2. Dante
Who did that woman think she was, yelling at me as if her car getting hit wasn't my fault? Okay, maybe it was partially my fault, but I had to get home to my daughter. Lena was alone, making this an actual emergency. I didn't believe my needs were more important than the next person's—but today, they genuinely were. Any parent would understand.
I drove home at a slower pace now that I had been properly chastised by a beautiful yet annoying woman with golden hair and a sweet smile. “And that sharp tongue…” I reminded myself in the privacy of my SUV.
I couldn’t help but think about the reason I was in such a hurry in the first place. The Nanny Situation, as I had started to refer to the problem I had with finding and keeping a good nanny. The nanny—now the ex-nanny—had upped and left in the middle of the day, with nothing but a nasty voicemail as warning. She’d abandoned my daughter all by herself in the house. Fortunately, my landscaping contractor, Billie, was on the grounds when that wretched woman left. Billie had thankfully agreed to check in on Lena and stay on the property until I made it home to my child or until Dotty, our housekeeper, got back from running errands.
Why was it so hard to find a nanny who actually wanted to do her job? Why did every woman who showed up on my doorstep want a promotion into my bedroom? It was unfathomable. Sure, I'm rich, and some might consider me good looking, but they were all perfectly normal during the interview process. I’d had hope for each and every one of them, but somewhere around the one-month mark, things always went sideways.
They started dressing provocatively, making advances, and even showing up naked in my bed. If I were a different man, I might have taken a few of them up on what they were offering, but I had no plans to shell out money for sexual harassment lawsuits when I had no problem finding a woman to warm my bed when I wanted one. It wasn’t my style to mix business with pleasure, and after the way things had gone with my ex-wife, I needed my home to be stable and conflict-free. For me and for Lena.
I broke down and called the nanny agency my assistant had recommended months ago. “Elite Nanny Service, how may I assist you today?”
My shoulders relaxed at the woman’s professional, cheery tone. “I’m in need of a nanny as fast as you can send one.”
There was a beat of silence, and then a different woman’s voice sounded in my ear. “Hello. This is Serenity Majors, with whom am I speaking?”
“My name is Dante Rush, and I need a nanny for my four-year-old daughter, Lena.”
“Mr. Rush,” she sighed. “I’m a big fan of your fashion.”
“You know who I am, that’s good. It means you know I’m serious about this, and that I need a nanny immediately.”
“Yes, I’m aware of who you are, so we can skip the part where I tell you that my nannies are all professionals with degrees and years of experience, and as such, expect to be compensated appropriately for their services.”
“I assure you I plan to pay above minimum wage. When will she be available to start?” I sounded like a grumpy asshole and I knew it, but I was already over this day even though it was just after noon.
Serenity laughed, the sound soft and musical, easy on the ears, even if I didn’t know what in the world was so funny. “It doesn’t work that way, Mr. Rush.”
“Well, how does it work, Ms. Majors?”
She sighed, like I was some child she had to explain things to slowly. “How did your last agency match you?”
I frowned. “I’ve never used a nanny agency before.”
She gasped. “A man with your wealth and looks? Please tell me you didn’t put an ad in the paper or online.”
I frowned inside my car. “Okay, I won’t tell you that.”
This time Serenity laughed loudly and for far too long for a professional phone call. “All right, Mr. Rush. There’s a certain science to matching a family with the right nanny, and that starts with a questionnaire. Normally parents come to the office and fill it out, but I’m assuming by your tone that you’re too busy for such a detour?”
“That would be a correct assumption.”
“All right. Do you have the time now?”
Now? “If it means you’ll send a nanny immediately, then sure.”
Ms. Majors started with basic questions about my work hours, marital status, and yearly earnings before she moved on to questions about Lena, her likes and dislikes.
“Is she an active little girl?”
“Why does that matter?”
“The same reason it matters that you make high-end, designer clothing for women of all ages and sizes.” At my silence, she sighed. “Because I have quite a few older nannies who do well with indoor kids, those who like to spend their time drawing, playing video games, and things like that.”
“Oh.” There it was again, that feeling that I was an asshole. “Lena is both. She loves to play with her dolls and stuffed animals, but she also loves to be outside.”
“Will Lena require any educational time during her days?”
“I would really appreciate that,” I said in an effort to sound more accommodating.
She asked what felt like about one thousand questions before we were finished. “Thank you for your time and patience, Mr. Rush. I will get back with you soon with a match or two. Will you make yourself available to interview the prospective nannies?”
“Yes,” I grunted. “Just be sure she’s competent and won’t try to worm her way into my bed.”
“Noted,” she said with a hint of amusement. “And you make sure you don’t prey on a pretty young nanny who’s reliant on you for a paycheck.” Before I could defend myself, Serenity ended the call.
“Damn!” I smacked the steering wheel and stepped from the SUV. I waved at Billie who was packing up her van parked on the driveway.
“Hey Billie, thanks so much for staying until I could get home.”
“No worries, Dante, I know how hard it is to find good childcare when you’re a working single parent.” Billie was a single mom to a seven-year-old son herself. Little Jeremy often accompanied his mom on her jobs on the weekends and sometimes after school. “Lena’s fine, just looked in on her; she’s playing and doesn’t seem to be upset.”
After Billie drove off, I took a rare moment to let the Texas sun beat down on my face before I stepped inside the sprawling ranch-style mansion that I had moved into after my divorce.
“Lena?” There was nothing but silence, but a beat later, I smiled at the sound of Lena’s tiny feet smacking against the tiled floor just outside her playroom.
“Daddy!” She rushed towards me, and I bent to scoop her in my arms. “You’re home!”
“Yes sweetheart. How are you?”
Lena shrugged, her big blue eyes darted left and right. “I’m good, Daddy.” She sighed. “Lisa is gone.”
I hugged my girl tighter. “I know, honey, but I’m working on getting you a nanny who will stick. I promise.”
“You can stay home?” There was such hope in her eyes.
“I can for a while, but sometimes I’m needed at the office, Lena. You know that.” I barely had any time in my day for anything but the necessities, but I made sure we ate dinner together most nights. Still, I felt like I was failing in the fatherhood department.
“I know, Daddy.” She sighed, and her tone was so sad it was like someone had punched me in the heart.
“How about after I check a few emails, we go out for lunch? Your choice.”
Her eyes and smile both widened with excitement. “Okay, Daddy. Promise?”
I nodded, hating that she needed a promise to believe me, but running a fashion empire was more than a full-time job, and there were many times in her short life that I had to break a promise.
“I promise, Lena. One hour.”
“Okay.” She squirmed out of my arms, and I lowered her to the floor. “One hour!” Lena ran off back to her playroom.
I followed her down the hall at a far more sedate pace and went to my home office to get sixty minutes—no more—of work done before spending time with my kid.
Hopefully, Ms. Majors would call with good news before the day was over.