Page 34 of Hired For the Billionaire's Secret Son

Helen’s face appeared on the screen. It looked as though she was sitting at a dining-room table, with a painting behind her by Degas, depicting his beloved ballerinas. Knowing how wealthy Helen’s employers were, it was probably an original.

Helen placed her chin in her hand. ‘So, I have news. I think you know that my boys are getting big now—one is already at boarding school, and another is going to be starting soon. The youngest is only ten, but Adele wants to cut back at work, and she’s planning on working from home more.’

Ollie wrinkled her nose. ‘Are they letting you go?’

Helen nodded and Ollie winced. It was never easy to leave a family, especially when she’d been with them for such a long time. ‘And how are you feeling about that?’ she asked her friend.

Helen smiled. ‘Better than they are, frankly! We had a long conversation last night and they were in tears. They don’t want me to go but there won’t be much for me to do. And they don’t want me to think I’ve done anything wrong, because they adore me...’

Ollie smiled, happy for her friend and proud of the excellent relationship she had with her employers. ‘The truth is, I need a change,’ Helen admitted. ‘That’s why I’m calling...’

Ollie frowned, not understanding the expectant look on Helen’s face. ‘I fell in love with Copenhagen when I was there, and I wouldn’t mind going back.’

‘I’d love to have you, but I’m leaving in a week.’ Ollie placed her hand on her heart, trying to rub the stabbing pain away.

‘I’m hinting when I should just come out and say this. I want to interview for the position of little Mat’s nanny, if it hasn’t already been filled.’

It took a little time for Helen’s words to make sense and, when they did, Ollie released a squeal of delight. ‘Are you serious?’

If it were up to her, she’d employ Helen in a heartbeat. She was warm, funny, organised and had an affinity for children of all ages. She’d studied to be a teacher, but she was an exceptional nanny, the best Ollie had come across. There was no one she wanted to look after Mat more.

‘Has the position been filled?’ Helen asked, looking worried. ‘Please tell me it’s not been filled.’

Ollie looked to where Bo was and saw that he was walking back to her. ‘No, it hasn’t, mostly because my boss won’t look at applications. Send me your CV and I will campaign hard to get him to employ you. I couldn’t leave Mat in better hands, Helen.’

Helen tipped her head to the side. ‘Then why do I sense a note of un-enthusiasm in your voice? An “I don’t want to leave”?’

Because she didn’t. But she couldn’t stay, and she couldn’t let this situation continue as it was. She had decisions to make, conversations to have and hurdles to overcome. But Helen as Mat’s nanny would be a weight off her mind.

‘Send me your CV immediately and I’ll put it in front of his nose,’ Ollie told her, rushing her words. ‘I was planning on pinning him down this afternoon anyway.’

‘Sounds like fun.’

Ollie looked up and saw Bo standing a few feet from her, a naughty “can’t wait to have you”look in his eyes. Yeah, that would be fun, but their conversation wouldn’t be.

But it was time to face the music...

‘I’ll speak to you soon, Helen. Just send me that email quickly, yeah?’

Ollie disconnected the call and stood up, brushing sand off the seat of her denim shorts. Mat leaned towards her and Ollie took him from Bo, smiling when he wrapped his chubby legs around her and buried his face in her neck. The combination of sun, sand and sea had tired him out and she knew he’d be asleep before they reached the house. She turned her head to kiss Mat’s head and watched Bo gather their towels, their beach basket and the cooler they’d brought down earlier that morning.

Bo looked at her, a slight smile on his face. ‘Time to go home?’

Ollie nodded. Yes, it was time to go home. She just wished she didn’t think that home was wherever he and Mat were.

After a quick shower, Ollie walked from the master suite into the study that adjoined the magnificent master study. Opening up Bo’s computer, she logged into her email account and printed off the five CVs she wanted to show him, happy to add in Helen’s.

They were going to have this conversation now, today. She wanted Bo and Mat to have the best nanny there was and that meant Helen needed to replace her when she left. She was even more highly in demand than Ollie and would be snapped up in a heartbeat if Bo didn’t hire her immediately. He could not dilly-dally on this, he needed to act, and act immediately.

Having Helen looking after Mat would be a huge relief, and she wouldn’t have to worry about whether Bo was coping, or how he was juggling being a full-time dad with being a busy CEO and yacht designer. Thank goodness that Mat was still so young while all these changes were happening in his life. If he’d been older, she’d have been a great deal more concerned about the number of caregivers he’d had in his life. But Helen was a stayer, and she would be there for five years, possibly a lot longer, a loving and stable influence in Mat’s life. Between Bo and her, Mat would have all the love, support, discipline and care he needed.

The sad thing was that he’d never remember Ollie.

Would Bo, in time, forget about her too? Would she be relegated to the outskirts of the mind, to that place where memories gradually faded? The reality was that, in a few months, she’d be a nice memory; in a few years, he wouldn’t be able to recall her features.

Ollie sucked in a deep breath and cursed her burning eyes.

It is what it is, Olivia, you can’t change it because you don’t like it.

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