Page 8 of Six of Hearts
Gabriel Stone, a police officer, had a six-year-old son named Caleb. His letter had been blunt about his ex-wife abandoning them, about feeling guilty for the long hours his job demanded. He kept Caleb busy with activities—maybe too busy, I'd wondered, reading between the lines.
Ethan Hart, CEO of an automotive company. Five-year-old Leo, who loved cars and Legos. Ethan's letter had been warm, full of obvious pride in his son. Leo did Lego League after school during the week.
And then there was Ronan Vale.
I picked up his letter again, frowning. He was a construction company CEO. He had a five-year-old son named Finn, who did martial arts on Saturdays. But unlike every other letter, there was no mention of Finn's mother. Not divorced, not separated—just... nothing. As if she'd never existed.
It nagged at me. Was she dead? Had she left? Was it too painful to discuss with a potential nanny?
I set the letter down and rubbed my eyes. Maybe I was overthinking it. Maybe it simply wasn't relevant to the job.
But the whole situation was unusual enough that my brain kept circling back to questions. Six single fathers, all apparently friends, pooling resources to hire one nanny for all their kids? It was practical, sure. Cost-effective. But it also suggested a level of trust and coordination that seemed... rare.
How had they even met? How long had they known each other? And why were they *all* single?
I shook my head. None of my business. My job was to care for the children, not psychoanalyze their fathers.
I gathered up the letters and tucked them into my bag, then pulled out the small wrapped packages I'd prepared. One for each child—nothing expensive, just small gifts chosen based on what I'd learned from their fathers' letters.
For Oliver and Theo, baseball gloves in different colours with their names embroidered on them. Twins deserved to be seen as individuals.
For Mila, a jewellery box with a tiny ballerina inside. I'd painted a small 'M' on the ballerina's costume.
For Caleb, a pocket-sized rain stick. Something tactile and calming, in case he ever felt overwhelmed.
For Hazel, an activity book with different types of puzzles and games. A way to learn what interested her.
For Leo, a small toy car—a green hot rod with red details.
And for Finn, a snow globe I'd carefully modified, painting the snowman inside to look like a tiny ninja.
I wasn't trying to buy their affection. I just wanted them to know I'd been paying attention, that I cared about who they were as individuals. First impressions mattered, especially with children.
I changed into comfortable jeans and a zip-up hoodie—professional enough to meet the fathers, practical enough to interact with kids. Left my hair down, though I'd probably wear it up most days going forward.
As I drove to Noah's address, my stomach fluttered with nerves and excitement. This was it. The job that could change everything—my financial situation, my career trajectory, maybe even my life.
I just hoped I was ready for it.
I was climbing out of my ancient Toyota Corolla when another car pulled up—a sleek, metallic grey Rolls-Royce that made my vehicle look like it had been assembled from spare parts.
The driver's door opened, and a man stepped out. Tall, dark hair falling to his shoulders, wearing jeans and a black long-sleeve shirt that somehow looked effortlessly elegant. He had the kind of face that belonged in magazines—sharp jawline, warm eyes, an easy smile.
He noticed me and his smile widened. "Hello!"
I felt my throat go dry. Get it together, Aria. "Hi," I managed, too quietly.
"What?" He started walking over.
"Hi!" I said louder, feeling my cheeks warm. "I'm Aria."
"Ah, Aria." He extended his hand, and I shook it. His grip was firm, confident. "It's lovely to meet you. I'm Ethan Hart, Leo's dad."
"Nice to meet you too." I tried to sound professional and not like I'd just been mentally cataloging how attractive he was. "I was hoping to meet everyone today."
"Noah thought it would be easier this way," Ethan said. "Ease you into the chaos all at once rather than dragging it out. Iwanted to be at your interview, but we figured one of us was intimidating enough."
I laughed. "It was definitely a surprise to learn it was seven kids instead of two. But I'm excited. Your letter about Leo was wonderful—I can't wait to meet him."
