“I have a job now. Looking after the kids is a lot of work. Not that you’d know anything about that.”
“If someone else is going to be raising my kids, I want to meet her,” Harrison said.
Eve’s voice grew icy. “She’s not raising our kids. I am. And you’re one to talk. Whenever it’s your time with them, it’s Eleanor who looks after them.”
“At least she’s family and not some stranger.”
“Faith isn’t a stranger. And the children love her.”
“Then let me meet her,” Harrison said.
“Fine. Just don’t be an ass. I know that’s difficult for you, but at least try.”
Eve’s footsteps approached the kitchen. Faith hastily tucked in her blouse.
“Faith?” Eve opened the door. “Will you come out here, please? Harrison would like to meet you.” She brought her hand up to smooth down Faith’s hair and gave her an apologetic grimace.
Steeling herself, Faith followed Eve out into the hall.
“Faith, this is Harrison,” Eve said through gritted teeth. “My ex-husband.”
Harrison flashed Faith a smile. “Harrison Mathers.”
He held out his hand for Faith to shake. His grip was firm and practiced, as if he spent all day shaking hands. From his suit to his stance, everything about him seemed meticulously crafted to project an image of the perfect man.
“Eve doesn’t have you working too hard, does she?” Harrison asked. “I know the twins can be a handful.”
“Don’t pretend you actually know what parenting them is like,” Eve muttered.
“The twins are great,” Faith said. “They’re easy kids.”
Eve put her hands on her hips. “There, now you’ve met the nanny.” She turned to Faith. “Would you bring Ethan’s baseball gear down? It’s in his room.”
“Sure,” Faith replied .
As Faith walked up the stairs, Eve and Harrison continued their conversation in hushed voices. Faith couldn’t hear a word. By the time she returned with Ethan’s baseball bag, they had fallen silent, tension hanging heavy in the air.
Faith handed Harrison the bag. He slung it over his shoulder.
“I need to get to work soon,” Eve said.
“Hint taken. Here.” Harrison dropped a key into Eve’s hand. “I’ll see you at the next pickup.” With a nod of farewell, he sauntered back down the hall.
Eve glared at him until he was out the door. “That was close. The last thing I need is for Harrison to find us together.”
“Right,” Faith said. “The custody situation.”
“Yes. I’m not supposed to be seeing anyone, especially not my nanny. I have no doubt his lawyers will crucify me if they find out. I don’t want to make their job any easier than it already is.”
What was that supposed to mean? It wasn’t the first time Eve had implied Harrison’s lawyers had some kind of dirt on her.
Eve pocketed the key. “Besides, these are two worlds that are never meant to collide.”
“What do you mean?” Faith asked.
“I mean the ‘me’ who has two kids, an ex-husband, and goes to PTA meetings is a different person than the woman you saw at Lilith’s Den. It’s no coincidence you barely recognized me that night. It’s deliberate, the way I express myself there. It’s a way to keep those parts of myself separate.”
“Why do you want to keep them separate? ”