by Baird, Ginny
Helena was the latest in a string of caretakers he’d hired to look after Ricky and Elisa. “What’s going on?”
“I’m afraid we’ve had another auto disaster.”
Richard spun his chair toward the window framing the street. His new BMW sat there with a bashed-in front hood and sagging bumper. “Not again.”
“And the worst part is, she’s blaming the—”
“I quit!” Helena said, barreling through the door with her hand-scrawled letter of resignation. She pressed it to Richard’s desk and met his gaze with a hostile glare. “Find someone else to look after your little monsters.”
Richard bristled and sat up straighter. “Watch yourself.”
Jason blinked at Helena, then shared a placating smile. “You do want a positive recommendation?”
“Recommendation? Ha!” She huffed and glanced briefly at them both. “Are you kidding? This has been the job from Hades. I’m not even listing it on my résumé.” She strode out the door with a cry that made her sound like a wild banshee. They heard a jingle of metal as she grabbed her purse and keys from the hall table; then the front door slammed shut.
Richard sat back in his chair and sighed. He ran a hand through his hair and met Jason’s gaze with weary eyes. “What do we do now?”
Jason sat in a chair opposite Richard’s desk and began furiously tapping at his tablet. After a few beats, he looked up, fully composed. This was why Richard relied on him. Jason always kept his cool, even under the most dire circumstances. “Advertise.”
Ventura woke with a jolt as her pillow was yanked out from under her. “Wake up, sleepyhead! You finally have an interview!”
Ventura squinted up at Mary, who was dressed in a cream-colored skirt and kiwi silk blouse with dangling matching earrings. Ventura hadn’t dreamed it. Fashionista Mary had nabbed Ventura’s dream job and was working at the Daily Globe. She started today. Ventura sat up.
“What time is it?”
“Nearly eight o’clock; I have to get going. So do you. Isn’t your appointment at nine?”
“And all the way across town,” Ventura wailed. “How could you let me hit snooze?”
Mary set a hand on her hip. “Who I am? Your mother? Besides…” She puckered her lips and put on a dab of Perfectly Plum lipstick. “I was getting ready.” She did a little pirouette in her light-colored skirt and matching heels. “What do you think?”
“Like you look too nice to be serving coffee.”
“I’ll work my way up. You’ll see.”
Ventura was sure that she would. Mary was pretty and bright and incredibly determined. She’d never even known she’d wanted to work in journalism until she’d considered the fashion angle. There was a whole section dedicated to that. Thanks to Ventura’s forays into journalism job-hunting, Mary had become greatly inspired. What a wonderful way to influence the world for the better. Just imagine! Mary might someday craft articles that inspired Washingtonians to dress better! It made her tingle all over—just at the thought.
“Have a great first day!” Ventura called as Mary raced up the stairs.
“Thanks!” she shouted back. “Break a leg at the interview!”
Thirty minutes later, Ventura scurried down the front steps and lost a heel. Great, she thought, racing back up the stairs to grab it, I’ll never make the Metro on time. She stepped back into her shoe and her too-tight blouse popped open. Ventura quickly scanned the street for passersby and rebuttoned it with a shake of her head. She should have known better than to borrow this from Mary, but right now it was the most upscale-looking thing she had.
The front door opened, and Nanette stuck her head outside. “Hey, Ventura! When will you be home?”
“I’m not sure,” she answered, remembering Mary’s warning. Fearing the look in Nanette’s eyes, she purposely stretched the truth a bit. “The interviews could take all day.”
“All day, but not into the night, eh?” Nanette said with a wink. “Just be sure you’re home for dinner. I have a special surprise in store. For you and Mary both!”
That was all she needed, Nanette trying to make her disastrous day better.
