43. Sneak Peek
Being the twins’ nanny is a dream.
Their grumpy dad… a total hot nightmare.
So why am I boarding his private jet, pretending to be his girlfriend?
Oh right, he’s paying me A LOT of money.
He didn’t approvewhen I dated his brother.
And he just caught me half naked in his pool.
But we live under the same roof this Summer, and your girl gets hot.
I hatethe way he watches me.
But his daughters need me and I need to pay off hospital bills.
So I agreed to be his wedding date. For a price.
What he failed to mention:
The groom is my ex.
And we have to share a bed.
Kissing in public is easy.
But when his tawny gaze burns into me even behind closed doors,
Pretending I still hate him is torture.
His ex sawhim as just a pay day.
If only he could stop seeing me as just the nanny.
Chapter 1
“This is so crazy,”My best friend, Rachel says for the millionth time, watching me pack up the rest of my clothes.
“You’re only saying that because you want me to stay in Seattle. As the exceptional lawyer you are, if you really think about it, you’d realize that this is the only decision that makes sense.”
She groans and walks over to me. “I’m going to miss you so much.” She wraps her arms around me in a tight side hug. “Make sure you call me every day. If you eat, I want to know about it!”
I laugh as she moves to help me zip up my suitcase. “I’ll give you daily updates until you’re sick of me.” I promise, lifting the luggage until it’s standing on its squeaky wheels.
“What time is your ferry ticket again?” She follows me out of my bedroom and helps me arrange the storage boxes against the wall.
“Eight am tomorrow. Are you sure about having these in your apartment?” I ask as I stare at the two small storage boxes that comprise the items I’m not willing to sell but can’t take with me.
“For crying out loud, Willow. Yes, I’m sure.” She rolls her eyes. “I barely go there anymore, and after the wedding, I’m moving in with Andrew.” She wriggles her engagement ring in front of me, like I might have somehow forgotten she got engaged to the love of her life a few months ago.
“The wedding isn’t until next year.” I point out sensibly, but Rachel only rolls her eyes again. I chuckle, which I didn’t think was possible when Mom died four weeks ago. My heart clenches tightly, and the smile slowly fades as I remember that terrible day.
“Hey.” Rachel runs a hand down my back in comfort. “I know you have to leave, but I hate that you won’t have a support system on Bainbridge Island. Can’t you put it off for a few more months?”
I shake my head, slowly breathing despite the tightness in my chest. “I can’t Rachel. The mortgage on this house is outrageous, and it doesn’t make sense to continue paying it now that…Mom is gone.” My heart squeezes tight until my entire chest aches fiercely, the way it does whenever I think about or mention Mom. My breath catches and Rachel rubs her hands in circles around my back.
“I already quit my job, so I need to start a new one ASAP if I want to make the next Medicaid payments and pay off the loans I took out to help with her treatments.”
“You know you just need to say the word, and you’ll get your job back right? You’ve worked with Kane and Wilson since you graduated from high school; they’d be willing to pay your way to school if you ask.”
I shake my head slowly. “Law firms only do that if the individual intends to go to law school. I might not be sure about what I want to do now, but I know it’s definitely not becoming a lawyer.”
“Well, being a nanny for the summer gives you plenty of time to find out what you’re passionate about,” Rachel says, infusing a false cheer in her voice.
“Bainbridge Island is only an hour drive; we can still meet up whenever you can come there. And remember, I’m going to be giving you daily updates; you won’t even have the chance to miss me.” I spin around in the living room in a full circle. This place holds so many memories, both happy and sad, but I can’t wait to be free of it.
It’s a bittersweet feeling: a part of me doesn’t want to let it go because it’s the last connection I have to my mother, but at the same time, I need out. I’ve had a constant migraine these past few weeks from a lack of sleep. Whenever I close my eyes, my heart starts pounding and my ears become alert, listening for her footsteps, her sweet voice calling out to me, or just the sounds of movement in her room next door that lets me know she’s up and about.
Tears sting the back of my lids, and I blink rapidly, not wanting to cry again. I’ve fallen apart so many times in Rachel’s arms, and I don’t want our last day in the same city to include me crying on her shoulder again. She’s being such a rock. I can’t imagine how I would have survived the heartache without her.
“I’m going to hold you to that,” Rachel says sternly. “You know you’re the only friend I have. It’s bad enough that you’re leaving me, so don’t go radio silent too. I want to hear all about the girls you’re nannying.”
I walk further into the living room and sink into the couch. “What time is the party? It can’t run too late into the night, Rachel. I have to wake up early tomorrow, and I need my beauty sleep so I won’t wake up grumpy.”
She gasps dramatically. “How do you know about that?”
“How do I say this…” I begin delicately, drawing out my words. “You don’t have a discreet bone in your body, babe. You’ve been acting so suspicious at work, being all jumpy and shifty.”
She unwinds her scarf from her neck and flings it at me playfully. “I kept mine and Andrew’s relationship a secret from you, didn’t I?”
“For all of one week,” I taunt and squeal when she picks up the book on the coffee table I haven’t gotten around to packing because I’m reading it. “For the love of God, do not throw that book at me, Rachel! Not my precious book, please.”
She growls, dropping the book and coming at me. I jump up from the couch and run around it, raising my hands up. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry. Don’t go all hulk on me.”
