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Authors: Arlene James
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you less than the last guy? I can show you the canceled check, if you want.”
It took several seconds for her to conclude that he meant it, and when she did, she could only shake her head. “Wow, did he ever see you coming. You can hire a private nurse at half the cost from any agency in the Metroplex area.”
Aaron’s salt-and-pepper brows shot up, but then he rubbed his chin, watching her as if she was some alien life form. “Did I forget to mention the nondisclosure contract? You can’t talk about any of this, you know. Nada, nothing. Not a thing that has to do with Steve or his care.”
“All medical personnel are forbidden by law to discuss their patients. Didn’t they explain that to you at the hospital?”
Aaron looked perplexed. “Well, yeah, but the other guy said that only applied there.”
“The ‘other guy’ was unscrupulous, then,” she told him.
Doolin shrugged and declared, “Who knew! He came to me, said we’d need someone discreet. I’m no health professional. How was I supposed to figure out this stuff?”
Frowning, Kaylie folded her arms. “I’ll be glad to give you an address where you can report him, if you like. I’m sure the hospital would be eager to know that one of their employees is soliciting private jobs, too.”
Aaron cleared his throat and said, “Ah, maybe the less said there, the better. I mean, we’re the ones trying to keep a low profile, right? So, um, what would you consider a fair daily fee?”
She told him, and he seemed dumbfounded for a moment. “Really?” he asked weakly.
“Really. Just don’t expect more than eight hours a dayfrom me. As I’ve already explained to Stephen, I won’t be spending nights here.”
Doolin frowned warily. “Are you sure he’ll be okay?”
“As long as he behaves sensibly.”
“Good luck with that.”
“Look, I’m not a babysitter. I’m a nurse.” He opened his mouth to argue the point, but she cut him off. “All right, all right. That’ll work itself out. Let’s concentrate on one issue at a time. How about we do it this way? How about you pay me by the hour, then if the job requires more time than I think it will, we’re all happy.”
Doolin nodded. “Yeah, yeah, we’ll keep track by phone. You send a text when you arrive and when you leave. I’ll verify it with Stevie and write the check. What hourly rate were you thinking of?”
She told him, and the deal was at last struck. Evidently pleased with himself, Aaron beamed then scowled very sternly. “But you still have to sign the nondisclosure agreement. That’s just how we roll on this.”
Kaylie fought a smile. She could almost see him trying to negotiate a multimillion-dollar contract, all steely-eyed and tough one minute, happy as a puppy with a new ball the next. The man was less agent than actor. She quite liked him, and she liked Stephen Gallow for employing him.
“Whatever you say.”
He went back to beaming, and she went back to trying to keep a straight face.
“Great! Don’t mean to pressure you, but I have to protect my boy,” Aaron prattled, clearly relishing the act. “He’s got enough problems with the team as it is. We can’t have anyone blabbing to the press.”
“I don’t blab to the press or anyone else, Mr. Doolin.”
“Aaron,” he corrected. “A woman of few words. I knew I liked you.” He plopped the papers down on the enormous butcher-block work island in the center of the homey, brick-and-plaster room and produced an ink pen. “Now, if I can just get your John Henry…”
She dutifully signed the documents, which Aaron witnessed and dated. Stowing the ink pen with one hand, he gathered up the papers with the other, kissed them and stuffed them into a pocket of his coat. “Now I can get home to the missus.”
“I, uh, just have one question for you,” Kaylie said quickly, surprised at herself, though not for the first time that day.
“Sure. What’s that?”
“What sort of problems does Stephen have
It took several seconds for her to conclude that he meant it, and when she did, she could only shake her head. “Wow, did he ever see you coming. You can hire a private nurse at half the cost from any agency in the Metroplex area.”
Aaron’s salt-and-pepper brows shot up, but then he rubbed his chin, watching her as if she was some alien life form. “Did I forget to mention the nondisclosure contract? You can’t talk about any of this, you know. Nada, nothing. Not a thing that has to do with Steve or his care.”
“All medical personnel are forbidden by law to discuss their patients. Didn’t they explain that to you at the hospital?”
Aaron looked perplexed. “Well, yeah, but the other guy said that only applied there.”
“The ‘other guy’ was unscrupulous, then,” she told him.
Doolin shrugged and declared, “Who knew! He came to me, said we’d need someone discreet. I’m no health professional. How was I supposed to figure out this stuff?”
Frowning, Kaylie folded her arms. “I’ll be glad to give you an address where you can report him, if you like. I’m sure the hospital would be eager to know that one of their employees is soliciting private jobs, too.”
Aaron cleared his throat and said, “Ah, maybe the less said there, the better. I mean, we’re the ones trying to keep a low profile, right? So, um, what would you consider a fair daily fee?”
She told him, and he seemed dumbfounded for a moment. “Really?” he asked weakly.
“Really. Just don’t expect more than eight hours a dayfrom me. As I’ve already explained to Stephen, I won’t be spending nights here.”
Doolin frowned warily. “Are you sure he’ll be okay?”
“As long as he behaves sensibly.”
“Good luck with that.”
“Look, I’m not a babysitter. I’m a nurse.” He opened his mouth to argue the point, but she cut him off. “All right, all right. That’ll work itself out. Let’s concentrate on one issue at a time. How about we do it this way? How about you pay me by the hour, then if the job requires more time than I think it will, we’re all happy.”
Doolin nodded. “Yeah, yeah, we’ll keep track by phone. You send a text when you arrive and when you leave. I’ll verify it with Stevie and write the check. What hourly rate were you thinking of?”
She told him, and the deal was at last struck. Evidently pleased with himself, Aaron beamed then scowled very sternly. “But you still have to sign the nondisclosure agreement. That’s just how we roll on this.”
Kaylie fought a smile. She could almost see him trying to negotiate a multimillion-dollar contract, all steely-eyed and tough one minute, happy as a puppy with a new ball the next. The man was less agent than actor. She quite liked him, and she liked Stephen Gallow for employing him.
“Whatever you say.”
He went back to beaming, and she went back to trying to keep a straight face.
“Great! Don’t mean to pressure you, but I have to protect my boy,” Aaron prattled, clearly relishing the act. “He’s got enough problems with the team as it is. We can’t have anyone blabbing to the press.”
“I don’t blab to the press or anyone else, Mr. Doolin.”
“Aaron,” he corrected. “A woman of few words. I knew I liked you.” He plopped the papers down on the enormous butcher-block work island in the center of the homey, brick-and-plaster room and produced an ink pen. “Now, if I can just get your John Henry…”
She dutifully signed the documents, which Aaron witnessed and dated. Stowing the ink pen with one hand, he gathered up the papers with the other, kissed them and stuffed them into a pocket of his coat. “Now I can get home to the missus.”
“I, uh, just have one question for you,” Kaylie said quickly, surprised at herself, though not for the first time that day.
“Sure. What’s that?”
“What sort of problems does Stephen have
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