She cries, and it breaks my heart. This is one of her common nightmares. I hold her tight and assure her I’m here. This is why it seems I’m here for the long haul—probably until Bex leaves for college and they don’t need me anymore. I don’t know what that means for my actual career, but I guess I’ll keep burning the candle at both ends.
Nate appears, bleary eyed, and joins us in bed. He rubs Bex’s back and soothes her. Our eyes meet, and I smile. I’m glad he’s here.
Despite her outburst, Bex never fully wakes. Eventually, her tears stop and she relaxes against her pillow. Without a word, Nate and I fall sleep with Bex between us.
Sometime later, when the room is much brighter, I hear Katrina get out of bed. I find the clock and see it’s after eight.
“Are you getting hungry?” I whisper.
“I was going to go meet someone,” Katrina says, a little too smoothly.
“I’ll let Yolanda know you’re almost ready.” I slip out of bed and follow her to the bathroom.
Katrina stops what she’s doing. “Who’s Yolanda?”
I decide to explain it as best I can. It won’t be the whole truth, but she hasn’t figured out that she’s already a target because of her wealth, not just her virginity. “Yolanda is the woman on the security team. You were introduced to her after we arrived. There have been some strange things going on, and we want you to be safe. But rather than strap you down with Bex and me, your dad and I decided Yolanda can go out with you. She won’t leave your side, so you’ll be protected.”
I can see what I’m saying begin to register.
“Wait. Are you telling me I’ll have a babysitter with me twenty-four seven?”
“She’s just keeping you safe. They don’t know enough about who those guys were that came on board the yacht, and with all the strange people coming and going around here, it would be easy to miss someone who had bad intentions. Yolanda will dress to blend in, and she’ll go where you go.”
Katrina is not happy, but she can’t let on why she’s not happy.
Too bad. I’m saving her from World War III. “You were just going to catch up with one of the wives or girlfriends, right?”
She narrows her eyes, and her mouth tilts up. I’ve given her an out, so she doesn’t have to admit her plan to do the opposite of what we spoke about yesterday.
I grab my phone. “Oh look, Yolanda is already outside and ready to go whenever you are.”
“Sometimes I really hate you,” she sneers.
“I’m sorry. It’s not my job to be your friend. It’s to keep you safe. I just hope having Yolanda with you doesn’t have to continue when we return home.”
Katrina balls her fists at her sides. “My father wouldn’t dare.”
“Yes, I would,” he calls softly from the bed. “If we can’t trust you, we’ll take matters into our own hands.”
“I can do what Olive did and emancipate myself,” Katrina threatens.
“If you feel you must.” He sighs and doesn’t open his eyes. “But your trust fund doesn’t kick in until you’re thirty, and I’m the trustee on the account, so I can change that if I don’t feel you’ll be responsible with the money.”
“I hate you, too.” Katrina pulls on her bathing suit in the bathroom and walks out.
At this time of day, it’s not even fifty degrees. She’s not going swimming, but that’s fine. She’ll figure it out.
Within five minutes, Yolanda reports that it’s too cold at the pool so they’re in the library, and Katrina is upset but she’s sitting in front of the fire.
“Do we change our day and just hang out here?” Nate asks.
I shrug. “We’ll figure something out. Plus, the idea of shopping can’t excite you in any way.”
“It doesn’t,” he admits from the bed. “I try to avoid it at all costs, but I’ll go if the girls want to.”
“The girls and I can go later this week. You can do something with your friends. We’ll have Yolanda with us.”
“And I want Jim to send at least one other person, too.”
“That’s fine. Greer has told us what to expect. I don’t know that the girls are going to be too excited about what they find. They’re mostly high-end shops and artsy tourist things—no Italy magnets or snow globes. I’ll see what they have. It will be nice to get off-property and do something.”
“Have you checked with Yolanda about tonight?” he asks.
