Emily frowned. “A job?”
“Yes, I’m a nanny for twins.”
“Oh.”
Not understanding the censure in Emily’s tone, she quietly said, “Well, I don’t really have any education. So there aren’t many jobs I can do.”
Jason’s dad, Nate, ambled over. “I think being a nanny for twins would be fun.”
Tory smiled gratefully at him. “It’s challenging. That’s for sure.”
Emily pasted on a fake smile. “Well, if that’s what you need then I guess that’s fine.”
“I don’t have health insurance, Emily. Or my own car or even money for gas. My parents can’t support me forever.”
“You’re right, dear,” Emily said with another brief, fake smile. She grabbed her coat from the back of a chair. “We’ll see you next week then since you’re now busy on weekdays.”
She kissed Tory’s cheek, then Jason’s dad waved and they left, closing the door behind them.
She sucked in a breath, turned to face Jason.
If it weren’t for the tubes in his throat, she would simply think he was sleeping. His eyes were closed and his facial features relaxed. She swallowed, took a seat on the chair beside the bed.
“Your mother obviously doesn’t think it’s a good idea for me to have a job.” She shifted uncomfortably. “The nursing staff probably told her I wasn’t by all week. And she had all morning to brood. So when I told her I had a job, it probably made her even madder.”
She swallowed. “But I need a job, Jace. My parents can’t afford to keep me forever. And look—” She pulled up her pant leg. “It’s not pretty but it’s healed. I can walk. Even my therapies are over.”
She stopped, almost expecting him to say something. When he didn’t, she rose from the chair, fussed with the blankets, tucking them around him. She thought of tucking Sam in the same way and smiled. “I care for two adorable twins. Sam and Cindy. Cindy’s like a little peanut but Sam is built like a Mack truck.”
She walked to the window sill and arranged the flowers in the vase his mother brought every week. “Anyway, their father is very rich.” She leaned toward Jason and whispered, “He’s Gwen Montgomery’s son. I imagine the twins are going to be very spoiled.”
She laughed and wound her way around the room, straightening magazines, arranging things on his tray table. As she puttered, she regaled him with stories about the twins and Cook. She told him about Gwen watching the kids every day at lunchtime while she ate, and even Kate popping by some days at noon so she could play with the twins too.
“Imagine having so much money you can plan your day around playing with your grandkids or niece and nephew.”
She laughed. But the sound echoed around the room. Normally, she wouldn’t have noticed that, but she’d grown accustomed to noise and sound. To having someone to talk to. Someone who answered back.
And she’d blown that too, by being too obvious or too eager for Chance’s company.
Well, no more. As he’d said, there was no reason for them to be friends. They were boss and nanny. Nothing more.
When the sun set and the world grew dark, she unceremoniously left the hospital. Usually when she climbed into her car after a visit, she felt better for having seen Jason. Tonight, she only felt lonely, empty.
CHAPTER NINE
THE SATURDAY BEFORE Thanksgiving the sun was bright and the air was warm. Tory came out of her room to find Chance had fed the kids breakfast and Gwen was sitting at the kitchen table.
“Good morning, Tory.”
“Good morning, Mrs. Montgomery.”
She batted a hand. “Oh, pish on the Mrs. Montgomery stuff. Your mom and I are friends. You may call me Gwen.”
She smiled. “Good morning, Gwen.”
Gwen rose. “I’m taking these two little angels to the house this morning because I have a photographer coming by.”
Chance said nothing. He busied himself with the kids’ plates and a cup of coffee as his mother chatted happily.
Tory said, “A photographer sounds nice.”
“I want some good pictures of the twins to show off at bridge club. Kate is bringing her two kids over around noon so I can get pictures of them too, and so we can get some group shots of all my grandbabies.”
“Oh, that sounds really nice.”
“So you have the day off?”