“See, I told you it was a lot.” Theo gave a sheepish grin when he caught my expression. “I might have a hard time saying no to her. Especially since she only has me now.” His voice softened. “Plus, her grandparents are also really great at spoiling her, too.”
“Well,” I said, meeting his green eyes, touched by the tenderness in his tone. “I’d say she’s lucky to have a dad who loves her so much.” Though at the same time, part of me wondered if Charlotte ever got overwhelmed by it all. It was nice… but also a lot to manage. In fact, I was surprised the room looked as good as it did.
“Charlotte usually takes her baths in the evenings,” Theo said, his voice low as we stepped around a pink tea set abandoned mid-party. “So when she wakes up, if you can help her pick out her clothes and do her hair, that’d be great.” He looked back at me. “Do you have any experience doing a little girl’s hair?”
“Just my own when I was in elementary school,” I said with a small laugh. “But I’ve done hair for my gymnastics friends before competitions, so I think I can figure it out.”
“Her hair’s kind of curly like yours,” he said, giving me a once-over, his eyes flicking briefly to my curls. “I’m sure whatever you do will be much more impressive than what I’ve managed. I’ve basically mastered two styles—pigtails, or pigtails with braids.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “She always looks very cute whenever I see her.”
“Thanks,” he said softly. But the word carried a hint of fatigue beneath it. Like he really was doing his best—but maybe sometimes it still didn’t feel like enough.
He sighed and glanced around, as if trying to remember whether there was anything else he should mention. Then henodded toward the hallway, and we stepped out of the toy room.
As we passed another doorway, I caught a glimpse of a king-sized bed through the cracked door, the sheets slightly rumpled.
Most likely the primary bedroom.
Theo’s room.
Curiosity tugged at me before I could stop it. Most of Theo’s house so far had been pretty tidy, but what about his space? Was it neat and orderly, like the rest of him seemed to be? Or were there signs of chaos—a pile of unfolded laundry, a half-empty glass of water on the nightstand?
He and Alisha had built this house together before Charlotte was born. Did the room still carry her touch? The soft throw pillows she might’ve picked, the faint trace of a scent that wasn’t his? Or had he changed things since she’d passed… made it his own?
What kind of art did he have on the walls? He seemed the studious sort. Did he have stacks of books on the nightstand?
With how nice the house was, he probably had a really nice primary bath. Had he and Alisha shared a large closet? Or did they each have their own?
I didn’t know why I was suddenly so curious about where he slept, but would it be wrong to peek into his private domain after he left for work?
No.I shook the thought away, heat prickling my neck.Probably not the best way to start the week.
Unless Charlotte ran in there, of course. Then it wouldn’t technically be snooping.
Theo led me back downstairs, his footsteps quiet against the hardwood. “I told Charlotte you’d be here when she woke up,” he said, pausing by the kitchen counter. “So she should be expecting you.”
He reached for a sleek black wallet, pulled out a credit card, and handed it to me. “This is for any activities you might do with her this week—the zoo, swimming, whatever sounds fun. And if you want to take her out for lunch, that’s cool, too. She enjoys having things to look forward to. Makes the day go by quicker and gets her out of the house.”
“Sounds great,” I said, tucking the card carefully into my bag so I wouldn’t lose it. “Does she like the park?”
“She loves the park,” he said, a hint of a smile softening his professional edge. “There’s actually a playdate group the old nanny used to take her to. I think it was on Tuesdays around ten. One of my friends takes her twin daughters there, so I’ll double check. But it should be at the park just a few blocks away, if you want to take her there tomorrow.”
“That sounds perfect.” I smiled, relieved since I’d been wondering how I’d keep a three-year-old entertained all week on my own. Knowing she already had a little social circle would give us both something to look forward to.
“All the emergency numbers are here.” Theo pointed to a paper stuck to the side of the fridge. “If you need anything from me, feel free to just text. If I’m in court or can’t answer right away, my secretary Linda’s number is there, too. She can usually help.”
“Sounds good,” I said, nodding.
He glanced around once more, then grabbed his keys from the hook. “Okay,” he said, exhaling as he grabbed his leather work bag from the counter. “I hope that’s everything.” He checked the time on his watch. “I better head out.”
I followed him to the front door.
“Thanks again, Nora.” He hesitated just long enough to meet my gaze again. “I really do appreciate you helping me out this week.”
“No problem,” I said. “I’m looking forward to it. It should be fun.”
“I’m glad you think so.” He gave a faint, tired smile.