“Haven’t had a chance yet. I’ll go to Jim about it.” I look over and Nate’s eyes are closed again. “Why don’t you go back to sleep for a while? I’ll go downstairs and pick up some food we can eat here in the room—and maybe some coffee. It may be cold by the time you decide to drink it, but at least you’ll have something.”
“Sounds good. I need to be sharp if I’m going to wi…” Nate drifts off to sleep before he finishes his sentence.
He looks so handsome lying in bed. He’s bare-chested, and damn if he isn’t chiseled from the finest marble. I’m not sure what that man is doing to me. I’ve seen him at his worst and also now flying high from a big win. But, I never thought of him as anything other than my boss until this trip. I’ve seen women fawn all over him, and never once did I feel jealous. Yet suddenly, I have this need to lick him all over.
Where is this coming from? I need to cool down.
I close the door to the room, leaving Bex curled up on his arm.
After putting on some yoga pants and pulling my hair into a messy bun, I head downstairs to the breakfast buffet.
Katrina is still sitting in the library, with Yolanda one chair away. Walking over, I realize she’s not on her phone but just looking at the pool.
“How are the temperatures in the water?” I ask.
Looking up at me, she shrugs. “Too cold.”
“I’m taking food upstairs. Your dad and Bex are still sleeping. Do you want to join me for breakfast?”
“I’m on a diet. Remember?” she snarks.
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You should have something. I’m not trying to convince you to have pancakes, but there’s fruit, and you can make toast.”
“They have pancakes?”
I nod. “And real maple syrup, too.”
She gets up and gathers her belongings, and after I load up three plates of food, we make her a plate. I want to be on her diet—a large stack of pancakes smothered in butter and syrup with four strips of thick, crispy bacon. Oh, to have the metabolism of a sixteen-year-old.
When we get back to the suite, I set the plates down. Yolanda has followed us with her own plate, which she sets on the table. I peek in at Bex and Nate, who are both still fast asleep. “Well, if you snooze, you lose.”
Katrina giggles. “They’re missing out. These are the best pancakes ever. We need to get the recipe.”
I join her and Yolanda at the table and try a bite. “I agree.”
Once we’re done, we sit on the couch and put our feet on the trunk that doubles as a coffee table. “What should we do today?” I ask.
“Nothing my dad wants to do.”
I need to help mend that relationship. “I heard there were horses we could ride,” I offer.
Katrina’s eyes go wide. “Really?”
“I don’t think they’re jumpers, just horses that meander around the vineyard.”
“Can we do that? Please? That sounds so awesome.”
“I’m sure we can talk your dad into it,” I say with more confidence than I have. “You know he has the highest chip count going into tonight’s game. If he makes it to tomorrow night, it would be great to go support him. Do you think you’d be okay if I go to watch him play and cheer for him tonight? You and Bex could stay here with someone from Uncle Jim’s company. You could get pizza and watch movies or play some card games with Bex.”
“I’m not playing Crazy Eights with her. She cheats. If you ask her for hearts, she’ll tell you she doesn’t have them and then ask you for them on her turn.”
“S
he’s eleven,” I rationalize.
“She shouldn’t cheat,” Katrina stresses.
“I don’t cheat,” Bex murmurs as she walks in, rubbing her eyes.
“Hey, sweetie. Do you feel better after all that sleep?”
She nods. “I’m hungry.”
I point her to the food and ask her if she’d be okay watching a movie in the suite tonight.
Both girls eventually agree, and I find myself excited—for reasons I don’t want to dissect too much.
After breakfast, we go down to the game room. I check into the horses, and they’re all booked for today, so I set all four of us up for tomorrow. For today, we decide to read and play games, and the girls are having fun. Without the boy distraction, Katrina is more carefree and less worried about making an impression. I like this Katrina.
Nate appears just after two.
“Not bad there, Lancaster.” I tease. “You must have been wiped out.”
“I was. Now I feel great. Tonight, you can sleep in the bed in my room, and I’ll sleep with Bex.”
I look down. “I don’t mind sleeping with her.”
“I know, but I think she could use some Daddy time. However, first we have a poker tournament to get through.”
