Nick kept staring at her, she rushed on. “Well, if I’m going to stay here all day anyway, I can’t just sit around twiddling my thumbs. I’d like to help, to pay you back for your kindness.”
Henny smiled from ear to ear. “Well, now, isn’t that a nice gesture on your part, honey.”
“I’ll pay her, of course.” Nick gave Henny a sharp look, then turned a questioning glance at Myla. “Do you have experience with this sort of thing?”
Myla didn’t tell him that she’d once been considered the best hostess in her neighborhood. That had been one of her husband’s demands, along with all his other demands. Instead she said, “I’ve been in charge of dinner parties before, yes. Henrietta can show me where everything is.” Lifting her chin, she added, “And I could use the money.”
She watched as Nick weighed his options, hoping for this reprieve, this time out of the cold. Finally, he spoke.
“Well, I certainly don’t have time to find anybody else. Okay, you’ve got the job. But I expect everything to run smoothly—and that means making sure your children—”
“They’ll stay out of your way,” Myla said. “I promise.”
“Good.” He turned to Henny. “After breakfast, you can get things settled up between you.”
“You’re the boss,” Henrietta said, smiling to herself as she ambled into the kitchen.
Nick watched her, and Myla saw the doubt clouding his features. Wanting to reassure him, she said, “Don’t worry. I can do whatever needs to be done. I want to help and I won’t let you down.”
“That’s good,” he contended, “since I’m trusting you alone in my house.”
Not liking his tone, she retorted, “I’m a Christian, Mr. Rudolph. I won’t steal anything if that’s what you’re implying.”
“I wasn’t implying anything. And I certainly didn’t mean to insult you.”
Seizing the opportunity, Myla rushed on. “Then you might consider letting me fill in for Henrietta. I could work for you until she gets back from her trip.”
That got his attention. “I hadn’t planned on a long-term replacement. I don’t go all out for the holidays.”
“That’s a shame,” she countered. “Christmas is such a beautiful, blessed time of year.”
“I don’t like Christmas,” he insisted. “In fact, this dinner party tonight is more of an obligation to my clients than a celebration.”
“Why wouldn’t you want to celebrate?” she had to wonder out loud. “The birth of the Savior is a joyous time.”
He didn’t give her the answer she wanted. Instead, he said, “Henny’s planning to be gone until the first of the year. Are you willing to work through Christmas?”
Myla was glad, but surprised that he wanted her to stay that long. She needed a job, but hadn’t counted on this becoming a long-term arrangement. This would give her some time, though, and a safe place for her children. “A month? That would help us get a good start on the new year.”
Nick’s next words were dusted with doubt. “And, it would solve both of our predicaments—you need a job, I need a good worker.”
“What about my children? You obviously don’t want them underfoot.”
“We’ll get them enrolled in school. You were planning on doing that, weren’t you?”
Resenting his superior attitude, she retorted, “I hadn’t thought past getting them to a warm bed.”
Nick countered. “Hey, it was your idea. After Christmas you can take the money you’ve earned here and do whatever you like. This is a sensible solution for everyone concerned.”
Myla had to agree. “So you’re asking me to stay here and work for you for the next few weeks?”
He almost grinned. “I don’t remember doing any asking, but yes, I guess I am.”
She held out her hand. “Deal, unless that other job I came here for is still open. Then, I’ll help you only until I can start there.”
“Deal,” he said, shaking her hand. “I’m glad you understand that this is only temporary.”
“Oh, I understand. And I’ll need to get my car. We’ve got a few belongings left in the trunk.”
“I’ll take care of that. You take care of your daughter, then get together with Henny so she can explain how everything’s run around here.” He started toward the long, central hallway, then turned. “We’ll put you in Henny’s apartment off the kitchen. It’s more private.”
“That’s fine,” Myla said. At least it would be a roof over her head for a while, and it would be much more suitable than the spare guest room, since this was a strictly business arrangement. “I’d better get back up to the children. Jesse needs this medicine.”
“Don’t forget Henny’s hot lemonade with honey,” he reminded her. “Works wonders. I’ve got to get to work. Oh, and one other thing. I always do a background check on my employees. Any problem with that?”
Hesitating, Myla stammered, embarrassed. “No, but I think you should know a few things. I haven’t held a job since high school. I was…I chose to stay at home after my children were born. And my credit is shot because…I had to file bankruptcy.”
He gave her a sympathetic look that hid his own doubts as to the wisdom of this arrangement. “Anything else?”
“Isn’t that enough?” she replied with a small smile. “I’ll do a good job, I promise,” she added sincerely.
Nick stared down at her a moment, nodded briefly, then turned to go.
She watched Nick walk away, then she sent up a silent prayer. Don’t let me mess this up, the way I’ve messed up my life.
She’d be so ashamed if he knew the whole truth.
“This is so exciting!”
Lydia Rudolph stood at the window of her brother’s downtown Shreveport office, gazing out at the Red River some twenty floors below. “I mean, I’m twenty-five years old, big brother, and this is one of the few times I’ve actually seen you do something almost human.” She fluffed her shining blond bob and beamed brighter than the lighted Christmas stars twinkling insistently on the building across from them. “This only goes to show what I’ve tried to tell you all along—doing something good for someone brings out the best in people, even an old Scrooge like you.”
“I am not a Scrooge,” Nick said in protest. “I can’t help it if I don’t feel the same strong sense of religion that you do, Lydia. I’m quite happy with my life the way it is, thank you. In fact, I’m just a happy-go-lucky kind of guy.”
Lydia snorted, causing her bright red hoop earrings to jingle. “Right. You’re a great faker, Nick, and we both know it. But
