“What else did you do with Nora today?” I asked, curious how they’d spent their time.
“We did playdough,” she said as she poured water from the green cup to the pink cup. “And we went to thelibawy. We watched a movie. We saw the ducks. We colored.”
“That sounds like the best day,” I said, loving how animated she got when she talked about it. Leaving her with someone new always came with a little worry. Was she happy? Comfortable? Counting down the minutes until I got home?
But she was practically buzzing as she listed everything they’d done. That told me everything I needed to know.
I made a mental note to thank Nora again later. I already knew she’d been a lifesaver this week, but hearing Charlotte talk like this drove it home all over again that she was in good hands until I found a full-time nanny.
Speaking of that…
I wiped my hands on a dish towel and reached for my phone so I could text my secretary.
Me: Did you get the nanny listing reopened?
A moment later, Linda texted back.
Linda: Yes. You had two new applications by the end of the day.
Me: Perfect. Let’s leave it open a couple of days and check back Thursday morning.
I didn’t have a ton of time to choose someone, but I didn’t necessarily want to hire the first person who walked through the door, either. The stakes were too high. Charlotte needed someone who was the right fit for her.
Someone she clicked with. Someone stable.
Someone who wouldn’t quit after only a few weeks.
If it took me a little longer to find the right person, would Nora mind watching Charlotte again next week? Because based on the enthusiastic review of today, Charlotte definitely wouldn’t mind.
Though Norahadmentioned she’d be applying for some new jobs today…
I briefly wondered what type of job she was looking for. I was pretty sure her degree had something to do with exercise science or something like that.
But she was also in the princess-party world, so would it really be that far-fetched to think shemightconsider something like this? Maybe if I accidentally texted her the link to the job application…
Or even better, have Lucy text it to her.
I shook my head. That was wishful thinking. Just becauseCharlotte had one of her happiest days in a long time didn’t mean Nora found it equally rewarding. Babysitting for a week was one thing. Signing up for the full routine was something else entirely.
Still… I hoped the right applicant came along soon. Otherwise, I’d be begging friends and family to step in again next week.
I glanced at the microwave clock. Seven fifteen.
“Looks like it’s time to go see Bria and Camilla,” I said.
“Yay!” Charlotte dropped her cups immediately and scrambled off her stool.
I dried my hands and leaned back against the counter for a moment, trying to gather a bit of energy before the evening ahead.
Tonight was supposed to be a casual hangout with the guys from my monthly book club, plus their wives and girlfriends.
We’d just formed a book club in April and normally met on the fourth Thursday of every month to discuss a personal development book we’d all agreed to read. But everyone had enjoyed last month’s discussion so much that Romeo and his wife offered to host an extra get-together at their place so all our families could enjoy the fun and camaraderie that our new brotherhood was providing us.
I’d been excited to attend, even though I didn’t have a significant other of my own to go with these days, because I knew Charlotte would love seeing Romeo’s twin daughters who were close to her age.
But then, I’d gotten a text this afternoon from Romeo, saying that his wife, Lia, had decided to play matchmaker and invited a woman from the girls’ playgroup to come. She was a single mom of two, and apparently, they thought we’d beperfectfor each other.
I wasn’t getting my hopes up too high, though. While I’dtried dipping my toe back into the dating game this past year, it had not exactly gone well. Dating as a widower turned out to be more complicated than I’d thought. Some days I felt ready to move forward and find someone to share my life with. Other days I wasn’t even close.