Read Online Twisted Innocence (Moonlighters Series Book 3) by Terri Blackstock - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Terri Blackstock
Tags: Ebook
Ads: Link
adorable little guy!”
Robbie started screaming. Not a good start.
Cathy looked over her shoulder as Juliet led the woman into the living area and offered her a seat. Juliet quickly introduced Cathy, then sat as she tried to comfort Robbie. “So . . . how long have you been working as a nanny?”
“Seven years,” the woman nasaled. “Ten kids.”
“All in one family?”
“No, separate families. Some didn’t work out, so I moved on.”
Cathy glanced at Juliet, saw the concern on her face. She checked the oven, trying to eavesdrop over Robbie’s crying.
Zach came into the room in his sock feet and slipped on his shoes, then took Robbie from his mother. “Whatsa matter, buddy?” he asked, instantly calming his little brother.
“I smell cigarette smoke,” Juliet said. “I told the agency I don’t want a smoker.”
“I never smoke around my babies, don’t worry about that.”
“So . . . what do you do when you need to smoke? Do you leave them alone and go outside?”
“Only when they’re sleeping, sweetie.” The woman looked around and sprang up at the sight of the centerpiece. “Would you look at that? That’s just about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”
Her voice grated. Cathy could smell her smoke-covered clothes and hair from the kitchen. She clearly wasn’t just an occasional smoker. How long would Juliet go on with this?
As if reading Cathy’s thoughts, Juliet stood up. “Anita, I so appreciate your coming by, but I don’t think you’re what we’re looking for. The smoking worries me, since there are two babies you’ll be caring for. Robbie and my niece, Lily. It’ll be rare that they’re asleep at the same time—”
Anita waved her off. “Honey, we can work that out.”
“No, I don’t think we can. Robbie isn’t reacting well to you, either.”
“Look, I can take care of your kids. The agency wouldn’t have sent me if I wasn’t qualified.”
“I appreciate that,” Juliet said. “We have some more people to interview.”
Cathy suppressed her grin and put the quiche into the oven.
When Juliet came back from letting Anita out, she opened the back door. “Now the house smells like smoke. I want it to smell like brownies and cake.”
“So I take it you’re not hiring Anita?”
“Give me a break. Her voice knocked her out of the game when it sent Robbie into hysterics.” She went to the hallway. “Abe! Come move your backpack!” She checked the centerpiece. “Anita was right—that’s perfect. I think you do have the gene after all.”
“Thank you. I had no idea if I was doing it right. I don’t want a bunch of church ladies gossiping about my artwork.”
“They’re not ‘church ladies,’ they’re my friends, and they’re not gossips. They really aren’t. Cathy, you’ll like them. They’re good people. They just want to bless Holly.”
Cathy hoped Juliet was right and that the mix of Holly’s friends with Juliet’s wouldn’t be disastrous.
CHAPTER 15
H olly was glad she had listened to Juliet and worn the dress she’d picked out. She had been dreading the baby shower that her sisters had insisted on giving her. Even with thick makeup, her black eye was still visible, and her gash was healing with a thick scab. The story of her mugging was true and believable—but Juliet’s friends didn’t go places where muggings were common. It made Holly feel cheap.
“Every mother needs a baby shower,” Juliet had said. “My friends know how to do it better than anybody. They want to do this for you.”
“But I don’t know them,” Holly muttered. “I don’t want them judging me. I can just see it now, all the noses turned up as the church divas march in.”
Juliet grunted. “Holly, it’s not like that. You have the wrong idea. This is not our old church. Besides, it’s at my house, and I won’t let anybody treat you badly. These are nice people. I only invited people I knew would support you.”
“Support me in what? Having a baby
Robbie started screaming. Not a good start.
Cathy looked over her shoulder as Juliet led the woman into the living area and offered her a seat. Juliet quickly introduced Cathy, then sat as she tried to comfort Robbie. “So . . . how long have you been working as a nanny?”
“Seven years,” the woman nasaled. “Ten kids.”
“All in one family?”
“No, separate families. Some didn’t work out, so I moved on.”
Cathy glanced at Juliet, saw the concern on her face. She checked the oven, trying to eavesdrop over Robbie’s crying.
Zach came into the room in his sock feet and slipped on his shoes, then took Robbie from his mother. “Whatsa matter, buddy?” he asked, instantly calming his little brother.
“I smell cigarette smoke,” Juliet said. “I told the agency I don’t want a smoker.”
“I never smoke around my babies, don’t worry about that.”
“So . . . what do you do when you need to smoke? Do you leave them alone and go outside?”
“Only when they’re sleeping, sweetie.” The woman looked around and sprang up at the sight of the centerpiece. “Would you look at that? That’s just about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”
Her voice grated. Cathy could smell her smoke-covered clothes and hair from the kitchen. She clearly wasn’t just an occasional smoker. How long would Juliet go on with this?
As if reading Cathy’s thoughts, Juliet stood up. “Anita, I so appreciate your coming by, but I don’t think you’re what we’re looking for. The smoking worries me, since there are two babies you’ll be caring for. Robbie and my niece, Lily. It’ll be rare that they’re asleep at the same time—”
Anita waved her off. “Honey, we can work that out.”
“No, I don’t think we can. Robbie isn’t reacting well to you, either.”
“Look, I can take care of your kids. The agency wouldn’t have sent me if I wasn’t qualified.”
“I appreciate that,” Juliet said. “We have some more people to interview.”
Cathy suppressed her grin and put the quiche into the oven.
When Juliet came back from letting Anita out, she opened the back door. “Now the house smells like smoke. I want it to smell like brownies and cake.”
“So I take it you’re not hiring Anita?”
“Give me a break. Her voice knocked her out of the game when it sent Robbie into hysterics.” She went to the hallway. “Abe! Come move your backpack!” She checked the centerpiece. “Anita was right—that’s perfect. I think you do have the gene after all.”
“Thank you. I had no idea if I was doing it right. I don’t want a bunch of church ladies gossiping about my artwork.”
“They’re not ‘church ladies,’ they’re my friends, and they’re not gossips. They really aren’t. Cathy, you’ll like them. They’re good people. They just want to bless Holly.”
Cathy hoped Juliet was right and that the mix of Holly’s friends with Juliet’s wouldn’t be disastrous.
CHAPTER 15
H olly was glad she had listened to Juliet and worn the dress she’d picked out. She had been dreading the baby shower that her sisters had insisted on giving her. Even with thick makeup, her black eye was still visible, and her gash was healing with a thick scab. The story of her mugging was true and believable—but Juliet’s friends didn’t go places where muggings were common. It made Holly feel cheap.
“Every mother needs a baby shower,” Juliet had said. “My friends know how to do it better than anybody. They want to do this for you.”
“But I don’t know them,” Holly muttered. “I don’t want them judging me. I can just see it now, all the noses turned up as the church divas march in.”
Juliet grunted. “Holly, it’s not like that. You have the wrong idea. This is not our old church. Besides, it’s at my house, and I won’t let anybody treat you badly. These are nice people. I only invited people I knew would support you.”
“Support me in what? Having a baby
Similar Books
