Unexpected

by Jenna Hartley

  “What?” I jerked my head back. “No. Absolutely not. I mean, the sex was good, but… I don’t…” I closed my eyes briefly before reopening them. “No.” This had nothing to do with my ex.

  “Then, what?” she asked. “Because you certainly don’t lack for interested partners. Nearly every man—and even a few women—stopped to watch you when you walked in.”

  I blew out a harsh breath. “I’m just…overloaded. Exhausted. I have my job and Sophia.”

  “You know what’s great for helping people relax?” She grinned, but I rolled my eyes, already anticipating her answer. “Sex.”

  “Keep your voice down,” I hissed, feeling the stares of nearby patrons.

  “Sex. Sex. Sex,” she chanted, mocking me.

  “All right,” I said, moving her drink away. “You’re cut off.”

  “And you, my friend—” she pointed her finger at me “—are no fun.”

  “Hey.” I pouted. “We’re having fun now, aren’t we?”

  “We are. And you know I love you, but you need to relax. You need to let loose every now and then.”

  Easy for her to say. She didn’t have a mortgage, private school tuition, college to plan for. And she didn’t have a daughter to consider. I didn’t have the luxury of dating, and I wasn’t interested in casual sex.

  “No. I need to stay focused.”

  “I admire your drive, Alexis. I do. But sometimes you have to slow down and appreciate the scenery.” She waggled her eyebrows.

  I laughed. “Oh my god, that was so cheesy.”

  She smirked, throwing back the rest of her drink. “Cheesy or not, it made you smile. Now—let’s go shake our booties. I see a hot man I’m ready to grind up on.”

  I let her pull me out onto the dance floor. “We’re getting too old for this,” I said over the music.

  “You’re never too old to have fun!” She shouted over the thump of the bass.

  She was right, but sometimes I felt older than my thirty-five years. I had the weight of the world on my shoulders, and as much as I wanted to let go sometimes—I couldn’t.

  Chapter Two

  “Come on,” Hunter said. “You’re not really going to pass up a week of endless pussy, are you?”

  I rolled my eyes. “How many times do I have to tell you, dickweed? I’m not going.”

  Hunter was spending the summer in New York, opening a new location for a business he’d started with a couple friends from business school. The four of them worked hard, but they liked to play hard too. And I knew Hunter would be living the life out there this summer.

  He backed away from me, holding his arms out wide as he neared the entrance to the kitchen. “Fine.” He smirked. “More for me.”

  I shook my head, marveling at how different the two of us were. We’d been best friends since fifth grade. Hunter had been with me through everything. Had stood by my side when everyone else left—just him and my parents. Well, and Sam. But I hadn’t met him until later, until after the shit hit the fan.

  “I don’t need to go to New York to get laid,” I said, dodging a flip-flop he’d tossed in my direction. “There are plenty of girls on campus to choose from.”

  “Yet, you never bring any home.”

  I lifted a shoulder. What could I say? “They all seem so young.”

  Hunter scoffed. “Dude. You’re twenty-six. Which means they’re like…what? Five, maybe six years younger? Younger—and hot. What more could you want?”

  “I’m not interested.”

  “Well, what kind of woman are you interested in?” I thought he was genuinely curious until he said, “I mean, if you’re into dudes, that’s cool too. I’m not, but hey—more power to you.”

  I rolled my eyes, turning my attention back to the sandwich I was making. “I want a woman who’s confident, smart, sexy.”

  “Mm-hmm.” He’d crossed his arms over his chest.

  “A woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to ask for it. And those,” I said, giving him a pointed look, “aren’t the types of girls I’ve met on campus.”

  I had an image of the woman I wanted, though I didn’t know her name. Didn’t know anything about her other than the fact that she had a daughter who attended the same school as Theo. She was sophisticated, self-assured, and sexy as hell. I’d only seen her a few times—at school plays and such, but the image of her stuck in my mind.

  Hunter waved his hand in front of my face. “Earth to Preston.”

