There's a lingering gloss of sweat resting along her brow and her cheekbones which simply glistens from the natural lighting that enters the room. The leftover perspiration on her face happens to give her cheeks a dewy look which also appear to be flushed with a slight touch of pink from whatever strenuous activity she was partaking in before she was abruptly summoned to my study. Just one look at her and it's very clear from her sweaty and unfeminine image that there should be absolutely no appeal at all in the humble and modest appearance that she's showing me. But I can't seem to take my eyes off of her no matter how hard I try to find an excuse and reason through it with myself. The raw and delicate beauty that is boldly exhibited in her bare and natural face is a fascinating scene to witness.
There's just something so pure and honest about her appearance that is unlike anything I've ever seen before in a woman -- but perhaps this is the exact reason why Teagan is so drawn to her in the first place compared to all of the others. She's different, at least that much is obvious.
"So, what's up?" Audrey gingerly asks as a nervous laugh escapes her. "I'm not in trouble or anything, am I?"
"The other way around, actually," I state with a smile while I watch a gradual look of confusion form across the young woman's face. "How has it been working here? Teagan hasn't been causing you any trouble, has she? Crane updated me a bit about the situation while I was on the way home and told me that things have been going well between you two, but I know my daughter isn't the easiest child to manage. You can tell me the truth about her."
"Well, if you're worried about Teagan, she honestly hasn't been causing me or anyone else any trouble since I've started working with her. She's actually been really good," Audrey replies in a pleased tone of voice.
"Has she?" I ask.
The young nanny simply nods her head and responds, "Yup. She's been way better than most kids I've had to deal with in the past, and trust me when I say this because I've definitely had my fair share of little troublemakers. Teagan is truly a saint and an angel compared to those kids."
My prudent gaze continues to watch and observe Audrey as a tiny chuckle parts from her lips. Even though she doesn't seem to be able to find anything bad to say about Teagan, I don't buy the narrative that she's trying to sell me -- not for one second. I just cannot count the number of times I've had to sit in this chair and have this same exact conversation with all of Teagan's previous nannies in regards to the little girl's unruly and uncontrollable behavior. And each time I have had to speak with these women about their experience working with the young child, they have always reported back some kind of an issue or a problem to me, no matter how small, without fail.
So how can I not believe that Audrey is bullshitting me when everyone else has made a complaint about Teagan and she's just sitting in front of me with a smile on her face while she openly praises the impulsive little girl who I know isn't always that innocent?
It has to be bullshit -- it has to be.
"So, there really hasn't been a single problem?" I ask again. "Nothing at all that might be even remotely important enough to tell me?"
"No, not really," Audrey slowly answers as she shakes her head back and forth. However, a slight beam eventually begins to emerge across her lips after she gives me her response. "Though if there is anything that I have to say about her, it's that she is a pretty impressive kid."
"What do you mean by that?" I question with a deep furrow of my brow.
The brunette's face practically lights up with a big smile from the moment I make my inquiry. She closes her eyes and lets out a soft chuckle before she explains, "You would think a little girl like Teagan would absolutely hate getting a bit of dirt on her hands because she appears to be so prim and proper, but she seems to really embrace the whole idea of the outdoors and nature. The sight of bugs and the feeling of sweat don't even seem to bother or faze her. It's just not a quality you see every day in a young girl with an upbringing like hers."
"Outdoors? You two already went somewhere together that wasn't a part of the schedule?"
"Yeah, we did. Crane gave me the okay to do it, so I hope that wasn't a problem. Teagan mentioned wanting to go on a short hike, so I promised her that we could do that if she got through all of her planned lessons and activities without making a fuss or throwing a fit. Needless to say, the kid earned it. She fulfilled her end of the bargain, and I didn’t want to break our promise," Audrey says with a shrug before she breaks out into another laugh. "But really, I don't think I've ever seen a girl so happy to get dirt all over her nice and clean clothes."
