“That’s totally fine. If you need to go, we can reschedule for another time.”
He shakes his head, quickly dismissing the idea. “No, that won’t be necessary. The staff are highly capable of handling the restaurant without me for a day.”
“Okay, good to hear.” I glance around the room, noticing how quiet and still it is. It suddenly dawns on me that I haven’t seen his son once since I arrived. “Where is Jake by the way?”
“He’s at Dad’s. He usually stays over his grandfather’s house once a fortnight to keep him company and help the old man feel young again. Since Dad retired from the police force, he hasn’t had much to keep him occupied. But every now and then he helps out at the restaurant and with Jake.”
“What about his mum? Does he stay with her throughout the week too?” I ask curiously.
“He spends one week with me and the next with his mother. It works well for our family, and Jake seems happy with the arrangement,” he explains.
“And the babysitting hours? What would they be like?”
“I have Jake from Wednesday to Tuesday one week, and then alternate with Elena the following week. On the days I have Jake, he stays over at his grandfather’s house on Wednesdays, and attends preschool on Thursday and Friday until 4:00 p.m. I’ll mostly need your help on those two evenings while I’m at work and on Saturday and Sunday nights too from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Sometimes it might even be more, depending how busy we are at the restaurant. Is that something that would work for you?”
I nod affirmatively. “That’s perfect actually. I have uni three days a week—Monday through Wednesday, plus tutoring on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, and Saturday mornings. Other than that, I’m free.”
He lets out a deep sigh of relief, a wide smile spreading across his face. “I’m so relieved to hear that. You’ve really saved my arse, Mila. I’ve been losing my mind trying to find a babysitter who’s available during the hours I need them. Jake’s going to be over the moon. He absolutely adores Skylar, so I’m sure he’ll warm up to you just as quickly.”
“I can’t wait to see him,” I reply with genuine enthusiasm.
Jason stands up and extends his hand to me. “Now that shit’s done, how about a tour of the house?” He grins, flashing a full set of straight, pearly white teeth.
I smile back and take his hand, letting him help me rise from my seat. “Thank you. I would love that.” I step back, giving him space. “Lead the way, Mr. Hawkins.” I motion for him to go ahead first.
He pauses for a moment, raising an eyebrow at me. “Mr. Hawkins is my dad. You can just call me Jason, Jase or J.” He gives me another wink, and this time, I’m almost certain my cheeks are turning a bright shade of red.
For the next half hour, he gives me a quick tour of his beautiful four-bedroom suburban home, each spacious room furnished with rich leather and dark wood, set against crisp white walls. Framed pictures of his family and friends line the walls, accompanied by a few pieces of abstract art. The whole place carries a distinctly masculine vibe.
When we step into the backyard, my eyes are immediately drawn to the long infinity pool with its built-in spa, no doubt well used. A cubby house and swing set sit off to the side, like it’s Jake’s own little private space.
After the tour, we return to the kitchen, where Jason walks me through Jake’s night-time routine—what he usually eats, the games he likes to play, and the books he enjoys listening to before bed.
Once all the important details about his son are covered, he wraps up the conversation, claiming he needs to get back to the restaurant. He walks me out to my car and opens my door, like the true gentleman he is.
“Are you available to babysit this Saturday?” he asks, rubbing the back of his neck, almost shyly. “I know it’s a little short notice, but I’m kind of desperate. The previous babysitter hascompletely bailed on me, and my dad’s off on a fishing trip this weekend. If it interests you, I pay double on weekends.”
“Yeah, that’s no problem at all!”More cash for me anyway.
His face brightens with a relieved smile. “Oh, thank God. See... life saver.” I let out a breathy laugh, and he releases one too.
After hopping into my car, I wave goodbye to him through the half-open window. As I’m reversing out of the driveway; I notice Jason doesn’t leave right away. He stays rooted to the spot, watching me until I’m safely on the road. Only when he begins to fade in my rear-view mirror do I allow a wide, giddy smile to stretch across my face.
Jason is exactly the man I thought—charming, gentle, and kind-hearted. I don’t know what I was so nervous about. My day turned out even better than I could have imagined—a fun new job, extra money in the bank, and one hell of a sexy new boss.
CHAPTER 2
Jason
My fist pounds heavily against Kaden’s front door, sweat soaking the back of my shirt from the scorching Australian heat as I wait for him to answer. Of course, he decides to take his sweet arse time—at least fifteen minutes before finally opening the door.
The moment I take in his disheveled appearance, a rush of worry and sympathy hits me simultaneously. It’s clear Kaden hasn’t slept or eaten much since his wife left him almost three weeks ago without a trace.
His complexion looks paler, his hair and clothes are in disarray, and the dark circles under his eyes are obvious signs of exhaustion and emotional strain. I genuinely feel sorry for the guy, even if what he did was despicable and beyond forgivable.
“About fucking time!” I bark, brushing past him without waiting for an invitation and heading straight for the living room, relishing the immediate cool blast that greets me.
As I stand beneath the air-conditioning, I slowly survey the room, taking in the clutter of mess that has overtaken every surface in the space. Dirty dishes, empty food containers, crumpled tissues, and discarded clothes litter the floor and furniture. A few holes mar the walls and scattered broken beer bottles lie on the hardwood floor, as though they were hurled in a fit of anger.
