by Naomi Niles
He entered the room and said, "Sorry, to interrupt you. I just wanted to show you around the house. I can come back if you need to get dressed."
"No, don't go. I'm ready, but there's no need for you to interfere with your day just to give me a tour. I could just have Emma show me where the nursery is. After all, a man of your position must be incredibly busy."
"Not at all. My entire morning schedule is open. I wanted to take the time to personally welcome you into my home. Did you sleep well last night?"
"Yes. Very well." I was completely taken aback by his friendly concern. Surely, he had better things to do that show me around, and yet he had cleared his whole schedule just for me. It was incredibly flattering, and the way his eyes sparkled when he gazed at me made my stomach flutter.
"Then let's begin." He grinned. He took me from room to room of his vast mansion, each more extravagant than the last. His tastes were impeccable, with fine wood furnishings and rare art pieces in every room, Persian rugs, crystal vases, and huge bouquets of freshly cut roses everywhere.
"This door leads to the swimming pool. I'll give you a passcode to the lock. Always keep the door closed, since Halle doesn't know how to swim yet. She was going to start taking lessons, but..."
His voice trailed off, and the mood in the air became very tense. He looked at me and said softly, "I suppose you heard about what happened to your predecessor?"
"Yes." There was no point in denying it. "My mother read me the article from the newspaper. I must say, she wasn't very thrilled about my coming to work here."
My tone was light as I tried to make a joke of the terrible situation, and to my immense relief, he smiled at it.
"You're perfectly safe here."
"I told her that, but you know how mothers are." I smiled, and we continued walking past the indoor pool towards the library.
Tate put his hand on my arm. "Tell her not to worry. You'll never be alone. I'll be here in the house with you at all times."
"That's good to know." I smiled back at him, but I doubted that my mother would be comforted by the knowledge that I would be home every day with a man who many people thought was a murderer. For that matter, I wasn't sure I was, either.
After the library, he took me outside to the lush gardens, and then through the large French doors into the dining room.
"You have a beautiful view of the garden while you eat," I couldn't help but admire.
"Thank you. I had the house designed that way on purpose." He seemed pleased that I had noticed. "Halle loves looking out the window at the roses when we eat."
"What time's does she have her meals?" I asked.
Tate told me her daily schedule as he led me into the kitchen. I was impressed by all the state-of-the-art appliances sitting atop the granite countertops. There were even some that I didn't have any idea what they did.
"May I prepare something for you, sir?" A blond man in a white apron suddenly appeared. He was almost as tall as Tate but covered with rippling muscles, and I guessed he was in his mid-thirties. His sudden appearance startled me so badly that I had to stifle a gasp.
Tate said to him, "No, thank you. I'm just giving the new nanny a tour of the house. This is Rachelle Clare. I'd like you to meet Stuart Haynes."
I stuck out my hand and gave his strong one a firm shake. "Pleased to meet you. Are you the chef who made my wonderful breakfast?"
"Yes, but I'm not just the chef. I'm also Mr. Holland's dietician and fitness instructor." He flexed with pride, and I could see he was the kind of man who thrived on attention.
"No wonder you're so fit. You must work out constantly." I stoked his ego, and he grinned happily.
"Not as much as I'd like to. When I get home at night, I only have time to work-out for two hours before it's time to go to bed for the evening," he boasted, and I had to bite my cheek to keep from laughing. His vanity was humorous, but Tate was in good shape, and the breakfast I'd enjoyed had been nutritious, as well as delicious, so I had to believe he was good at his job.
"So, not all your employees live in the mansion?" I turned to Tate.
"No, of course not," he said easily. "You're the only one in residence since I need you to be there for Halle in case she cries in the middle of the night. Plus, it makes it a lot easier for you tuck her in at night and still be there when she wakes up in the morning if you don't have to commute from home."
"Of course. I just didn't realize the others didn't live here, too." To change the subject, I turned back to Stuart and said, "You must get up awfully early to be here in time to cook breakfast."
