by Elsie Davis
Garrett shook his head, still trying to absorb the information. He didn’t know the first thing about kids or raising them. What was his mother thinking?
“I’m sorry to be the one to have to tell you all this. They are wonderful kids. Give them a chance, and you’ll find that out for yourself.”
“Well, so far, I beg to differ with you. It’s been more of a nightmare.” Not all of it, he qualified the statement in his head, remembering Sandy and the bond they’d started to share.
“It’ll get better, trust me.” Charlie sounded sure of himself.
A loud scream resonated through the house, the sound coming from out front. Seconds later, the door burst open, Melanie charging into the house, a look of terror on her face. Crocodile tears ran down her face as she cradled one arm. He didn’t have to know a thing about kids to see what was wrong. Her wrist was bowed up like a V.
He glanced at Charlie and frowned. “Trust you? I don’t think so.” He crossed the room in no time and knelt next to Melanie, several women in the room clustering around them both.
“We’ve got to get you to the emergency room. The doctor will fix you up and make the pain go away, I promise.” Garrett tried to reassure her. The frightened look on her face kicked him in the gut, making him wish he could do more to help. “Keep holding your arm steady, just the way you’re doing.” She nodded her head in understanding.
One woman brushed Melanie’s hair back from her face. Another wiped the tears off her cheeks.
“Can someone take us to the ER?” Garrett asked. Without a vehicle, he needed help to follow through on his promise to get her help. At least Hallbrook had a medical center, and they wouldn’t have to make the forty-minute trek to New Haven, for help.
“I’ll be out front in just a minute,” Mabel Tucker, the mayor’s wife spoke up first. She was gone before he could answer.
“Bryan, what happened?” Garrett questioned him, knowing the doctor would need the information, something the newly ordained parent in Garrett didn’t have.
“She fell out of the tree we climbed. I’m sorry. I know you told us to come inside, but we didn’t listen. This is my fault.” Bryan was scared, his lower lip trembling as he spoke. The child in him didn’t come out often, and this wasn’t the way Garrett wanted to experience it. Poor kid.
“Stop. It’ll be fine. We can talk about what you were doing or not doing later. Right now, I’ve got to get her to the doctor. Melanie will be okay, I promise.” He was making a lot of promises for a guy who’d just found he was now a fulltime parent.
“Really?” the boy asked, his voice filled with hope.
“Really.” Garrett ruffled the boy’s hair before he and Melanie headed outside.
Iris Parker followed him outside. “I’ll take care of the other two until you get back. The kids are safe with me.”
It’s not as if he had a choice, and he welcomed the help. “Thanks, Iris, I appreciate that.”
Jessica rushed up to him as he was helping Melanie into the back seat of Mabel’s old Chevy Malibu. “Garrett, I’ll take care of everything here at the house and clean up. Between Iris and me, everything here will be under control. Don’t you worry about a thing. That’s what friends and family are for.”
“Thanks, Jessica.” Garrett climbed in the back seat, preferring to sit next to Melanie in case she needed him and hoping to keep her calm.
The mayor’s wife drove them into town. Mabel was one of the town’s gossips, only surpassed by Bertha Higgins, but at least Mabel meant well with her meddling. As they hurried toward the emergency room, Garrett realized he didn’t know the first thing about the Melanie. At least, not the kinds of things he needed to know to check her into the hospital for medical care. Hopefully, the doctor already had all the information, because Garrett couldn’t even tell the man the kid’s middle name or birthday, even though he was now the legal guardian and the one filling out the forms.
Looking at the unnatural angle of Melanie’s wrist made him cringe, but he tried not to show any visible reaction. It had to hurt a lot, but she was quiet, with only the tears running down her face as evidence of the pain she was in. Mabel, on the other hand, talked nonstop, making up for everyone.
The woman glanced into the rearview mirror, exchanging a knowing look with Garrett. “They are sweet kids, but kids are kids, and three is a lot to handle for anybody, especially a single guy. You’re going to have your hands full, that’s for certain. Might want to consider getting yourself a wife. Any prospects?”
Garrett coughed, her suggestion taking him by surprise. “Hardly. My current schedule doesn’t allow for a wife or kids.” Right after he spoke the words, he regretted them. It was one thing to think the truth, quite another to say it out loud in front of Melanie.
“Well, I guess it does now. The kid part anyway. If you don’t aim to take wife, what you need is a full-time nanny. Someone to cook and clean. I’m sure New York City has plenty of those. I don’t figure you’re sticking around here. It’d be a shame to have the kids uprooted, but I guess nothing can be done about that, your business being in the city and all.” Mabel was digging for information, and Garrett understood any response would make the Hallbrook gossip line by midnight.
“That would be correct.” Clearly, the old woman knew a lot more than she was letting on. A nanny. The idea of some woman living in his home on a regular basis didn’t sit well. But then neither did three kids and a dog. Maybe Mabel was right, and a nanny was just what he needed. Someone to take care of the kids and leave him to get on with his job.
“That’s a great idea, Mabel. Thanks. I might just do that.” In fact, it was an outstanding idea. And he knew just who to ask to fill the position.