“I talked with the girls, and they’re good hanging out with someone from Jim’s team and watching movies, if you still want me to come see you play.”
“Of course I do. That’d be great.”
“If you change your mind, just let me know.” I know Cecelia did that the last time they were together, so I worry it could trigger a bad memory. I’ll just go with the flow.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he says as he pops a grape in his mouth.
Eventually it warms up enough that Katrina wants to venture outside. Sitting by the pool, I start mentally going through what I brought. I want to look good tonight. It’s too cold for the sundress I have… I’m hanging out with people who have personal shoppers and unlimited budgets. I have the black wide-leg pants I wore last night. I also have a light blue shirt that wraps at the waist, and I can wear the pink peep-toe stilettos I brought for the wedding. It’s not high-end designer clothing, but it’s flattering on me, and these days I don’t get to dress up often. You’d think the way I’m plotting and planning that I was going on a date with my boss—which I’m certainly not.
I’ve been watching the clock all day, trying not to appear anxious. Shortly before three, I can’t take it any longer. “Would you be okay with the girls?” I ask Nate. “I haven’t had a shower today, and I don’t want to offend anyone tonight.”
He nods. “Go. I should have given you the afternoon off to do what you want. I wasn’t thinking. Sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’m here to work. I just need to shower once each day so I don’t smell.”
Nate studies his watch. “We’ll leave the suite about ten to four.”
“I’ll be ready. And someone from Uncle Jim’s team will come to stay with you girls while I go support your dad.”
“She’s my lucky charm. I need her there,” Nate says.
Katrina looks sour, and I can tell she’s suspicious. “Get a rabbit’s foot and leave Lilly alone.”
“If you’d rather I stay with you, I will,” I offer.
Nate puts his phone down. “No. You deserve the night off.”
“You think watching you play poker is a night off?” Katrina protests.
I hold up my hand. “I’m going to drink a few martinis and talk to some of the wives and girlfriends. They know I’m the nanny, but I don’t have to cower in the corner. As I said, if you prefer I stay with you, I will.”
I can tell Nate is bothered that his sixteen-year-old holds this much power, but she gets to call the shots for now. I think it’s important.
“Go ahead.” Katrina picks up her phone and starts to text someone. “It’ll be boring.”
“Probably, but I’m looking forward to the martinis.” I turn and leave.
I worry Nate’s going to say something to Katrina, and she’ll probably see it as us ganging up on her. Ugh. Not what I want. I mean, we do that already, but we’re usually covert about it. But whatever. I can’t control everything.
I’m able to shower, blow dry my hair, put some makeup on, and make it to the living room of our suite before Nate walks out of his room. The girls aren’t here, and I wonder vaguely where they are, but he looks so handsome it takes my breath away.
Chapter 7
Nate
Lilly is classically beautiful.
When she walks out to the living room, her skin looks like smooth and flawless porcelain. Her cheeks have a natural rosiness to them, and her plump, pink lips are something I suddenly want to explore, taste, and enjoy. I don’t know why I hadn’t noticed before this trip, but I suppose I’ve been lost in my own world for some time now, and I’ve never given Lilly much thought, other than to be grateful she manages the girls so well.
I honestly don’t know much about her, so I defer to what we have in common at this point—my girls—as I lead her out the door.
“How often does Bex have nightmares like she had last night?” I ask.
Lilly immediately relaxes. This is safe territory for her as well. “A few times a week. The therapist is working to help her understand that her mom didn’t leave her by choice. But she’s still scared. I’ve explained that she has you, her grandparents, her aunt Alicia, Katrina, and me.”
“What does she say to that?”
“She doesn’t want me to leave. But I always tell her that even if I’m no longer her nanny, it doesn’t mean we’re not friends or that I’d disappear from her life.”
“And what does the therapist say?”
“Stay consistent—which I do. Bex has school, her afterschool activities, time with her grandparents, and as you know, she spends weekends with her aunt.”
“How about Katrina?”
