by King, Imani
Surprisingly, they paused the game and came over to greet her without me having to ask them twice. He took that as good sign .
“It’s nice to meet you, Miss Holcut,” they chorused at once .
“It’s nice to meet you, too .”
The boys began talking animatedly with Trisha. Jonathan gave up trying to follow the conversation and just watched them with a grin on his face. Alexander and Declan’s apprehension about a new nanny seemed to vanish as they talked about everything from school lunch to video games with her .
By the time the four of them headed to dinner, it seemed like she’d won them over. They talked to her like she was an old friend. To her credit, she kept trying to drag Jonathan into the conversation, but it never took long before he was lost .
“So Trisha, how much longer are you in school?” Jonathan asked during a lull in the conversation .
“Another year and a half until I finish my Bachelor’s degree. Then I’m going to apply to go for my Master’s, if I can .”
“Do you know where you’d like to study ?”
She nodded. “Rand University. They have a fantastic graduate psychology program there .”
The two talked a bit more about Trisha’s plan for the future. He liked that she seemed to have a goal in mind and wasn’t just drifting through life, trying to figure things out. For someone still fairly young, she was very grounded in reality. He also liked that she planned to stay local after she finished her Bachelor’s. That meant it shouldn’t be too difficult to keep working for him .
By the time dinner was over and the boys had run off to do god knows what, he’d made up his mind. Trisha would be the perfect addition to the household .
“The boys seem to like you,” Jonathan said as they sat in the sitting room again, sharing another glass of wine .
“They’re both great kids. You’ve done a wonderful job of raising them .”
Jonathan laughed and shook his head. “You can thank Grace for that one !”
“Is Grace your wife ?”
“Oh no! Grace was our previous nanny. She decided to retire down in Florida to be near her grandkids. Jackie was my wife. She was diagnosed with a terminal cancer when the boys were young …”
“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.” Trisha’s face flushed as she looked away .
“And I’m sorry I have to be so blunt about it. The boys still struggle with our loss, and as their nanny you’ll need to be ready to support them. I probably should have told you this during the interview …”
He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment .
“I hope you can see why I’m in need of a good nanny. The boys are a handful, and I’ve poured myself into my work for so long that I can’t do this alone .”
Trisha nodded, her chocolate eyes locking on his once again. Her face was lighting up. Maybe it was the prospect of a challenge, or maybe she just felt bad for him. Either way, Jonathan could tell she wanted the job .
“Should we talk about your compensation ?”
Her eyes widened as she stared at him. “R…really? You... you’re not going to interview anyone else ?”
“I had interviews all morning. Do you see any of them here tonight? You were the one who stood out. And after seeing how the boys took to you so quickly… I don’t see a point in questioning fate… at least… if you’re still interested in the position .”
Jonathan clenched his fist as he waited for Trisha to respond. He wanted her to say yes. It was more than just his need for a nanny though. He’d enjoyed Trisha’s company tonight, even if he spent most of the evening watching her talk to the boys .
“I’m definitely interested.” She grinned broadly, her pearly white teeth showing. That made Jonathan grin in return .
The two of them finished off the bottle of wine as they ironed out all the boring details. Trish would start tomorrow, meeting Jonathan at the office after her classes ended. They’d pick the kids up from school together so he could walk her through their schedule. Friday morning, she’d be on her own .
If everything went well, she’d move in over the weekend .
Jonathan wasn’t sure who was more excited, him, or her …
7
Trisha
A s she walked up to Mr. Ashcourt’s office, Trisha wondered if her nerves would ever calm down. She’d already gotten passed two interview stages, yet as she went up to meet him before they picked up the kids from school, the butterflies in her stomach were doing backflips .
God, I’m like a girl going on her first date , Trish thought when she stepped off the elevator. When Mr. Ashcourt’s secretary greeted her, she was taken back to her middle school days, feeling every bit of her youthful awkwardness and hoping he’d like her .
It stupid, really, since she’d already gotten this far. As long as she didn’t do anything majorly wrong, like dumping more hot coffee into his lap, she had the job in the bank .
So why couldn’t she shake her nerves ?
When she stepped into the office and Mr. Ashcourt’s bright green eyes locked onto her, she knew why. She couldn’t help but develop a small crush on him. He was handsome, polite, successful, and available …
She hoped to God she’d get over that before she did something stupid .
There was no way Mr. Ashcourt would appreciate being hit on by his nanny. That sort of thing only happened in those drug store romance novels with muscular gods on the covers .
This definitely wasn’t a romance novel, and she certainly wasn’t no bombshell babe waiting to be swept off her feet. This was real life and fairy tale endings didn’t happen. She had a better shot with Brandon and he was gayer than the front row of a Katy Perry concert .
“Good afternoon, Trisha!” Mr. Ashcourt smiled at me. “Why don’t you have a seat on the couch? I’m just finishing up some last minute things, then we can run to get the boys from school .”
