Between Here and the Horizon Read Online Free Page A

comfortable, so they don’t need to curse and swear, or say horrible things. It would be counterproductive for me to respond in any way to that kind of behavior.” I knew he was testing me; he had to make sure I was a suitable role model to care for his children, but asking such a blatant, awful question was borderline offensive. Ronan remained impassive, hands stacked in his lap, leaning back in his chair, watching me.  
    “Okay. Let’s discuss your availability. The agency I hired to fill this position said you weren’t working at the moment. Why is that?”
    “The school closed down. I wasn’t fired, if that’s what you’re implying. All the staff at St. Augustus’s were made redundant.” I could feel myself growing pricklier by the second, but I couldn’t seem to help myself. There was something infuriating about the way he was asking his questions that made me feel inferior and unqualified to essentially babysit his children. I didn’t like it. I didn’t like it one bit.  
    “ I see .” In that small statement, Ronan Fletcher made me feel as though it were my fault that St. Augustus’s had gone under. My fault that the funds couldn’t be raised to keep the school going; My fault that the other faculty members had lost their jobs, too. In my head, I was reeling, all kinds of excuses and explanations dancing on the tip of my tongue, begging to be unleashed. I didn’t utter a word, though. I just sat there, hollowed out and miserable, as Ronan seemed to consider his next move.  
    “So you would be available to start immediately?” he said finally.  
    “I would.” I was surprised he was even bothering to check this information, given how clear it was that he didn’t think me fit for the job.
    “And do you get sea sick?
    “I’m sorry?”  
    “Sea sick. There’s a considerable amount of boat travel involved in this job.”
    I just stared at him blankly. “I would have to cross the river a lot?”
    “Not the Hudson, no. I need someone to care for my children in my hometown, which just so happens to be on a remote island off the coast of Maine. There is a six-mile ferry journey between the mainland and The Causeway, and sometimes the waters can be pretty rough. The position is a six-month contract, as I’m sure the agency explained to you. You will have two days off a week, and the children’s aunt will also be on hand to assist in their care. Ideally, the successful candidate for this role will take care of the children during the day, making them breakfast, taking them to school after the new year, once they’re enrolled at the local elementary. Collecting them and helping them with any homework, playing with them in the evenings etc. Before they are able to go to the local school, both Connor and Amie would need to be home schooled.  
    “Rose, their aunt, will take care of them two days of the week, as well as some evenings, which she can work out with the successful candidate once they have arrived on The Causeway.” He said “ The Causeway” like it was difficult for him to form the words in his mouth.  
    “An island ?” He wanted me to leave the mainland? He wanted me to travel to some remote speck of land out in the ocean with him and his children? I couldn’t quite manage to make the information sink in. I’d been devastated by the idea of being a six hour flight away on the other side of the country, but Mom had talked me down. She’d reminded me how easy it would be to jump on a plane in New York and get back to L.A. whenever I wanted, and cheap enough too, if I was earning decent money, but an island? Off the coast of Maine? That was not a simple hop, skip and a jump away. That was far more complicated indeed.  
    Ronan seemed unsettled as he continued, which didn’t reassure me at all. “I was born on The Causeway,” he explained. “I haven’t been home in some time. If you were selected for the role, you would need to commit to traveling to the island and staying