Chapter 23
***Ada***
I balanced Milo on my hip and thanked the woman who’d stopped to hold the coffee shop door open for me.
The inside of the expensive cafe Jules had picked for our coffee date was quiet and so minimalist that I wanted to take Milo and the bag of toys I’d brought for him and run.
Before I could, though, I spotted Jules at a small table near the back.
She lifted her hand in a wave and smiled when I reached her. “You brought work!”
I laughed and settled Milo on a chair next to me before pulling out a few toys he was in love with that day.
There was a truck, a doll with pink hair that must’ve been one of Kendall’s old toys, and a rock he called Harry.
“I did. The older kids started summer camp and it’s just me and Milo during the day. Are your kids at camp?”
She nodded. “Of course. These rich lake people wouldn’t be rich lake people if they didn’t send their kids to all these specialized day camps all summer long. One of my kids is at a day camp being run by an actual astronaut. Can you believe that?”
I smiled and shook my head. “It’s a lot different from how I was raised.
I didn’t even know it was happening until I woke up on Monday and the kids were dressed and ready to go.
Let me tell you, being a nanny has shown me that I’m going to need a giant calendar when I’m a mom.
I forget so much and there’s so much I just don’t know. It’s painful.”
“Are you a new nanny?”
I didn’t know if I could trust her with my real secret so I just nodded. “Yeah. This has all been a learning experience for me.”
She looked up as a waitress approached us and took our order and then waited for the young woman to leave before leaning closer to me. “Tell me what’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far and I’ll tell you mine.”
I felt my cheeks darken as I thought about my parents’ reaction to me telling Joe that he was a bad dad. “I think I overstep a lot.”
“What do you mean?”
I was surprised at how fast the waitress returned with our drinks and treats.
I got Milo set up with his apple juice and fancy grilled cheese while Jules thanked the waitress.
I grinned as the woman seemed surprised and caught off guard.
Was she so used to the wealthier people ignoring her or something?
“Thank you, Mrs. Mayhew.” The waitress hurried away and missed the way Jules made a face at me.
“They think I’m the wife and I’ve never corrected them because they’re so much nicer to me when they think my husband is loaded and powerful. That’s terrible of me, isn’t it? Playing the wife? I know I shouldn’t...” She shook her head while looking down at her coffee. “Do you think I’m a monster?”
I waved her off. “No way. Just don’t get caught by the real Mrs. Mayhew.”
“Never. I’m careful. I wouldn’t want to ruin a good thing.” She laughed and it was the softest, most gentle sound. “Now, tell me what you meant about overstepping. I’ve been terribly bored lately with the kids leaving everyday. I need gossip.”
Milo looked up at Jules and studied her. I could see his little brain working and then he threw his grilled cheese at her and stuck out his tongue. “Shitty.”
I gasped and pulled him closer to me. “Milo! You don’t throw your food! That’s not nice. Apologize to Ms. Jules.”
He held his breath and strained, his version of the silent treatment when he was mad but he hadn’t learned he could still breathe. His little face turned bright red and when I pulled him into my lap, he sucked in a big gulp of oxygen and then screamed it out.
“I am so sorry, Jules. I don’t know what’s gotten into him.
Well, with the throwing. I definitely accidentally taught him that swear.
I think I have to take him home. I’m sorry!
Oh, my god. Miles, baby, shhh.” It was useless.
The silent retreat had been ruined and I was getting dirty looks from the few people in the cafe.
“I’ll come with you. I’ll get all this packed up to go. I saw you got out of a car. Why don’t I drive us back?” Jules winced with every one of Milo’s screams and I got the impression the kids she nannied for never screamed or threw grilled cheese at her.
“That would be amazing. Thank you so much. You could come inside and hang out with me, if you wanted.” I scooped up Milo’s toys and started backing away. “I’m just going to take him outside. I’m so sorry.”
On the sidewalk outside I knelt on the ground in front of Milo and held his hands. “Buddy, you can’t do that. You can’t hit people with food. It’s not nice.”
He huffed. “Mi-wo no like her.”
I sighed and pulled him in for a hug. “I know, buddy. I don’t know why, but I hear you. Jules is nice, though. She’s my friend. Can you play nice? For me?”
