Page 12 of Nanny for My Billionaire

How do I even know she’d be okay with a bit of light flirting, let alone allow me to do all the crazy things I long to do with her? Isn’t it crazy how much I want to? Obsessive, even?

I don’t have a clue.

But one thing I do know is that the food is ready, and people are hungry. At least that’s a concept I’m familiar with, and I get it done, making the table presentable first, then calling in the kids and women after.

“Looks great, as always, bro,” says Sara, with an appreciative smile.

“Yes,” Anna agrees. “This man sure knows how to cook.”

“See, I told you he was a keeper,” Sara teases, making Anna blush.

After I apologize for my sister’s silly commentary, Anna pretty much fades into the background and lets me, my sister, and my boys rule the conversation. It’s strange, but there is a certain sense of familiarity in that, one which I haven’t seen in Anna when it’s just the two of us.

Around me, Anna is normally a take-charge person, and yet right now she’s hardly saying a word, preferring to let Sara do what Sara does best. The thing I find weird is, how does Anna naturally know what Sara does best when, as far as I know, they’ve never met? And why do these roles feel as though we’ve played them together before?

“You boys really do like this one, don’t you?” Sara asks Ethan and Evan, and the enthusiasm from the children makes me realize it’s not just me who thinks Anna is something special, but my kids do too. She’s good with them in a way I’d never realized was even possible, and somehow, she has inspired their love and loyalty.

And mine, too, even if I do feel a little guilty about that. I know the past is in the past, and I should let it go, but there’s still a part of me that keeps insisting that this attraction to Anna will somehow betray my hopes to win back Missy.

You don’t owe her anything more than an apology,I remind myself. But I still need to be careful about my next move.

While Anna is in the bathroom with the kids helping them to wash their hands and faces, Sara casts me a stern look, and I know I’m in for a lecture.

“Look, Adam, I can see clearly enough that you’re right to feel more than the feelings of a boss for this girl,” she says. “Anna is something special, and you know it. You’ve put your life on hold because of that stupid actress for too long, and I think you deserve to be happy. And maybe Anna could help you with that—you never know. She’s a real gem, and you’d be crazy not to start something with her. She might be just the one you’re looking for. And maybe not just for the sake of your kids. While you were in the other room I asked her a few questions, and I guess she actually might know how to help you out with some accounting or database stuff if you ever asked her to.”

I cock my head curiously. “She’s been to business school?”

“Yeah, she has,” Sara assures me. “Trust me, she knows what she’s talking about. If you were to entrust her with all that paperwork you hate so much, she’d have it all whipped into shape in no time. Something to think about, right? I mean, since that’s something Mom always did for Dad before they flew off and left the mess for you.”

“You make a fair point,” I agree. “So maybe I’ll ask about it, and say that you’re the one who told me. Thanks, Sis.”

“Yeah, bro,” she says, smiling. “Any time. And while you’re in the mood to take my advice, I hope you’ll take the other advice as well. Ask that girl out. You’d be a total fool to leave somebody who is so perfect for you sitting in the friend zone. She’s the real deal, bro, and I think you should totally go for it.”

I laugh and shake my head at her. “Yeah? Well, I suppose I can take that under advisement too. Are you headed home?”

“Yeah, I need to get to bed,” she says, giving me a hug. “I’ve got work tomorrow. Please tell Anna it was nice to meet her, and say good night to the boys for me.”

I nod in agreement as I let her go and she heads for the door. My sister has given me a lot to think about, but in truth she didn’t add anything new to the thoughts I’d already been mulling over except one important tidbit.

If Anna could straighten out my bookkeeping disaster, I was more than ready to let her. I'm going to ask her about that just as soon as we got the boys settled in bed later on.

Chapter eight

Melissa

Ican’tbelievethatSara had the balls to show up at Adam’s house tonight, pretending she has no clue who I am and making bold suggestions about how Adam and I ought to become a couple. It was outrageous, especially after I’d clearly told her that I had a lot of misgivings about whether I’d ever want anything to do with her brother as anything but my employer again after the way he’d acted the last time.

When Adam had gone to check the food, I still couldn’t say a word about it because Ethan and Evan were sitting right there with us, and little pitchers tend to have big ears. So, I had to bide my time and wait until later, when the kids were in their beds and Adam was anywhere other than where I was before I called her to ask for an explanation.

“Jesus, Sara, what were you thinking?” I complain into my cell, my voice not nearly as loud as I would like because I don’t want to be overheard. “Him seeing us together like that? It was completely crazy. It felt way too much like it did the last time that ever happened, and I was really worried he’d put two and two together. What were you even thinking, coming over and talking trash like that?”

Sara just snorts derisively. “Oh, come on, it wasn’t that bad. And besides, he didn’t notice, did he? Even if he had, we could have easily played the whole thing off as a joke and then suggested that since you’ve been doing such a good job he might as well just keep you, since you’re a real nanny who is more than willing to do the job. Also, I think you should know that I told him you’d be able to help with his books. Don’t be surprised if he asks you about it.”

“God, Sara, why did you do all this? I’m already in enough hot water as it is,” I practically wail. “It was stupid, reckless, and totally impulsive for me to say I was Anna Thatcher in the first place. All this is going to do is compound the mess even more.”

“Look, woman, it’s as plain as the nose on your face that you started this little scheme because you wanted an excuse to be close to Adam. It didn’t have anything to do with revenge, and it wasn’t just to teach him a lesson because he didn’t recognize you. Miss, you are still in love with him, and all I am trying to do is figure out if there’s some way I can help bring the two of you together. So, if you make yourself indispensable, my brother is not going to throw you out. That’s just not the way Adam works.”

“No, it’s not,” I agree. “He’d rather throw a temper tantrum and say mean things when he doesn’t get his way. If he acted like such a jerk over our last little tiff, I can only imagine what sort of tirade he’ll go on once we have the next one.”

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