Page 2 of Nanny Crush
I lift a brow. “That’s all the job entails?”
“Well, no. There’s more to it than that, but it’s all stuff you’re used to doing anyway. He said he wants a live-in nanny. Someone to cook, clean, look after the kids.”
“So, he basically wants to hire a mom for his kids?”
She nods. “Yes, let me get his number and you can call him.” She gets up before I even have a change to object.
A live-in nanny? I mean, it would be the perfect time. The lease is just about up on my apartment, and it would be great just to let it go. That way I could save nearly every dime I make other than paying for my phone and car insurance. I’d be able to save all the money I need to buy a small place of my own after a couple of years. This could be perfect.
She comes back and hands me a piece of paper with a name and number written on it.Liam Trenton. He doesn’t sound familiar. “Do I know this guy?”
She purses her lips. “I don’t know. I don’t think so. He’s a little older than us so we didn’t go to school with him. I don’t know much about him, but I know that after high school he went off to college. When he moved back here, he met his wife and they got married. They started having kids and then she decided that she didn’t want that life so she just up and left them all. He’s been raising the kids ever since. He works from home and it’s been super hard on him to get his work done and give the kids the attention they need.”
“His wife just left him and their kids?”
She nods. “I know, it’s horrible. He’s a great guy. Pretty good-looking, too, if you’re into older guys, and his kids are the cutest. His son is like five or six, and he looks just like his dad. He has dark hair and glasses. His daughter, she’s only three, but she’s full of sass and will probably grow up to be a model or something with her blue eyes and blonde curls. They’re super sweet. Every time they stop in, I give them free treats.” She shrugs.
I laugh. “Sounds like you.”
She shrugs again. “What can I say? I’m a sucker for cuteness.”
“Alright, I’ll think about it,” I tell her, folding up the paper and stuffing it into my pocket.
“Good. It’ll be a good job for you.”
The door opens and a small group of older ladies walk in. Kinsley sighs. “Back to the grind.” She pushes herself up and goes behind the counter to take orders and make coffee.
I turn back to the window and sip my latte, wondering if this could be a good fit for me.
I have played with my little cousins before and even though I didn’t keep them for any length of time, I didn’t let them get hurt or anything so there’s that. How hard can it be? They’re kids, not monsters.
I fold up my paper, finish my coffee, and wave to Kinsley as I walk out. The rain is falling harder now, so I hold my newspaper over my head as I rush to the car and climb behind the wheel. Turning my headlights on, I pull out into the street and start driving home. There isn’t anybody out today due to the weather, and it makes driving home a little boring.
This town is almost like a cartoon. Usually driving around provides all kind of entertainment, like the time I saw Mr. Paul with a wheelbarrow full of cantaloupe. He somehow managed to spill the fruit and then he proceeded to run after the rolling away melons. There’s always some town drama, too, like when Mr. Arnold was having a secret affair with his next-door neighbor, Ms. Vaughn. Mrs. Arnold and Ms. Vaughn were going at it in the front lawn. I’ve never seen two old ladies fight before, but it was hilarious. Nobody knew if they should step in or if they should respect their elders and let them finish what they started. In the end, the ladies were pulled apart and have been at war ever since. If one isn’t running over the other’s prized flowers, then one of them is letting their dog relieve itself on the other’s lawn. Never a dull moment from those two houses.
I pull into my drive and let myself into my apartment. I drop my things at the door, and flop down on the couch as I open my laptop and search again for places hiring near me. If I can’t find anything in this town, maybe it would be worth traveling to the neighboring town. After an hour of searching and coming up empty handed, this nanny job seems like the best option, but I think I’ll sleep on it. I don’t want to act too quickly and end up homeless and hating the job.
I close the laptop and set it aside as I grab the remote and turn on the TV. I flip through the channels and never manage to settle on anything. Feeling annoyed and stressed, I decide to do some yoga instead.
I change into a pair of yoga pants and a sports bra and roll my mat out in front of the TV as I turn on my favorite yoga DVD. The place is silent until the soft music starts up, and I immediately begin stretching. Feeling my muscles stretch releases a lot of stress, and it’s often the way I unwind after a busy day or a long night.
I push everything from my mind and focus on stretching out my muscles. By the end, I’m completely relaxed and ready to get back to figuring out the next step in my life.
Chapter Two
LIAM
“Mom, can you please keep the kids for a few hours so I can have some peace and quiet to get some work done?” I ask her over the phone, with the kids screaming and yelling in the background.
“I guess I can, Liam, but I can’t keep doing this. I have a life, too. You need to hire a nanny.”
I roll my eyes after hearing this for the hundredth time. “I know, Mom. I’m already working on it.”
“Bring them over, but you better be back to pick them up at five o’clock. I have dinner plans with a few gals from church.”
“Alright, we’re heading over now.” I hang up the phone and rush to grab the kids.
“Come on. Load up,” I tell them, walking through the living room and grabbing their jackets.
