Page 23 of Nanny for the SEALs

“What my loud-mouthed partner is trying to say is that we know people,” Rogan replied. “You saw who was in that room last night. Jonah Weiman, Amirah Pratt, Boras Scottsdale. They’re all big names in this town. If you nanny for us, we can pull some strings for you. Get you in touch with people who can help launch your career. If you nanny for our kids for a minimum of six months, we can do that for you.”

“Okay,” I said, thinking out loud. “Let’s say Ididagree to this for six months. Why would you help me jump-start my acting career? You have no incentive to do so, because then you’d be losing your nanny.”

“We need help now,” Asher said. “Our kids—theirkids, I should say—are a mess. We need someone who can start immediately and help get them under control. It will be a tremendous challenge. And six months from now, they start Kindergarten. We won’t need a full-time nanny after that.”

Rogan nodded. “Our current nanny, Brady’s sister, has been going crazy dealing with the boys. And then, when I did a background check on the woman who snuck into our suite, I saw that she had thorough nannying experience. You sort of fell into our laps, Heather.”

“This is all tempting,” I said, “but I don’t want to put my career on hold just to be the nanny for your awful kids.”

“Theirawful kids,” Asher insisted.

“Point is, I still want to be able to go to my acting classes. Those are twice a week at lunch.”

“We can make that work,” Rogan replied smoothly.

“And auditions. If I get an audition or a callback for a role, I need flexibility in my schedule.”

“We can use my sister Patty as a backup,” Brady said. “In case you need to leave for whatever reason. She won’t mind filling in for an hour or two.”

“Living accommodations will be arranged, of course.” Rogan crossed his muscular arms over his chest. “We have a guest bedroom you can stay in whenever you’d like. If that’s unacceptable, we’re friends with the concierge at the Los Angeles Four Seasons. We can get you a room on short notice.”

All of this was overwhelming, and not just because I was still recovering from the never-stop-talking drug. It almost seemed too good to be true. After six months of nannying, they would put me in touch with all their industry contacts. A shortcut leading straight to my dream of becoming an actor. Then I wouldn’t need to waste my time on pointless commercials.

I rubbed my wrists. They were still sore from the restraints.

“There’s just one problem,” I said, gesturing around the room. “Everything that happened today. Why the hell would I work for three guys whokidnapped me?”

“That’s a good point,” Rogan replied. He pulled out a notepad and pen, scribbled a number, and then tore the sheet away. “This is your compensation. Hopefully it will help make amends for what happened today.”

I took the piece of paper and frowned. “This is what you’re paying me for the full six months?” It was a solid amount. More than I made as a server at Outback, that’s for sure.

But Rogan shook his head. “That’s your monthly pay. Plus the benefits I mentioned earlier.”

All my inhibitions disappeared. Now itreallyseemed too good to be true. But I could tell these guys meant business. This was a real, legitimate offer.

I can’t wait to tell Maurice.

Thinking of my friend reminded me of what I had promised. He needed the apartment tonight because he had a date.

“Give me the night to think about it,” I said with an Oscar-worthy smile. “A night in that fancy hotel you mentioned.”

9

Asher

“She’s never going to go for it,” Brady argued.

“You don’t know that,” Rogan replied.

Rogan was driving our Chevy Tahoe, and Brady was in the passenger seat. I was in the next row of seats, staring out the window and thinking about what had just happened.

Thinking about Heather.

We had called an Uber to take her back to her apartment, then over to the Four Seasons hotel, like she had requested. The three of us were heading home to deal with our kids. We had to beg Patty to watch them, and in the end she had agreed to stay there for an hour.

But we had been gone closer to two. I could only imagine what kind of trouble Micah and Dustin could cause in that time.

“I thought you liked Heather for the job,” Rogan said. “You said she was perfect.”

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