He flexed his muscles again as he rubbed his forehead. "I do, but when I take a day off, I catch up on my sleep then. I'll give you a quick tour of the kitchen, so you know how to find everything when it's your turn to cook."
"My turn?" I couldn't hide my surprise.
Stuart laughed. "I can't be here all the time. When I'm not, Miss Halle and Mr. Holland still need to eat."
Tate turned to me and said, "Part of the nanny's duties are to cook meals for Halle and me when the chef is off duty. Didn't you read that part in the contract you signed?"
Flushing, I said, "Of course I did. I just forgot."
I let Stuart show me where he kept the dishes and how to turn on the many different appliances. The pantry was positively amazing, and the refrigerator was big enough to get lost in. It was all so complicated, I just hoped I wouldn't be called on to prepare meals very often. I guessed it made sense that it would part of my duties caring for Halle. I just hadn't thought about it. I definitely should have read the contract and not just skimmed through it, and I made a vow to do so that evening when my workday was done.
Stuart was a little condescending as he showed me around his kitchen, making it clear that he liked things kept a certain way and didn't want me messing it up.
I understood, though. I was the new girl in the household and replacing someone who had suddenly died only made things worse. No one had been expecting Rose's departure, and her loss was still deeply felt. It was going to take time for them to get used to me, and I was just going to have to be patient.
The only one who didn't seem to need time adjusting to me was Halle. The moment Tate brought me upstairs to the nursery, the little girl ran into my arms.
"Miss Clare!" she cried out enthusiastically.
"I told you to call me Rachelle," I reminded her gently. "And, I'll call you Halle. We're going to be close friends."
"Yeah!" Halle released her grip on my neck to spin in a circle in the middle of the room, cheering happily. When she came to a stop, she asked sweetly, "Are you going to be close friends with my Daddy, too?"
I looked up at Tate, who was grinning widely. He looked down at me and our eyes locked. In a husky voice, he said, "I certainly hope we will. I like Rachelle very much."
Halle clapped her chubby little hands and said to me, "Do you like my Daddy, too?"
Blushing, I didn't know what to say. I had to turn my gaze away from him as I said to her, "Yes, I do."
After that, Tate excused himself from the nursery. He had work to do for the day, and so did I.
Halle and I played together for a little while so she could get comfortable spending time with me. I read her some books and taught her to sing some counting songs. As the evening drew near, I gave her a bath and dried her dark curly hair with a towel. We watched an episode of her favorite educational program, and then it was time to tuck her into bed for the night. We read Goodnight Moon, twice, and by the time I got to the last page for the second time, she was fast asleep.
"Goodnight, Halle," I whispered as I shut the door to her bedroom. My room had a door that adjoined to hers. I stripped off my clothes and put on my nightgown. It had been a good first day on the job, and Halle was a true joy to work with. The house was comfortable to live in, although huge, and the other employees would warm up to me in time. What stood out to me the most was Tate.
He was kind and friendly, and it really meant a
lot to me that he had taken the time to show me around the house and make sure I felt welcomed and comfortable. That night, my dreams were filled with him.
Chapter Six: Tate
"So, how are things going in here?" I peeked my head through the nursery door with a boyish grin.
Rachelle was sitting on the floor with Halle, teaching her how to build a castle with blocks.
"Daddy!" Halle jumped up and ran across the room to me, knocking her tower to the ground with a noisy crash. I scooped her into my arms and hugged her tight. Then I tossed her high in the air and caught her again as she squealed in delight.
When I thought she'd had enough, I set her gently on the ground and beamed down at her sweet young face.
"Daddy, look what I did!" She ran to the child-sized table in the corner of the nursery and returned with a piece of paper.
I looked at it and blinked with disbelief. "You wrote your name! I'm so proud of you."
