Читать книгу Out of Hours...Enticing the Nanny: The Nanny and the CEO / Nanny to the Billionaire's Son / Not Just the Nanny - Rebecca Winters, Barbara McMahon - Страница 10

REESE had once seen the original oil painting of Grant Wood’s American Gothic in Chicago. It depicted a farmer and a woman with stern faces standing in front of a white farmhouse. In the man’s hand was an upturned pitchfork.

Though Nick’s in-laws were good-looking people, they could have been the models for the painting. Mr. Hirst wore an expression of dislike in his eyes as he said hello. She could imagine him coming to life to poke her with his farm implement. His wife remained stiff and mute. Reese felt for the brunette woman who’d lost her daughter so recently. Lines of grief were still visible on both their faces. Pain, pain, pain.

This had to be brutal on Nick, who was still trying to deal with the loss of his wife, too. He shifted Jamie to his other shoulder. Looking at Reese he said, “I explained that the three of us are still getting acquainted. Leave what you’re doing and come with us while I show them the nursery.”

There was enough authority underlining his words for Reese to know he expected her to join them. Why, she didn’t know, but she did his bidding without question. When they reached the nursery she heard a sudden gasp from Jamie’s grandmother.

“What a surprise!” his grandfather said. “Where did your office go?”

“It’s dismantled in another bedroom. As you can see, we’re coming along thanks to Ms. Chamberlain, so you don’t need to be concerned about the baby’s welfare. Sit down in the rocking chair and hold Jamie. He just had his bath and a bottle. I doubt he’ll be hungry for another couple of hours.”

Nick handed her the baby. Reese held her breath, hoping he wouldn’t start to cry having to leave Nick’s arms. To her relief he just looked up quietly at his grandmother. It was a sweet moment. Jamie had a wonderful nature.

“I’ll get a chair from my room for you, Walter.” Nick was back in a second. “Now you can enjoy him together.” With wooden movements, he sat down next to his wife.

By tacit agreement Reese left the nursery with Nick and they headed for the kitchen. “What can I do to help?”

Aware of his body close to hers, she was all thumbs. “I just need to finish off making up these bottles.” Nick found the lids and tops and before long the task was done and eight fresh bottles had been put in the fridge.

“I had a feeling they’d make a surprise visit,” he murmured, “but not before tomorrow.”

What he meant was, he knew they’d show up when Reese was alone to see how she was handling their grandson. But by their appearance today, it was clear they hadn’t been able to wait that long.

“They’re missing Jamie,” she said. “Who wouldn’t? He’s as good as gold. Not one tear yet.”

Nick nodded. “I know. I’ve been waiting.”

“Not all babies have his wonderful disposition. It should ease your mother-in-law’s mind that he’s adapting so well to the change in surroundings.”

He trapped her gaze. “That’s because you haven’t given him a chance to get upset. When I put in for a nanny, I never thought Mary Poppins would actually pop inside the limo.”

Reese’s mouth curved upward. His comment took the chill off the remembered moment when his in-laws had first looked at her as if she was an alien. “I’m afraid there’s only one of those.”

Better that Nick saw Reese as a fictional character.

Unfortunately she couldn’t say the same thing about him. Meeting him had caused her to view him as someone very real and charismatic in spite of his deep sorrow, or maybe even because of it. Not for a second could she afford to forget this was a man who’d just lost his wife. It hadn’t even been three months. Reese needed to focus on Jamie and nothing else.

“To be honest, I was afraid I’d pop in that limo and find Captain Von Trapp surrounded by seven precocious children all needing individual attention at the same time.”

His low laughter rang in the spacious confines of the modern kitchen. No matter how hard she fought against it, the pleasing masculine sound connected to every atom in her body. She caught Nick’s gaze and something intense passed between them, stealing Reese’s breath.

“Nick?” Both of them turned in the direction of his mother-in-law’s voice. The interruption had spoiled a conversation she’d been enjoying, and something else had passed between them, too, that Reese wasn’t prepared to think about just yet. “We’d like to talk to you for a minute please.”

Her brittle words expressed in that demanding tone meant she’d heard them laughing together. Reese feared it had been like an affront to her sensibilities. This was awful. Nick shouldn’t have come into the kitchen with her.

