Page 92 of The Nanny and the Hothead
“A thing,” Harper, Penny, and Libby repeated in unison as they narrowed in on him.
Jesus! Charlotte had one hell of a girl gang.
“Charlotte is helping me with my food truck,” he stammered, gesturing toward the truck.
“Is she?” Penny chimed.
“Mitch is taking some time away from his restaurant to bring back his food truck for a limited-time run. He’s going to write about the experience. And his publisher hired me to take some pictures and help out with orders while he’s cooking,” Charlotte explained.
So far, so good. That description sounded professional as hell.
“You’re one full-service gal,” Harper cooed.
“I’m whatever Mitch needs,” Charlotte replied, her blush deepening as she reached for the key on the chain and twisted it between her fingers nervously.
And…so much for looking like professionals.
“I bet you are,” Harper quipped from beneath the hat, bumping shoulders with Libby, who still looked ready to snap.
“Harper, play nice. I’m sure Charlotte and Mitch have it under control. Charlotte is a fantastic photographer. We know that. You’ll be in good hands, Mitch,” Penny added.
“What’s going on with Mitch’s hands?”
Mitch whipped around and found Landon Paige weaving his way past a group of parents. With a ball cap pulled down topped with a hoodie obscuring most of his face, he and Harper looked like two incognito peas in a pod.
“Why are you here?” he asked.Who else was going to show up?
Landon gestured over his shoulder. “I’m here with Raz. We were at the gym. And let me tell you—that guy is a beast! You should see what he benches,” the man began, then paused and focused on Harper. “I’ve got to ask. Are you some obscure pop star attempting to hide your identity?”
Oh, Christ!
“Excuse me?” Harper barked.
Landon scanned the parents and children descending upon the school grounds. “I have to worry about that, too. I can barely go anywhere without people asking for my autograph.”
“Dude,” Rowen chided.
“It happens…sometimes!” Landon exclaimed, then adjusted the hoodie.
This guy!
“What are you doing here, Landon?” he asked.
“Raz had an appointment to speak with the principal, and I offered to drive him here. He’s at the door, heading in now,” Landon answered, glancing over his shoulder when Libby, who’d barely said a word, gasped as rage flashed in her eyes. The petite woman frowned, then growled something that sounded a lot like the wordbeefcake.
Who even used that word anymore?
Clearly, this chick.
Harper rolled her eyes, then took Libby’s arm. “Ms.No-Namaste-Todayand I are going to take off before she releases a chi-storm and curses the karma of everyone in a fifty-mile radius.” She turned to the kids. “Phoebe, Oscar! Be good! And don’t put up with any,” she said, then tapped twice.
Phoebe saluted, and Oscar followed suit as Charlotte said goodbye to Harper and Libby.
“I better take off, too, and wait in my car,” Landon added. “That lady over there in the yellow vest with the sign has looked my way at least three times.”
“She’s the crossing guard,” Rowen countered. “She’s watching children cross the street.”
“Or she recognizes me,” the former heartthrob blurted before taking off for the parking lot when a bell rang out.