My heart instinctively stirs from the way the young woman’s brown eyes appear to sparkle and twinkle as she speaks about Teagan in a highly positive light and manner. In fact, it’s actually difficult for me to continue doubting her after seeing the warm expression displayed across her face. After all, she’s the type of woman who is pretty much incapable of concealing any signs of her true feelings and emotions from anyone. Everything that ranges from joy to anger and from disappointment to sorrow is clearly written all over her face, and this also includes the overwhelming fondness that she apparently holds toward Teagan which happens to be a first for any nanny I’ve hired so far.
I quietly exhale in defeat. As much as I don’t want to believe that there’s a strange and special bond swiftly forming between Audrey and Teagan, I can’t deny or ignore the blatant facts in front of me. Besides, it isn’t like I can complain too much about the circumstances since finding a new nanny who is also capable of managing my daughter is something that I wanted to begin with. The only thing I have to make sure and worry about is that the relationship between the two of them doesn’t grow beyond that of a professional and working one.
There’s really no telling what kind of trouble will arrive or come if that problematic scenario were to ever occur. Especially with how attached Teagan already seems to be to the new young and unqualified nanny.
Another slow and weak sigh leaves my lips as I reluctantly accept the unexpectedly glowing results of the circumstances between Audrey and Teagan. But just as I am about to let the nanny go so that she can get back to work, I happen to notice the glee that was once on her face instantly fade away from her candid expression. She quickly looks over at me and opens her mouth as if she wanted to say something, yet she stops short of actually conveying her sudden thought to me. A very obvious troubled look flashes across her face as her mood quickly turns somber. There's a rather curious look in her eyes which naturally piques my interest.
"What is it? You look like you have something else to add," I note.
The young woman lets out a lighthearted breath as she bites down on her lip. She slowly shakes her head in an attempt to downplay the matter. "It's nothing. It's just that Teagan recently told me that she really wants to go camping with you because she's never done it before. She's just incredibly afraid to ask you because she thinks you'll definitely say no to her."
What?
I raise my brow at the brunette's unusual report and respond to her in a matter-of-factly tone: "We most certainly have gone camping a few times in the past. I’m not exactly sure why or where Teagan seemed to have gotten the idea that we have never done it before-"
"Sorry,” Audrey interrupts with a stiff laugh. “I’m pretty sure Teagan meant she wanted to go camping without all of the first world luxuries. I mean, it's not really camping if you're not sleeping underneath the stars in a cozy tent, right?"
A soft and bitter scoff rushes forth from my lips as I carefully watch Audrey cross her arms and shrug in a pleased manner as if the situation were helpless. Seeing the sight of her seemingly smug expression while she brazenly gives me an unnecessary look of pity leaves a rather bad taste in my mouth. I grit my teeth and try to suppress my irritation toward her, yet my attempts to subdue my displeasure only make me feel even more heated than before. The young woman is undoubtedly looking down on me from across the table, the proud glint in her brown eyes silently mocking me
. I can already feel her judgmental stare swiftly forming a negative opinion of me based on her own preconceived notions in regards to the large amount of wealth that I happen to be tied to.
And the worst part about all this is that it’s actually so goddamn frustrating to feel the weight of her judgment and assumptions on top of my shoulders. Normally, I wouldn’t give a damn about other people’s negative impressions of me because those perceptions are often made out of jealousy and spite of my success. But for some reason, Audrey’s haughty and scorn-filled gaze that happens to be keen on looking over in my direction right now really pisses me off.
"Anyway,” Audrey suddenly speaks up as she conveniently cuts and breaks through the growing tension that is spreading across the room. “I apologize for bringing something this trivial of a matter up to you, Mr. Bennett. I should have already known from the start that a request like this would be extremely difficult for someone like you. I’ll do my best and try to gently break the news to Teagan.”
Heh.
It takes almost all of my strength not to instinctively lash out and demand an answer from the presumptuous young woman who clearly intends on continuing with her smug attitude: "Difficult for someone like me? What is that supposed to mean, exactly?” I inquire in a bit of a hostile tone which hardly fazes her.
