The Bully's Nanny - The Nannies
She made a note of everything she needed to do.
Clean, grocery shop, and put this man back together. He looked a mess. Well, not completely. The clothes he wore were clean, but clearly the man wasn’t all put together. This wasn’t any real way to live and she needed to fix that and fix this.
“What’s Meghan’s routine?”
“There’s no routine other than the usual. When she gets up, she uses the bathroom, I dress her—”
“She doesn’t dress herself?”
“No. She has breakfast. We hang out. If she wants to go to the park, we do. Stay in watch movies, we do. You know.”
“She tells you what you do.”
“Pretty much.”
She kept on nodding. “What about school?”
“Er, next September?”
“So a couple of months away?” she asked.
“What?”
“We’re in April, and September is a few months away. Just over five months.”
“Shit, yes.”
“Don’t worry. I can set up a routine.”
“Okay, but nothing that will disturb her, either. You know? I think she needs to be taken care of. Her mother’s not around.”
“And you’re compensating for that.”
“You’re making it sound like a problem.”
“It’s not a problem.”
“I’ve been doing really well for now.”
“I get that. I apologize.”
“I’m not like any other family you’ve worked for. I don’t need you criticizing the way I do shit.”
“I’m not.”
“Good.” He gripped the edge of the counter. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
“No, I shouldn’t have spoken to you that way. Look, I know I’m fucking up on a daily basis. I know I swear a lot and it’s not good. You may hear Meghan swear a lot too. This wasn’t supposed to happen, okay? I didn’t anticipate any of this. I’m trying.”
“I get it.”
“Do you? Because I don’t think you really understand,” he said.
“I do understand. Children are very difficult and it can be hard to provide them a stable environment. If you don’t like me being here, please say so.”
“You’ve given up an apartment,” he said.
“So, there are other apartments. I only want what’s best for Meghan. If you don’t like me to be here, then tell me. I can, you know, leave.” She didn’t know why she was pacifying him.
He didn’t deserve it. He clearly knew he was making mistakes. Still, he was trying.
She saw that. The last thing she wanted to do was upset or offend him. He’d be her employer and she’d already promised herself she’d put the past to bed. It was where it belonged. In the past. Away from the now.
“I want you to stay. I know … I’ve read a couple of the books. I shouldn’t be letting her be in charge and all that. I fuck—messed up. It’s just, I don’t know the first thing about raising a kid on my own. Tilly was supposed to be here.”
“I’m sorry.”
“She’s not dead, she just doesn’t want to be a mom anymore, or take care of her responsibilities.”
“I’m still sorry. I don’t have any kids and I don’t know your situation. I’m not here to guide you, Drew. I’m here to help. I don’t want you to think I’m pushing or controlling you.”
“You’re not.”
“How about I come up with a routine as I see you going through yours today? I’ll go through it with you, and then we can see about implementing it. I’ll always put any ideas by you first. Meghan will need some structure for school as well.”
“You’re right.” He rubbed the back of his head.
The toast was already burning. He quickly dived for it and started to spread butter over the blackened bread. He took a bite, wrinkled his nose, and took another bite.
“Do you want me to cook you something?”
“Nope. I’m good. I’ve gotten used to eating anything so long as it will keep me sane, you know?”
She smiled. “Fair enough.” She’d also cook for him and get up early enough to make him breakfast.
“What is it you do?”
“I’m a lawyer.”
“You are?”
“Don’t sound so surprised.”
“Back in high school, you were all about the football.”
“Injuries change things. I got my injury early enough to change to law. I was lucky. Some aren’t. I’m not just a pretty face. How come you’re a nanny?”
“Bad experience at college.”
“You didn’t finish?”
“Not at the college I went to. I dropped out. I finished my degree a few years ago. It took time, but I got there. I also took several courses at local online colleges about how to take care of children.”
“Why do I feel there’s a story there?”
“There’s always a story. Some are just better than others.” She shrugged. There was no way she was going to get into that, not now, not ever.
Her private life would remain that way.
Chapter Three
After months away, Drew finally sat behind his desk. He ran his hands over the mahogany wood. It was a fitting desk for a damn good lawyer. He was full as well. Back at work, on a full breakfast, with his daughter being taken care of.