Chapter Five
It had been a long day, and April was looking forward to getting home. A couple of clients hadn’t been home when she arrived, and others hadn’t wanted to talk to her. Only one client seemed genuinely interested in working with her, and she believed the woman had the child’s best interest at heart.
Sometimes people fell on hard times and made wrong choices, but the child’s mother was determined to prove she could be a worthy parent, and April was inclined to give her a chance. The bond between the child and mother was strong, something important to April when making recommendations that could affect the child’s entire future.
April pulled in her driveway just as her cell phone rang. She didn’t recognize the number and was tempted not to answer, figuring it was a telemarketer. But in her line of work, she didn’t have a choice whether to answer or not. She never knew when an important call regarding a child’s welfare might come in. “Hello?”
“April? This is Garrett.” His somber tone sounded ominous.
“Is everything okay? Are the kids okay?” She couldn’t help the anxiousness in her rapid-fire questions. Her concern for the children was on high alert.
“Relax, I’m at the hospital with Melanie.” Relax and hospital didn’t belong in the same sentence.
“What’s wrong?”
“She fell out of a tree and broke her wrist. The doctor’s setting it now, and it’s going to be fine. He’s given her something for the pain, and she’s doing well.”
“Poor baby. Thank goodness she’s okay. Give her a hug for me.” She let out a sigh of relief. “I thought you had the celebration of life today. What happened?”
“We did. As to what happened, that would be a question for the kids. They weren’t supposed to be outside, but...”
“Say no more. I get it.” She couldn’t help but feel sorry for him and Melanie. “Do you need me to meet you there at the hospital?”
“No. That’s not why I’m calling.” He hesitated, making her more curious about the reason for his call.
“Then what do you need?” She pressed the phone tightly between her ear and her shoulder to hold it in place while she grabbed her purse and opened the car door.
“You said to call if I ever needed help, and I do. I’m in over my h
ead. You and I both know that. Charlie’s been here, and he explained everything. I know now what you meant when you told me I was responsible for the kids.” Even over the phone, she could hear the distress in his voice.
“I would have told you, but I didn’t think I was the right person to break the news. Hallbrook is a small town, and your mother wasn’t quiet about her intentions.”
“Other than with me, you mean.” He was rightfully bent out of shape being broadsided by the situation, but she hoped he’d come to accept it in time—for everyone concerned. Especially the children.
“She wanted to tell you in person. What’s wrong with that? Think about it. And there’s no way she could have foreseen this coming.” April pressed him to try and understand his mother’s reasoning.
“True.” She could almost see him let out a deep breath, the silence telling.
But he had yet to get to the point, and she needed to jump in the shower, grab a glass of wine, and decompress from her day. “So, what can I do to help you?” She unlocked the door and pushed it open, grateful to be home.
“I want you to be my nanny. Just temporarily, that is. You love the kids, and you’re the perfect person to help me.” She hadn’t seen that coming.
She tossed her purse onto the chair in the living room, put the phone on speaker, and headed for the kitchen. Wine before the shower was starting to sound like a wonderful idea. “For the weekend? I’ve already told you I’m behind on work and can’t take any time off.” She’d like to help, but it wasn’t possible.
“No, not just the weekend. Come to New York with me. Take an extended leave of absence from your job and come stay with the kids. Make this easy on them and me. I know how much they care about you. It’s just until I can find a new nanny-housekeeper-type person. Mabel suggested it, and I think it’s the perfect solution. You can help me find someone. I wouldn’t even know what kind of questions to ask in an interview. Besides, you did offer your help.” He was serious.
April closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. This was a familiar story—but one she hadn’t heard since she’d turned eighteen and aged out of the foster care system. Foster parents wanted the older girls for the unpaid services they could provide. Services like cooking, cleaning, and childcare. Services April vowed not to do for anyone again unless it was for her own family. Not that she didn’t love the children—she did, but there was also her job to consider, and her boss had made it quite clear last night, one more misstep, and she’d be fired.
“You don’t know what you’re asking. I mean, I’d love to, but I can’t. When I offered help, I meant stopping at a grocery store for you, or taking them to school, or helping you fix something for dinner, or even taking them to the doctor. Not move to New York.” Garrett’s offer sounded like a man in panic mode, desperate for help. Once he got through the current crisis, he’d understand why it wouldn’t work.
“Well, you weren’t here to take Melanie to the doctor, so I think this is the next best option. What if I offered you ten thousand dollars to come to New York for one month? All expenses paid.” He wasn’t just serious. He was dead serious.
Ten grand. His offer just moved into a whole new arena. Before, in another situation, when she’d done the childcare and cooking and cleaning, she hadn’t received a dime. Garrett was offering money for her services—a lot of money. It was enough to pay for her last year of college and put her one step closer to her teaching job, something would take years and years to save for at the rate she was going.
“I don’t know. I’d have to quit my job. What happens when the month is up?” She could get a part-time job, but the idea was overwhelming, and it wasn’t something she could decide in a split second.
