Haley's Bay 01 - The Billionaire's Nanny

by Melissa McClone

  “Libby said you made the Forbes 400 this year. You can afford it.”

  Emma wasn’t sure where her bravado came from, but what was he going to do? Fire her?

  “Anything else you want?” he asked.

  “That’s all.”

  “Nothing for yourself?”

  “Helping Libby, the shelter and Blossom is all I want.”

  AJ studied her, his mouth slanted and his eyes narrowed.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Nothing.” He gaze traveled from her to the empty cat carrier to the bed, then returned to Emma. “You have a deal.”

  She blew out a puff of air.

  He grinned. “You thought I’d say no.”

  “I was hoping.”

  “Is this the nanny or the personal assistant or Emma talking?”

  “All three.” Emma was about to apologize, but realized he’d put her in this situation. If her behavior wasn’t quite up to the Rose City Nanny Academy’s standards, oh, well, she was doing her best. “Bringing a real girlfriend would have been cheaper.”

  “True.” He looked away, making her wonder what kind of women he dated. Not nannies like her. “But we’ll make this work. We don’t have a choice.”

  Emma remembered this was his first time home in a while. “I’m here to make sure your vacation and the birthday party go well. I’ll do my best to play your girlfriend, but that doesn’t mean I’ll be able to pull off the act. I’m still uncomfortable sharing a room with you. Nothing is going to change that.”

  “I understand and I’m grateful for your going along with this. Who knows, this might be fun.”

  She made a face.

  “Or maybe not,” he quipped. “I’ll try to come up with another accommodation option, but until then you don’t have to share a bed with me. I’m fine sleeping on the floor and you’ll have to be flexible about us sharing a room.”

  The word brought up all kind of images of the two of them being flexible together. Unwelcome images that made her want to fan herself. Not good. Having a billionaire she was supposed to take care of end up with a stiff back while planning and hosting a birthday party wouldn’t be good, either. “What if someone walks in and sees you sleeping on the floor?”

  “I could say you kicked me out of the bed for eating cookies or snoring.”

  “I’d still hear you snoring if we’re sharing a room.”

  “We’ll have to think of something that makes sense.”

  “I don’t think that’s possible since none of this makes sense.” She thought for a moment, not liking the option coming to her. “We’re both adults. We could share the bed if we put a wall of pillows between us. Or one of us can sleep on top of the sheet and the other underneath it.”

  Amusement gleamed in his eyes. “Excellent idea. You must have experience being someone’s pretend girlfriend.”

  Heat rose up her neck and settled in her face. Tomato-red, no doubt. She didn’t like how AJ kept making her blush.

  “No,” she said. “But I’m a nanny. Sometimes siblings don’t want to share a bed or aren’t getting along during naptime. I know all the tricks.”

  “Then this shouldn’t be a problem.”

  “Maybe not for you, but this is way outside my comfort zone. I’m old-fashioned.”

  “Old-fashioned in what way?”

  Emma fought the urge to shrug. She shouldn’t have brought this up. “A few ways.”

  “Let me guess. You don’t call men or ask them out. Wait until you’re in a committed relationship to have sex. Expect men to pay when you go out.”

  Oh, boy. Two out of three. Though his definition of a committed relationship might be different from hers. “Yes, yes and no. I’m fine paying or splitting the check. Otherwise dates can get expensive fast and that’s not fair.”

  “While you’re my girlfriend, I pick up the tab. I’m sure it’ll be a helluva lot cheaper than $50K and finding your cat a home.”

  “Should be. I don’t eat that much.”

  Laughter, deep and rich, wrapped around her like strong, comforting arms. The sense of security and belonging nearly overwhelmed her. She took a step toward the window.

  “We’ll make this work, Emma.”

  “If you say so.” Her gaze rested on his smiling lips. Nice lips. She wondered how he tasted. Uh, no, she didn’t. “I realize that in public and in front of your family we must act as if we’re in a relationship. But any other time...”

  “Under any other circumstance, I would never date an employee. We may need to act romantic around my family, but you have nothing to worry about when we’re alone.”

