into Salina’s mind. She had met him at the same charity event where she’d met Donald Martin, albeit briefly.
What Salina remembered was that he was a very attractive man, and one who had stayed at the charity event for a very short time. Initially, upon meeting him and shaking his hand, Salina’s interest had been piqued. In fact, she had been surprised at her instant interest in Jake McKnight. Perhaps because it had been such a long time since she had been involved with anyone—the last guy being an aspiring musician she had met at a friend’s party in Buffalo—she had been particularly susceptible to an attractive face, not to mention a body that was clearly fine. But after that initial handshake, Jake turned away from her and greeted the next person, and so on. As Salina had watched him, she had come to the conclusion that he was the brooding sort. He hadn’t been smiling, but he had made the rounds at the event, greeting everyone, and then he quickly left. Salina had gotten the impression that he was not the kind of guy who liked to socialize.
“I met him at that charity event,” Salina said.
“That’s right,” Emma said. “Jake’s a really nice guy, and had the misfortune of losing his wife two years ago. It was a tragic accident. Slippery roads, and her car skidded off the highway into a ditch, hitting a tree. Jake was devastated.”
“Oh, how awful!” Salina said. Now she understood why he was brooding. To lose someone you loved so unexpectedly and in such a horrible way, had to be absolutely heartbreaking.
“Like I said, he’s in a bind,” Emma explained. “His nanny is from Mexico, and apparently her mother is gravely ill. She had to leave immediately, and with Jake being a single parent, he needs help. He can’t very well bring his daughter to the office every day. He had to today though, which is how I got to know about his issue. I told him that you were looking for work and that you had extensive experience in day care. He was immediately interested. This will be a win-win situation. A good temporary job for you, and a lifesaver for him.”
Salina was relieved to hear the word temporary. As much as she had enjoyed working in day care, despite the emotional downfalls, she didn’t want a career in child care anymore. She loved kids, but her goal was to become a chef.
“How temporary?” Salina asked.
“Probably two weeks,” Emma said. “That’s what he said. His nanny got on a plane two days ago. I get the sense that she’s going to be in touch with him to let him know exactly how much time she needs, but two weeks was her best guess. He did say that her mother was gravely ill, so if she passes away, who knows? I suspect it could be anywhere from two weeks to four, depending on how much time Maria might want to spend with family dealing with funeral arrangements and so forth, if it comes to that.”
Salina considered her sister’s proposition. “I agree that this might be a great temporary job for me, but what if I get a call about permanent employment?”
“You can cross that bridge when you get to it,” Emma told her. “Probably within the time that it would take for Maria to go to Mexico and return, you wouldn’t be starting your new position yet. And if you don’t get a job in the meantime, at least you’ll have some income.”
Salina nodded, but she wasn’t entirely convinced. “How old is his child?”
“He has a little girl, and she’s four. From what I witnessed of her in the office, she is very well behaved.”
“Four. That’s such a darling age,” Salina commented. The problem however, was that with four-year-olds—cute as a button and typically loads of fun—you got attached to them more easily. At least, Salina always had.
“You’re going to do it, right?” Emma asked.
Did Salina really have any other choice? She would be helping out her sister’s colleague and herself in the process. “I—I guess.”
“You don’t sound excited,” Emma commented.
“It’s not exactly what I had in mind in terms of employment, but like you say, I’ve had some experience in day care, so I’m sure I can do an adequate job. And as long as it’s only temporary, and I don’t have to worry about my true career goal being derailed.” And if this job helped to put extra money in her pocket so that she could fund culinary school, all the better.
“Great,” Emma said. “I told Jake you would call him this evening, arrange to meet him immediately.”
“What?”
“I told you, he’s urgently in need of someone. There’s no time to waste.”
“Where does he live?”
“He’s in Manhattan,” Emma explained. “Actually, United Nations Plaza. The Trump World Tower residences there.”
“That’s a nice address,” Salina said. And even though she knew she shouldn’t, she couldn’t help thinking about Donald Martin, a man with money who had felt that he was entitled to something extra from her. Salina didn’t like the idea of possibly meeting another wealthy man who had expectations of something on the side for his pleasure.
“Don’t worry,” Emma said, and Salina knew that her sister had read her thoughts. They were close that way, and could often gauge what each other was thinking. “Jake is a true gentleman, and in fact, he hasn’t even dated since his wife’s death. He has totally thrown himself into work. Jake’s not going to do anything crazy.”
Salina nodded. “Course not. You know him, and you wouldn’t recommend me for the job if you thought there was anything untoward about him. I just couldn’t help thinking about Donald for a moment. I guess that I may be a little jaded.”
“I know,” Emma said. “And I told you that you totally need to slap Donald’s behind with a lawsuit. What he did to you was out of line and unconscionable.”
