Free Falling for the Au Pair by Mia Petrova Page A

got married. A story thousands of other women have. A complete cliché. I hate clichés, dear.” I saw her roll her eyes, and for some reason that made want to laugh. “The bad thing about clichés, Audrey, is that it gets boring really fast. And, let’s be honest for a moment here, there was a time in their relationship that they stopped being lovers and came back as best friends. And that’s what they were. Even with Rachel’s birth, it didn’t change anything. At least not with them, they each loved Rachel separately.”
                  I sighed and nodded. “You know about Thomas and me.”
                  “I’ve been working for the man for the last fifteen years. Of course I know, dear,” she said, getting closer to me and taking my hands in hers. “I know you’re afraid. Who wouldn’t be? But, get inside your head what I’m about to tell you.” She stared at me; really stared at me for a moment, as if making sure I was indeed listening. “I’m one of those people that believes in fate, you know. And before you give me an eye roll, let me tell you this.”
                  “I’m was not going to give you an eye roll.”
                  “Don’t interrupt me, dear. I’m talking,” she said, not harshly, just in a normal way. “When I got serious about the Au Pair business, I thought he would never go for it. Especially when I gave him about fifty profiles to look at. The pile was enormous, and it stayed with him for eight days. He took to work, to his office, to his room, everywhere he went there it was. A big pile under his arms. It was difficult for him, I could see it, in his mind he was trusting his daughter’s life to a complete stranger.”
                  Gloria was an amazing storyteller, indeed. My heart beat faster at every word she said, and my entire attention was fully on her. I couldn’t look away or do anything else besides listen.
                  “Then, at the night of the eighth day he told me he had found what he was looking for. I thought to myself, great, finally, now we’ll proceed. He handed me your profile and I started to read. Sure, you seemed like the best fit, but when I saw your age and your picture I said you weren’t the right one.”
                  “What? Why” Even though I knew I was being picked, my heart still beat like a drum.
                  “Hush,” she said. “I thought a beautiful young woman like yourself would be a distraction. I wanted someone more mature. But you know what he said to me?”
                  Finally giving me permission to say, I said. “What?”
                  “He said, and I quote: I looked at fifty girls and no one has her qualifications to look after Rachel. I want her, Gloria. If I can’t have her, I won’t have anyone else .”
                  My eyes filled with water with some reason.
                  “He didn’t know your name, your age, didn’t even know your appearance. But, he chose you. Of all the other girls, he chose you .”
                  A few tears escaped my eyes and I was fast to wash them away. “So? Like you said, he chose me because of how good I was for Rachel, not to him.”
                  “By being good to her, you’re good enough for him. From the moment he saw you I knew he was into some very big trouble. I haven’t even seen that look on his face before. And then, the days started to pass, Rachel improved tremendously from the moment you walked into her life, and Thomas, goodness gracious. I’ve never seen him so smitten. He started to laugh, Audrey. Believe me when I tell you this, I never saw him having a laugh with anyone. And let’s not forget about the tired looks and the bags under his eyes. That completely vanished. I know all of these things are because of you. They seem like small things, but is often the