Page 44 of The Nanny Goal

“And you start that program in July?”

Another nod.

“Good.” He searches my face. “That’s exciting.”

I inhale slowly, pretending it’s simply to steady myself, and not at all to catch another whiff of that coconut scent. “Thank you.”

“So can you stay with us until then?”

“Pardon?” Surely I misheard him because I was sniffing him. Until when?

“I’d love it if you could help us out until the summer.”

“I can definitely stay for a few days. But…”

“A few days?” he frowns. “I need you longer than that.”

Oh, the way he says that is dangerous. I could misconstrue that so easily. “A week, then. I have a flight back to Minneapolis the day after Forrest’s team comes to town.”

“Flights can be rebooked. I will pay you an advance for two weeks up front. Or whatever you need.”

“It’s not about money.” I try not to sound desperate, but I just thought?—

“Do you have a job? I can speak to your boss.”

“It’s not— I’m saying, I can only give you a few days. A week at the absolute most. Just until you hire the right people.”

Alexei’s eyes glitter darkly. “I agree that I need to hire the right people. I think you are the right people.”

“I’m not?—”

“I know you say you are only an EBUG. But you are very good with Inessa.”

“Well, I know how to distract?—”

“Do you think I should hire Ms. Petrova instead?”

I shrug. “If you think she is the best option for watching your daughter, I can’t argue with you.”

His brows slam together. “You can argue.”

“Not my place. But I know she doesn’t approve of me, so that’s a good reason for me not to stay very long. I can cook some meals in advance and stock your freezer, though.”

“How could she not approve of you? You spent what, ten minutes together?”

I shrug again, casually, as if I couldn’t care less what she thinks of me. As if I haven’t been annoyed since yesterday. “Maybe she could sense that I will be a terrible influence on your daughter.”

The storm cloud reaction is genetic. Alexei glowers about this exactly the way his daughter did about the raspberry standoff. “Nonsense.”

“You don’t want to know how I bribe her to stop crying. Your nanny would never approve.”

“That person is not my nanny. Unless you abandon me in a few days. Then I will need to hire her.”

He says that silkily, like a threat. As if he knows I don’t want him to do that, and Ihatethat he can see me that clearly.

“You should hire someone,” I say as neutrally as I can manage. “Maybe I could help you find some better nanny options.”

His eyes light up. “I would be so grateful.”

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