Salina raised her hand. “I know, but a lawsuit would be emotionally taxing, and mean that I have to see him in court, not to mention spend money that I don’t have.”
“I wouldn’t charge you,” Emma said. “You know I would do it for the satisfaction of seeing a jerk like him go down.”
“Well, there would have to be some cost. Court costs, I don’t know. The bottom line is, the most important cost to me would be the emotional one. And I’m not willing to pay it.” Salina spoke firmly, hoping to put an end to this discussion once and for all. She knew her sister loved her and had her best interests at heart, but the idea of justice for her was not the same as Emma’s thoughts on justice.
To turn the conversation away from the ugly experience she only wanted to forget, Salina said, “So, you want me to call Jake now?”
“Yes, that would be great. I told him to expect your call.” Emma smiled sheepishly, the look saying that she knew her sister would have said yes to the deal all along.
“All right, give me his number.”
Emma rattled off the phone number, and then explained that Jake should be at home because he had left work early with his daughter.
“I’ll call him right away.”
Salina went to the bedroom to make the call in private, and a minute later she had Jake on the line. “Hello, Mr. McKnight?”
“You must be Emma’s sister,” he said without preamble. “Salina?”
“Yes,” Salina answered. She couldn’t help noting that the man’s voice was deep and sexy.
“Please, call me Jake.”
“Okay. Hi, Jake. I understand you need a temporary nanny.”
“Yes. Can you start immediately?”
Salina had not expected that Mr. McKnight would want her to start immediately. She figured he might even be interviewing other prospects to feel one hundred percent comfortable with his decision. But she said, “Absolutely. If you want me to start right away, I can.”
“By right away, I mean right now. If you could come to my home, meet with me and meet with my daughter, that would make things much easier for when you officially start tomorrow morning.”
“You want me to come right now?” Salina asked, glancing at the clock. It was shortly after 6:00 p.m.
“Is that a problem?”
“No. No problem at all. Just tell me your address, and I’ll be on my way.”
As Salina scribbled the information on a pad, the image of Jake’s handsome face popped into her mind. Releasing a sigh, she vowed to resist the temptation of his allure and promised herself to keep the assignment professional.
Chapter 3
An hour later Salina had exited the subway and was heading to Trump World Tower. The building was enormous, its black-and-bronze-tinted glass stunning. Across the street was a park with landscaped grounds and fountains, which Salina could only imagine was incredibly beautiful in the spring and summer. The Trump building towered over the neighboring United Nations Plaza Tower, a structure with a unique design that angled inward as it neared the top, to form a pointed peak. Both addresses were high-priced real estate, and Salina couldn’t help remembering that unfortunate day weeks ago as she headed toward the exclusive residence on the Upper East Side, but she swallowed her nervousness and reminded herself that Jake McKnight, devoted father and widow, was not Donald Martin.
She went through the typical doorman greeting, followed by the concierge calling her up to Mr. McKnight’s suite. Within minutes, she was on her way up the elevator to the fifty-sixth floor.
A few minutes later she was knocking on door 56-B. Within seconds Jake opened the door.
And even though Salina had known he was very attractive, she was taken aback by the sight of him.
The man was gorgeous. She had forgotten just how much so. He was tall, definitely over six feet. He had wide shoulders, the kind that said he worked out or had played sports. He was clean-shaven, making his strong jawline clearly evident. His golden brown skin was similar in complexion to hers. Everything about him was utterly sexy, but his eyes were his most compelling feature—brown with flecks of gold.
“Hello,” Jake said.
“Hi,” Salina responded. And she noticed in Jake’s eyes the same expression she had seen the night of the charity event. Then, she had thought he was simply brooding. Now she recognized the look for what it was—sadness.
“Thanks for coming right away,” Jake said.
“No problem. I’m happy to help out.”
“Come in.”
Jake stepped backward so that she could enter the apartment, and Salina did so, looking around as she did. The first thing she noticed was the high ceiling, probably around ten feet. The living room area was large, with polished oak floors. Salina guessed that this space alone was probably twelve hundred square feet or so. The unit boasted floor-to-ceiling windows with an incredible view of the New York skyline. Though it was dark outside, Salina could see the Chrysler building in the distance.
Jake’s furnishings were tasteful and elegant. A sandy-beige-colored sectional was near one window in the living room, which looked soft and comfortable. A matching recliner was opposite that sofa close to one of the walls. On the main wall facing the large sectional was a giant plasma television, likely sixty inches.
Unlike Donald’s residence, this condo didn’t feel sterile. It felt homey. In fact, there were toys scattered over the floor in front of the sectional—little horse figurines and stuffed animals. And as Salina walked farther into the living room, she could see that there was a little girl sleeping peacefully on the sofa, a knit blanket wrapped over her small frame.
