Page 43 of Bad Nanny

“Yeah?” I stopped with one leg in my car.

“No amount of makeup hides a hickey from a father’s eyes. Not when you were sixteen, and not now.”

Well, shit.

Chapter 15

Gold Medal

Josie

Me: Do you know if Dad has watched any of my YouTube videos?

Nora: Uh . . . it’s past midnight.

Me: You’re one to talk. I’m trying to convince myself that this video is okay and that Dad won’t see it.

Nora: Tell him the new video isn’t for him. What’s it about?

Me: Telling him that will make him watch it. It’s about the benefits of self-pleasure.

Nora: Let him find out the hard way. No pun intended.

Me: OMG, gross.

Nora: I think it’s time forbed.

I putmy phone down and started the export process on the video I’d spent hours editing and getting ready for publication. I’d been doing so well with managing my time, but now that Gabriel and I were whatever we were, I spent more of my free time with him and Delaney.

Nothing else had happened between us, besides stolen kisses and touches in passing. By the time Delaney went to bed, I was working in my studio, and Gabriel hadn’t asked me to spend time with him.

Was he having second thoughts, or did he think I needed space? There was so much going on in my life that I hadn’t had the chance to talk to him about where we stood.

It had been a busy week of juggling everything, but I finally had a virtual assistant to help with emails and comments, and three meetings set up for Friday afternoon to take care of important business things.

I’d also decided to upload only one video a week, instead of two. It was the only way I could continue to nanny and keep my sanity. I hadn’t anticipated how much I’d enjoy taking care of Delaney. I’d only been her nanny for three weeks now, but it felt like I’d been in their lives for a lot longer.

Leaning back in my office chair, I shut my eyes as I rested my head on the soft pillow of the headrest. Going to bed in the middle of an export wasn’t an option, since a multitude of things could go wrong.

Sighing, I opened my eyes, ready to get started on the video description and thumbnail, when something caught my eye in the ceiling vent. I slid my chair back so fast, I nearly tipped it over.

“What the fuck is that?” I got to my feet, taking a step back toward my desk with the vent overhead.

It looked like the end of a tail hanging just outside the vent. I looked from it to my phone sitting directly under it. Did I want to risk it suddenly dropping and biting me?

With a squeal, I snatched my phone and ran to the other side of the room. There was no fucking way I was getting on a chair to try to see if it was dead.

“Please pick up.” I called Gabriel’s phone, hoping he left it on while he slept. It rang and rang before going to voicemail. “Shit.”

I stepped closer again, shining my phone’s flashlight at the vent. There was definitely something in there.

And then it moved.

I hated running, but I sure as fuck wasn’t walking to get out of the room. Besides the light Gabriel left on over the stove, the house was dark, and I stopped to calm down and decide what to do.

Sleeping on the couch was an option, but that didn’t solve the problem of the creature in the vent. I looked at the stairs and bit my lip. Did I really want to wake Gabriel?

I made it to the bottom of the stairs before hesitating, still unsure if waking Gabriel was the best idea. But I really didn’t want to sleep on the couch or deal with this by myself. If I waited until morning, I wouldn’t have time to get my work done or shower.

---