“Of course, Anne.” He glanced back at Reese. “Excuse me. Why don’t you call down and order sandwiches and salad for us. Have them set up our lunch on the terrace. Cesar knows what I like.”

“All right.” Reaching for the phone, she gave Nick’s order to the kitchen and asked them to add a pot of coffee. The waiter was to bring their lunch up to the patio table.

Relieved to be alone at last, Reese tidied away the things she’d used in the kitchen until it was once again spotless, then she walked out to the terrace, the only safe place in the apartment at the moment. While she waited for the food to come, she looked through the telescope. Once she’d made some adjustments, she had a bird’s-eye view of one part of the Big Apple. Starting tomorrow she’d take Jamie out exploring in the stroller. Central Park was only two blocks away.

Last year she and Pam had come to New York for a few days on the train, but they’d been short on time and money. They’d ended up seeing one Broadway show and spent two days visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art. That was it. The equivalent of a grain of sand in the middle of the Sahara.

“Ms. Chamberlain?” She lifted her head from the eyepiece and discovered a uniformed waiter with dark hair transferring plates from a cart to the table. His black eyes played over her with obvious male interest. He was probably in his early twenties. “I know I haven’t seen you before. I’m Toni.”

“Hello.”

“I understand you’re the new nanny.”

“That’s right.”

“I work here Thursdays through the weekend.”

“Do you like it?”

He grinned. “I do now. If you want anything, call down to the kitchen when I’m on duty and ask for me.”

“I believe we have everything we need,” a deep, masculine voice answered for her. Nick had come out on the terrace, surprising both of them. He had an aura that could be intimidating. Just now he sounded vaguely dismissive.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Wainwright.” Toni took hold of the cart and left the terrace without delay.

“Was he bothering you, Reese?”

She shook her head. “He was being friendly. That’s all.” She walked over to the table with its large white umbrella and sat down beneath it. “Are your in-laws still here?”

He took a seat opposite her. “No. After Jamie went to sleep, they left to meet friends for lunch. Otherwise I would have invited them to have a meal with us.”

“Do you think this visit has helped them?”

Nick took the covers off their dishes. She hadn’t had a club sandwich in years. “I’m sure it didn’t, but there wasn’t anything they could voice a complaint about. It’s apparent that with you here, everything’s under control.”

But Reese knew they had made scathing remarks about her. If the looks Mrs. Hirst had given Reese in the kitchen could inflict damage, she would have been vaporized in an instant.

“Earlier Walter told me Anne was…fragile,” Nick added, as if he were choosing his words carefully. “After the way they both behaved today, I can see they’re still not happy with the idea of my bringing Jamie home. I should have made the break sooner.”

Reese sensed he was in a brooding mood. “It’s hard to make decisions when you’re grieving.”

“You have some knowledge of it?” He’d posed the mild question while devouring his sandwich.

“My fiancé and I broke up at Christmas. It hit me very hard, but I couldn’t compare it to your loss. When you have a child born into the world, you don’t expect to have to carry on without your wife.”

A bleak look entered his eyes. “Erica was in good health until she went into the hospital. Her labor wasn’t normal. By the time she got there, the placenta had torn and she’d lost too much blood faster than they could replenish it. The doctor performed a Cesarian before Jamie got into trouble.”

“Thank heaven for that,” she whispered. “He’s a little angel.”

He studied her through a veiled gaze. “Does that mean you’re not ready to back out of our contract yet?”

“If you knew me better, you’d realize I’d never do that, but I’m assuming your in-laws don’t have much faith in me. From their perspective I suppose it’s understandable.”

“I’m very pleased you’re here to help with Jamie, so let’s not worry about them. As you said, when a person is in mourning, their emotions are in turmoil. Nothing would help them but to have Erica back.”

Nick was talking about himself, too, obviously. Reese didn’t know how he was functioning. The best thing to do was change the subject.

“I’ve been thinking. How do you feel about my taking Jamie out and about in the stroller tomorrow? Just short little forays at first. Depending on how he does, maybe longer ones.”

“That’s fine. Later today we’ll program your cell phone so you can call me or Paul at any time. When you want to take Jamie farther afield, arrange it with him. He’ll drive you to spots where you can explore to your heart’s content. I’ll give you a remote to the penthouse to keep all the time. All I ask is that you check in with Albert coming and going. It’s for your safety.”