Ventura hiked up her skirt and ran down the street, her damp hair flying behind her. She hadn’t had time to dry it, much less press it flat with that torture implement Mary called the Magic Wand of Fashion. She was halfway down the escalator when she heard a light rip. Ventura glanced down in horror to see her hose had run right at mid-thigh. Well maybe her skirt would cover it. If not, she’d primly cross her legs. What a mother of a day this is turning out to be, Ventura thought, springing into the silver Metro car seconds before metal doors closed.
Ventura gripped the handrail, studying the Metro map plastered on the wall and catching her breath. She thought she was supposed to take the Blue Line. But maybe she’d made the wrong connection at Metro Center. What if she was headed to Northern Virginia when her interview was downtown?
“Need help?”
Ventura turned her attention from the map on the wall toward his voice, encountering that incredibly handsome face. “Richard!” she cried, scarcely able to believe it. Here she stood, looking perfectly horrible, and his gorgeous brown eyes were gazing at her.
He grinned, apparently pleased by her recognition. “I’m surprised that you remember.” As if in a million years she could forget. “We met at the gala a few weeks ago. It’s Ventura, isn’t it?”
She nodded numbly, wanting to sink through the subway car’s floor. How he’d positively identified her based on how she’d looked before and the way she did now, she had no idea.
“You look different.”
She sucked in a breath, wanting to die.
“Have you changed your hair?”
“It’s, um…” She nervously flipped wet tresses back over her shoulder. “Just not dry yet.”
He appraised her with a nod. “Well, I like it this way. Very natural.”
“Oh.”
“So many people in this city are into pretense. Overdoing everything, when sometimes it’s best to just let things be.”
“Yes.”
“So, where are you headed?”
“I have an interview on K Street.”
“Which end?”
“I have the address right… Hang on a second.” She fumbled in her purse for her billfold, then pulled it out and flipped it open. She’d written the particulars on a Post-it note, which she’d tucked in the flap for cash. She pulled it out and handed it over. To her dismay, she saw something else had stuck to its gummy back.
Richard studied the address, then, feeling something on the back of the Post-it, turned it over and read the message on her secret fortune. Ventura winced.
His face warmed all over. “I keep a four-leaf clover in my pocket, you know.”
“You do not,” she said, barely breathing the words.
He shrugged noncommittally. “Suit yourself.”
Ventura reached over and pulled the white slip of paper off the Post-it, then jammed it back in her wallet. “I have no idea how that got there,” she said with a little laugh. “Could have been there for ages.”
“Really?”
Subway bells chimed, and the doors slid open as new groups of passengers boarded and disembarked, but Ventura felt unable to move a muscle. She just stood there, caught up in his gorgeous dark eyes.
Richard stepped a few inches closer, and Ventura’s heart hammered harder. “Ventura,” he said as the doors clipped shut, “I think that was your stop.”
Lucky for her, Richard took pity on her plight and offered to escort her to Farragut North. They stood saying their good-byes outside the station, in the small park adjoining the square. An azure sky opened up above them while pigeons fluttered all around.
“I hope your interview goes well.”
“Thanks for getting me here. I never would have made it alone.”
“You’ll get the hang of things quickly enough.”
“I hope so.”
H
e studied her a moment, considering something. “I wish I could offer you a spot at the magazine, but we’ve got a really small shop.”
“It’s all right, I understand.”
He nodded and pulled a business card from his jacket. “Say Ventura… You wouldn’t consider…? I mean, I know it might seem out of line for me to suggest…”
Ventura’s pulse picked up a notch as she met his gaze. Was he about to ask her to lunch? Maybe even out for dinner?”
“But I do have an opening at home.”
“Home?”
“Help watching my kids.” His handsome face registered concern. “We had some trouble with our last nanny.”
Ventura’s world caved in on her. Naturally, she should have known. There she’d been thinking that Richard was flirting with her, angling to ask her on a date. When all he’d wanted in truth was domestic assistance.
“I’m afraid I’m not in the nanny business.”
“But you do have experience? With children, I mean?”
