Six Single Dads' Nanny (Love by Numbers 5)

10

Jordan

It was finally Friday, and a lower key one at that. I loved my job. The kids were wonderful and the dads were obviously wonderful, but all the running around took a toll on me. I knew that I had to take Nova to ballet practice a little later on, but for the time being I was taking a relaxing bath and enjoying the solitude. My friend Khloe had texted me several times wanting to catch up, but with the kids and the guys I hadn’t had much of a chance. It seemed like the perfect opportunity, now that I had a few moments to myself, to call her and see how life had been treating her.

I pulled out my wireless headphones and dialed her number. The phone trilled a few times and then clicked as it went live. “Well hey there. I was beginning to think you were cutting me off,” Khloe sang.

“Of course not,” I responded. “Life has just taken a… strange turn.”

“What’s that mean?” Khloe said.

“Well, remember that job I was texting you about, the nanny gig?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

“Well, when I got to the interview, the dad dropped the bomb on me that it wasn’t just a position to watch one guy’s kids, but six guys’ kids. Seven kids in total,” I explained, knowing full well that wasn’t the craziest part of the story.

“No way! You didn’t accept it, did you? That seems like a totally cheap and unfair way to trick someone into looking after multiple kids. Besides, there are laws against underpaying someone for something like that,” Khloe ranted.

“Uh, yeah, underpayment is far from an issue,” I said. “I’m making more money monthly at this one job than I have at all of my previous jobs combined.”

“Shut up,” Khloe said. “Do they need another nanny? Housekeeper?”

“What happened to wedding planning?” I asked. Khloe and I had been friends for a few years and both came to Texas to pursue our careers. Khloe was in high-end party planning, specifically, fancy, celebrity-worthy weddings.

“I’m still doing it, but this current job…” Her voice trailed off. “We’ll get to that, but finish telling me about this. You don’t hate it?”

All the guys and kids faces flashed across my brain and my heart got three sizes bigger. “No, quite the opposite actually. I absolutely love the kids, and I think… Well, I think I may be falling for the dads too.”

“Whoa! Pump the breaks, missy! You can get involved with the fathers of the kids you’re nannying. What if the mothers find out?” Khloe said.

“No mothers in the picture,” I said. “I’m the nanny for the official Single Dad Club. Headed by one Ethan, oh-my-god-he’s-so-unbearably-gorgeous, Coleman.”

“Wow,” Khloe said. “Kind of a dream gig over there, huh?”

“Yeah,” I replied. “They’re really sweet and caring, and they treat me very good.”

“Get it, girl,” Khloe said. “I must admit, I’ve found myself in a similar predicament.”

“Really? How many guys?” I asked.

“Seven,” Khloe replied.

“Holy crap, I thought my six was a lot,” I said. “Where’d you meet them?”

“Remember when I said this current job was giving me trouble? They’re why,” Khloe said. “The groom’s seven groomsmen. They’re unreasonably good-looking, and I can tell they want me. Every time I get around them, my concentration goes to shit. I just keep imagining myself in the center of that huddle.”

I giggled. “I bet you are. Send me pictures,” I said.

“I’ll do it if you will,” she replied.

“Deal,” I said. My other line started to ring and I could see it was Cade. “Oh, this is one of my dads. I promise I’ll come out to Houston and visit once things calm down.”

“You’d better. Hopefully we’ll have even juicier notes to exchange by then,” she quipped.

“I have juicy notes,” I said. “You need to catch up.” My phone beeped again. “Okay, I really gotta go.”

“Okay,” Khloe said. “Love you. Bye.”

“You too. Bye.” I hung up my phone and answered the other line just before it would have sent Cade to voicemail. “Hello.”

“Hello there,” Cade replied in a dark, sultry voice. “How are you spending your morning off before you have to go get the kids?”

I splashed the water around me a little louder on purpose. “Just taking a bubble bath.”

“I like what I’m hearing. Can I join you?” Cade asked.

I snickered. “I’d love it, but then I’d definitely be late to get the kids.”

Cade sighed. “Too true. Speaking of which, I’m hoping you can take Nova to ballet after school today.”

I wasn’t scheduled to pick Nova up as Cade was supposed to have the day off. “Oh no, did you get called in?”

“Naturally. I work with idiots, so I suppose it’s to be expected,” he replied.

“I can take her. It’s not a problem,” I said.

“Thank you so much. I read them the riot act. I told Nova I was coming and now I have to disappoint her, and I hate that,” Cade said.