He turned his face away from me but then he latched on, locking all of limbs around me as much as he could. “Mi-wo love Aya.”
I held him a little tighter and smiled. “I love you, Milo.”
Jules joined us and she pointed to the expensive looking SUV pulling up in front of us. “This is us. There’s a booster seat in the back. He’s big enough for a booster, right?”
I made a note to google that once I was free that night. Strike five hundred against my nanny skills. “Um, yeah.”
Milo forgot about his hatred of Jules once he was in a new car with a new booster seat. He stayed quiet and allowed Jules and I to chat while her driver pulled away from the curb.
“Let’s try this again.” She laughed and passed me my to-go cup of coffee. “You said you overstepped.”
I took a long drink and nodded. “Yeah, I told Joe that he was a bad father.”
Her face fell. “Did he fire you on the spot?”
I shook my head and pointed to Milo. “No, he did not. Or I wouldn’t have Milo.”
She waved her hand at me and rolled her eyes. “Of course! Duh!”
“Do your kids have good relationships with their parents?” I saw the look on her face and rushed on. “I don’t mean to pry. I know everyone is big on privacy here. I just don’t know if the relationships I’m seeing are normal. The dads are so frustrating and it’s not like I can just ask them.”
“I get it. The dad in my house is a raging ass. He’s always working or going out to play golf.”
I laughed and nodded. “My dads don’t golf, but that’s only because they don’t have the time after all the hours they work. It’s so infuriating. The kids need more time with their fathers. They’re making massive amounts of money, but what’s it all worth if the kids aren’t happy?”
“I mean, it’s worth that giant mansion you’re living in.” She smirked at my shocked face. “I’m kidding, of course.”
“Are you from around here? I just realized I know next to nothing about you and I don’t think I ever asked.
I’m so sorry!” I wanted to get into safer topics.
It didn’t feel good to bash the guys in front of someone who didn’t know them.
I wanted to rant but I didn’t know Jules well enough to trust her yet.
“I grew up here, on Lake Dun.” She shrugged like it was nothing. “I went away to college, came back, and became a nanny. That’s pretty much it.”
“Way to condense it down.” I laughed. “How long have you been with the family you’re nannying for now?”
“Six years.” Nodding, she glanced back at Milo and smiled. “Mine have all outgrown that phase.”
Looking back at Milo, I felt my heart swell. I’d spent almost every waking minute with him since arriving and I was already so in love with him. “I don’t think I’d hate lingering in this stage. He’s so sweet and cuddly.”
“Yeah. Sweet.” Jules paused and then we both burst out laughing. “I think I still have cheese in my hair.”
“I really am so sorry about that. He’s definitely like his uncles in how headstrong he is. Once he makes up his mind about something, that’s it.”
“What about his dad?”
I saw that we were passing through the open gate and made a note to mess with Joe about his lacking security system. The gate was always open. “You know? I don’t really know. He’s in his studio most of the time. Even more than the other two are in their offices.”
“Well, that must be nice, right? You don’t have to deal with them constantly.”
I snorted. “They work from home.”
Jules’ eyes widened. “They’re always home? Even right now?”
I nodded. “Sometimes they leave but mostly they’re just here. Why? I’m sure it’s okay if I have a guest over, if that’s what you’re worried about. You look like you just saw a ghost.”
“I have to be honest. There’s something about the possibility of running into those three that makes me feel very underprepared and underdressed.
” She motioned towards her outfit like it was something she’d pulled out of the garbage.
“Raincheck? Or maybe you can come over to my place? We could make this a normal thing we do. I’d really like that. ”
“Me too. Once you’re working in the real world, it’s so hard to meet and make friends.
This is great.” I hesitated when the driver pulled to a stop.
“Thank you for giving me a lift back here. I hated using their driver this morning but Joe doesn’t trust me to drive, just because my car looks like it’s been in a few accidents. ”
The driver made a sound that might’ve been a chuckle. Jules rolled her eyes at him and caught my hand. “Next time we’ll actually get to chat more and we can spill all the juicy details.”
I gathered Milo and our things. “Sounds good. I just hope there aren’t any juicy details by then. Any more and I’m definitely going to be fired.”