  She stared at the carpet, feeling as appealing as a slice of moldy bread. But she wanted him to leave her alone. If not, she wouldn’t be complaining about sharing a room. She lifted her chin and looked straight at him. “Thank you.”

  “We’ll get through this.”

  The way his voice softened gave her chills. His gaze lingered, practically caressed. Every nerve ending tingled. What was going on?

  Not trusting her voice, Emma nodded. She hoped AJ was right about getting through this because she wasn’t sure about anything at the moment. Especially herself. And him.

  * * *

  An hour later, with the fake smile he’d perfected for use during interviews and business meetings, AJ sat at the dining room table with his grandmother, his mother, Marianne, Risa, Madison and Emma. His siblings and father would be joining them for dinner.

  The reprieve from the entire family would give AJ and Emma much-needed time to practice their couple-ness. Things were not going well, but he wasn’t giving up. Visible trouble in paradise would encourage Madison’s attention and Grandma’s advice, neither welcome.

  AJ swung his arm around the back of Emma’s chair. A friendly gesture, not the slightest bit intimate. He didn’t want his pretend girlfriend joining the cat under the bed.

  Emma stiffened, her back ramrod straight. She didn’t glance his way, but scooted forward, putting distance between her back and his hand.

  If she didn’t loosen up, the gig would be up before dessert. He still couldn’t believe she’d agreed to help him out with this enormous favor. He wanted to cut her some slack, but they were on display with his family watching.

  He appreciated what she was doing. The way she’d leveraged what she did out of him for others, not herself, impressed him. He hadn’t been in this kind of partnership since his early days when he needed venture capital for his start-up. He liked the feeling of having a partner, or rather, in this situation, a partner in crime.

  If only she’d stop acting as if she were on a bad first date. The first date part was technically true, but he needed her to act interested. Most women didn’t have a problem with that. Then again, Emma wasn’t like the women he normally dated. He shouldn’t treat her like one of them. He leaned toward her. “Would you like another serving of chicken pot pie, honey?”

  Her startled gaze met his. “Um, no thanks. I’ve had seconds.”

  Across the table, Madison picked at her quarter-sized portion without eating a bite. “Might as well have thirds. Nannies must use a lot of energy running after kids all day.”

  Emma nodded.

  AJ didn’t appreciate Madison’s I’m-better-than-you tone. He toyed with the end of Emma’s braid. “I appreciate a woman with a healthy appetite and curves. Emma needs her energy for me, not just kids.”

  The gratitude in her eyes made his pulse increase. His stomach tightened.

  “Beeeep. Goal rate met,” AJ’s watch announced. He blinked and hit the reset button. Normally that only happened when he’d reached the target range during a cardiac workout. That was odd.

  Madison took a bite off her plate.

  “I have apple pie for dessert,” Grandma announced. “It’s AJ’s favorite.”

  “Mine, too,” Emma said.

  Grandma pushed back in her chair. “Glad to hear it. So many people are into cake pops and cupcakes these days. But pie is down-h
ome goodness. Takes skill to perfect the crust.”

  His mom’s forehead wrinkled. She still looked to be in her early forties except for some silver in her brunette hair and the lines at the corner of her eyes. “I thought you went to the bakery this morning.”

  “I did, but the baker had to get it right,” Grandma stood. “I’m assuming everyone wants a scoop of vanilla ice cream loaded on top?”

  Emma nodded. “Please.”

  “Me, too.” Madison inched forward in her chair until she was nearly pressed against the dining room table. “I love pie and ice cream.”

  His mother stood. “I’ll help you serve up dessert.”

  “Wonderful.” Grandma kept her gaze on Emma for some reason. “We’ll be back in a flash.”

  Risa wiped her mouth with her napkin, then stared pointedly at Emma. “A long-distance relationship must be difficult.”

  “Seattle is a short train ride from Portland,” Emma said.

  AJ tried not to grimace. He hadn’t ridden a train since college. “I have a jet, too.”