  “What?”

  “Wait…do you want an older woman? Is this because you want to be a kept man?” he asked, amusement coloring his tone.

  “No. Money has nothing to do with it. I’d happily support my wife.”

  Not that I really had much to support a hypothetical spouse with. Not yet, anyway. Between tuition and rent, I was lucky to be staying afloat. I had a scholarship, but it wasn’t enough to cover everything. And I refused to ask my parents for money—not after all they’d shelled out for me already. As it was, they’d be working for the rest of their lives. Something I hoped to change.

  “Whoa. Whoa.” His eyes went wide. “Back up. Marriage?”

  “Yeah. One day.” Hopefully sooner rather than later. “I want to get married, have kids. Don’t you?”

  His eyes went wide. “No way. No fucking way.”

  “Well, I do. I know how short life can be. I don’t want to waste it chasing meaningless relationships. I want more.”

  His expression softened. “I know. I just think that—” He blew out a puff of air. “That you were forced to grow up so fast, you kind of skipped straight to adulthood.”

  I nodded, knowing he had a good point. I did grow up fast. That’s what cancer did to you.

  “I don’t want you to miss out on anything life has to offer,” he added. “Besides, I could use a wingman I can trust.”

  I smirked. “Nice try, but it’s not happening. Theo’s family offered me extra hours this summer, and I need them. Besides, I can’t bail on him.”

  He rolled his eyes. “I still can’t believe my best friend’s a manny.”

  “I’m not a ‘manny.’ I’m an in-home childcare provider,” I said.

  “Call it what you want,” he said. “You’re a manny.”

  It worked well with my schedule, and the money was good. More than good. The only opportunities I’d found that paid more involved stripping—no thanks. And bartending, which didn’t appeal to me either. Being a nanny was satisfying, fulfilling.

  “It pays well. And after the kids go to bed, I have time to study.”

  “It gives you time to learn to crochet too,” he teased.

  He had no idea the time and energy it took to care for a child day in and day out. A child who wasn’t your own, yet you felt attached to. When I’d started the job, it was because I thought it would be easy. I liked kids. I enjoyed spending time with them.

  Now, I appreciated just how difficult the job was. But how rewarding it could be too. And, like I’d told him, it paid well.

  “Do you know how many single moms there are? Hot single moms?” I flashed him a wicked grin, enjoying his stupefied expression.

  His jaw dropped. “Dude,” he said, drawing out the word. “No fucking way. You’re banging the moms?”

  I lifted a shoulder, leading him to infer what he wanted. I wasn’t banging anyone, but this would get him off my back. It might not be for the right reasons, but I was tired of having to defend my job. Maybe after this, he’d finally stop giving me shit about being a manny.

  Damn it. In-home childcare provider.

  “Is that why you change diapers? So you can fuck mommy after the kids go to bed?”

  I cringed at his crude language. Sure, some of the moms were attractive, but I was their employee. And besides, I mostly worked for Theo’s family, and his parents were married, happily so. They seemed to have it all—dog, big house, nice cars. Even a boat.

  “You’re such a pig.”

  He burst out laughing. “I f
ucking knew you were lying. You should see your face.”

  I shoved his shoulder as I moved past him for my bedroom. “Fuck off.”

  “Hey,” he said, snagging a piece of apple from my plate before halting with it in midair. “Maybe you should consider it.”

  I furrowed my brows. “Consider what?”

  “Fucking the moms. With your body, I bet you could make good money. It could be a nice little side business.” He bit into the apple slice, chewing obnoxiously.

  “Okay. I’m done,” I said, going into my room and shutting the door behind me. “More than done,” I muttered to myself.

  “Oh, come on. Preston,” he said from the other side of my door. “Don’t sulk.”

  “Enjoy your summer. I hope you fall in love,” I called, taking a seat on the bed and switching on the TV.

  “Take that back!” His tone was insistent as he banged on my door. “Take it back, fuckface.”