“Oh, my goodness, she’s adorable,” Salina couldn’t help exclaiming. And she was. The little girl’s hair was done in two pigtails, and she had one of the cutest little faces Salina had ever seen. Round, like a cherub. She looked like a little angel.
“Thank you,” Jake said, a smile touching his lips. Then he faced Salina once more. “I realize that we never talked about a price. I just offered you the job and you accepted. But rest assured, the salary I’m offering is going to be well worth your time.”
And then Jake told her a figure, and Salina was flabbergasted. It was more than she had expected. At least double what she thought he might offer—and very generous.
“Will that be okay?” Jake asked.
“Okay? That’s more than okay. In fact, it’s quite generous. Thank you.”
“No. Thank you. You are really helping me out here.”
“What time do you expect me to arrive for work?”
“I know you’re in Brooklyn, and really what I need is someone to be here in the mornings with Riquet, and get her up, get her dressed for preschool. At noon, she needs to be picked up from her preschool, and you would take care of her in the afternoon. She has a number of activities she’s involved in, like her art class, ballet, piano lessons and gymnastics. Four days of the week, she has something to do in the afternoons. That also includes scheduled play dates.
Maria has the schedule set, which I’ll show you.” He paused. “I know this is sudden, but you’ll have a pretty demanding schedule, so I was thinking that, with you living in Brooklyn, it’d be better if you lived here for the time being.”
Salina swallowed. “You want me to live here?”
“Ideally, yes. I’d love for you to be a live-in nanny, like Maria was. Like Maria is,” he corrected. “I think it will be much simpler that way.”
Salina hadn’t considered that the position would be live-in, but it made sense, given the fact that she didn’t live down the street from him. The commute every morning on a crowded subway would be stressful and annoying.
She said, “I understand.”
“If you’re not comfortable with that, then by all means you can feel free to come in each day. That said, your job will begin at six-thirty in the morning. I think it would be easier for you if you were right here on the premises and didn’t have to add extra time to your day by coming and going.”
“Yes, that makes sense.” Salina paused, crossed her arms over her chest. “I feel I should disclose something here—in case it’s a concern to you. I’ve never been a nanny before. I’ve only worked in day care.”
“Well, your sister speaks very highly of you. I trust her opinion and her judgment. If she says you’d be a great nanny, I believe her.”
Salina nodded. “I appreciate that.”
“I’m the one who’s grateful.” He paused briefly. “Let me show you your bedroom. Whether or not you decide to commute each day, you can use this bedroom as your private space while you’re here.”
“Okay.”
Salina followed Jake to the right, to the hallway that led to two bedrooms. On the wall, she noticed a series of portraits of Jake, a toddler and a beautiful dark-skinned woman with shoulder-length hair and a warm, earnest smile.
Jake’s late wife.
“Right here,” Jake said.
At the sound of his voice, Salina hustled forward to the bedroom door he had just opened. As she walked into the room, she was pleasantly surprised at what she saw. The bedroom was a decent size, with an oak four-poster bed decorated to a woman’s sensibilities. There was a desk in the room, as well as a recliner in the corner beside the window. This window also went from the ceiling to the floor. Salina walked toward it and looked outside. She smiled at the sight of the East River.
Turning to Jake, she said, “Your condo has amazing views.”
“It’s a beautiful location. The views are priceless.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
“This is the bedroom where Maria sleeps,” Jake explained. “Should you decide to live in while you’re working for me, this is where you’ll sleep, as well.”
Salina nodded.
“You probably have friends you hang out with, and maybe you’re dating. Once Riquet is in bed, you’re free for the evening, and you can head out and do whatever you like. I usually work late, but on occasion I get home around six, so if you have particular plans or want to head out to shop, eat or simply have some downtime, you’re free to do that.”
“Right,” Salina said.
“You’ll find there’s room in the closet for your clothes should you decide to live here for the next two weeks, and there’s also a bathroom off this bedroom that you would have all to yourself.”
“Excellent.” One of Salina’s reservations over the idea of living here while working for Jake was the idea that she might not have enough personal space during her off hours. But the condo was large and had enough room for her to have a space to call her own.
“I think I heard Riquet,” Jake said suddenly, and walked past Salina out of the bedroom. As he passed her, she got a whiff of his cologne. It was a musky scent that flirted with her nostrils.
Salina wrapped her arms around her torso as she slowly walked behind Jake. Her eyes lowered to his jeans—and his butt. As behinds went, it was certainly a cute one.
And then she felt guilty. Why was she checking him out? The answer came to her immediately. He was gorgeous. Of course she couldn’t help noticing how fine the man was.