“Well, of course, I babysat in high school. A little bit in college too.” Ventura stopped herself. Where was this going? She didn’t need to provide explanations to this man. She was here to work in journalism and had spent a lot of time going to school for it besides. “I appreciate the thought,” she finally said. “But I’m really looking for something different.”
“Of course you are,” he said with kind understanding, but he handed her his card just the same. “I hope you’ll take this anyway. Just in case.”
“Just in case?”
“You come across someone who might be qualified?” He raised his brow with a hopeful expression. “You can have them reach me here.”
Mary widened her eyes at Ventura, then glanced toward the kitchen. “I think we should serve dessert.” They sat in the dining room with two of Nanette’s late-day surprises. Even in her scariest dreams, Ventura couldn’t have imagined anything this bad.
Ventura plucked Larry’s clammy grip from her knee. “Sounds like a plan.”
“Don’t be in such a hurry, darlin’,” Larry purred. Ventura pushed back in her chair, its legs loudly scraping the wooden floorboards beneath it. He was impossibly thin and old. For sure pushing fifty, with a balding head and bulging eyes that were charcoal in color like his pilled sweater vest.
Ventura cleared their plates and scurried toward the kitchen, fighting the urge to retch.
“Wait for me!” Mary yelped, clanking silverware together as she nabbed things off the table and hurried after her. But not quickly enough. Potbellied Louis leaned back in his chair to pinch her butt with a chortle when she passed by, muttering something about bringing him plenty of sugar.
“You boys are so bad!” Nanette said, slapping her end of the table with a giggle. “Next time, you’ll have to bring a friend for me.”
Mary passed through the swinging kitchen door with a gasp. “What did I tell you?”
Ventura dumped her dishes in the sink in disbelief. “Those guys are at least twice our age.”
“Politicians think they can get away with it.”
“Yuck!”
“No joke.”
Ventura heaved a sigh and leaned back against the counter. “What was Nanette thinking?”
“Maybe they looked good to her.” Mary shrugged. “Her judgement’s not all that, you know.”
“I wish we’d had some warning.”
“Nanette’s sneaky that way. Though she’ll usually drop a hint.” Mary suspiciously eyed Ventura. “Did she say anything to you? Anything at all?”
“She might have made some mild suggestion on my way out the door this morning.” Ventura grimaced. “But honestly, I had no idea.”
“No, of course you didn’t.”
“I’m sorry this had to happen to you on your first day of your new job. How did it go?”
“I burned the coffee.”
“I’m sure they’ll forgive you.”
“Four times.”
“But I thought you’d worked at a coffee shop?”
“Serving, not cooking.”
“Well, I missed my Metro stop.”
“You what?”
She smiled mysteriously. “That didn’t mean I couldn’t find a Washington hottie to help me.”
“Ventura! What are you talking about? You met someone?”
“I saw Richard,” Ventura whispered. “And, oh my goodness, Mary, I looked a total wreck.”
Mary paused a beat to study her. “You don’t look bad now.”
“It was worse in the morning with run pantyhose and wild wet hair.”
Mary cupped her mouth with her hand. “Are you serious?”
“Naturally, Richard was as put together as always.”
“He’s impeccable, that one is. I want the name of his tailor.”
Ventura produced Richard’s business card. “Well, you can call him and ask.”
Mary expression brightened. “Nice work. He gave you his card? What’s up?”
Ventura felt her face fall at the admission. “He wants a nanny.”
“That’s it?”
“Oh, girls!” Nanette hollered from the next room. “Your gentlemen friends are growing restless!”
Mary opened her mouth and stuck in a finger, making a gagging motion.
Ventura giggled before growing serious again. “What are we doing to do?”
“We’ve got to get rid of them.”
“The sooner the better. But how?”
Mary pursed her lips in thought, then pulled a carton of ice cream from the freezer with an evil grin. “Men a la mode?” she whispered to Ventura. And then, much more loudly, she called to Nanette, “Coming right up!”