“The therapist is concerned that she’s bottled up a lot. She has memories of her mom and you, but a lot has changed. You were home more when Cecelia was alive. You had a reason to come home, and now you don’t.”
We arrive at the barn, and while it’s still a few minutes before four, almost everyone has arrived. I usher Lilly in with my hand on her back, and I like how it makes me feel. I have a beautiful woman with me, and everyone can eat their heart out.
“Nate!” Walker Clifton and his new wife, Marci, greet us. She’s a lawyer in San Francisco.
“Hey, man. How’s it going?” I ask.
“I see you’re trying to take back the leader spot on the board.”
“You’re not too far behind me in the number-two spot. I’ve got two million chips on you, which isn’t much.”
“I won my two tournaments back-to-back, so I’m fine not winning again…this time.”
I laugh. “Very generous—as long as we make sure the winner isn’t Landon.”
We both chuckle. Walker knows exactly what I’m talking about. Landon gloats when he wins—which he did last year—and it’s more fun to watch him lose since he’s so competitive. He’s also insanely smart. He and his fiancée, who’s also one of his business partners, talk in almost a private language. Being in the same room with them hurts my head.
I see Marci and Lilly walking up to the bar. When I focus back on Walker, he’s grinning like he just won the lottery. “So, you and Lilly?”
“Naw. She’s taking the night off and wants to drink a few martinis and not deal with the girls.”
Walker purses his lips. “Whatever helps you sleep at night. You know we all adored Cecelia, and those of us who knew her well know she wouldn’t want you holding yourself back. She’d want her girls to see a loving relationship.”
I cross my arms, trying not to react. Maybe there’s some truth in what he’s saying, but it’s not that easy. “You’re probably right.”
Lilly turns to me and motions bringing a glass to her mouth.
My head bobs.
She then holds up a ni
ce-looking dark-amber liquid. Whatever it is, I’ll drink it. I have plenty of people around me who fetch because I ask, but it feels nice to have someone do something for me because they care.
Lilly and Marci walk back over, chatting away.
“—the shops are supposed to be amazing, but they’ll be way out of my budget,” Lilly says. “I’m not sure the girls need high-end designer clothes when they wear a uniform to school every day.” She turns to me. “Here you go. You take your bourbon over ice, right?”
“I do.” I take a sip, and it’s like butter. Wow, is this good. “What are you ladies talking about?”
“Possibly going into town to go shopping,” Lilly says.
Walker shakes his head. “I’m not going.”
“I won’t buy much,” Marci says. “Mostly because it’s really silly to show up to meet with a client and tell them I’m going to charge them eight hundred dollars an hour, only to have them think I don’t need it because of my clothes. They tend to be very slow paying the bills when they have that impression, and now that I’m responsible for feeding, housing, and clothing almost a hundred people at my new firm, I’m not taking that chance.”
I laugh. “As if they don’t already see you in the society pages with your husband who’s expected to run for Senate soon.”
“I’ve got to get her pregnant first,” Walker boasts.
Marci turns pink and looks away. She has a martini, so surely she’s not pregnant yet. I’m a little jealous of all the practicing they must be doing. I have a feeling many of my friends are in the same boat. I’ve noticed both Emerson and Kate drinking juice. I loved it when the girls were babies. I hope they’re both pregnant. Jim did say he’d have Kate pregnant by the end of their honeymoon trip.
A gong sounds, bringing me out of my haze.
“We’re down to twelve,” Gillian announces. She repeats the rules and makes sure we know we’ll stop when we get to six players. The bio break and dinner are ten p.m. once again. She starts assigning tables at the top of the leaderboard. I walk up and pick my colored chip, which tonight is red. I take the center seat at the red table.
Lilly smiles and shows me her crossed fingers. My table slowly fills. William joins me from the table last night, but the others are from the bottom of the leaderboard. The other table has the remaining heavy hitters—Mia, Walker, Jackson, and Landon. I may clear out my table, but I won’t increase too substantially in the chip lead, because these guys don’t have much.
Showdown: Tech Billionaires Page 7
