Page 12 of Nanny for the Bossy Billionaire

His anxious eyes cut to Naomi once more.

Sensing how uncomfortable this is making him, Naomi copies my stance and offers my son a beaming smile.

He melts on the spot because who wouldn’t, when that level of beauty is directed at them.

“Hello Ethan. It’s lovely to meet you.” She extends her hand for a handshake and Ethan obliges. “We are going to have so much fun together, aren’t we?”

Ethan laughs and she musses his blond hair.

“PAMcakes!” He giggles, claps his hands, then runs back to the kitchen where Ruth, our head housekeeper, is making him breakfast.

Once he’s out of sight, we both stand back up. “I guess I’ll be seeing you later on in the day?” Naomi says.

“Actually, no. I took the day off today. Seeing as it’s your first day, I want to make sure that you know what you’re doing.”

“So what? You’re going to be monitoring me?” All traces of humor drop from her face.

“Um. Yes, I am.”

“Why did you give me the job if you didn’t trust that I could do it?” She folds her arms.

“Like Ronald Reagan used to say; trust, but verify.”

“Wow, you’re quoting a president from the 80s.” She looks down in an attempt to hide the eye roll she just gave me. “Fine, boss. Just tell me where to start.”

I ignore that very obvious dig at my age and turn around. I pick up the binder sitting on the entryway table. “I’ve had one of the top children’s behavioral psychologists come up with a daily routine for Ethan. This is it.”

I shove the binder at her. She takes it with an incredulous look on her face. “You have your three-year-old son on a schedule so detailed you need this gigantic binder to keep track?”

“Yes, I sure do. Do you have a problem with that?”

She’s about to say something then remembers her place and stops herself. Instead, she smiles and says, “No, sir. I don’t have a problem with it.”

“Good. Right now, Ethan is having breakfast in the kitchen. Ever since Stephanie left us, my housekeeper has been doubling as nanny. The workload has been too much for her which is why I brought you on. She’s made breakfast for Ethan this morning, but moving forward that’s going to be your job. I’ll give you the next hour to review the binder, and then you can jump right in.”

“Sir, yes, sir!” she says with a giggle.

I roll my eyes.

Disrespectful.

I’m about to turn around and lead Naomi away when my phone rings. I retrieve it from my pocket.

It’s her.

I reject the call immediately.

When I look back up, Naomi is regarding me with shrewd eyes. I’m sure she saw who was calling. I scratch my head and begin to lead her to the dining room, but not before I trip over my feet.

When she’s settledwith the large binder, I join Ethan and Ruth in the kitchen.

“I hear the new nanny is here,” Ruth says as she pulls her graying black hair into a ponytail.

“Yes, she sure is.”

“Thank God for that.”

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.” I chuckle.

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