In other words, with Nick’s kind of money he would be a natural target if someone decided to arrange a kidnapping. Only now was she beginning to realize what an enormous responsibility she’d taken on. “I’ll be extremely careful with him, Nick.”

“I have no doubt of it.” He finished his salad. “I’ll open a bank account for you first thing in the morning so you’ll have funds to draw on.”

“Thank you.”

“We haven’t discussed your hours yet. If I can depend on you Monday through Friday until five every day, then you can be free to do as you wish the rest of the time. How does that sound?”

Incredibly generous. “I couldn’t ask for a more perfect arrangement. But please feel free to depend on me if something comes up in the evening or on a weekend and you need my help.”

“If that should happen, I’ll pay you overtime.”

“That won’t be necessary. Being allowed to live here in such luxury with all my meals paid for is like another salary in itself. I wouldn’t dream of taking more money than we agreed on.” She helped herself to the salad.

An amused gleam entered those dark eyes. To her chagrin her pulse sped up. The phenomenon kept happening the more she was around him. “Since we have that settled, are there any questions you want to ask me?”

“There’s only one I can think of right now. Do you know when Jamie’s supposed to go in for his next checkup?”

“The nurse indicated he saw the doctor three weeks ago. I’m going to be taking him to a new pediatrician here in the city named Dr. Wells. I’ll give him a ring tomorrow and find out when he wants to see him. They’ll send for his records right away.”

“I think that’s wise in case he needs another immunization soon.”

He sat back in the chair to drink his coffee. One of the first things she’d noticed in the limo yesterday was that he didn’t wear a wedding ring. In one way she thought it odd because his wife’s death had been so recent. On the other hand, maybe he’d never worn one, or possibly he didn’t like rings of any kind. And maybe you’re thinking about him way too much for your own good.

“If there’s anything you want to do for the rest of the afternoon, take advantage of the time, Reese. I plan to get a little work done around here and do a few laps in the pool.”

“How can you do any work when your office is in shambles?”

A chuckle escaped his throat. “I’ll worry about it later.”

“The mess will still be there later. Why don’t we tackle the other bedroom while Jamie’s out for the count? I’ll feel much better if we set it up for you. Don’t forget I’m the one who managed to get everything knocked out of whack. Kind of like the little kid who comes along and destroys the puzzle you just put together.”

His haunting smile turned her heart over. “Okay, let’s get busy.” He rose to his tall, imposing height. “But when we’re through, I’ll take care of Jamie until I leave for work in the morning.”

“He’ll be thrilled with all your attention.”

Hurrying ahead of him, she walked through the apartment to peek on the baby, who was fast asleep. He looked so precious with his arms and legs spread out, his little hands formed into fists.

“Not a care in the world,” Nick murmured near her ear, surprising her. She could feel the warmth from his hard body. For a moment she had the urge to lean into him and cling. Almost dizzy from unbidden longings, she turned away. But in the next instant she spied a glint of pain in those dark orbs and despised herself for being so aware of him when his thoughts had absolutely nothing to do with her.

Leaving them alone, she rushed out of the nursery and down the hall to the other bedroom. The room was a vision of white and café-au-lait with an exquisite white lace throw over the down-filled duvet.

White lace curtains hung at the huge window that gave out on a fabulous view of the city. There was a love seat with a jacquard design in the same colors and a white rug with a deep pile in a geometric design of coffee and beige.

When Nick came in she said, “This is a beautiful room. Luckily it’s big enough to accommodate everything if we move the love seat against that other wall. What would you think if we put your desk in front of the window where you can look out? If it gets too bright you can always draw the sheers.

“And on the left here we’ll set up your computer system. Keep in mind that if you get tired, you only have to take a few steps to the bed.”

His hands went to his hips in a purely male stance. He glanced around at all his state-of-the-art equipment without saying anything. She wandered over to the window and looked out while she waited for him to make a decision.

“I’ve got a better idea.” Reese turned to him, curious to hear what he had to say. She felt his penetrating glance. “I’m going to give up having an office altogether and work from a laptop in my bedroom when I’m forced to.”

