Page 27 of The Nanny and the Nerd
Penny took a gulp that would impress the grizzliest of mountain men. She’d be hammered in fifteen minutes if Charlotte kept up the interrogation. “Yes, but then he corrected it,” she answered, wiping a bit of salt from her lips.
Her friend leaned in. “And you liked him?”
Penny stared into her margarita, looking for answers in the tequila deliciousness as if it were a crystal ball. “I don’t really know him.”
“Is he good-looking?” Charlotte continued.
OMG! YES! The man is nerdy sex on a stick!
Penny shifted in her seat. “He’s not a troll.”
A knowing grin pulled at the corners of her friend’s mouth. “You’re holding back, Penn. I know you.”
“Not all of us fall head over heels in love in fifteen minutes, Char,” she threw back.
“Fine! I’ll give you that. I fall hard and fast, which explains why I’ve dated a million douchebags. But something’s going on with you, Penny,” her friend pressed.
Penny sat back and blew out a slow breath. She’d been off-balance since the moment she’d laid eyes on Rowen Gale. “The whole situation is surreal. One minute I’m getting fired, and then a few days later, I’m here, working as a nanny for some gazillionaire.”
Charlotte raised an eyebrow. “A hot gazillionaire?”
“Char!”
“You know I’m asking because I love you, and now I can live vicariously through you! My prospects aren’t looking good, Penn. I work part-time for a children’s photographer that pays basically nothing, and it’s only a matter of time before my ass gets sacked at the Crystal Cricket. Mitch fired the entire lunch shift yesterday for no reason. I was lucky I was on for dinner. So, come on! Spill!”
Penny twisted the hem of her skirt. “Okay, he’s attractive, but I can’t talk about him like that.”
“Who are we talking about? I need the deets,” came a smooth, sassy voice that instantly brought a smile to Penny’s face.
Her bestie, Harper—aka H!
She looked over her shoulder to see Harper Presley and Libby Lamb and breathed a sigh of relief. With the addition of their gal pals, Charlotte wouldn’t be able to pepper her with questions all night.
“Let’s hear it, Fennimore!” H said, giving her a hug. “Last we talked, you said that fancy Madelyn chick mentioned a job nannying for some rich guy. Did you get it?” she asked, settling in beside Charlotte.
“Oh, she got it,” Charlotte answered, waggling her eyebrows like a total freak.
Penny kicked her under the table.
“Ow! Did you kick me on purpose, Penn Fenn?” Charlotte shot back, feigning mock outrage.
Penny leaned in and waggled her eyebrows right back at the woman. “You know what it’s for—and there’s more where that came from if you don’t watch yourself, missy!”
“Ooh! Did you also meet a guy, Penn? You get riled up after you meet one of your weirdos,” Libby commented, gathering her jet-black hair into a ponytail as she sank into a chair.
Penny stared at her friend. “Wait? What did you say, Libs?”
Libby’s cheeks grew rosy. “You like ’em weird, Penn. It’s your vibe.”
Harper and Charlotte nodded.
She turned her attention back to Libby. “My what?”
“Your vibe. Your energy. Your aura is way keyed up, my friend. Would you like me to lead you through a five-minute guided meditation?” Libby offered without a shred of sarcasm.
Penny stared at her friend. “No! I am not keyed up over a guy. And I don’t date weirdos!”
“Weird guys are totally your thing, Penn,” H said, then downed an entire margarita in one gulp.
