The Hardest Cut by Jamie Bennett (book club recommendations .TXT) 📕

“Gaby,” someone called, and everyone in the group of Woodsmen cheerleaders turned around at the sound of Coach Ben’s deep voice.

“Oh, God!  Is that your boyfriend?” Caitlyn asked me.  Her mouth was open wide as she stared at him.  “He’s…he’s…”

“Fucking gorgeous,” another voice filled in.  Number thirty-eight, Nadira and her potty mouth.

His hair was shorter than the picture from his college days (the picture that I may still have had open on my phone) and his face looked harder, less boyish.  He was tall, and his shoulders were so nice and broad, and yes, what Nadira had just said was a good way to describe him: freaking gorgeous.  He was also approaching fast, and as he did, he ignored all the beautiful, talented women in the parking lot, and there were a lot of them.  He was only looking at me, right at me.

“Can I talk to you for a second?” Coach Ben asked, and I nodded enthusiastically.  I didn’t have a guy waiting for me at home like the other girls had been talking about, but I had this interesting incident happening right here in front of the stadium!

“Ladies, have a great night,” I told them.  They watched as I walked off with Ben and I couldn’t help feeling a little surge of pride.  “I didn’t know you knew my name,” I said.  It was pretty flattering—

“You introduced yourself to my daughter at the bookstore the other day and I remembered that it started with a G,” he told me.  “I asked the security guard and he knew who you were.”

Oh.  Not quite as flattering, but still, he had searched me out to talk and—

“I’m looking for a babysitter.”

“What?” I asked, confused.

“Sorry, I should introduce myself.  I don’t think I did when you hit my truck and tore up your hood because you were playing with your phone,” he said, and I thought that maybe we could just not talk about that again.  “I’m Ben Matthews,” he told me.  “I’m a coach here for the Woodsmen.”

“I know,” I responded.  “Remember how we met outside of the coaches’ offices?  I was there on the tour?  You saw me and…”  I thought he had taken a second glance and remembered how I’d looked in my try-out outfit, hadn’t he?  But now he stared at me blankly, and I felt even less flattered.  More like, the opposite of flattered.

“Ok,” he said, moving on.  “You are a babysitter, right?  That was what I understood at the bookstore.  I asked if you were that girl’s mother, and she said no, you were her babysitter.  Nanny, whatever you want to call it.  I’m looking for one for my daughter, Tessa.”

“Oh.  Well, I’m sorry, but I can’t help you.  I’m not actually a babysitter, I’m in real estate.  Not at the moment, I mean, but I will be again, soon.  When I open my own brokerage,” I explained.  “I’m just staying with my friend’s daughter while she’s out of town, that’s all Marley meant.  I’m not what you’d call a professional.”  And why I was still talking, I wasn’t quite sure.  “But if you’re looking for a home, or property, I’m still, you know…”  Still talking.  “No, I’m not a babysitter.”

“That’s too bad.  My daughter really liked you.  Ok, then I guess I’ll see you around.”  And he started to walk away.

I thought about his cute little girl, because I had liked her, too.  And I considered the balance in my bank account, and my last credit card statement, and the fact that my brother’s car needed major surgery after the accident I’d caused.  “Wait!” I heard myself call, and he did.  “I was just thinking, I am pretty free during the days, when I’m not working at the bookstore.  When would you need someone?”

He told me about his schedule, and when he wanted a sitter to watch his daughter, and it seemed doable to me.  Not crazy hours, and I wasn’t actually at the bookstore very much.  Hallie had already hired people before I’d lost my own job, so there wasn’t a lot of room for me in the schedule.  And the volunteer work I did was at night, late, so that wouldn’t conflict either.  So…

“Well,” I considered, “that would work with the cheerleader practices.  I’ll be going to the Woodsmen squad practices,” I clarified.  I felt a gush of pride as I said the words, but the coach just nodded.  “Maybe I could help you out for a while, until I really get my own business going.”

“That’s all I want.  I plan for Tessa to start full-day school soon but right now she’s only in a few hours of day care each morning.  I’ll only need someone for a few weeks until we work that out.”  He frowned slightly.  “If we work it out.”

I thought more.  “Then, maybe I could nanny for you.  I used to when I was in college.  I didn’t really think I’d ever go back to it, but I like kids a lot.  It would be fun while I’m on hiatus from my actual career in real estate.”

“Good.  Why don’t you come over so you and Tessa can get to know each other before we finalize anything?”

I nodded, but he seemed to be waiting.  “Oh, you mean, now?”  I was still in my spandex, sweaty and really not my best.

“Follow me,” he suggested, and started to walk away again.  “Not too close.  Watch that trailer hitch,” he threw back over his shoulder.

“I will,” I called after him.  Was he kidding or was he was actually afraid of me?  “I’m really a very careful driver!  Usually.  Hitting your truck was what you’d call a momentary lapse.”  I’d had a few of those, lately, and I wondered if I was making another one.  Going back to being a nanny?  Maybe this was a dumb idea.

“Gaby?”

I looked across the parking lot.

“Are you coming?” Ben asked.

I nodded.  What would it hurt to go meet that sweet little girl again?