“If you find the perfect person as a nanny-housekeeper for the kids and stay the month to help them transition, I’ll give you another ten-thousand as a bonus. No strings attached. Plenty of money to give you time to find another job. You can have my room, we can put the girls in one room, Bryan in the other, and I’ll sleep on the couch. It’s a three-bedroom suite.” Garrett presented the idea as though he’d thought it through carefully, but it still sounded insane.
“I don’t know what to say. That’s a lot of money. What’s the catch?” There had to be a flaw somewhere in his plan.
“No catch. Come to New York, find me a nanny, get everything worked out, and you earn twenty grand. I’m sure you can find another job. You can even take a vacation. Both of us win in this situation.”
April was blown away. She hadn’t been holding out for more money, and now the offer had grown into a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She’d be crazy to tell him no. The man clearly had the money to pay top dollar for whatever he wanted, and right now, he wanted her. Well, not her, her services. For the children.
Living with Garrett would be odd, but it might not be so awkward with the kids there. They would be chaperones. The idea of giving up her job was scary, but there was no doubt she’d love to do it. She could forget a reference if she didn’t give two weeks’ notice, but then it’s not as though her boss approved of her anyway.
April tried to rationalize all the details. It would more than pay for her college and living expenses if she was careful with her finances for the next year. And once she graduated, she’d be able to apply for her dream job as a kindergarten teacher.
Take the chance and reach for your dream.
“Okay.” She let the word slip before she chickened out. “But on one condition. It’s for two weeks tops. I need to be back before the school semester at Plymouth University.”
“You drive a hard bargain. That’s an expensive two weeks.”
“Then cut the bonus in half. Do the math. I’d say that’s an excellent deal considering it’s full-time, twenty-four-seven. Three kids. A dog. And you. Nanny, housekeeper, cook, and interviewer. That’s four jobs.” She held her breath, waiting to see if he would agree. Wanting him to say yes.
“You have yourself a deal.”
“Really?” Giddy with excitement, she raised both hands in the air and did a half dance in the kitchen. Goodbye social service office and hello college.
April could hardly wait to call Maddison, but she had to finish out the details with Garrett. She tried to refocus, just for a minute. There would be time to celebrate later after she met up with Maddison at O’Malley’s to toast her good luck.
“Yes. And for the record, you could’ve named your price. You weren’t here last night, but I’d give anything not to fly solo through that again.” Garrett chuckled.
“I’ll remember that in the future.” April took a deep calming breath to calm her nerves. “When do you want me to start?”
“Be here at seven.” Garrett’s quick answer caught her off guard as she glanced at the clock.
“But that only gives me thirteen hours to get cleaned up and packed, close up my apartment, and put my mail on hold.” She shook her head, thinking of all that needed to be done to make it happen.
“No. Seven p.m. Tonight.” No way. Garrett’s terms bordered on insanity.
“But that’s in one hour.” She couldn’t possibly be ready in an hour.
“Yes, it is. I figure I’ll be back at the house by then, and I prefer reinforcements when it comes to handling the situation with the kids and dealing with their disobedience. Maybe you can even handle it for me.”
There was no arguing with Garrett. “Make it an hour and a half. I need a shower.”
“Seven-thirty it is. See you soon. And, April, thanks. You won’t regret this.”
So much for celebrating. She dialed Maddison’s number. The news was too fantastic, not to share.
“Hey, stranger. What’s up?” Maddison answered on the first ring, which meant she was having a slow day at work.
“I’ve got news. Big, big news. And I don’t know when I’ll get another chance to update you.” April would have preferred to see her friends face in person when she told her, but this would have to do.
“Spill
it. I’m going outside to take a break.”
“I’m quitting my job.” Words she’d dreamed of saying but didn’t see happening for a long while, if ever. All that changed with a single phone call. Well, and with two weeks of her life.
“What??? You can’t be serious. What happened?” Maddison’s voice rose a notch, concern evident in every question.
“I got another job offer. One that’s going to bankroll my last year of college.”
“Tell me more. This sounds too good to be true.”
“It is too good, but it is true. You know I’ve been watching the William’s children at the Bradley place until Garrett Bradley arrived. He arrived yesterday and has no clue what to do with the children. He offered me a temporary nanny job, and I accepted.” Something made easier by Tammy’s threats issued yesterday.
“But to give up your job? That sounds rash. And how will it bankroll college? This doesn’t sound like you.”
“I know. I’m going to New York City with Garrett and the kids for two weeks. There’s a bonus involved if I locate a nanny for him while I’m there. He needs help transitioning into parenthood.” How hard could it be to find a nanny in the city? There were probably as many agencies in New York City as there were in all of New Hampshire.
“Are you sure about this? When do you leave?”
“I better be sure because I start tonight?” April let out a deep breath. She was really doing this.
“Oh, honey. I hope you know what you’re doing. This wouldn’t have anything to do with the hunky prodigal son returned home, would it? I’ve seen Garrett. The man is totally drool-worthy.”
“You know me better than that. This is about the kids and my checking account.”
“If you say so. Take care of yourself and call me if you need anything. And stay safe, New York City isn’t Hallbrook, not by a long shot.”