"Well, aside from how busy you obviously must be with work all the time, rich people like you don't exactly love much less like the idea of getting all sweaty and dirty which is why they pay for those 'affordable' luxuries, right? Then you can just experience the joys of camping without all of the unfortunate inconveniences that come along with sleeping outside. You know, like the gross bugs that are all over the place and the uncomfortable sleeping bags which make you inevitably miss your bed?"
I force a smile on my lips and continue to keep my cold stare intently focused on the young woman with the complacent look on her face. It seems that I sometimes tend to forget just how insolent Audrey can be on a regular basis. Though she really does have a lot of nerve to be able to say something that ignorant and insulting in front of me without any sign of hesitation or fear in her voice and in her eyes. Especially when she is more than well aware that the person she happens to be speaking to is me, her boss -- the man who gets to ultimately decide whether or not she even has a job in the first place.
"That's a rather broad generalization that you're making there about rich people like me. Though I can understand why you may be inclined to think about us in that regrettably narrow-minded way and mindset. But I suppose I can't blame you for feeling like that. Most working class people do tend to have the wrong impression and idea about the wealthy because of their own stubborn naivety."
The proud and satisfied expression on Audrey's face quickly drops off. She naturally purses her lips in displeasure while stiffly crossing her arms over her chest. I shamelessly grin at the visibly-annoyed woman with no restraint whatsoever. My touchy and controversial words seem to have struck a nerve with her in spite of her best attempts to hide her obvious frustration from me.
"It may be a huge generalization that I'm making about the rich, but it's one that I'm going to firmly stick with. Unless, you plan on proving me wrong?" Audrey stubbornly retorts while maintaining her rigid stance. She raises her brow at me, her unbending gaze challenging me to convince her otherwise.
Yet I simply lean forward in my chair and say right directly to her: "Sure, I would love to. In fact, it would be my absolute pleasure to show you how wrong you are."
Audrey gives a sudden pause as the tension in her posture starts to ease up across her body. She looks completely shocked and stunned by my swift response to her, her doe-eyed expression anxiously awaiting for me to tell her that I was merely joking about accepting her abrupt challenge. However, she gradually nods her head at me in a slow albeit enthusiastic manner once she realizes that I am actually serious about taking her up on her offer. The bold brunette claps her hands together in a celebratory fashion and then flashes an eager smile toward me.
"Great! I'll go ahead and let Teagan know the good news, then. She's going to be so excited. I can't wait to see the look on her face," Audrey joyfully notes as she gets up from her seat and starts to walk over to the door in a hurry.
Before I can ask or say anything else to Audrey about her experiences working with Teagan, the excited nanny hastily exits the important conversation between the two of us by nonchalantly closing the door behind her. There's not even a single parting word from the young woman as the doorway quickly closes in her rapid wake -- no goodbye or inquiry as to whether or not I was even finished talking business with her. She just goes ahead and leaves on her own accord as if my authority as her boss didn't matter at all to her. It's almost like I'm the one who happens to be caught up in the speed and flow of her life's tempo while she simply pulls me along for the ride.
What a joke.
Yet I blankly stare at the closed door with a long and heavy sigh. I can't help but feel like a huge idiot and fool right now with the way things have strangely turned out. Because even though it's very unlike me to lose my composure during any sort of discussion or conversation that I am involved in, Audrey has somehow managed to seamlessly manipulate me into going on a family camping trip for the sole sake of proving her assumptions about me wrong. And as much as I would prefer to stay indoors at a nice hotel with all the modern conveniences right at the tip of my fingers instead of being stranded in the middle of nowhere, I can't take back my words. I’m still a man of my word, and I will follow through with my decision and show that woman just how mistaken she is about me.
But I have to take this moment to ask myself: why the hell am I trying so damn hard to impress Audrey like this in the first place?
