My Orc (Secret) Boss (Eastshore Isle #7)

SNEAK PEEK #2

From My Orc Nanny

(OMG have you seen the cover??)

Hannah

I wasn’t going to make it.

Dramatic? Yes, but each morning was a struggle to keep my shit together in this chaos. I was in desperate need of help, and I wasn’t going to get it.

You always get maudlin when one of your babies is sick. Today is just like any other stressful school morning.

Huzzah.

Joshua sniffled pitifully against my shoulder, his mop of brown curls limp from the fever, Mr. BunBun tucked up against his side. I knew he was rubbing snot all over my shoulder, and I berated myself for wearing my good silk blouse for today’s meeting.

“Benny, are you ready?” I yelled from the living room, rushing about, trying to find my other heel. I swear it had been right here. I’d had to drop them both to pick up Joshua, because at almost three, he wasn’t nearly as tiny as he used to be. “Benny, we’re going to be late.”

“I don’t care,” my oldest hollered back from upstairs. “The school doesn’t care either.”

“Oh, the school most definitely cares, young man!” I had enough notes from them to prove it. “Let’s go, let’s go!”

Joshua whimpered again, and I ran my hand up and down his back, trying to soothe him. “I know, babybear. We’ll get your brother and sister to school, and we’ll figure something out, okay?”

Although what, I didn’t know. Daycare wouldn’t take him with a fever. Mom’s chemo appointments meant that I couldn’t risk compromising her with toddler germs. And my boss wasn’t going to be happy if I called out again…

“Mom?” Tova wandered in from the kitchen, one of her braids already coming undone. I swear, that child gets into more mischief before eight a.m. then most children do in a week. “Where are the brownies?”

“Aha!” I crowed, bending to scoop up my other shoe triumphantly. “What brownies?”

“The ones for my class today. Everyone was supposed to bring in a treat, and I told them you make the best brownies. Did you make them?”

My chest clenched, and I turned incredulous eyes toward my daughter, both heels dangling forgotten. “And you didn’t think you ought to tell me this? Tova, you need them today? ”

She shrank back. “I thought Ms. Rios told you.”

Oh no. I shut my eyes helplessly. “I…I can’t make you brownies, honey. There’s not enough time. If you’d mentioned it yesterday…”

“I’m sorry, Mommy,” she whimpered, and I opened my eyes in time to drop the shoes again and catch her as she threw herself at me.

“ Oof ! It’s okay, honeybear.” Now I was soothing two children. “I’ll figure something out.” I always did, after all. “Maybe we could stop by the grocery on the way to…” Figuring out what to do with your brother.

On my shoulder, the toddler hiccupped, and I knew he must be in bad shape if he didn’t even fuss louder. While I was trying to think what I could grab from the store for Tova, my brain was also whirling, trying to guess what Joshua’s symptoms meant. A cold, a new tooth, something worse?

Oh God . I resisted the urge to close my own eyes in defeat. This was easier when Jason was here .

Was it, though?

My ex was a warm body in the house, sure. But what would he be doing in a situation like this?

He’d be sitting on the couch, high as a kite, eating junk food and spitting crumbs everywhere.

Yeah, but having another adult would mean I could hand Joshua off to him, or tell him to drive Tova and Benny to school, at least.

But would he? Maybe five years ago he could’ve managed, but the drugs made him an unsafe driver.

Oh yes, there was that.

I sighed.

My life had certainly become more difficult since my divorce, but it at least now I only had to worry about three immature humans, instead of four.

Joshua sneezed, and I sighed, opening my eyes.

Right.

Self-pity was well and good, but I had to get shit done.

I patted Tova again. “It’ll be okay, honeybear. We’ll figure something out.” And if I can’t, Ms. Rios was an understanding sort. “How about go and get your stuff ready. Do you need a backpack today?”

“Nope! No homework!” My daughter pulled away and did a little spin, showing off the way her favorite pink leopard-print dress twirled. “Just the last-day-of-school party!”

“Okay, well, why don’t you bring it anyhow, in case Ms. Rios has something to send home with you? And get your brother’s stuff too— Benjamin Thomas Wood!”

