Chapter 2

Olivia

“I’m sorry about showing up like this,” I said, wringing rainwater from the edge of the towel in my lap. “My car broke down, and I really didn’t want to miss this interview. Unfortunately, the weather decided not to cooperate either.”

Mrs. Hawthorne studied me carefully before giving a small nod.

“I can see that,” she replied smoothly. “Still, I admire your determination for making it here.”

She walked around her desk and settled gracefully into her chair.

“Let’s skip the formalities and get straight to the point, shall we?”

I straightened in my seat and nodded, trying to ignore how damp my clothes still felt against my skin.

“My husband and I are extremely busy people,” she began. “The Hawthorne family owns a large portion of this town’s businesses, and with that comes… responsibilities.”

There was something deliberate about the way she said it.

Responsibilities.

People always joked that the Hawthornes ruled the town, but hearing her say it out loud made it sound less like a joke and more like a fact.

“Because of that,” she continued, “I need someone trustworthy to help care for my daughter. Someone dependable.”

Her sharp blue eyes locked onto mine.

“Can you be that person, Olivia?”

“I’d like to think so,” I answered honestly. “I love children, and I’d never do anything to hurt your family’s trust. Hopefully Lily and I would get along well.”

“Hm.”

She picked up the résumé sitting on her desk.

“I noticed you were studying early childhood education at the university,” she said. “But according to this, you’re no longer enrolled. Is that correct?”

My stomach tightened.

How exactly was I supposed to explain that I dropped out of college because my father drank himself into oblivion after my mother died?

“That’s correct,” I said carefully. “I had some family issues that forced me to leave school temporarily. But I fully intend to return one day.”

Mrs. Hawthorne narrowed her eyes slightly before her expression softened just a fraction.

“I heard about your mother,” she said quietly. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

The sympathy caught me off guard.

Before I could respond, she stood from her chair.

“Well,” she said briskly, smoothing invisible wrinkles from her dress, “let’s go meet Lily. Whether or not you stay here for a trial period will depend entirely on how she responds to you.”

Relief instantly sparked through me.

So all I had to do was impress a five-year-old?

That, I could handle.

I followed Mrs. Hawthorne out of the office and down the hallway toward a large room on the first floor she referred to as the nursery.

The second I stepped inside, I nearly laughed.

The room looked like an upscale toy store had exploded.

Stuffed animals covered shelves from floor to ceiling. Dolls sat propped neatly in tiny chairs. There were miniature castles, toy kitchens, tea sets, and enough books to fill a small library.

In the far corner sat a tiny blonde girl at a child-sized table.

Three dolls were arranged around her, each with tiny teacups placed in front of them.

A tea party.

Mrs. Hawthorne gestured toward the child.

“Well?” she said. “Go impress my daughter.”

I nodded and crossed the room slowly before crouching beside the little table so I was eye level with the girl.

“Hi there,” I said softly. “You must be Lily. I’m Olivia. Your tea party looks very fancy. Think there’s room for one more guest?”

The little girl looked up at me with startlingly blue eyes.

Then she sighed dramatically.

“Another one,” she muttered.

I blinked in surprise before glancing toward Mrs. Hawthorne.

The woman barely seemed interested. She stood near the doorway inspecting her manicured nails instead of watching us.

Well.

That wasn’t exactly comforting.

Guess I was already failing this interview.

Still… I did happen to have one small advantage.

“You know,” I said thoughtfully as I turned back to Lily, “tea is nice…”

I casually glanced toward Mrs. Hawthorne again.

Still distracted.

Good.

“But what if we had something even better?”

I waved my fingers gently over the tiny cups.

Almost instantly, rich chocolate milk appeared inside each one.

Lily’s eyes widened so much I thought they might fall out of her head.

I picked up one of the little cups and took an exaggerated sip.

“Mmm,” I hummed. “My favorite.”

Lily grabbed her own cup and drank from it cautiously.

Her jaw dropped.

I quickly pressed a finger to my lips.

“Secret?” I whispered.

Her face lit up with excitement.

“Secret,” she whispered back.

A warmth spread through my chest at her smile.

My mother had been part fae.

At least, that was what she told me after my abilities first appeared.

My father was fully human, so neither of us expected me to inherit magic at all. But one day objects simply started appearing around me whenever I concentrated hard enough.

At first, I thought I was losing my mind.

Then my mother finally confessed the truth.

Fae weren’t stories.

They were real.

And apparently, part of that blood lived inside me.

She warned me never to tell anyone, especially humans. My father never even knew what she truly was.

After her death, all her secrets died with her.

I still didn’t fully understand why hiding mattered so much.

But I listened anyway.

Lily suddenly jumped from her chair and ran across the room toward her mother.

“Mommy!” she exclaimed. “Can Olivia play with me?”

Mrs. Hawthorne finally looked up from her nails.

“Are you certain?” she asked carefully. “You want her to stay?”

Lily nodded enthusiastically.

“Yes, Mommy.”

Mrs. Hawthorne studied her daughter for a long moment before sighing softly.

“All right. You can play with her shortly. But first, I need to speak with Olivia privately.”

Lily’s shoulders slumped dramatically.

“Yes, Mommy.”

“Good girl.”

Mrs. Hawthorne turned toward me.

“Miss Carter, come with me please.”

I glanced back toward Lily as she slowly returned to her tea party looking disappointed.

“I’ll be right back,” I promised her with a grin. “Lickety-split.”

Lily burst into giggles.

“Lickety-split!” she repeated.

I smiled before following Mrs. Hawthorne into the hallway.

The second we were out of earshot, her entire demeanor shifted into something colder and more businesslike.

“I have rules in this house,” she said plainly. “Rule number one: no visitors unless I approve them personally.”

“That won’t be a problem,” I assured her.

She nodded once.

“Good.”

Then her gaze sharpened.

“And the most important rule of all…”

She paused deliberately.

“You will not sleep with any of my sons.”

I stared at her, caught completely off guard.

“I’m sorry?”

“My sons live here,” she said calmly. “They’re preparing to take over various aspects of the family business someday, so for now they remain under this roof.”

I blinked.

All four of them lived here?

Mrs. Hawthorne crossed her arms.

“I was young once too, Olivia,” she continued coolly. “I know exactly how charming my sons can be. They’re handsome, wealthy, and accustomed to getting attention from girls.”

Her eyes swept over me knowingly.

“I will not have one reckless night ruin their futures. Are we understood?”