Million Dollar Christmas Proposal

“And yet, by all accounts, she was not a loving mother.”

“You investigated my family?” he asked dangerously.

“Are you kidding?” she asked, with a genuine laugh he found altogether too charming. “I’m a senior specialist in your customer service department; I’m hardly in a financial position to hire a private detective. Johana’s exploits were tabloid fodder as much after she became a mother as before.”

He could not deny that. “What is your point?”

“She had to know that you would pay her handsomely to be a more involved parent.”

Both his brother and sister-in-law had known that, but they’d refused his offers of increases in their allowance in exchange for a quieter lifestyle. “She and Pinu saw no point in having access to money if they couldn’t spend it on the lifestyle they enjoyed.”

“Exactly.”

“Whatever you may think of me, I am not an idiot. I have no intention of bringing a woman like that into the children’s lives.”

“I do not think you’re an idiot at all, just maybe na?ve.”

“I am far from na?ve.”

“Oh, you are very worldly and brilliant about money and business...”

“But?” he prompted, knowing that was not all to her assessment of him and inexplicably unable to let it lie.

“But you don’t understand emotion.”

“Emotion is a weakness I cannot afford.”

“That might be true, but do you really want to withhold it from Franca and Angilu?”

“I will give them everything they need.”

“You will try. But if you hire them a mother, you are almost guaranteeing the best they will ever know is kindness born of duty to the job.”

“You came here to apply for that job you are so disparaging of. Are you trying to convince me you wouldn’t be doing it for the money?”

“No.”

“Exactly,” he said, with much less satisfaction than he should have felt at her admission.

“But I am also offering to love your children, not just treat them lovingly out of duty.”

“You cannot promise to love them.”

“Of course I can. They are innocent children, left without their parents. How could I not love them?”

He stared at her, incomprehension washing over him. She believed what she was saying, and yet... “You claim another woman would not do the same?”

“I am not other women. I am me. Sure, there are women out there that would love them, too, but would they be the women your PAA finds to offer as candidates?” There could be no question that Audrey didn’t believe it.

“Why?”

Audrey’s head went back, an impatient sound coming from her. “I’ve tried to explain it. You and Gloria, you’re approaching this whole thing without any emotion. That’s almost a guarantee that the women she puts forward and the one you eventually choose will be every bit as emotionless.”

“I still do not see the problem with that.” Emotion was volatile, impossible to predict with consistent accuracy.

“No, I don’t suppose you do.” She stood. “I shouldn’t have come here.”

“On that at least we can agree.”

This time Audrey’s shoulders slumped and the wince was more pronounced. Without another word she turned toward the door and crossed his office, an air of defeat surrounding her as she made the long trek.

She stopped with her hand on the door handle. “Do I need to start looking for another job?”

“No.”

She turned the handle.

“Audrey.”

“Yes?” She didn’t turn.

“I assume you had more reasons for believing you were an appropriate fit for the position than your self-proclaimed affinity for emotion?”

She tensed, but nodded. “I meet the requirements.”

“Tell me how you know what those requirements are.”

She just shook her head, and he got the impression that even if he threatened the job she clearly wanted to keep she wouldn’t give in.

Gloria had to have shared her assignment with Audrey in a moment of indiscretion, but the younger woman wasn’t about to throw his PAA under a bus. He had to appreciate the loyalty.

“I will not tell anyone about this discussion,” he offered.

She had been misguided, but he had no wish to see her pay with her livelihood for what he was certain was an honest attempt to protect his children.

“Thank you.” Her voice was flat, lacking the passion that had infused her arguments for her point of view during their conversation.

She went to leave, but he said her name again.

She stopped without replying.

“Look at me,” he ordered, unwilling to be ignored.

She turned, her face as blank as a statue. No weakness, no emotion showed there, and he couldn’t help but respect that. She had to be disappointed, even a little afraid that he would go back on his word and get her in trouble with her divisional supervisor.

“It was a pleasure to meet you.” They might not agree, but he’d found talking with her more invigorating than with any other woman in a very long time.

“Thank you.”