A few minutes later, Ventura primly carted in dessert plates loaded with generous slices of pecan pie. Mary followed with a container of ice cream and a solid silver scoop.
Larry eyed Ventura lasciviously as she set down his plate. “Why, thanks, sweetness.”
Mary coquettishly batted her eyelashes. “Ice cream with that?”
Larry licked his lips, and Ventura shuddered. “Tasty-tasty.”
With incredible cool, Mary dug a huge mound of ice cream out of the box then… “Whoops! Oh, heavens to Betsy!” she proclaimed, putting on an exaggerated Southern tone. “Just what have I done?”
“Hey!” Larry spewed, springing from his chair as the cold ball of French Vanilla landed square in his lap.
Ventura set down Louis’s dessert with a smile. “How about you?”
“I’m sure he wants some too,” Mary went on without skipping a beat. Before Louis could get another word out, she’d scooped out two more hunks of ice cream and “Uh-oh!”
“Oh dear.” Ventura brought her hands to her cheeks, surveying the double balls nestled together above Louis’s plaid pants.
He pushed back in his chair with a scowl, sweeping the ice cream balls off his lap and onto the Oriental carpet under the table.
“My good rug!” Nanette cried with dismay.
Louis stood haughtily, joining Larry by the door in the foyer.
“I don’t think that was any kind of accident,” Larry scolded, still dabbing his slacks with his hanky.
Nanette stood from her chair, clearly offended. “Now, I’m sure they didn’t do that on purpose.”
“Of course not,” Mary said before Ventura added, “We’re so sorry.”
“Harrumph!” Larry leaned forward to wipe Louis’s crotch, and Louis slapped him. “Stop that! We’re in public now!”
The girls raised their brows at each other.
“Why don’t we all sit back down—” Nanette began.
“Not on your life, sister.” Louis already had his hand on the knob and was pulling the front door open.
A few minutes later, the three women leaned out the door and watched the men scamper down the sidewalk, their knees bent out sideways like bow-legged cowboys.
“Don’t forget to call!” Nanette yelled after them, which only made them move faster.
<
br /> Chapter Four
Jason smiled politely at the preppy blonde in pearls as he walked her to the door. “Thanks so much for stopping by. We’ll get back to you by the end of the week.”
After seeing her outside, he returned to Richard, who sat with his elbows on his desk, head in hands. “None of them are any good.”
“I didn’t think Helga was so horrible.”
Richard set his palms on his desk and stared at him. “She was scary. Admit it.”
“Okay. Just a tiny bit. But Ricky and Elisa need discipline. You said so yourself.”
“Not that kind. The woman didn’t even smile.”
“So maybe she has dental problems?”
“You’re not helping her case.”
Jason sat heavily in a chair. “Guess I’m not.” He flipped back through his tablet and shook his head. “Looks like we’ve gone through all of them.”
“Maybe we need to up what we’re paying?” Richard suggested.
“We’re already paying double the going rate.”
“I don’t want just anyone looking after my kids.”
“Of course you don’t.”
“She has to be smart.”
“Naturally.”
“Attentive.”
“Goes without saying.”
“Nimble enough to think on her feet.”
“And in the car.”
Richard spouted a laugh. “Too true.” He smiled at Jason, grateful to have him in his company, not just as an assistant but as a friend. He’d been asking too much of him these past few weeks, having him pick up some nanny duties in addition to his already demanding job. Richard had to find a solution to this and soon. “Any brilliant thoughts?”
“We can call some of the local colleges. A few have babysitting lists.”
“I don’t know how the scheduling would work for somebody taking classes, but I guess we could give that a whirl.”
“I’ll get on it right away.”
“Thanks, Jason.”
Jason met his eyes with a compassionate gaze. “Don’t worry, chief. We’ll find someone. And once we do, I’m going to guarantee it, she’ll have been worth the wait.”