“I don’t understand.” She was incredulous.

“There are only so many hours in the day. If I can’t accomplish what I need to do at the office, then I’ll turn it over to someone else. I have my son to think about now.” His explanation sounded more like a declaration, as if his mind had been somewhere else. “Please feel free to enjoy the rest of your day. I’m going out to the pool.”

Reese had been dismissed. Now that their business was concluded, naturally he had other plans that didn’t include her. Silly how bereft she felt.

Needing to shake the feeling, Reese went to her bedroom to start studying. But an hour later she realized she’d been going over the same section of work a dozen times and nothing was sinking in. All she could think of was a pair of dark eyes that set her heart rate fluttering.

What she needed was a good walk in the park to clear her head.

“Albert?” Nick approached the front desk at three in the afternoon. “Has Ms. Chamberlain gone out with Jamie yet?” It was Friday. He’d turned over some work for one of the office staffers to finish up so he could come home early and spend it with Jamie.

“She left maybe a half hour ago.”

“Thank you.”

Disappointment crept through him because it wasn’t only his son he’d been longing to see. All week he’d found himself watching the clock. When it was a quarter to five, he’d called Paul to be out in front of the building to drive him home. Today he couldn’t take it any longer and knew he had raised eyebrows when he’d taken off from work two hours before time.

He realized that their constant togetherness over those first two days had spoiled him. Now, Nick missed talking to Reese. She was the most alive woman he’d ever met. Intelligent. Her conversation stimulated him and there was no question Jamie adored her.

Since he had no legitimate reason to prevent her from doing what she wanted with her spare time, he usually took his son up on the roof to the gym and worked out in front of him.

Throughout the week she hadn’t called down to the kitchen for dinner once. That gave him no opening to join her. Apparently she liked fixing her own food and ate before he arrived, frustrating him no end.

Not able to take it any longer, he broke his own rule and phoned her. She answered on the fourth ring. “Hello, Nick? Are you phoning from your office?”

Her voice sounded tentative, if not a trifle anxious. He brushed aside the thought that he knew her voice so well already, knew how she was feeling simply from the tone of it. He had to remind himself that as much as he enjoyed Reese’s company, she was only temporary in his and Jamie’s life.

“No. Where are you and Jamie?”

“At the park. Is anything wrong?”

He sucked in his breath because it seemed there had to be some kind of emergency in order for him to be with her at a different time than the schedule dictated. The schedule you established, Wainwright!

“I was able to tie up work early and decided to spend the rest of the day with my son.”

“I’ll come right home then.”

“That won’t be necessary. Tell me where to find you.”

Nick heard her hesitation. He didn’t know if it was because she wasn’t sure of her exact location, or if she didn’t want his company. If it was the latter, was it because she was afraid to be alone with him? In his gut he knew she wasn’t indifferent to him, but maybe she didn’t want the relationship between them to move to a more personal level. He knew it would be a mistake to blur the lines between them, but Nick was becoming more and more enchanted with Reese.

He grimaced when he thought she might be in contact with her ex-fiancé. Was it possible she still had feelings for him? Nick had too many questions for which there were no answers yet.

“We’re in front of the Sweet Café watching the sailboats.”

“Don’t leave. I’ll see you shortly.”

Once he’d hung up, he shrugged out of his suit and changed into more casual clothes. To save time, he had Paul drop him off near the east rim of the pond.

A mild breeze kept the sun from being too hot. Tourists and locals came here in any kind of weather, but there were more people than usual milling about this afternoon. Quite a few of them were pushing children in prams and strollers. Nick scanned the area looking for Reese’s ponytail. She didn’t appear to be around.

One knockout blonde with hair attractively tangled caught his eye over by the water where she was examining one of the sailboats. She wore a filmy layered top in blues and greens over a pair of jeans defining womanly hips. Her slender yet rounded body reminded him of someone. He moved closer and suddenly his heart pounded with ferocity because he saw Jamie in the stroller in front of her.

“Reese?”

She whipped around, causing her wavy ash-blond hair to swish against the top of her shoulders. The change of hairstyle had thrown him. He couldn’t decide which one he liked better. Her hair had the kind of texture he’d love to work his fingers into.

