Karen nodded then let them out the door to the next apartment.
***
Amedeo and Violet sat in a coffee shop after viewing the apartments. Karen was on her way back to her office with Amedeo’s driver. Violet just wanted to go home and sleep, but she’d been hungry. Amedeo bought her a snack.
“Is that muffin good?” he said.
“Yes, thanks,” she said.
She was exhausted, but had a better idea of what was out there and in her price range. Even if Amedeo didn’t agree about what she should be looking for.
“I still think you should consider three bedrooms. That way you can set up an office.”
“I work find in my living room. Besides, I don’t want to spend more than I have.”
This was all pretty overwhelming. Maybe she shouldn’t keep the baby? Maybe Amedeo would be better as the sole caregiver. She could visit the baby. That would be okay. Amedeo had so much more to offer.
Why had this decision seemed so easy the other day and now she wasn’t so sure? Hormones?
“I can help,” he said.
She put up a hand. “No. You’re do more than you need to. I’m going to have to figure out living when the baby comes. You pay for the baby, I’ll worry about me.”
He frowned. “It think you’re splitting hairs. If I take care of you I am taking care of the baby.”
“Amedeo. No. I’ve supported myself for years.”
“And you ended up in credit card debt.”
“I’m free of that now. No worries,” she said. She could do her best not to get there again.
“But if you don’t have enough money then you’ll get back there. I think you need to reconsider my marriage proposal. Or at least let me draw up a contract so that you’re taken care of. Even if you don’t’ want to go through with the marriage, I’ll give you what will be just like a divorce settlement.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“You were evicted from your apartment when you came to see me? Do you remember that day? You were dripping wet and cold,” he said.
She didn’t want to remember. She vowed never to get that far down again. Now she had even more reason. Then again, if she gave him the baby, she could take care of herself. She would only have to be responsible for one person. Herself. Amedeo could hire a nanny and the baby would be warm and safe.
No matter what happened in Violet’s life.
Why had she thought she could take care of a baby? Why? Right now she didn’t think she could brush her own teeth. She wanted to be prone and asleep. She’d never been so exhausted in her life.
How was she going to handle another human being? She had to think about this. Get away from Amedeo and think on this. He made it all seem so easy. He didn’t see the obstacles. She saw so many.
“I know. I won’t let myself get there again. I promise.”
He frowned. “I wasn’t going to say anything. I wanted Carl to do the asking, but I want to ask.”
“What?”
Where was he going? She had no idea.
“I’d like to offer you a permanent job at my company. Understand that I’m selling it, but you will have a job for at least a year after I do that. The sale won’t go through for at least six months at the rate negotiations are going. That means you’ll have a job for a year and a half, guaranteed. Then if my next company is up and running, I can give you a job then.”
She didn’t know what to say. She should probably be grateful. She should. Really, except that he clearly didn’t think she could find a job on her own. Which she knew she had to do. She’d been thinking about it.
Working in an office hadn’t been as bad as she’d originally thought it would be. She liked having other people around her. People to have lunch with her talk about a television show.
“You think I can’t do it on my own?”
“Wait. What? Why do you think that?”
“Because you’re offering me a job.”
He waved a hand. “I’m offering you a job because Carl said you’ve been an asset to his department. I like to keep good people and I trust his judgment.”
“No, that’s not it. You feel sorry for me.”
He sighed. “Violet, you are one of the smartest people I know. How could I possibly feel sorry for you? You’re making too much of this. Must be the hormones.”
She’d never seen red in her life. Right now she was. Her anger spiked. “The hormones? So I’m a bundle of emotions and can’t make a decision?”
“Violet, you’re putting words in my mouth. That’s not what I’m saying. I just think that you are overreacting. I’m just offering you a job. You’re going to have to work for your paycheck. Come in on time. All of that. No leeway because you know me.”