Now I’ve gone all morning without a peep from her and I have no one to blame but my fucking self.
I check my phone to read the last messages I exchanged with Cassandra.
Me: I’m sorry about last night.
Cassandra: I know, Max.
Me: Are you okay?
Cassandra: Why wouldn’t I be?
Me: Because of what happened between us. Because of what I did.
Cassandra: Relax, Max. I’m not a sexual harassment case you need to worry about. I was a consenting party.
Me: I understand that, but I would also understand if you wanted to quit.
Cassandra: Do you want me to quit?
Me: No…Everly loves you.
Cassandra: The feeling is mutual, so you’re going to have to fire me if you want me to leave.
Me: That won’t be happening. I don’t want to lose you.
Cassandra never replied to that last message, and I spent every minute of today wishing I could unsend that last fucking text. It was too much. “Don’t want to lose her?” My God, I sound like a creep.
She probably thinks I still want her.
And regrettably, I do.
I freaked out Friday night when I realized I attacked her like a starving psychopath…as her boss. Nanny or not, that’s not the way to get into a woman’s bed. She would be well within her right to file a sexual harassment charge against me. I deserve it.
But whether I want her or not is irrelevant. She is Everly’s nanny. We need to stay professional.
My phone beeps before Marcia’s voice echoes through the speaker, “Mr. Fletcher?”
“Yes?”
“You have a surprise visitor out here. Can I send them back?”
“Who is it?” I ask, my brow furrowed.
Everly’s voice whispers so loudly, I can hear it clear as day. “Don’t tell him, Marcia. It has to be a surprise.”
I hear Marcia laugh and then say, “It’s a surprise, sir.”
“Send them in.” I sit back, my heart full because I’m excited to see my kid. Unfortunately, my stomach is in knots because I’m also about to see Cassandra for the first time since Friday night.
“Tis I!” Everly peals as she bursts through my office door. She dead sprints through my expansive space and around my large mahogany desk to throw herself into my arms.
“What a surprise!” I exclaim, my hand cupping the back of her head and noticing she has two bubble braids in today. I pull her away from me to get a look at her as she sits on my lap. Her long legs dangle to the side in a way that makes me sad because she’s growing up way too fast. She beams at me. “We brought you a picnic lunch!”
“Did you now?” I reply and see movement in the doorway.
I glance over to see Cassandra standing there looking somewhat awkward but just as cute as Everly. Both of them are dressed in floral sundresses, and Cassandra’s dark hair is pulled back into two short bubble braids to match Everly’s.
They look fucking adorable.
“Hi, Cassandra.” I try to sound casual instead of sexually frustrated by the sight of her.
“Dad, will you ever call her Cozy?” Everly whines.
I smile nervously. “She looks like a Cassandra to me.”
Cassandra clears her throat and glances down at her feet. “The lunch surprise was Everly’s idea, so why don’t I let the two of you have a daddy-daughter lunch date alone. There’s a coffee shop across the street I can go to. Just text me when you’re done.”
“Are you sure?” I ask, hating that she’s trying so hard to get away from me. “I don’t mind you joining.”
“Yeah, Cozy. Eat with us! You made most of it.”
Cassandra gets a nervous look in her eyes and murmurs, “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
The corners of my mouth lift. “Well, if you made it then you have to join us.”
She sighs heavily but nods. Everly cheers like this is the best day of her life, and all we’re doing is eating lunch. Do less, indeed.
The three of us walk out of my office building to a little park beside a dog park. I have a perfect view of this area from my office window, and every time I look out there, I have to fight the urge to buy Everly a puppy. She’s always wanted one but knowing the time I have with her is limited, a dog would be sorely neglected when Everly’s not with me.
Everly grabs a plaid blanket out of the large tote Cassandra holds open and spreads it out on the grass even though there are perfectly good picnic tables not far away. I slip out of my suit jacket and lay awkwardly on the blanket, propped on my elbow with my legs stretched out. Cassandra kicks her flip-flops off and sits as far away from me on the blanket as she can get, her pink-painted toes hanging off the blanket and into the grass.