“Yes, I did. One person stands out.”
“And who is that?”
He took her hands. “I’d like to hire you to tutor Caroline this summer.”
Four
Even though Ava had suspected this request was coming, it still surprised her. She thought of Caroline and felt torn.
“Will, thank you for your faith in me. Caroline is adorable and I think she can be helped. She’s a precious child.” Will was desperate, and she had already gotten to know him well enough that she disliked disappointing him. She hated even more hurting Caroline, although his niece would never know about his offer or her rejection.
“If you feel that way, don’t rush to answer me. Think about it tonight and give me an answer tomorrow. You see the situation here, so you know what we’re like and where you’d live and what you’d be doing. Just give it some thought.”
“When we first met I told you my plans. I’ve received my doctorate. I intend to open my own school where I can hire the teachers I want and include some of my teaching methods with my books in the curriculum.”
“I appreciate your ambition. All I’m asking you to do is postpone your plans a little,” he said, leaning slightly closer.
“Opening my own school has been my dream since I was a student aide in high school and helped in a reading program.”
“An admirable dream,” he remarked. His dark gaze consumed her and her heartbeat raced. She had no intention of letting him derail all her plans. She took a deep breath, ready to launch into a refusal.
“You’re perfect to work with Caroline and it’s already June,” he said before she could speak. “It would be the rest of this month, July and only part of August until shortly before school begins. Not quite three full months actually. It would be a three-month delay in your plans at most.”
“I don’t want to put off my dream. I’m really not a private tutor. When you meet and interview Becky, I think you’ll agree that she’s the best person for the job, and I’m sure Caroline will like her.”
He reached in a pocket and brought out a piece of paper, which he unfolded.
She was tempted to refuse to even look at it. She suspected it would be an exorbitant sum of several thousand dollars, like the amount he was paying her for the two days in Dallas.
“I figured you would turn me down, so I’ve thought about what might induce you to stay. Don’t give me an answer now. Promise me you’ll take this and think about it tonight.”
“Will, I know what I want to do,” she persisted. “This isn’t the place for me to get sidetracked, because it’s more than just taking a job for the summer. This involves a child and you—It could be complicated.” The man wasn’t accustomed to hearing no, but he was going to have to adjust.
As if he hadn’t heard her, he continued, “Just remember, a little over three months would not be a big delay in your plans, yet it would give you some finances for your school.” He held the paper out to her. “Here’s what I will pay you if you work through the summer months with Caroline.”
While she could use the money, she didn’t want to look at the amount and be tempted. Will Delaney was temptation in every way. She didn’t want to spend almost three months under the same roof with him, didn’t want to change her plans because it could be a far bigger delay once summer was over and everyone got busy with the school year.
“Will, I’m sorry, but I’ve already commenced several things. I have a real estate agent looking for a location. I’m working on getting grants.”
“Give me half a chance here,” he said quietly. “You can at least look at what I’m offering.”
“It won’t matter,” she said, growing slightly more annoyed because he still held her hand and had the paper in front of her.
“Take it, Ava,” he said in a more commanding tone. “Otherwise you’ll always wonder.”
Certain in another few minutes he would just tell her, she took the paper in exasperation. “Will, this is just ridiculous for you to be so stubborn.”
“I’m not the only one being stubborn. You can at least look at my figures and my offer.”
“Will, I understand how you—” Frowning, Ava held the paper closer to study the figures he had written. Her gaze ran over the amounts several times. Stunned, she looked at one half million dollars to tutor for the summer and another half million if Caroline came out of her withdrawal.
Ava’s astonished gaze jumped to meet his. “You can’t be serious,” she whispered.
“I’m absolutely in earnest,” he replied. “You’ll live here. You’ll be off on Saturdays and Sundays. I can have someone fly you home on weekends if you want. I want you to tutor Caroline so she can go into kindergarten this fall and fit in. Hopefully, you might get her out of her shell. You already have a great start.”
“This is an astronomical figure,” Ava said. Her eyes narrowed. “What else do you expect from me?”
“Nothing personal,” he replied, appearing slightly amused by her question. “Although you know I won’t stop flirting, and I’ll ask you out.”
She opened her mouth and then closed it and gave him another questioning glance. “This is way too much money for such a job.”
“I think you can help Caroline. It’s worth that to me if you will try. I’ve already spent a fortune with no results. I’ve had doctors, counselors, shrinks, tutors—all to no avail. I’ve been told no one can work as well with children as you can.”
“Thanks. That’s nice, but I don’t know that it’s completely accurate.”
“Don’t give me an answer now. Think about it and think about what that money can do for you and your school and your students.”
Their gazes locked. Physically aware of him, she was stunned by the staggering amount of money he offered her. Now she had to give his offer consideration. How could she turn down half a million and a chance for a million if all worked out? She wouldn’t have to worry about grants. She could buy land and a building without a struggle for financing.
Anger and dismay churned in her. He had demolished her well-laid plans. He would derail her dreams to try to get what he wanted. He had already admitted he would flirt and ask her out. Her resistance to his charm was almost nonexistent. How much would she complicate her life? If he went to such lengths to get her to work for him, how persistent would he be in trying to get her in his bed?
She stood to break the mesmerizing spell he wove and to get to herself to think clearly, but there was only one answer to give him now.
He came to his feet the moment she stood.
“I need to turn in for tonight. I’ll think about this, of course,” she said, feeling overwhelmed and still stunned. She could not turn him down now, not with this kind of money. But she wasn’t going to capitulate the instant he waved a paycheck at her.