  Emma smiled, seeming to relax for the first time during the meal. “True, but I love the train. Much more cost-efficient than wasting the crew’s time and all that fuel jetting me around.”

  He scooted closer, so close he could smell the citrusy scent of her shampoo. He took another sniff. Better than any expensive perfume. “I know you prefer the train, but the jet’s faster. That gives me more time with you.”

  The lines around Madison’s mouth deepened. “I don’t get it. Nannies can work anywhere. Why don’t you move to Seattle?”

  A valid question. AJ tried to come up with a logical explanation why Emma wouldn’t be living closer to him.

  “I may be moving to Seattle,” she said to his surprise. “I recently finished an assignment with a family. I’m currently working temporary babysitting jobs until I figure out what to do next.”

  “Just say the word and I’ll have a moving crew at your apartment to pack up your stuff.” He knew this was the perfect opportunity to let Risa and Madison see that the two of them were serious. “I have plenty of room at my house.”

  “I know there’s room.” Emma didn’t miss a beat. Nor did she blush. Progress? He hoped so. “But I’d like to have a secure a job before I make any definite plans.”

  “You don’t have to work,” he said.

  A wistful expression formed on Madison’s face.

  “I want to work,” Emma said, making him wonder if she ever took the easy way out. Something told him unlikely.

  “The offer stands if you change your mind.” AJ knew this conversation was nothing more than a show for his sister-in-law and her younger sister. Yet he could rattle off a handful of reasons why a move to Seattle made sense for Emma. Starting with a higher salary due to being in a larger city, living closer to Libby and ending with—not him—the cat.

  “Thanks.” She looked at Risa and Madison. “Sorry for bringing this up in front of you.”

  “It’s fine,” Madison said. “You must have a lot of catching up to do.”

  “Don’t mind us.” Risa’s sounded genuine. “We’re family. It’s nice knowing what’s going on with AJ beyond what we read on the internet.”

  “I’m only a phone call, text or email away if you’d like to find out for yourself,” he countered.

  “True, but so are we,” Risa said. “Flynn manages to keep in touch even when he’s deployed. The last time he was in Afghanistan, he and Ellis kept in close contact. The kids were always asking when they can Skype with Uncle Flynn. They still ask.”

  “Flynn’s amazing. Always has been. The Cole family’s personal superhero.”

  AJ hadn’t meant for his sarcasm to be so thick. He appreciated his brother’s service to this country, but AJ didn’t get why everyone applauded his brother’s enlisting in the military at age seventeen, while AJ’s leaving to attend a top university was considered traitorous. Pursuing dreams outside of fishing and boat building should work both ways. Especially since each of Ellis and Risa’s children had trust funds to cover their education costs through doctorate degrees.

  Madison straightened, her face brightening. “Is Flynn going to be at the birthday party?”

  “No,” Risa said. “He’s off somewhere again. Never know where.”

  “That’s too bad.” AJ hadn’t spoken with Flynn in...a long time. Ten, no, twelve years. “Libby mailed him an invitation, but he’s never been one to RSVP.”

  Risa pinned him with a stare. “Family shouldn’t be required to RSVP.”

  Silence descended over the table. Even Risa was getting on him now.

  “I wonder what’s taking so long with the pie. The ice cream’s going to melt.” Emma scooted back in her chair, breaking the tension in the air. “Let’s see if your mom and grandmother need help.”

  Emma didn’t wait for an answer. She headed into the kitchen without a glance back to see if he was following.

  He was, nipping at her heels, grateful she’d helped him escape Risa and Madison. He’d forgotten that saying anything against Flynn was forbidden in the family. AJ was in the doghouse before even seeing his father. This was not looking good. If Emma and he couldn’t pull off being a happy couple, he’d be worse off than when he left ten years ago. He only hoped his grandmother and her birthday party wouldn’t be the ones who suffered.

