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I turned to Hank, who looked like a little cherub sitting next to his potential part-time nanny in the polka-dot dress. Who knew polka dots could look so hot on the right woman… and this was absolutely the right woman? Her thick, white-blond hair was clipped back off her face, and her silken voice captivated Hank with each word.
It usually took him at least a week or two to warm up to any stranger we brought into the house if he ever warmed up. There were nannies that he never liked, which only made for horrible days, so this was a miracle. Whatever this woman had, Hank was buying, and if you could get Hank to buy, the other two kids were a cinch.
“Hank, Loraine has made your favorite dragon-shaped pancakes for breakfast, and if you’re not in there in the next five seconds, she’s going to feed them to Lucy, and you know how much Lucy loves dragon pancakes.”
Hank’s eyes went wide as he mentally made his decision. I could almost see his reasoning going on by the pensive look on his face. Lucy was the family Labradoodle that we all loved, but, like the kids, she could get into a lot of mischief. Grabbing an unguarded pancake or waffle was Lucy’s specialty. Hank had firsthand knowledge of Lucy’s ravenous appetite for sweets of any kind.
Hank looked so much like Boone, it amazed me. It was like Boone shrank down into this little guy, and he’d reason out his decisions just like Boone. Crazy how that worked.
“But those aremypancakes,” he protested, his voice bordering on tears.
“I know, but Lucy’s waiting.”
Hank turned to the would-be nanny. “Can we finish after pancakes?”
“Absolutely. If I’m still here, I promise I’ll finish reading the book to you.”
“Thank you,” he said and slipped off the sofa, dragging his blanket along behind him. He left the book.
Hank rarely went anywhere without his blanket. He’d had it since he was a baby. His mother wrapped him in it right before she left with Boone’s best friend and Boone’s dog, an English bull dog that drooled on everything and everybody. Personally, I was happy to see it go, but Boone was pissed. Kasey and I brought home Lucy shortly afterwards, but Boone never warmed up to her… not like his bull dog Spike.
Hank had only recently celebrated his first birthday when his mom left, so no way could he know his mother had given him that blanket, but his attachment to it made a person wonder.
“That’s a first,” I told the potential nanny, amazed at Hank’s thankful disposition. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard Hank thank anyone for reading a book to him. You’ve made quite the impression.”
“He’s a sweet boy.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. A sweet boy and Hank normally wouldn’t be in the same sentence.
She reached over and poured hot tea in the provided cup, added the warmed milk and honey, stirred, and when she took her first sip, I caught the momentary smile on her lips before she took a few more sips. I had a feeling she liked what she tasted.
“You say that now,” I teased. “Give it a few days.”
“I hope to. Is Lucy a dog?”
“Yes.”
“What kind?”
“A labradoodle. Loraine preferred we get a dog that doesn’t shed.”
“Loraine is a smart woman.” She took a few more sips of the steaming dark liquid and reached over with her left hand to pick up the pot. I spotted the lacy tatt on her hand then. Don’t know why I didn’t notice it before. “This is fabulous tea. Thank you.”
That was when it came to me in a flash. That tattoo propelled my thoughts to another time and much different circumstances.
“Dirty Coyote!” I blurted out. “That’s where I met you. A couple of nights ago. We started something we couldn’t finish because you…. you’re Camera Girl. Huh, you seem so different this morning… and now you’re here, applying for the nanny position. I just never thought I’d see you again.”
“Camera Girl?” she asked, and I could see she was getting flustered.
Thing was, she seemed to know a little something about kids, or Hank would never have warmed up to her.
“A nickname… a fun nickname. I never met a woman like you before. Most women like to have their picture taken with any one of us. Maybe not during those more intimate times, but in general.”
“Not me. Besides, there’s a story that goes with my dislike. I might tell you about it someday. Or not. Depending on how this thing goes.”
I couldn’t help grinning. The woman had grit, I had to give her that.
I’d met a lot of women in the past couple of years since Emily’s sweet mom passed, and none of them had tempted me like the woman who stood in front of me. I usually made it a rule never to have sex with a fan. I’d done all that bullshit in the early days, at least until I met Jenna, Emily’s amazing mom. Then all that shit stopped, and I vowed never to take it up again. It wasn’t fair to the women, but damn if this woman wasn’t different. I didn’t know what the hell it meant, but I knew I had to get control over the situation, or I’d be carrying her up to my room, instead of hiring her to take care of the kids.