  I smirked to myself, setting my feet on the bed. “Nope. See you in a few weeks.”

  “See ya,” he called. “And don’t forget to call me if you bag a cougar.”

  Not a chance in hell, I thought.

  Later that afternoon, I headed over to Theo’s house. I’d been taking care of him for the past year, and I knew how excited he was that school was almost over. We’d been talking about our plans for the summer—the camps he was going to attend, the movies he wanted to see. He was only six, but he wasn’t short of ideas or enthusiasm.

  I let myself in the side door, using the key his parents had given me. The house was oddly quiet; even their dog hadn’t come to greet me. Huh.

  “Hello?” I called, wondering if I’d missed a message through the agency portal.

  I found Theo in his room. When he spotted me in the doorway, he rushed over to me for a hug and burst into tears.

  “Hey, bud. What’s wrong?” I asked.

  He was crying so hard, I could barely make out the words he said. Though, I heard “moving” and “not see you…anymore.” I rubbed his back and held him close, a deep worry sinking into my gut.

  “Preston, hey,” Amanda said, coming into the room.

  She had dark circles under her eyes and wore her hair in a ponytail. She never wore her hair in a ponytail, unless she was working out. Even then, it was always perfectly styled. But she wasn’t wearing her latest pair of Lululemon leggings. Nor did she look like she’d even showered, for that matter.

  “The agency didn’t call you?” She unscrewed the lid from a bottle of prescription pills and popped one in her mouth, chugging some water to swallow it.

  I frowned. “What’s going on?”

  I kept my arm around Theo, wanting to console him. Was it odd that he sought me out for reassurance instead of his mom? I didn’t know; I was just glad he felt safe with me.

  “My husband lost his job. And…” She sucked in a harsh breath. “Our assets are being seized.”

  I couldn’t help it; my eyes went wide. “What happened?”

  “I’m sure you’ll see it on the news in the coming days,” she said, wiping away a few tears. “But he’s been charged with tax evasion.”

  “Steve?” I asked, still trying to wrap my head around it.

  She nodded, waving a hand through the air. “I’m sure it’s all just a little misunderstanding. But until we get it sorted out, we won’t be needing your services anymore.”

  Right. Of course. All I could do was nod.

  “We so appreciate everything you’ve done for us. And Theo, clearly, adores you,” she said. “I just wish we—” She hiccupped a sob. “Well, we’re going to move in with my parents for the time being.”

  “I’m sorry you’re going through a difficult time. It’s been a pleasure working for your family.”

  She nodded, though she seemed a bit dazed. A bit off, somehow. I wondered what kind of pills she’d popped earlier.

  “I hope you’ll find another placement soon.”

  Me too, I thought.

  Until then, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. Though last-minute placements could—and did—happen, it was rare. Plus, being a male in this profession made it even more difficult to place me. Most families requested a female; they weren’t accustomed to the idea that a guy could be a caregiver. It had taken months to be placed at all.

  But it was better than the alternative—not using an agency. I shuddered at the memory of my experience before signing up with Hartwell. The parents were so disconnected from their kids, it was heartbreaking. They were disconnected from each other. The mom flirted with me constantly and then threatened to fire me if I didn’t sleep with her. I didn’t, but the entire experience had been eye-opening.

  Something like that would never happen with the Hartwell Agency. Placements might take more time, but they paid more, and they were a much better environment to work in. Hartwell vetted both potential nannies and families, and there were safeguards in place, expectations.

  Theo sniffled, and I tried to focus on him instead of my fears about my own future. I hadn’t come this far to give up now. I would find a way to pay my tuition.

  Theo, on the other hand, was going to lose his home, possibly his dad. And this scandal would follow them for the rest of their lives. So, I set aside my fears, my worries, and tried to do my best to reassure him.

  “Hey, buddy.” I turned to look him in the eye. “It sounds like you’re going to have some new adventures. And you’re going to get to spend more time with your mommy and your grandparents. That will be nice,” I said, knowing how much he adored his grandparents.

