Page 10 of Grump's Nanny

Excellent.

“Sir, I don’t mean to interrupt your important phone call, but if I could have your attention–” I motioned to the couple who were looking heartbroken. “I’m going to give the master suite to the newlyweds, and I will be happy to not only find you our next best room, but compensate you for the inconvenience.”

The man looked at me like I was speaking French. “Do you know who I am?”

I looked at the check-in log and shook my head. “No, I’m sorry. The name isn’t familiar.”

“I’m from one of the hottest boy bands in the world. I don’t stay anywhere that’s not VIP.”

I nodded with my most considerate management face. “I totally understand your concern here. The problem is they had it booked first.”

“Then you should fire the person who double-booked us.”

I could feel my temper rising. “Unfortunately, I cannot. You see, the reservation you made was through a website that is a third party. I do not have the authority to fire any of its employees.” He looked like his head was going to explode. “Moreover, it’s likely that it wasn’t a person at all but rather a computer.”

My front desk clerk was visibly trying not to burst out laughing, and I gave him aside-eye warning.

“So, what in the hell are you gonna do to fix this?” he asked.

I gave a warm smile to the newlyweds. “Well first, I’m gonna get this lovely couple checked into their room. Kendra,” I said to a desk clerk. “Can you take care of that for me?”

Kendra nodded. “I can help you down here, folks.”

The bride and groom timidly headed for her, trying to avoid eye contact with Mr. Boy Band.

“Now for you, my friend–” I said. “I can recommend the next best ski lodge in this area. Brother Bears is great. Good luck.”

I knew I was doing Kevin dirty by shifting this jackass off on him, but I was finished dealing with his shit.

VIP looked at me like I’d taken a shit on his shoe and actually gasped as I walked away. I wanted to check on Haley and see if she’d run away screaming yet.

When I got to the top where the penthouse was, I could hear my children giggling. I hadn’t realized that schoolwork these days was so amusing–but to each their own.

When I walked in the door, I came face to face with my five-year-old finger painting, and across the room, I could see Leann still sitting in front of the television playing video games.

A loud pop came from my left, and I found Ben smacking his magic wand across the wall, his little face scrunched up in frustration.

But all three were dead still when they saw me come in. Like little tiny, human-shaped deer caught in headlights.

“Where is Haley?” I asked them, and all three pointed to the kitchen. I quickly ducked around the entryway and power walked in that direction.

Haley looked up at me with a smile when I walked in, but it quickly faded when she saw the expression on my face.

“Um… Hello. I’m Haley B–”

“Do you have a problem with your eyes?”

“What?”

I knew I was being a dick, but after that situation, with Justin Timberlunk I was low on patience. “Do you have a problem with your eyes? Because not a single one of my children is doing their homework, and you’re not even in the same room as them. What the hell am I paying you for if not to watch them?”

Haley’s face blanched, and I instantly felt terrible, but there was nothing I could do about it at that moment.

“I’m… I’m sorry,” she said.

I should have apologized right then and there, but my Irish heritage made me stubborn. And I was not about to show my soft underbelly that easily.

Instead, I rounded on the kids. “You know better. Get to your schoolwork.” I turned back to Haley, who looked like she might actually cry, and straightened my shoulders. “I don’t have time to babysit you babysitting them. Please do better.”

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