Helen Brenna - Redemption at Mirabelle

Oh, oh. Knowing exactly where this was going to lead, Marin followed her mother across the lawn. Angelica Camden was the sweetest person in the world until she was crossed or found a cause to support, and then the barracuda in her came out with a vengeance.

“Hello, I’m Angelica Camden,” Marin’s mother said as she approached the other woman.

Clearly surprised, the woman spun around. “I’ll have to call you right back.” She flipped her phone closed and set her cigarette in an ashtray on the picnic table. “Phyllis Pennick. Adam Harding’s personal assistant.”

“Did Mr. Harding ask you to watch his children?”

“Yes.” She didn’t look happy to be caring for two youngsters, but was entirely resigned to her fate. “Just until he can find a replacement nanny.”

“Well, in that case, I suggest you pay more attention to your charges, or there won’t be a need for a new nanny.” Angelica stalked over to the tree. “Children, why don’t you come down? You can play in the playhouse in my daughter’s yard.”

“We can?” the little girl said, her big brown eyes widening with excitement.

“Absolutely.”

“Awesome!”

“Only for a little while,” the assistant added.

The two kids scrambled down the tree, ran to Missy’s backyard, and immediately climbed the ladder into the tree house. The assistant, on the other hand, stayed in Adam’s yard, but now kept vigilant eyes on the children.

The little girl poked her head out from the window. “This is high,” she said, smiling at Marin and exposing permanent teeth that looked too big for her little face. For a kid, Marin had to admit, she was adorable. With brown hair, cut in a long bob, much like Marin’s, and brown eyes, she looked like her father.

“What’s your name?” she found herself asking.

“Julia.”

“And your brother’s name?”

“Wyatt.” He poked his head out from one of the other windows and smiled. His brown hair was cut very short, showing off cute little ears that bent a bit outward at the top like an elf. “And I like this.”

“Well, you both can come over here anytime you want,” Angelica said to them. “As long as it’s all right with your dad.”

Soon they were alternating between the slide, the fireman’s pole and the monkey bars, and Angelica was having the time of her life. “How old are you, Julia?”

“Seven and a half. I’ll be in second grade this year. But I don’t know anyone in my class.”

“Well, there must be other kids your age on the island.”

“Hello, there.” A man’s voice sounded behind them.

Marin turned. Adam. His gaze caught with Marin’s first and she couldn’t for the life of her stop the little flutter in her stomach at the sight of him. “Hi,” she barely managed to get the word out of her mouth. Dressed in jeans and a black polo shirt, he was the best thing Marin had seen all day.

He glanced from her to her mother. “Mrs. Camden.”

“Please call me Angelica.”

“I thought I’d stop up here and give Phyllis a break.” He glanced at his assistant. “You ready for some lunch?”

She nodded vigorously. “And I have several urgent emails that need to be addressed.”

“Go ahead. I got my kids.”

The woman nabbed her laptop and disappeared into Adam’s house.

Adam waved to his kids and turned back to Marin and Angelica. “So how are things going?”

Angelica raised her eyebrows. “Other than your assistant being too busy talking on the phone to pay proper attention to your children?”

Oh, God. Marin rolled her eyes.

Adam’s expression was completely unreadable. He could have been upset with his assistant, worried about his kids, wishing Angelica Camden would butt out of everyone else’s business, or any combination of the three. Then again, it was possible he found the entire episode entertaining. Marin had no clue.

“They were just climbing the tree, Mom,” she said, interrupting. “They were fine.”

“That’s what everyone says until a neck gets broken.”

“Mother—”

“How long until you find a replacement nanny?”

At that, he displayed his first show of emotion. Clearly, more than anything, he was worried for his children. “The agency said to expect it to take at least a month. I don’t want to rush things and get just anyone in here because I’d like to make sure whoever I hire is in for the long haul.” He paused. “Once school starts, things will be a lot easier.”

“Will they both be in school full-time?” Angelica asked.

“Yes, ma’am. Both of them.” Adam nodded. “The school on the island offers a full-day kindergarten option, so even Wyatt will be gone all day.”

“In that case,” Angelica said, “I can take care of your children, Adam, until you find a new nanny.”

What? Marin swung her head so quickly toward her mother she wouldn’t have been surprised had she snapped a vertebra in the process.

Adam smiled indulgently. “No offense, Mrs. Camden, but—”

“Oh, I suppose I’m not as limber as most nannies and I don’t have an education degree, but I do love children,” Angelica said. “Raised four of them virtually on my own. U.S. senators, you know, don’t have much time for parenting. And you won’t find me talking on a cell phone while they’re in my charge.”

“I didn’t mean to suggest you weren’t qualified,” Adam said. “Only that I need someone until I can find a permanent nanny.”

“Well, I’m here for at least a month with nothing much to do other than play with my grandsons. And they have a mother to take care of them. I don’t want to put you on the spot, though, so you think about it and let me know what you decide.”

For a long moment, he studied Marin’s mother. Then he shook his head. “I don’t have to think about it. If Missy’s disposition is any indication of your child-rearing abilities, then I have nothing to worry about.”

Marin felt her mouth gape at his implication that her disposition, as opposed to her sister’s, was less than ideal. But that was beside the point. She still couldn’t believe her mother was serious about babysitting these kids. “Mother, are you sure—”

“When do you need me to start?” Angelica asked.

“Monday morning at eight?”

“Perfect.” Angelica smiled. “And don’t you even think about paying me. I do not want your money.”

“You’re sure about that?”

“I’m the wife of Arthur Camden, Mr. Harding. I would prefer that you send any money you’d be paying me along to Carla. Under the circumstances, her family will likely need it.”

“In that case, I’ll add the funds to the severance I was already going to give her.” He nodded. “Would you like to work the details out now?”

“You’re still busy with work.” She smiled. “Monday morning is fine.”

“Okay, then.” He turned to walk away, but then stopped and turned. “You’re sure about this?”

“Positive. It’ll be my pleasure. One more thing, though?”

He held her gaze.

“If I were in the construction business, I’d be ashamed of that swing set in my backyard.”

Adam glanced at the old metal set and chuckled. “Point taken.” Then he turned and walked on.

Marin waited until he was out of earshot before spinning around. “Are you out of your mind, Mother?”

“No.” She grinned. “What I am is damned happy to have a purpose to my days and those children need someone. So does their father. The kids, I can help with. The man?” She chuckled. “I’ll bet he’d take your mind off Colin Everett Masterson III.”

“He has kids, Mom.”

“No one said you had to marry him, Marin.”