Down Too Deep (Dirty Deeds, #4)(8)

I began to wish I could’ve offered my assistance sooner. Everyone needed help sometimes. I knew that from experience.

“Did you want to watch her at your place?” he asked, cutting into my thoughts.

“I should probably watch her at yours. My apartment isn’t really toddler proofed anymore.” Lucky for me, I could take my work anywhere, and frequently did in the summer. Parks. The beach. Playgrounds. I worked on the go so my kids could stay on the go.

“That works for me. Whatever you need.”

“Great.” I smiled at him, gave that smile to Marley, who was playing with my earrings now—she was so girlie, I loved it—then turned back to Nate. “Okay, I’ll get her fed so she’s not a little grouch-bucket anymore, and then I guess if you want to go ahead and give me your address, I’ll see you Monday?”

His face fell. “You can’t start tomorrow?”

“Oh, do you…?” I paused, realizing today was Saturday. He obviously needed help on the weekends too. “No, tomorrow works. I can do tomorrow.”

Breath left him loudly, as if he’d been holding it in.

“It’s just temporary,” he said, moving over to the desk and jotting something down on a Post-it. “I won’t need every day covered for long. Just until I hire someone to help me out in here. I’ll be able to cut back my hours once I do that.”

“No problem,” I answered, meaning that.

I obviously hadn’t anticipated this becoming an everyday thing, but even if it would’ve been a permanent summer gig, I didn’t think I’d have any issues. My kids went along with anything. They were easygoing. And I was more than comfortable around toddlers. I’d handled two at once before.

Plus, I wanted to spend time with Marley. God, who wouldn’t? She was absolutely adorable.

Nate tore the note loose and walked it over to me. “Here’s my address. I’m only ten minutes from here. If you could be at my house by eight thirty, that would be great.”

“Sure. That works.” I tucked the Post-it into the back pocket of my shorts, boosting Marley on my hip when I was finished. “Does she have any allergies to anything, or can I feed her whatever she’ll eat?”

“No allergies. I do know that.”

“Okay, great.” I smiled at Marley. “Do you want to go eat? Are you hungry?”

“Eat!” Her legs kicked out excitedly.

I began to turn away with her but stopped. “Oh.” My hand shot out. “I’m Jenna, by the way. Sorry.”

“Nathan.”

His grip engulfed mine. This guy could probably palm a basketball, no problem. Wow. What a weird thing to think, Jenna.

I cleared my throat as we separated, checked the floor behind me for toys, and then backed up toward the door. “Okay. I’ll get her fed and let you get some work done.”

“Thank you. I…” He closed his mouth with a pained expression, as if he was afraid to speak or even hear his next words. His Adam’s apple bobbed heavily in his throat.

I froze.

I wanted to hug him, or at least promise everything would be okay. He looked like he desperately needed to hear that. And the desire to do more than what I was offering already stole my breath.

“I really appreciate this. Thank you,” he said quietly.

Before I made this awkward and actually initiated an embrace, I settled on an honest “anytime” while holding in the anything that wanted to follow.

I’d help Nathan however I could.





Chapter Four





NATHAN




I didn’t deserve her help. I didn’t deserve help from anyone anymore. Taking care of Marley was my responsibility. It should fall on me.

But fuck, I didn’t know what the hell I was doing. And whatever I was doing wasn’t working.

I was pretty sure my daughter hated me.

Not that I could blame Marley. What had I ever done for her? If she thought I was a dick for letting her mother die…yeah, I deserved that. Sadie’s suicide was my fault. I should’ve helped her and I didn’t. I left Marley without a mother, and then I completely checked out as a father. I couldn’t stand myself for it.

Every word I spoke to her tasted like regret. I wanted those twenty-two months back. I wanted to fix this, to be better.

God, I needed to be better.

The last two weeks had been a nightmare. I’d tried getting Marley in at every day care in Dogwood Beach, but everything was booked solid for the summer. Every babysitter Care.com had to offer in my area already had a job lined up. All of them. The only option left was to bring her to work with me.

I was fucked. Between Marley sneaking out and getting into shit and her constant screaming whenever she actually remained in my office, someone was close to calling the cops. I had prepared myself for that and for unemployment. One or the other was happening. I couldn’t see this working out any other way.

Then Jenna walked in and saved my ass. That entire conversation felt like a dream. I didn’t know this woman at all, and she was offering me the lifeline I desperately needed.

Jesus Christ, I could’ve kissed her. Did she have any idea what she was giving me? A day later and I was still shocked by her kindness.

I pushed my arm through the sleeve of my shirt and fixed my collar. Just as I checked my watch to note it was nearly eight thirty, the doorbell rang. I’d been half convinced our conversation had been a dream. A part of me hadn’t expected her to show up.