Page 2 of My Demon Manny

Archer

I hadn't realized how difficult it was going to be to find a good nanny that still fit my particular criteria.

I'd spent the last six months in a bubble of new-dad glow, taking care of Gunner and just soaking in his presence. The minute his mom—a one-night stand I'd hooked up with on a business trip—had called me with the news, I'd been committed to him.

Maya was a law student in her final year, and she wanted to focus on her career, something I perfectly understood. I'd offered to take full custody of Gunner, and she'd agreed. It'd all been very amicable, and the moment I first held Gunner in my arms, I'd known I would do anything for him.

Finding the right nanny, though? That was kicking me in the butt.

I'd decided I wasn't going to hire a woman if she was anywhere close to my age. I had a feeling that if I saw a woman taking good care of Gunner, I might start developing feelings for her, and that...wasn't good. Right now, all I had space in my life for was work and Gunner. There was no place for a relationship in my life, and I wasn't going to do anything that put my singlehood at risk.

So, all the young-ish women were out, which left me with two middle-aged women and three men.

Since I'd be working every weekday, I wanted to hire someone who'd stay at my place and help me take care of Gunner even when I was home, because I'd need some time to sleep. I needed a live-in nanny, and I was willing to pay whatever it took. Only the best for my kid.

The two women didn't offer live-in services, since they both had families of their own. Same with one of the men. Which left me with two men. Their resumés were open on my computer side by side, and I was having a hard time picking one of them.

While Rupert, a man in his early twenties, had a lot of references, he'd scored just above average on the test the agency took to qualify their nannies. The other nanny, Calux, a man in his mid-twenties, was a new hire, but he'd scored 100 percent on the test. It was a tough decision of practical experience versus learned knowledge, and I wasn't sure which one would be the better choice.

A soft cry caught my ears, and my eyes flicked to the baby monitor. Leaving my desk, I made my way to the living room crib, where I'd put Gunner down for a nap. He peered up at me with blue eyes very much like his mom's, and I smiled as I picked him up, cradling him in my arms.

"Hey, there, little one. How about you help me pick, hmm? After all, you'll be spending the most time with whoever I choose."

I had two weeks of vacation left, and I wanted to make sure I had a good nanny as soon as possible so I could observe them work and make sure they're the right choice for my baby.

Carrying Gunner to the desk, I settled in my chair with him cradled against my chest.

Gunner glanced from me to the desktop screen, then waved his hands. Between one moment and the next, he had a grip on the mouse wire, and he tugged it off the desk, making me scramble to catch it.

I grabbed it, the buttons going click-click as I tried to keep it from falling, and when I'd returned it to the desk and slowly pulled the wire out of Gunner's grip, I glanced up at the screen and sighed.

Only one profile lay open now, twenty-five-year-old newbie nanny Calux's.

"I guess you made your choice," I said, smiling down at Gunner and then pressing a kiss to his nose. He babbled up at me, as if assuring me that Calux was the right one.

Some people might think I was dumb for taking that as a sign, but I didn't care. It wasn't like I was going to outright hire him. No, I'd call him over for an interview, and only after I'd evaluated him properly would I make a decision.

Typing with one hand, I emailed back the agency, telling them I'd like to meet with Calux, and giving them the basic information they needed.

As the email was sent, I turned my attention back to Gunner, rocking him gently as I gazed down at his chubby face. His eyes sparkled as he watched me, his arms upraised and his hands opening and closing again and again like crab claws. I knew better than to lean closer. The last time I'd done it, he'd almost ripped out half my beard. I'd ended up trimming it a little shorter the very next day so he couldn't grab it as tightly. Baby grip was no joke.

"What do you think, Gunner? Will Calux be your perfect nanny? He's never done this before. What if he sees one of your explosive diapers and freaks out?" I asked, raising a brow at the little dude, and he broke into giggles, like he could understand exactly what I was saying. I liked to think he could.

"Okay, how about a little snack for you and then I'll tell you a story, hmm?" I asked, turning off my computer as I stood up, holding Gunner close. I was going to miss this when I went back to work, but hopefully, the nanny I hired would take just as good care of my baby as I did.

Whether that nanny would be this Calux or not remained to be seen.

Two

Calux

I glanced at myselfin the mirror, smoothing down my t-shirt. I wondered if maybe I should've dressed-up a little, but then shook off the thought. It wasn't like I was interviewing for a desk job. This shirt was perfectly suited for a day of baby caretaking.

I ran a brush through my blond hair, giving myself a once-over. I'd given myself a human form that was as non-threatening as possible so parents would feel comfortable leaving their kids in my care—I really wasn't a creep, I promised—which meant that I was barely 5'5", had soft blond hair and what my neighborcalled 'baby blue' eyes, and I looked like I was eighteen even though my driver's license said I was twenty-five, and I wasactuallyquite a few centuries old.

My phone pinged, reminding me my interview was soon, and I nodded at my reflection before grabbing the phone from the dresser and sliding it into my pocket.

Throwing on a jacket, I grabbed my wallet and keys before leaving my apartment.

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