She flips her blonde hair over her shoulders with an arrogant humph, then sashays away. I let out a breath of relief, but then she runs at me, jumping over the couch like an Olympic athlete to tackle me to the floor. I let out a scream as she tickles me mercilessly. I writhe, trying to dislodge her from me, while giggling and hiccupping helplessly. Save to say, I don’t get anywhere, so I change tactics.
“P-please, Rachel. I’m s-so-sorry!” I plead, stuttering because of my incessant hiccupping, tears streaming down my cheeks from how hard I’m laughing.
“Will you question how discreet I am again?” she asks, still tickling me.
“Never!” I scream. She finally stops and jumps off me. “You’re ruthless,” I moan, raising a hand to cover my face.
“Whatever. The party starts at six, two short hours away, so we need to start getting ready now. And you better act surprised when we get there.” She flounces to my bedroom, but stops to add, “And the reason you know isn’t because I’m not discreet, it’s because you’re nosy. You always have to know everything.”
“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” I mutter, slowing sitting up on shaky limbs.
“What was that?” Rachel demands, suddenly whirling around to face me, her arms settling on her hips.
“I said I’ll practice a sufficiently surprised expression in front of my mirror before leaving.” She huffs but thankfully lets it go. Rachel continues on to my room to shower while I use the guest bathroom. Then we get ready together for my surprise goodbye party.
We take Rachel’s car – I don’t have one – to the sky view observatory center at Columbia Center, where the party is taking place. I tighten my grip on Rachel’s arm as the elevator climbs up to the 73rd floor. “I can’t believe you chose to have the party here.”
She grins at me. “I remember you saying you’ve never been here before. I can’t let you leave Seattle without visiting one of the best places to get an eagle eye view of the Pacific Northwest, can I?”
The elevator doors swish open softly. “Surprise!” Everyone yells, and I widen my eyes as much as they allow, trying to appear shocked.
“Oh, my God, you guys!” I smile as familiar faces come forward with wrapped gifts and warm hugs. At a point, a few tears slip down my face as the gravity of my decision hits me. I’ve been working with these people for five years. I’m not really close with any of them, but I’ll miss the familiarity and camaraderie at the law firm.
“Since you insist on leaving us.” Kane, my boss and Rachel’s fiancé hands me a small wrapped gift, then tugs Rachel into his arms.
“Kane, you didn’t have to. Thank you.” I give him a quick hug and hurriedly wipe my eyes. He grins at me and ruffles my hair affectionately, like a big brother might if I had one. I return his smile, grateful he and Rachel were able to work things out between them. Over the five years I’ve reported to him, I can count on one hand the number of times he’s smiled at me. But ever since he got together with Rachel, he’s been noticeably happier and less stiff.
“I told you to stop calling me that. You can call me Andrew.” He returns proving my point on just how much he’s changed. He used to insist on everyone calling each other by their last names at work.
“You guys are having your own little party over here without inviting me?” Jake, Rachel’s brother and the second partner at Kane and Wilson, asks, walking up to us with two champagne flutes. He hands one to me with a smile. “What’s the name of the fucker taking you from us again?”
I roll my eyes at him as he drapes a hand over my shoulders. “No one is taking me away. I just need time to rediscover myself.”
He ruffles my hair and I groan, bending down to escape from his arms. I try to rearrange my hair as much as I can without a mirror. “Between you and Ka…Andrew, my hair is going to look like a rat’s nest by the time this party is over,” I complain, although deep down, I love it. When Rachel and I became close, I didn’t just gain a friend; I got two annoying big brothers as well, and I’m going to miss them fiercely.
“I have to get in all the rufflings I can tonight. Who knows when I’m going to see your ugly mug again?” he smirks as he sips his drink.
I mock-glare at him. “If you ever want to see my ugly mug, you can come out to Bainbridge Island. It’s just across the Puget Sound, literally an hour drive, thirty-five minutes if you’re ferrying. I’m basically still in Seattle if you think about it. And God knows you and Andrew need to take a break from work.”
He rolls his eyes. “Don’t start, Willie, I have enough nagging from Mom and Rachel already.”
I gasp in outrage, “Never ever call me that again, Jacob Wilson.”
Rachel bursts into laughter. “I told you he’s terrible at making nicknames. He calls me Rach, for crying out loud.”
“That’s not so bad, Willie is just sacrilegious,” I protest and shudder.
“Hey, you guys keep quiet. The fireworks are about to start.” Andrew scowls at us.
We wade deeper into the party, making our way to the wide railings. I exhale as I watch the view spread before us. The Great Wheel, Elliot Bay, Pike Place Market, the Cascade Mountains, Mt Rainier, San Juan Islands, Mt Baker, Bellevue, the Space Needle and Bainbridge Island - the entire Northwest Pacific is laid out as far as the eye can see.
Crackling fills the air as a number of bright lights shoot up to the sky, where they spread out in arches of shimmering blues, pinks, greens and purples. The fireworks. I smile as I watch the beautiful display of colors. Rachel really went all out for me. I glance at her, but quickly look away when I see her making out with Andrew.
I turn my face up to enjoy the view, smiling because I’m thrilled my friend found her happily ever after. I don’t know what my future holds, or if it will ever include a love like theirs, but at the very least, I’m looking forward to a fresh start on Bainbridge Island and finally discovering myself… whatever that means.