  “Will you come visit me at my new house?” he asked.

  Once a placement ended, any contact had to go through the agency. Still, I needed to find a way to soften the blow. “I’m not sure I’ll be able to. But you know what?” I asked. “I will think about you every time I drive by the yellow park.” It had been one of his favorite places to go.

  “The yellow park.” He nodded. “Our place.”

  “That’s right.” I held out my fist. “It will always be our place.”

  Instead of a fist bump, he wrapped his little arms around me, squeezing me tight. “I love you, Preston.”

  A little piece of my heart shattered, and I knew I wouldn’t get it back. “Love you too, bud.” I squeezed him tight, hoping he wouldn’t forget me.

  “Thank you, Preston,” Amanda said as she escorted me to the door. “Theo’s really going to miss you. We all will.”

  I nodded. “He’s a good kid. I’m really going to miss him too.”

  I shuffled out to my car, feeling deflated. I hadn’t just lost my job; I’d lost a friend. And it was yet another setback on the path to getting my degree.

  Chapter Three

  My alarm blared from my nightstand, and I reached over to shut it off. I glanced at the clock on my phone: five thirty. Despite the fact that it was my day off, it certainly wasn’t the weekend for me. So, I dragged my ass out of bed.

  Workout clothes on, I hopped on my exercise bike in my home gym, going through the prompts. As I pushed myself harder and harder, I focused on the music. On the screen in front of me. It was my escape—my outlet. One of the few things I did for me.

  An hour later, after I’d stretched, I showered and checked my emails. Nothing new from my nightmare client, which was a miracle in and of itself. But I knew it was only a matter of time. There was no way he’d let the day pass without finding some new way to torture me. In fact, I was beginning to suspect he enjoyed it.

  I made a protein shake and carried it and my tablet over to one of the lounge chairs surrounding the pool. Sophia would be home from her sleepover in a few hours, and then I would have to figure out how to break the news about her dad. In the meantime, I was going to figure out a solution for the summer. I wanted to have a plan in place by the time she arrived home, impossible as it seemed.

  I’d been right about overnight summer camps—all booked. Au pairs were out of the question. I should’ve requested one mon
ths ago. At least I’d put in a call to the Hartwell Agency. It really was my last hope.

  Still, I remained hesitant. Sophia was used to Gabriela. I was used to Gabriela. She’d been taking care of Sophia since she was six months old, and she adored my daughter. She provided continuity; she lived with us, knew our routines. She was available any time, day or night, and I couldn’t imagine so easily handing that trust over to someone else.

  I leaned my head back against the chair, soaking in the California sun. My backyard was beautiful—clean and classic, with a large pool that shone a pale blue. It was my favorite thing about the house, and I loved relaxing on the chair with the palm trees swaying in the breeze and the waterfall cascading in the background. It was so peaceful. So tranquil.

  My cell phone rang, shattering the calm. It never stopped. It was barely eight o’clock in the morning, and It. Never. Stopped. With a deep sigh, I connected the call.

  “Alexis Black.”

  “Alexis, hi,” a woman replied. “This is Renata from the Hartwell Agency.”

  “Yes.” I sighed with relief. “Thank god. I mean, thank you for calling me back. Please tell me you have someone.”

  “Unfortunately, most of our caregivers have already been placed for the summer, but there is someone.” I sensed hesitation on her part, and I wondered why.

  “Someone…yes?” I was practically hanging on her every word.

  “Yes, well, it’s a bit of an unusual situation,” she hedged.

  Spit it out, woman.

  “His name is Preston. He’s been with the same family for the past year, but they—” She cleared her throat. “They, um, are moving. He’s a bit older than most of our nannies, but he has a great track record. Every family he’s worked for has given glowing recommendations, always citing him as reliable, responsible, and caring. Would you like me to send you his file?”

  I was still trying to get past my surprise that it was a guy. “Um…sure. That will be fine.”

  “Great. Please call with any questions, or let me know if you’d like to schedule an interview.”