"Rachelle showed me. Look!" She dragged me by the hand back to the table, and I watched as she grabbed a crayon and very carefully scrawled out the letters of her name one by one. Her little tongue stuck out in concentration with the effort, and I felt my heart swell with pride. I looked over at Rachelle, locking gazes with her, and saw the joy in her eyes, too.
"I didn't know she could spell," I said to her.
"She's very bright," Rachelle agreed, confirming my own biased opinion. "I'm teaching her letters and numbers. She'll be able to read well before other children her same age. She's really very gifted."
"I don't where she gets it from," I chuckled. "Certainly not from me."
"You must be joking," Rachelle chastised. "You run a massive business enterprise and manage this huge estate. A man doesn't get to be where you are without being smart."
"He does if he inherits it," I confessed. "My fortune comes from my parents. All I had to do was manage to not lose it."
"Well, that takes more brains than most people realize. Just think about all the people in your same position who blew their family fortunes with poor choices. You not only kept your family's money, but from what I understand, managed to grow it into an even bigger empire."
I felt embarrassed by her lavish praise and tried to change the subject. Arching my brow at her in mock accusation, I said, "You've been studying up on me."
"Well, I figured if I'm going to be living and working here, I should know a little about the man I work for. I was quite impressed by what I learned. You really should give yourself more credit for your accomplishments than you do."
"Well, thank you, but this is the accomplishment I'm most proud of." I nodded my head towards Halle. She'd sat down at her little table and was teaching her stuffed bear how to write the letter H over and over with a pink crayon.
"You have every right to be. She's a wonderful child – smart, well-mannered, and she has a very caring heart. Every day, she asks me how I'm doing and if I need anything. It's so sweet."
"She's ahead of me then. You've been working here nearly a week, and today is the first time I've had a chance to come here and check up on you. I should have done it earlier, but I wanted to give you space to adjust, and then I got busy with work. I'm sorry I—"
"It's okay." She cut off my apology. "I know how busy you are, and I don't need anyone to micromanage me. Halle and I are doing great together. I couldn't be happier to be her nanny."
"Good," I said with relief. I didn't realize how much I had been worried about her until I heard the words aloud. "And how is everything else? Your room, the accommodations?"
"Fine." There was a subtle tension in her posture that I picked up on.
"Tell me. What is it?" I pressed gently, and she broke instantly.
"It's nothing, really. The room is great. I love walking in the garden. The food is terrific. It's just I don't feel like the other employees like me very much. Emma and Stuart are both so short with me whenever I try to talk to them. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I hope they come around soon. I'd really like it if we could be friends."
"I see." I rubbed my jaw with my hand, trying to think of the best way to broach the subject. "Perhaps it's because you're not following the rules."
"What? I try to be a good employee, and I love my job so much. Which rules aren't I following?" She looked near panic, and I felt obliged to soothe her fears.
"Don't worry; it’s not that important. I'm not going to fire you for it; it's just that you haven't been adhering to the dress code. I meant to bring it up that first day when you wore jeans and sneakers, but there was so much to go over that I didn't get a chance to. After that, I was too busy. I review the nanny cam periodically, however, and I noticed you've been wearing them every day."
"I'm sorry. Was I not supposed to?" Rachelle looked so apologetic, it was hard to resist kissing her, but I forced myself to be professional.
"Didn't you read the dress code in the contract that you signed?"
"I may have skipped over that part." She flushed. I was beginning to wonder if she'd read any of it at all, but of course, she must have. I saw her flipping through the pages before she signed it. Perhaps she was just overwhelmed by everything.
"It's okay. The dress code for the position of nanny is as follows: no slacks or jeans. Dresses or skirts only, knee length, in solid colors. No nylons or tights. Knee socks or knee-high stockings in white, black, or navy. Shoes will be black with a low heel. Blouses may be any color or style, as long as they are work appropriate, so no holes or stains. Hair is to be kept tied back in a ponytail or bun."