Tova ran to the bottom of the stairs and called up, “Benny! Mom’s using your middle name, you’d better come!”

How could that kid not want to go to school on the last day of classes? I would’ve thought he’d be thrilled!

Shaking my head, I pulled Joshua away from my shoulder long enough to check on him. “You okay, buddy?”

His bright red cheeks told me he wasn’t. How was I going to take care of him, when?—

Right on time, my phone rang. I’d already slipped it into the pocket of my slacks, so I hoisted Joshua back onto my shoulder and fumbled to pull it out.

My boss. Great.

The man wasn’t a bad boss, but he didn’t seem to understand the concept of school mornings are hectic .

“Good morning, sir.” I managed not to sound exasperated. “What’s up?”

“Just making sure you’re all set for the ten o’clock appointment with Butch Holdings. We can’t afford any more delays; not if the building projects the mayor wants are going to move forward on time. You have all the info you need?”

“Yes sir, but…” Joshua sneezed again. “Can I send the information to you? Or maybe Cindy? My youngest is sick, and?—”

“Hannah.” His voice was steely. “When I hired you, you assured me you had plenty of childcare options.”

“He has a fever, sir.” I couldn’t just foist him off on someone!

“Be that as it may…” He sighed. “No one else knows this portfolio, Hannah. The bank needs you here for the meeting, and the meeting will happen at ten. So you will be here by ten. Is that understood?”

There was an implied or else , and I couldn’t afford to lose my job. I mean, I was good at it, so they couldn’t fire me, but my boss could make my life miserable. I closed my eyes, thinking how much shit single moms put up with. “Yes, sir.”

He hung up without acknowledging my agreement.

I frowned down at my phone, trying not to feel hopeless.

If only that Help Wanted ad had born fruit. It had been Benjamin’s teacher’s idea, actually, to hire a nanny, after I complained to her about the upcoming summer months. I had the money, after all…just not the time.

But Eastshore Isle was a small town, and it wasn’t like there were an excess of qualified nannies sitting around. I’d been hoping that, starting on Monday, I’d be able to hire a temporary babysitter from the high school population…

That didn’t help me today.

“Benny!” I called again. “We’re leaving soon! I have to stop by the store! Get your butt down here!”

“Butt!” giggled Tova, dancing around. “Butt, butt, butt!”

My temples were pounding. Maybe I was getting sick.

Telling myself it wasn’t fair to snap at her because I was frustrated with her older brother and worried about her younger brother, I slid my phone back into my pocket and turned to the kitchen to find myself something to pack for my lunch.

The knock on the door stopped me.

Who the hell came visiting at eight a.m. on a Friday morning? It was too early for any deliveries.

Scowling, I readjusted Joshua, tucked Mr. BunBun back into the crook of my elbow, and opened the door.

My first thought was to wonder if someone had sent me a stripping telegram.

If they had, they’d sent the perfect male to deliver it.

The orc on my front porch was huge—tall and broad, his hair almost brushing the overhang—and stunningly handsome. His dark hair was impeccably cut and styled, his jaw and cheekbones were chiseled, and he wore a tight black t-shirt that accentuated all the right things.

There was a mole on his cheek, and it highlighted his perfection, rather than detracting from it.

“Good morning.” He smiled, and I saw that between the two tusks which poked from his bottom lip, his white teeth were perfectly straight. “Are you Ms. Woods?”

I stared.

This god of a male knew my name?

I’d known orcs were handsome—Tova’s best friend was an orc, and her father Sakkara was the mayor—but this one? My mouth opened, but no words emerged.

“Ma’am?” His smile faded, replaced with concern. “Am I in the right place? I’m looking for Hannah Woods?”

Joshua sneezed again, and it shook me from my shock. “Oh! Yes, I’m Hannah.”

“Good. I’m here about the job.”

Job? I shook my head, distracted by the way my toddler was rubbing his running nose against my silk. “Honey, don’t do that to mommy’s shirt.” I turned back to the stranger. “What job, Mister—look, who are you?”

He’d pulled out his phone, and now waggled it at me as if that would help me remember. “I’m Aswan. I’m your new nanny.”

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