At first glance her eyes flickered, causing them to reflect the blue off the water. They seemed to search his for a long moment before she averted them and leaned over to pull Jamie out of his seat.

“Look who’s here.” The second Jamie saw Nick, he grew more animated and squirmed to reach him. “You know your daddy all right.” Reese gave a gentle laugh as she handed him over.

Nick kissed his son, rocking him for a minute while he enjoyed the smell of her flowery scent on the baby’s cheeks and neck. “Have you missed me today? I know I’ve missed you.” He pressed a kiss to Jamie’s tummy, provoking more smiles and laughter.

Today she’d put him in the green suit with the grouper fish on the front. In his tiny white socks and white hightops, the picture he made tugged at Nick’s heart. He was proud to claim him and grateful for the meticulous care Reese took of him.

He flicked his gaze to her. “Have you walked to the north end to see the Alice in Wonderland statue?”

She nodded. “It’s wonderful. I particularly loved the Mad Hatter. I can’t wait until Jamie’s old enough t—” She stopped midsentence. He found it fascinating how an unexpected flush spilled into her cheeks.

“To what?” he prodded, already knowing the answer.

“I have a tendency to run on sometimes. Obviously I won’t be around when he’s older…it’s just sometimes difficult to think about not seeing this little one grow up.” Nick was gratified to find her this attached to Jamie already. In truth, for the past week he’d been imagining a future that included the three of them. Since the moment he’d brought her to the penthouse, he’d been happier than he’d ever been in his life.

He couldn’t pin it down to any one thing or moment. All he knew was that she was on his mind to the point it was interfering with his concentration at the office. “Let’s grab a bite while we’re here. Have you eaten?”

“I hadn’t planned to until we got back to the penthouse.”

“Are you hungry?”

“I have to admit a salad and lemonade would hit the spot.” No doubt she kept her expenses down by not spending money on food.

“I’m hungrier than that.” Since the advent of Reese in his life, his appetite had grown. Food tasted better. The sky looked bluer. When he woke up in the morning, the world seemed filled with new possibilities. He looked down at his son. “What about you, sport?”

Reese answered for him. “I’m sure he wouldn’t turn down a bottle. It’s warm out here.”

With Jamie against his shoulder, Nick pushed the stroller. Together they made their way to an empty table and sat down beneath the umbrella, welcoming the shade. As he looked around, it dawned on him he hadn’t been here in years. He’d been so busy making money for the brokerage, this part of life had passed him by completely.

“Here’s a bottle for him.” Reese handed him a burp cloth, too.

“Thank you.” His breath caught when their eyes met. “The waiter’s coming over. Will you order me a steak sandwich and coffee while I feed Jamie?”

The baby nestled in his arm, eager for his formula. He was hungry and virtually inhaled it, then let out several burps loud enough to bring some other diners’ heads around with a smile.

Laughter bubbled out of Reese. He loved hearing it. “Your son would be welcome in some parts of the world where it’s polite to burp after a good meal.”

He continued to rub Jamie’s back in order to get out all the air. By the time his eyes fluttered closed, their food had arrived. Nick lowered him into the stroller and put the canopy down to shield him from the sun.

While Reese ate her salad, he attacked his sandwich. “Did I tell you I’m taking him to his grandparents in the morning?”

She nodded. “I bet they can’t wait to see him.”

“Next time I’ll take you with us.”

A shadow crossed over her lovely face. “Why would you do that?”

“For one reason, you’ll be ready for a change of scenery. For another, Jamie is already attached to you. Another week of enjoying your exclusive attention and he’ll have a hard time being separated for a whole day. With you along to reassure him, things will go better.” He could tell by the shadows in her eyes she was worried about it.

“Don’t be concerned. You’ll be free to walk around certain parts of the grounds. Hirst Hollow is open to the public on Saturdays. You’ll be enchanted with the flower gardens.”

Reese finished her lemonade. He could practically see her mind taking it all in, working up a protest. After she put her glass down, she didn’t disappoint him. “No matter what, your mother-in-law won’t be enchanted to see the nanny along for the ride, especially this nanny!”

“Anne’s going to have to get used to it. You’re an integral part of my household.”

“But Jamie doesn’t come from a normal household.”

