Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 91683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
I’m about to divert my gaze, to somehow try to blend into the background and leave them to their moment when Harper’s gaze cuts to me. She’s truly an adorable kid. Which, given what her dad looks like, isn’t all that surprising. She takes after him in almost every way, including height, it seems.
I smile and give her a little wave, but she doesn’t return it. She looks absolutely devastated by the sight of me. Her eyes well with tears, her bottom lip wobbling.
“You said there would be no nannies this summer!” Her small voice shakes with sadness.
Oh no.
I leap forward.
“Nanny? Pfft. I’m not a nanny. In fact, I don’t know the first thing about kids. I can’t even tell your age. You gotta be, what, fifteen? No—sixteen?”
Harper snorts with laughter even while tears still linger in her eyes. “I’m six.”
“Six?! You’re kidding me. What do six-year-olds like to do? You read the newspaper?”
“NO!” Harper exclaims playfully.
“Oh, okay, so you prefer crosswords? I know—I bet you watch Jeopardy.”
Harper’s cute face scrunches with confusion.
“See? I’m no nanny.”
She nods then, believing me. “Then what are you?”
“I’m…”
I look to Luke, wondering how exactly I’m meant to proceed here. If he’s about to fire me, I should probably just back away slowly and cut my losses. He returns my gaze with discerning eyes and none of the warmth he shared with his daughter. But then he nods, once, giving me the green light, or so I hope…I guess there’s always the chance he could be waiting to fire me in private later.
“I’m a chef! And a caretaker for the house. And someone you can come to if you ever need anything.”
Judging by his new surly expression, Luke doesn’t like this improvised bit I’ve tacked onto the end.
“Err…if you’re hungry or need help cleaning something up that is. Strictly house things only since I’m not good with kids.” I give her a reassuring wink. “So what do you like to eat anyway? Raisin Bran?”
“Ewww!” Harper squeals, leaping down from her dad’s arms and hurrying over to inspect the cinnamon rolls. “Mmm, they smell so good.”
“They have to sit for another half hour or so before I put them in the oven. Normally I like to make them the night before. I can show you next time. Actually, I haven’t made the icing yet. You could help me if you want.”
“YES!” she squeals, jumping up and down with glee. She looks like I’ve just asked if she wants to visit a land filled with unicorns and cotton candy and dancing teddy bears. It’s impossible not to feel that way too. I’m almost tempted to start jumping up and down myself.
“Harper,” Luke says sharply.
The teddy bears get their heads cut off as I look back at my boss.
He’s got his hands on his hips. “Come on, we need to go unpack, and I need to get you changed out of those clothes.”
Harper stamps her foot. “Why? They don’t even stink or anything! Can’t I stay with—” Her sentence cuts off as she looks up at me. “What’s your name?”
“Chloe.”
“Ms. Chloe,” Luke amends.
I hold my hand out for her to shake, which she finds absolutely hysterical.
She accepts it, and I wag her limp arm up and down.
“Ms. Harper, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” I say, putting on a fake British accent to sound extra fancy.
She grins, and I can see she’s missing her two bottom teeth.
“Ms. Chloe, it is a pleasure to meet you too,” she replies, copying my bit with a British accent of her own.
Oh, she’s funny! The kid’s funny!
“Alright, Harper, c’mon,” Luke says, sounding exasperated. But when I look up at him, I can tell he’s wrestling with something.
Is he really that mad his daughter likes me? I’m a likable gal! It’s like the one perk us nice girls get.
Harper grumbles her way over to her dad, and he ruffles her hair. “Go get started unpacking, and I’ll be right there. I need to talk to Chloe for a second.”
She does as he asks and then it’s just us, alone again. He comes farther into the kitchen and walks around the island until we’re only a few feet apart. Phew. The room gets real hot real fast when his gaze falls right on me. It’s like my hormones are swinging wildly in either direction by the second. MORE adrenaline. LESS adrenaline. Just put all your effort into making her sweat, boys!
I swallow past the lump in my throat and wonder if I should try wafting more delicious scents in his direction before he begins, “So as you might have guessed, this is really complicated. I don’t allow many people around my daughter. I’ve only ever had a few nannies I trust to care for her, and even then, there’s a lengthy interview process, background checks, security screenings—all of it.”