"At least I've been getting the hair right." Rachelle blushed, looking down at her outfit with morbid embarrassment.
I touched her chin and gently lifted it until she was looking into my eyes. Speaking gently, I said to her, "It's alright. I can take you shopping if you don't have the appropriate clothes. It would be my pleasure."
"Thank you. I have a few things that will do, but not a lot. Perhaps going shopping might not be a bad idea."
"Consider it done. We'll go this weekend. We can even bring Halle along for an outing. It will be fun."
"Sounds good to me." Rachelle was smiling now, and I let my hand graze her cheek as I pulled it away from her chin.
"You know, I don't mean for the dress code to seem harsh or inconvenient. I just like to run the household in a certain way, and for that way to stay consistent."
"I understand. Don't worry; I'll follow all the rules from now on. You can count on me to maintain your way of life." She smiled up at me with those beautiful blue eyes. I felt a stirring in my loins, and I wanted to grab her and kiss her right then. But since Halle was playing quietly in the corner, and I was forced to restrain myself.
"Good," I said a little more curtly than I meant to. Then I turned on my heel and strode from the nursery, closing the door behind me. It was proving to be a lot harder than I expected, restraining myself from Rachelle; I yearned to make her mine. With any luck, I wouldn't have to wait much longer.
Chapter Seven: Rachelle
"What do you think of this one?" I held the gray skirt up to my body and displayed it to Halle as if I were wearing it.
The little girl was bouncing up and down on my bed in her yellow footie pajamas with pictures of kittens all over.
"No." She shook her head, sending her curls flying all around her cherubic face.
"Yeah, I don't like that one, either." I hung the dowdy garment back in my closet and searched for something more appropriate. Then my eyes on fell on something that made my face brighten. I grabbed it off the hanger and held it in front of me, showing it to her. "What about this one?"
"Yes! It's pretty!" Halle applauded.
"I think so, too." I gently laid the short black skirt with a lace hem on the foot of my bed. Beside it were a pair of knee-high white stockings and a pair of black patent-leather shoes with silver buckles and a low, wide heel.
Next, I turned to the closet and plucked out a pale blue blouse with a black lace collar that p
erfectly matched the skirt. It was a pretty little outfit, and I thought it would please Tate greatly.
"That should do nicely." I placed all the pieces of the outfit neatly on the armchair seated in the corner by my bookshelf.
"Put it on!" Halle begged, and gave me her best puppy-dog face with her big hazel eyes. I properly guessed that it was a look that worked on her father, but I wasn't so easily influenced
"This outfit is for tomorrow," I explained to her firmly. "Now it's time for bed."
"No. Not time for bed!" she insisted, but I scooped her up into my arms and twirled her in a circle until she giggled and squealed with delight.
"Not time for bed?" I teased as I carried her from my bedroom into the adjoining nursery. "What about the story I promised to tell you about the princess with the magic wishes? Don't you want me to continue telling it to you?"
"Yes! I want a princess story!" Her face brightened at the idea.
"Well then, you need to brush your teeth and get into bed. Then I can tell you more of the story."
The ploy worked, and Halle ran to the bathroom and grabbed her tiny toothbrush. I helped her so she wouldn't miss any teeth and tucked her under her covers.
Sitting on the little chair by her bedside, I told her the story she longed to hear, making it up as I went along. It was about a queen who had gotten very sick, so her daughter, the princess, went to search for a cure. The princess went to work in a magical castle where any wish she made came true. Halle had no idea the story was really about me and how working for her father had been like a dream come true.
As I kept talking, Halle's hazel eyes slowly closed and her breathing became deep and even. Confident that my charge was now sound asleep, I crept from the nursery back to my room and closed the door.
I had turned on the baby monitor by her bed, and I set its companion on my nightstand, just in case she woke up in the night. Tate had warned me that she often did, especially during times of stress, like having recently lost a nanny. I understood completely and made a point of always being available for her at night.