“Go on,” Nick urged, drinking the rest of his coffee. He was curious to hear the words she was getting ready to spout from lips he suddenly realized he’d love to taste.

“You don’t really want me to spell it out.”

“You’re wrong,” he fired back. “I’m fascinated by everything you have to say on the subject.”

“If I told you, it could be taken as an insult, and that’s the last thing I would want to do when I’ve been given a dream job.”

“At least do me the courtesy of telling me how my son’s home is not normal. I have to work, and I need someone to look after Jamie—what’s wrong with that?”

He was prepared to hear that he made the kind of money that separated him from the masses, but she said something else instead—something that touched on that painful area of his soul no one else knew about or understood.

“In the short time I’ve worked for you, I’ve learned that Jamie is a Hirst and a Wainwright, two blue-blooded American families.”

“You mean we only breathe the rarified atmosphere of the elite upper class from England going back several hundred years? You’re right, Ms. Chamberlain. Someone put it much better than I could. ‘In our world men were better than women, horses better than dogs, and Harvard better than anything.’”

Her cheeks turned to flame, but she held his gaze. “I should never have brought this up.”

“Why not? It’s the truth. Did you know the Wainwrights have had horses on Long Island going back at least two hundred years? Nothing’s more important than pedigree and belonging to the right clubs. Not even marriages have as much significance as long as the principles belong to that exclusive world where the women provide the decoration.

“Everyone has rank, some higher than others. One is aware of his social placement at all times. That’s only the outer shell we’re talking about. Unlike the soft meat of the crab, their inner stuffing is even harder. It blinds them to the loving and understanding of their own children.”

As he spoke, emotion darkened her eyes.

“Erica’s and my family share an ancestry that has been in love with itself for generations. They’ve continued to hone the ‘right’ way to do things to a fine art while at the same time distancing their offspring by their criticism and lack of affection.”

He heard Reese’s sharp intake of breath before she said, “For that very reason certain things aren’t done, like hiring an unsuitable nanny, someone like me.”

“Correct. The way you hug and kiss Jamie all the time, you’re probably the most unsuitable nanny in existence, which makes you perfect for the job.”

Her delicately arched brows knit together. “That sounded like a declaration of war.”

“War…divorce…Ultimately they’re the same thing. It’s time the cycle of neglect ended, starting with Jamie.”

“So you’re using me for a guinea pig?”

Nick nodded without shame.

“Mrs. Tribe mentioned that you’d be hiring another nanny in the fall. What about her?”

“Since my mother-in-law was the one who arranged for her in the first place, I’ll let her fix the mistake. Barbara Cosgriff’s another blue blood. She and Anne make up part of a very elite circle. The Cosgriffs won’t be in need of their nanny by September, therefore, they’re delighted to do this favor for my mother-in-law, who spoke for me without my permission, something she’s good at doing.”

“So whom do you plan to hire?”

“I’m not sure of anything yet, but it goes without saying that whoever she is, she’ll be entirely unsuitable.”

A small sad smile broke the corner of Reese’s wide mouth. “You’re a clever man gaining my sympathy so I’ll be a willing accomplice.”

“Let’s just say that for Jamie’s sake, I’d like your help. Are you with me on this?”

Her gaze darted to the baby, who was just starting to wake up. She let out a troubled sigh. “You’re my employer. I need this job and I love Jamie, so I’ll do my best for you.”

Nick ignored the little dart he felt when she referred to him as her employer. He hoped she might be inclined to do it for him. Shaking this off, he pulled out his wallet and put some bills on the table. “You have another full week before I force you to face the dragon. Put the thought away until you have to deal with her.”

“That’s not so easy to do.”

“But possible. Remember I’ve had longer practice at this than you.” He stood up. “If you’ll push the stroller, I’ll carry Jamie back to the car. He loves his bath so much, I think I’ll take him for a little swim and see how he does. Have you been swimming yet?”

She hurried to keep up with him. “I don’t have a suit.”

“But you can swim?”

“Yes.”

“In my teens I did a lot of sailing. It’s a sport I’d like to do with my son. If he’s going to share that love with me, then he needs to start getting used to the water. Already he feels safe with you. The next time you go out with Jamie, buy yourself one. Consider it your uniform and put it on my account.”

If she wanted to squirm her way out of that, too bad.