Salina wondered why a man as attractive as Jake was still single. In a city like this where eligible bachelors were few, why had another woman not snagged him? A lot of men who were suddenly left with a small child to raise would have tried to find a new partner, if only to give the child a mother figure. The fact that Jake was still single must mean that he wasn’t ready for a new relationship.
Why am I even wondering about Jake and whether or not he’s ready for a relationship? Seriously, Salina, how inappropriate is that?
Jake, who had disappeared into the living room, looked in Salina’s direction once she got there. “Ready to meet your new charge?” he asked.
“Absolutely.” Salina walked farther into the living room, approaching Riquet slowly. “Hello.”
“Hi,” Riquet said guardedly. She was looking at Salina with suspicion.
“You remember I told you that someone else would be coming to work as a nanny for a little while until Maria comes back?” Jake said.
The girl nodded, keeping her eyes on Salina.
“Well, sweetheart. This is her.”
“My name is Salina,” Salina said gently. She took a seat on the sofa near Riquet’s feet. “What’s your name?”
“Riquet,” Riquet answered. “It’s French.”
“It’s a very pretty name.” Salina glanced to the left at the papers scattered on the coffee table. “Did you draw that picture?” Salina asked. “The one of the horse? Because it’s beautiful.” She was complimenting Riquet as a way to hopefully have the girl warm to her. This poor darling had suffered a lot in her young life, having lost her mother. Now, with her regular nanny gone, she might feel confused, distressed and afraid.
Riquet nodded. “Yes, I did.”
“You’re very talented,” Salina said, smiling. Which wasn’t a lie. The artwork displayed a lot of promise for a girl so young. Other four-year-olds were drawing stick figures or scribbling, but Riquet’s art showed dimension and depth. Salina was certain she was a budding artist.
Riquet sat up, smiling, too. “I love horses,” she said. “I love to draw horses eating food, or running in fields, or anywhere. Did you know I rode on a horse before?”
“It was a pony in Central Park,” Jake said.
“Daddy, it was a horse,” Riquet insisted. Then she rolled her eyes, as if to say he simply didn’t understand.
Looking at Jake, Salina saw him bite back a smile.
“You know, honey—you’re right. It was a horse. I forgot.”
“It was a small horse, but it was still a horse,” Riquet went on. Then she looked at Salina again. “Do you like horses?”
“I love horses,” Salina told her.
“My mommy used to love horses, too,” Riquet said sadly. “She’s in heaven now.”
“I know.” Salina sighed softly. “I’m so sorry she’s not with you anymore.”
“Daddy said she had a more important job to do in heaven. She’s an angel now, and she watches over me and daddy, to make sure we’re safe.” The little girl smiled broadly.
The words tugged at Salina’s heartstrings. Such bravery for a girl so young.
“I saw her picture,” Salina said. “She was very beautiful.”
“She’s the most beautiful angel in heaven. My daddy says that all the time.”
Hearing Riquet speak made it clear to Salina that Jake McKnight was a man of honor. It was obvious he had loved his wife dearly, and in her absence he had tried to share with his daughter all the wonderful things about the woman. In this day and age, when happily-ever-after stories were tainted by the reality of infidelity and divorce, Salina admired the fact that Jake had truly loved his wife.
“Can I show you my bedroom?” Riquet asked.
“You want to show me your bedroom?” Salina asked.
Riquet nodded vigorously. “I have lots of horses in there.”
Salina stood and extended her hand to the girl. “Sure.”
A smile spread on Jake’s face as he watched Riquet walk off toward her bedroom with Salina. He was impressed. Salina had instantly taken to his daughter. Indeed, Riquet had also instantly taken to Salina in a way he had never known her to so immediately like or trust anyone else.
It did his heart good to know that he had made the right choice. Thank goodness for Emma letting him know that her sister was not only in need of work, but that she had worked with children before. It was clear Salina was a natural. She obviously loved children, and would be a great replacement for Maria while she was gone.
He heard laughter, airy and bright, as he approached Riquet’s bedroom. Salina’s and Riquet’s. It had been a long time since he’d heard laughter like that between these walls, the kind that filled the apartment with warmth.
Emma had told him that Salina was twenty-seven, which meant she was a good twenty years younger than Maria. Maria had brought a wealth of experience to her position as nanny, having raised two children single-handedly. Those children were now attending NYU, her daughter studying to be a future filmmaker, and her son in a pre-med program. Maria was a gentle and loving woman, and had been a good replacement caregiver in the wake of his wife, Janine’s, death.
From everything Emma had said—and from what Jake was witnessing now—Salina would also be an equally good replacement. He could tell that she was a free spirit, unlike Maria, who was more serious, and she would no doubt do well with Riquet. He only hoped that with her younger age she wouldn’t be obsessed with partying every night, or gabbing on the phone with her friends at all hours. That had been the problem with the first nanny Jake had hired, a twenty-two-year-old au pair from England.