  Chapter Five

  After AJ’s conference calls and interview had been completed, Emma walked along the shoreline with him at her side. A breeze carried the briny scent of the sea and toyed with the ends of AJ’s hair, making him look way too sexy strolling on the rocky beach in his dress shirt, trousers and leather shoes. Temporary bosses and fake boyfriends shouldn’t be so utterly attractive.

  She should be enjoying this break from his watchful family, but being near him increased her anxiety. The man put her on edge with his constant devising and revising of strategies. She didn’t need experience in mergers and acquisitions to know lunch had not gone well. Maybe he was going to fire her for being such a rotten girlfriend. Being fired would be welcomed, appreciated even.

  “What do you think so far?” AJ asked.

  Walking alone with him on the beach was harder than faking a relationship publicly. He was so focused on success that relaxing was impossible. His family’s Victorian stood on a bluff in the distance, a beacon to the Cole men after a day on the sea. “Haley’s Bay is lovely, and Lilah’s house is spectacular.”

  “True, but I want to know how you thought lunch went.”

  Of course he did. AJ was worked up over his family. The dynamics were becoming clearer to her, but she wondered if he truly cared what his family thought of him or if the only thing that mattered to him was his grandmother. He hadn’t seemed to put much effort into healing the rifts between them. “Not well. Being a girlfriend doesn’t come naturally to me.”

  “You pulled out a win with the moving to Seattle talk.”

  “That’s because I was telling the truth.” The truth mattered. When she was a kid, her mother had dragged her brother back into a convenience store after he’d walked out with a pack of gum in his pocket. He’d been only eight, but their mom had made him apologize and pay for the gum with change from his piggy bank.

  Little life lessons like that were all she had left of her family. Every physical reminder of her parents and brother had been destroyed in the house fire. Her memories kept fading so she wrote what she remembered in a journal.

  She picked up a shell, then rubbed her fingers over the ridges on the outside. “I talked to Libby about moving to Seattle before she left for New York. She’s been after me to move now that I’m no longer working for a family...”

  “Your salary will be higher. No state income tax. Several tech companies, including mine, provide employee perks ranging from in-house day care centers to take-home dinners for our employees. If you decide you want to try the business world, you could work in the day care center, be an admin, support the development team. Whatev
er you wanted to try.”

  “Libby’s suggested I do that.” And went as far as typing up and submitting Emma’s résumé to the day care manager. Not that a job was guaranteed, or that she would take one if offered. “But I was born and raised in Portland. I’ve never lived anywhere else. Libby’s parents are there. Friends. The nanny agency. Families.”

  Families Emma had worked for. Families whose children had grown up, moved on and forgotten their nanny. Her chest tightened.

  “Move back to Oregon if you don’t like Washington.”

  She shrugged, but the last thing she felt was indifference. She’d left so many things behind over the years—foster families, schools, clients, children. She longed for a time when things would be stable. Hers. If she left...

  The rocks gave way to damp sand. She glanced back. A trail of footsteps remained behind her and AJ.

  Maybe a change of scenery would be good. Something different. A place to make a new start. Put down roots instead of always feeling transitory. “Did you consider moving back to Haley’s Bay after you graduated college?”

  “Never.” The word burst from AJ’s mouth. He rubbed his lips together. “But my situation’s different. I felt if I returned I would constantly have to prove myself and live with my family second-guessing me all the time. They don’t care what I’m able to do for them, give them. None of that matters. You saw how Risa reacted when we talked about Flynn.”

  Emma nodded, though Risa hadn’t been the only one to react. AJ had been on the defensive, and Emma doubted he realized that. He had set opinions about his family, similar to what he said they had about him. Maybe that was how families acted toward one another after you grew up, though Libby’s parents had always been warm and supportive.

  “My father will be worse,” AJ continued. “Flynn’s a hero for leaving. I’m a jerk.”

  For a man who had enough money to do whatever he wanted, the bitterness seeping into AJ’s tone surprised her. But ten years of ignoring issues and not talking could harden the softest of hearts. She never thought she’d feel sorry for AJ Cole, and now she did. He needed to let go, put the past behind him and move on. She hoped he could do that. For his own sake. “You’re the oldest, right?”