Alien Architect Needs a Nanny (Alien Nanny Agency 1)

Ra’as

Ra’as wandered the house, wondering where the hell his family could be.

He’d searched high and low and the only evidence of them was Dyrk’s abandoned gamepad on the foyer table.

He glanced down at it in his hand and frowned.

If Dyrk had left it on the hall table, it could only mean it was broken.

How many of these damned things was Ra’as going to have to buy? The kid had broken two already. And he threw a fit if he didn’t get the upgraded version each time a new one came out. It seemed like Dyrk spent half his time staring into it like it was some kind of oracle.

Or maybe I’m just jealous he doesn’t look at me that way anymore...

Shaking his head, he wandered downstairs and heard laughter floating in through an open window from the lawn below.

The garden, right. They must be out there goofing around.

Ra’as was pretty sure they wouldn’t be able to get flowers to grow out there, but he was happy to sacrifice part of his lawn if it got the kids outside a little. What was the point of owning a magnificent, wooded estate if no one ever went out there to enjoy it? They might as well be in a downtown penthouse.

He headed out the back door and walked around to the side yard.

The laughter was louder now, and it sounded like his mother was here.

Oh, poor Emilia.

Io’vastincha Drayven didn’t like any of the nannies he’d ever hired, even though she begged him to hire them so she could get to work. The only household employee of his she had ever liked was Ayrann, the cook. And their friendship had taken years to develop.

When he finally turned the corner, he couldn’t believe his eyes.

His mother stood beside Emilia, laughing and patting the nanny on the arm. And Emilia was smiling and looking completely relaxed and happy.

Well, she won over Mr. Grinks, he thought to himself. Why not my mother?

“Hello,” he called out.

His mother immediately beckoned him over, her finger to her lips.

When he reached her side, she pointed to the kids.

Dyrk was toiling away, overturning grass to reveal the rich soil below.

And Mimi was going along behind him, placing things down at intervals.

“Good-bye, Mr. Turfengs,” Mimi called out politely as she carefully placed something wiggly on the ground. “Good luck in the dirt.”

“Are those… worms?” Ra’as asked.

“They aerate the soil,” Emilia said, nodding, her eyes dancing with laughter.

“But did she name them?” he asked in wonder.

“Each and every one,” Emilia said. “She mentioned that they aren’t allowed to have pets?”

Ra’as groaned.

“What?” she asked innocently.

“Don’t you start begging for a pet too,” he warned her.