Why is my heart so dead set on proving her wrong when she’s just a mere nobody to me?
An irritable pressure tightens itself around my heart as I slowly sink back down into my seat. I can feel the inevitable answer to my burning questions rattling underneath my bones, yet I choose to stubbornly ignore its loud call. There's no way that a plain and insignificant woman like Audrey can ever be someone who actually means something to me, and I'm going to prove it during the camping trip. I'm going to prove that these misleading feelings of affection of mine are wrong.
***
"Wow, look at all the tall trees, daddy!" the young voice giddily shrieks in delight.
I take a deep breath and softly chuckle as I watch Teagan jump up and down with her over packed rucksack rustling on her small back. She certainly appears to be enjoying herself, the brilliant twinkle in her innocent blue eyes in a constant state of awe and amazement. The little girl suddenly pauses in the middle of her tracks to marvel at the giant sequoia trees which surround her from every angle before she spontaneously decides to break out into a tiny sprint up the rocky and dirt-filled path. She earnestly charges up the hilly slopes with a restless amount of energy while her small and short legs are barely able to keep up with her never-ending excitement.
"Hey, just slow down, Teagan. You're really going to trip and fall and hurt yourself if you keep running like that," I adamantly warn. But it's almost like the young girl doesn't even hear me, her buzzing emotions completely tuning out my voice from her ears.
A cheery giggle trails in the wind as the young nanny stops right next to me. "Let her enjoy the experience for now. It's not a real camping trip if you don't come back home with a fun story to tell or a battle scar to show everyone," Audrey states without ever taking her eyes off of Teagan who is still deeply invested in the scenic view in front of her.
However, my attention and gaze naturally shifts over from Teagan to the brunette with the gentle smile on her lips. I can feel a soft tug and pull against my heart as I carefully observe the young woman quietly standing next to me. There's a warm and doting expression written all over Audrey's face as she gleefully watches the sight of the curious little girl who absolutely cannot contain her overwhelming joy toward t
he reality of being surrounded by nature. But instead of sharing the same heartwarming sentiment as the nanny, I come to find myself much more interested and drawn to the passionate expression on the woman's face.
Fresh-faced with her sweat slightly glistening and her hair messily tied up into a ponytail -- she doesn't have a care in the world about her appearance at all. Yet the plainer and homelier she looks in front of me, the more my eyes seem to follow and notice her. I am way too used to women doing whatever it takes for them to grab even the tiniest bit of my attention that Audrey's complete lack of effort to impress me feels unusual. In fact, I can't help but feel a little insulted and offended by her total disregard for my presence. It feels like she's taking a direct hit to my manhood.
I try to shake off the foolish resentment that I feel growing inside me when Teagan audibly gasps and shouts, "There's water over here too, dad! Come look!" The young girl quickly turns around and motions her hand at us to come over. "Hurry, Audrey. There's so much to see!"
"All right, all right! I'm coming, Teagan."
The nanny lets out a brief yet carefree sigh before she begins to follow in Teagan's footsteps up the hilly path. She trudges through the rocky terrain until she finally makes it to the top where she takes the little girl's hand into her own so that they can walk side by side together. The two immediately start having their own private conversation which happens to be out of ear's reach, but I can still hear their giggling voices as they walk off without waiting for me. I weakly exhale in defeat as I watch Teagan's face light up.
What happened to wanting to go camping with me?
I shake my head. Even though I hate to admit that the sight of the two of them getting along so well fills me with a slight jealousy and bitterness, I am still impressed with how fast they clicked with each other. Not only does their relationship seem natural on the surface, but it also feels like there's something more to their bond that goes beyond a professional standpoint. To any outsider watching Teagan and Audrey interact with one another from a glance, I wouldn't be surprised if that stranger were to believe that the two of them were related in one way or another -- especially with how often Teagan appears to cling onto the young nanny during any waking moment possible.
Billionaire Daddy's Contract: A Single Dad and Nanny Romance Page 10