Page 8 of The Perfect Mistake

“Yes.” She leans back on the couch. “At the Dance Academy. I’m sorry I didn’t realize how much your hip has been bothering you. We don’t have to continue yoga.”

“It’s fine”

“It’s not. I’m sorry, Isabel.” Her smile turns determined and her eyes fierce. “But don’t worry. We’ll figure something out, I promise.”

“Yeah,” I say. I’m sure I will. But whatever it is, it won’t change the fact that my greatest dream has just died.

It’s hard to imagine if anything will ever replace it.

Alec

The text that ruins my day isn’t long. Four sentences in total—innocent in tone and infuriating in their message.

I’m handing in my notice of resignation, effective immediately. I’ve also been in contact with the agency. Your children are lovely, but I can’t provide what Willa needs. Have a good day.

Riley had lasted three weeks. Highly recommended by the childcare agency, with a master’s degree in child psychology and six years of experience, and Willa had broken her in less than a month.

I rub a hand over my forehead. This can’t continue. The agency will run out of qualified nannies, and I’ll run out of patience. Whichever comes first, and right now, it feels like I might be the factor that blows up.

For fuck’s sake.

I’d spoken to her just the other day about this. Being needlessly difficult isn’t nice. Antagonizing nannies isn’t nice. Driving them away is…really fucking inconvenient for Daddy.

There is something reluctantly admirable about Willa’s dedication to this. And I already know that when I ask my daughter about Riley quitting, she’ll look at me like an angel with big hazel eyes and soft brown hair, and tell me she doesn’t have a clue about what happened. Riley was really nice, Daddy. I promise. I’m sorry she left.

Mm-hmm.

Right.

I open my online calendar. Meetings take up the rest of my day. There’s that late-night gala tomorrow night—the one I was supposed to give a keynote address at. And an early staff meeting on Thursday…

All things that will need to be rearranged until I have a new nanny. Apologetic emails of withdrawal sent by my staff, meetings pushed back to next week, and deals put on pause. I switch screens to a chat with my assistant. At least that’s someone who’s working out well. For the first time in months, I’m dealing with a competent aide.

It’s depressingly hard to find people who take pride in their work.

There’s a sharp knock on my door, and before I can type, my assistant fires off a message.

Constance outside your door for your check-in.

I glance down at my watch, and yeah, my sister is on time. I’m the one off-schedule due to Riley’s text. I hit a button, and the door to my office swings open. My sister walks in. She looks focused, a folder of papers under her right arm.

“Hey,” she says and pulls out a chair in front of my desk. Then she frowns. “Bad news? Is it about Nate’s acquisition in London?”

I shouldn’t be this easy to read. “No.”

“Right. Anything I can help with?”

The response should be another obvious no, leaving it that. But as I toss my phone onto the desk, something compels me to tell her the truth. Maybe it’s all the shit we went through just a few months ago. “My latest nanny just quit.”

A small smile curves her lips. “No way.”

“Yes. Glad you find it amusing.”

Her smile widens. “Sorry. It sucks, of course. But this is… What is Willa doing? She’s nothing but amazing whenever I see her.”

“Yeah, well, she likes you.”

Connie’s eyes soften. “What are you going to do?”

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