The Man Who Has No Sight - Victoria Quinn Page 0,26
sure. I can’t leave early this week.” He kept his eyes on me.
“Okay. Should we ask Valerie?”
He considered the idea before he rejected it. “I don’t want Derek to be in that environment when she’s like this.”
“Alright. I have a few nannies I could ask.” They took care of other clients in the building, and they could squeeze in some time to make this work.
“I don’t want a stranger watching my son.” His answer was immediate, like he didn’t need to think about it.
“Well, then you’re going to need to leave work.”
“I just said I can’t do that.”
Now I was starting to get pissy. “If you aren’t going to watch him, ask Valerie, or use a nanny, then what other option do you have?”
He was quiet.
“Because it sounds like you expect me to do it.”
He grabbed his beer and took a deep drink. “I guess…I’m just used to you solving all my problems.”
“And that’s true. But childcare is different.”
“I understand that. But I guess I want you to watch him. You’re the only person I trust him with.”
It was a sweet thing to say, and I tried to focus on that. “I appreciate that, but I have a job, Deacon. I already blew off a lot of important tasks today to accommodate you. I can’t do it again.” I would never expect him to do that, so why did he expect me?
He studied me, his eyes narrowing. “It sounds like you’re mad.”
“I am a bit frustrated…”
He clearly didn’t understand.
“Because I’m a woman, you expect me to drop everything to take care of your son.”
“It’s not because you’re a woman—”
“It seems that way. Why do you expect me to make that sacrifice instead of you?”
“It’s not that I expect you to do anything.” His tone started to match mine. “I just want you to watch him. I want you to be the woman in his life.”
“You’re basically asking me to be his mother…”
“What’s wrong with that?” he asked, dead serious.
“Deacon, we aren’t even married.” It was wrong to expect me to play housewife when his ex was being difficult. “This is your responsibility, not mine. I love Derek like a son, but I have a career that requires my focus. I can’t just abandon my responsibilities because you can’t look after your son. You’re putting this on me…when it isn’t fair.”
He looked away, clearly irritated. “That’s not how it is.”
“It seems that way.” I tried to stay calm because I knew Deacon thought differently than other people, that he struggled to express his feelings.
“You’re the person I trust most in the world. You’re the woman I want to be with my son. I meant that in a good way, not a piss you off kind of way.”
“And I get that, but we never talked about that. You never asked me if I wanted that.”
“I just assumed.”
“And that’s the problem, Deacon. Don’t assume.”
He leaned back in the chair and rubbed the back of his neck.
“I don’t save lives or try to find the cure for cancer, but my job is still important to me.”
“Never insinuated it wasn’t.”
“But you assumed I would leave work for your son.”
“No. I assumed you’d want to. That’s the difference.” He turned back to me. “I’m used to you going above and beyond for me all the time, and now I realize…that was a stupid assumption to make. I’m sorry, alright? I didn’t mean anything bad by it. I promise.”
Now I felt bad for getting mad. “I know.”
“I’m not going to lie. I like seeing you with Derek. I like knowing you’re the one with him—not someone else. You’re great with him.”
“Well, he’s an easy kid.”
“But I know you’ll do right by him, not just give him what he wants. I know you’re a good role model for him. You’re the kind of woman I want him to be around. You know, hardworking, honest, full of integrity…”
My eyes lowered.
“That’s what makes me happy…you picking him up from school.”
“And that’s fine, but I have a career, Deacon.”
He looked away, sighing quietly. “I didn’t think this through. With you, I don’t have to think.”
“Well, maybe this week is just a fluke.”
“I would like to have him longer than a weekend, though. I don’t mind him being here. I just can’t always leave work early.”
“Then maybe you should consider a nanny. I can vet them really well for you until you find someone you’re comfortable with.”
He didn’t look remotely interested in that. “I can move things around for the rest of