Elaine Miller scrutinized the man standing before her.

He was strikingly handsome, with a tall, imposing frame and an air of cold, arrogant detachment. He didn't look like the type of person who would be interested in a roommate arrangement. Had she gone to the wrong door?

On the other end of the line, her friend was still rambling.

"That shouldn't be right! The agent specifically said it was a woman!"

"Oh no, this is a disaster. It’s going to be incredibly awkward living with a man, isn't it? Just come stay at my place for a while. I’ll find you another apartment."

Elaine felt a wave of frustration. Her well-meaning friend seemed to have forgotten that he was also a man, one who had been in a long-term relationship and was about to head down the aisle. If she wasn't comfortable living with a stranger, what made him think she’d be comfortable crashing at his place?

The man in the doorway, clearly catching the drift of the conversation, rubbed his temples with a weary sigh. "My apologies. My sister set this up... why don't you come inside and we can talk?"

Elaine cut the call and dragged her suitcase across the threshold. She still felt physically weak, and the suitcase was heavy enough that she stumbled slightly as she entered.

The man instinctively reached out to take the handle. "Have a seat. Let me call my sister and figure out what went wrong."

Elaine offered a polite, embarrassed murmur of thanks, but as she stepped further into the apartment, the shrill, piercing scream of a child cut through the air.

"Uncle! Do you even know how to cook? This is disgusting!"

She followed the sound to find a five- or six-year-old girl. Dressed in a frilly, bubblegum-pink dress with a matching bow in her hair, the child looked like a porcelain doll, but her face was twisted in a mask of pure disdain. She was holding a small bowl of oatmeal, ready to dump it on the floor.

The man’s brow twitched. He barked, "Charleigh Flores! Do not waste that food!"

The girl named Charleigh froze for two seconds, then opened her mouth and unleashed a wail so loud and soul-shattering it made one question the very purpose of existence.

"You’re yelling at me! I’m telling Mom you yelled at me!"

"Waaaaah! Daddy doesn't want me anymore, and you’re mean to me, too! I don't want to live anymore!"

The man’s face went dark. "Who taught you to talk like that? Do you need a timeout?"

Charleigh didn't lower her volume, but she scooted back a few inches, her dark, glossy eyes fixed on the man, ready to bolt at a moment's notice.

Elaine couldn't help it; a small, amused laugh escaped her lips.

The man finally remembered he wasn't alone. He looked at Elaine, his eyes filled with a mixture of annoyance and apology. "Forgive me... I’m Arthur Bennett. This is my niece."

"The nanny is on leave, and she’s a particularly picky eater..."

"I'm not picky! You just can't cook!" Charleigh shrieked, wailing even harder. Arthur’s knuckles whitened as he clenched his fists, a vein pulsing in his forehead.

While Arthur looked like he was about to lose his mind, something in Elaine’s chest shifted. Seeing Charleigh made her think of Maisie, her own daughter. If Maisie were older, would she be just like this?

Her expression softened. She glanced at the bowl of bland oatmeal in Charleigh’s hand. It was watery and tasteless—it was no wonder a child would hate it.

"A child shouldn't go hungry," Elaine said quietly. "Mr. Bennett, may I borrow your kitchen?"

Arthur looked surprised, but he nodded. "Of course."

The kitchen was well-stocked. Elaine got to work, eventually placing a few bunny-shaped pancakes in front of Charleigh.

The little girl took a suspicious bite, and her eyes lit up. She forgot all about her tantrum and began to devour them.

Elaine couldn't tell whether to laugh or cry. Just how inedible was Arthur's cooking to make a child this hungry? Then, a wave of melancholy washed over her. She wondered how Maisie was doing. Would she ever see her children again?

Elaine sighed and turned to Arthur. "Mr. Bennett, I don’t know what kind of misunderstanding led to this, but could I possibly stay here for a few days? I’ll pay rent, of course, and I’ll move out as soon as I find a proper place."

"Don't move out," Arthur said instantly.

Elaine blinked. "What?"

Arthur looked at her with an intensity that suggested a man who had been tortured by a bratty child for days and had finally found his savior. "You can stay here. As long as you want."

"Forget the rent," he added. "I just need you to do me a favor."