“Can we chat for a minute?”

“You want to talk to me? The nanny? Do you need tips on diaper changing, because I have to warn you right now, I don’t actually do that.”

He gives a genuine laugh then. “Come take a walk with me.”

After a beat of disbelief, I shake my head. Then I peek into the kitchen, where Paige is diligently sweeping her paintbrush across the printed worksheets. This is the next stage of virtual learning for her. We’ve moved on from rocks and tree stumps, but we still use paint. “I’m going to step outside, honey. Be back in ten minutes, okay? Try to finish the math worksheet by then, because then we have a bumblebee to color.”

Beau was really not kidding about their garden obsession.

I follow him outside, along the rocky trail that leads along the cliff. We look at the ocean. It’s a tame day. No rain. No thunder. Just the normal wild action of the waves. “Pretty,” he says.

My hands go to my pockets. It’s a little chilly, but I didn’t bother to put on a jacket. I didn’t think we’d be talking for that long. “Honestly, why am I here?”

“I’ve known Beau a long time.”

“Oh.” That’s interesting, since I’ve developed a major crush on my boss. Though I’m not sure how I can ever speak to him again after last night. It still doesn’t answer why Mateo Garza wants to talk to me alone. I glance up at his study. There’s no shadow. As far as I can see, he isn’t watching us walk. Which is good. Hopefully he’s in bed, letting his leg heal.

He continues walking, and I follow along. “I knew him back when he was starting his company. I was still doing open-call auditions back then. We were broke, basically.”

“No top-shelf vodka?”

“No top-shelf vodka. That came later, for both of us. The truth is I hold myself responsible for getting him into the party scene. Those are my people.”

Part of me wants to defend Mr. Rochester. Beau. He can choose his own friends. The other part of me acknowledges that he was an outsider last night. Even though he fit in—he had the money, the connections, everything they wanted from him. He didn’t enjoy himself there. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because he partied pretty hard after he sold his company. I’m not sure he ever really recovered. Then he got the call about Paige. Now you’re here.”

“I’m the nanny. That’s all.”

He gives me a get real look.