Chapter 51
***Ada***
I curled up on a couch in the library while Milo napped next to me and dialed Jules. I was inwardly freaking out about what happened with the guys the night before and I needed to talk to a friend. I missed having girlfriends to giddily chat with and Jules was as close as I had.
She answered on the first ring. “Ada! I hope you have something good to tell me because these kids are driving me crazy. They didn’t do the second summer camp this year. Daddy Dearest thought they could use some time at home.”
I laughed, understanding her need for a break. “Are you going to survive? That means you won’t be able to do our coffee dates.”
“No. I’m doing our coffee dates. I don’t care if I have to tie these kids up and stow them in the attic for that hour.” She groaned. “I’m kidding, obviously.”
“Are you sure?” I teased her lightly and then peeked out of the library to make sure I was really alone. “I do have something to tell you, though.”
“What? What is it? Please tell me anything that I can use to feel a little bit better about my life right now.”
“Things have gotten a little...heated here.” I buried my face in my hands and laughed. “I can’t say too much. I just...I think I really care for them, Jules.”
“Okay, I’m sorry. What do you mean by heated?” She made a choking sound. “And what do you mean by them?”
I didn’t want to say too much but I trusted Jules. We’d been having coffee dates most of the summer. “I did something... I don’t even know how to say it, Jules. I think I’m dating all three of them.”
She screamed. “Oh, my god! Oh, my god. Are you serious? Do they know?”
“Yeah...” I smiled and curled my legs under me. “It was their idea. It’s crazy. I don’t have a clue what I’m doing but it’s kind of amazing.”
“Okay, I have to tell you something. Promise you won’t be mad?
” She blew out a loud breath and rushed on.
“I was walking the beach last week and I looked over because I’m nosy.
I saw you and Joe Carrington making out.
I’ve been waiting on you to tell me about it but I can’t wait anymore. Have you hooked up with all of them?”
I scoffed. “What the hell? You saw that?! That’s so embarrassing.”
“It wasn’t! It was hot. From what I could see, anyway. It’s not like I could make out the details. Unfortunately.”
“Jules, I... You can’t repeat a word of this. Promise me.” I waited until she promised to continue. “I’ve been with all three of them. It’s... I don’t even have words for it. I’ve never felt anything like it.”
“Holy shit, Ada. You have it bad already, don’t you?” She cleared her throat and sighed. “Just be careful. These men aren’t the falling in love type. The father in my family here cheats on his wife all the time. It seems to just be the norm.”
Milo stirred next to me and I leaned over to gently rub his back. “I don’t know, Jules. They’re different. I wish I could tell you everything.”
“There’s more?” She laughed. “I had you pegged as a goody-goody when I first met you, but you’re a little wild. I like it.”
“I took the job just to torture them. That’s how much I disliked them, Jules. I thought they were monsters. And now... Now, I think I would be crushed if I had to walk away.” I bit my lip. “This is crazy, right? How can my opinion change so much in so little time?”
“You took the job to torture them?” She howled with laughter. “Sorry. I’m so sorry. That’s just hilarious.”
“I’m not even a nanny. I was a waitress.
A waitress they got fired.” I fell silent at that, knowing that bit of information was hanging over my head with the guys.
“I came here to rip them a new one and they thought I was their new nanny. I just stayed, Jules. It was the craziest thing I’ve ever done.
I can’t regret it, though. I... I feel something for them.
As crazy as it sounds, I want this to work out so badly. ”
“Whoa.” She was silent for a minute and then let out a short laugh. “You really blew my mind here, Ada. Wow.”
“I know.”
“Are you worried about them finding out?”
“Of course, I am. I don’t want to lose them. Or the kids. I love them.” I gasped. “I mean I love the kids.”
“Wow, Ada. You’ve got it bad.” She hesitated and I could practically feel her struggling with what she wanted to say.
“Just be careful giving them your heart, Ada. Men like them, men like the father in my house...they don’t really ever let outsiders in.
You’ll never be part of their family. Not really. ”
Her words cut deep but I knew she wasn’t trying to hurt me. I cleared my throat and then let out a deep sigh. “What if they’re not like that?”
“What if they are?”
Milo pulled away from me and scrunched up his face. I could tell he was about to start crying. “Shit. I have to go, Jules. Milo’s waking up cranky. Thanks for letting me gush, Jules. I really appreciate you. Even if you just gave me the reality check that I probably needed.”
“I just don’t want to see you get hurt. You’re a nice person, Ada.” She said goodbye and we both hung up.
“Hey, buddy. What’s wrong?” I picked Milo up and held him to my chest. “You’re okay. I’ve got you.”
He leaned back and then vomited all over my chest. Instantly he was wide awake and crying. “Aya!”
I gagged but managed to keep my own sickness down as I stood up and rushed us to the closest bathroom.
Milo wouldn’t let me put him down so I could get us both out of our dirty clothes so I had no choice but to step into the shower with him, both of us fully clothed.
I rinsed us both off as best as I could and felt my panic rise as Milo’s little body burned hot against mine.
He continued to cry and shiver against me before throwing up again. I got out and wrapped him in several towels before running with him to Joe’s office. His wails hit an impressive pitch as I threw open Joe’s door. He was on the phone but he hung up as soon as he saw us.
“He’s sick. Can you call Jud down here? Do we need to take him to the doctor? He threw up.”
Joe called Jud down over the intercom and then dialed someone on his cell phone. “Dr. Morgan? Milo’s sick. Can you come now?”
I stroked the back of Milo’s head and outwardly panicked to Joe once he was off the phone. “I didn’t realize how hot he’d gotten. I was on the phone while he napped. He was fine before. I should’ve been paying attention. I should’ve-”
“He’s probably fine, Ada. Kids get sick and throw up all the time.” He came over to us and smiled down at Milo. “Did you throw up on Ada? Sure smells like you did.”
I frowned. “It’s fine. How long until the doctor gets here?”
“Fifteen minutes. Maybe twenty.” He brushed my curls out of my face. “It’s okay, Ada. Milo’s going to be fine.”
“Fifteen minutes?” I could feel Milo’s body burning up against mine and started to really panic.
“Maybe we should just drive to the hospital? He’s really burning up.
He threw up twice, Joe. Would it be faster if we just drove him?
Do we have a thermometer here? I’ve never seen one.
Is it in the first aid kit? Should we give him something now? What do kids take?”
Jud came in behind me and took in the situation with wide eyes before scooping Milo into his own embrace. He felt his head and frowned. “You called Dr. Morgan?”
“He’ll be here in fifteen.” Joe ran his hand through my hair and bent his head until we were eye to eye. “Breathe, Ada. Kids get sick. You’ve been a nanny for years. Have none of your other kids ever gotten sick?”
“He got sick a lot as a baby, Ada. He probably just caught a bug. Dr. Morgan is amazing with him, though, so you can relax.” He saw me tug at my hair and winced. “Or at least try to.”
“Why don’t you go shower while we wait on Dr. Morgan?” Joe’s nose scrunched and his upper lip curled. “He really got you.”
I bit my lip and moved away from them, giving them some space from my stink. “I’ll just wait over here. I’ll feel better once Dr. Morgan says he’s okay.”
“Jud, you should call Stella and give her a heads up.” Joe sighed. “You remember how much she freaked out last time Dr. Morgan came to check on Milo and no one called her.”
“I’ll call her after he leaves.” Jud looked over at me as he gently rocked Milo in his arms. “Milo’s mom. She’s touring with her band right now.”
We’d briefly talked about Milo’s mom before but I couldn’t remember anything he’d told me right then.
I wrapped my arms around myself and chewed on my lip.
I hated seeing Milo sick and not knowing what to do.
I realized all at once that I was not equipped to be a nanny and I’d never felt like more of a fake.