“Sounds good.” Trisha tried to smile and look like she wasn’t nervous as all hell. Since Mr. Ashcourt didn’t comment, she assumed it worked .
She pulled a paperback out of her bag and tried to read while she waited, but her eyes kept drifting over to Mr. Ashcourt as he worked. The man was focused on the papers spread out on his desk, thankfully, so he didn’t notice the extra attention .
She watched him taking notes on a small legal pad and wondered what had him so absorbed in his work. Hell, she didn’t even know what he did. She knew he was the CEO of AshCorp, but what AshCorp did, she wasn’t quite sure. She made a mental note to Google him later and see what came up .
Twenty minutes later they were heading down to the office garage, Trisha following Mr. Ashcourt like a lost puppy. Thankfully, she was able to hold back her gasp when she saw his gorgeous Porsche sitting in his designated spot. Damn, even when he had to pick up his kids from school, the man did it in style .
Like a true gentleman, he loaded her small suitcase into the trunk, then the two of them were on their way toward the school. Trisha tried to pay attention to the route, but was thankful for GPS. There’s no way she’d be able to find it on her own !
“I forgot to tell you,” Mr. Ashcourt said as he wound through streets that seemed much narrower than they should be. “There’s a car at the house for you to drive. Consider it one of your employee benefits .”
Trisha nodded, slightly relieved. Her old Ford Taurus would’ve stood out like a sore thumb in this private school carpool lane… but she still found herself in disbelief. Did he seriously just give her a car to drive? For a moment she wanted to ask what kind of car it was, but thought better of it. Best not to look a gift horse in the mouth .
They had to wait a couple minutes, but soon, Declan came running toward the car, Alexander was trailing not far behind him. Trisha stepped out of the car, pushing the front seat forward so the boys could slip into the back .
The moment Declan was in the car, he started talking a mile a minute about his day at school. Trisha tried to focus on what he was saying, but the ki
d could’ve been an auctioneer. When she looked over at Mr. Ashcourt, they locked eyes and he shrugged, showing he was just as lost as she was .
Finally, Alexander had enough and elbowed his brother. “Will you be quiet for once? You haven’t stopped talking since you sat down !”
Trisha snorted, glad it was someone other than her that spoke up. She made a mental note not to give the kid sugar, fearing he might vibrate into another dimension from all the energy .
Declan pouted and crossed his arms, but he didn’t complain .
When she glanced at the boys in the mirror, she saw Alexander had put his arm around his brother and Declan was leaning against him. She smiled at the sight. It was good to know they could be honest with each other without holding a grudge .
Driving up to the house was once again filled with wonder. She’d seen places like this on TV and in magazines, but had never before been even close to an architectural wonder like this. It was leagues beyond the tiny two-bedroom house she grew up in .
Briefly, she wondered how long it would take before she was no longer mesmerized by the sight of the place .
Still in the role of the gentleman, Mr. Ashcourt helped carry her small bag inside, even though she’d told him it wasn’t necessary. Though, she had to admit, it was nice having a man treat her like this …
Mr. Ashcourt gave her a tour of the house and introduced her to the other staff. Gretta was a portly older woman who handled all the cooking. She was friendly and welcoming, and Trisha knew they’d get along just fine .
Judith, on the other hand, didn’t seem to like Trisha one bit. Oh, she was polite for sure, but she was cold and distant. Luckily, Trisha wouldn’t have to deal with her much .
Once the tour and introductions were done, Mr. Ashcourt led Trisha to her accommodations. The ‘suite’ he was providing her was more of a house than a bedroom. It had its own private entry that lead outside, a gorgeous bathroom, a kitchenette with everything she’d need to whip up a simple meal on her own, and it even had a small living room. Before she had a chance to acquaint herself with the space, he opened up a door and ushered her through. She blinked when he turned on the lights, revealing the attached private garage .
He pulled a set of keys off the hook by the door and handed them to Trish. “It’s all yours,” he said, pointing at the black SUV .
Trisha stared open mouthed at the car. It was a brand new BMW X5, looking like it’d just rolled off the lot. This was the kind of car rich soccer moms drove, not broke college students. “Are… are you sure?” she asked, looking between Mr. Ashcourt and the car. She could only imagine how much it would cost if she scratched it or something .
He nodded. “Of course. I wouldn’t expect you to use your car while you’re working .”
“Th..thank you!” she said, looking down at the ground. She’d expected a moderately used car, not something this expensive !
Mr. Ashcourt grinned and chuckled. “It’s no problem! Grace, our old nanny, had a car provided for her too. In fact… I let her keep it when she retired .”
“You let her… keep it ?”
“Like I said, consider it one of your benefits. Work hard and do a fantastic job caring for my children, and you’ll be richly rewarded for your effort. Besides… it’s a tax write-off .”
He laughed, but she was still in shock. Trisha slipped the key into her pocket quickly, as if she were worried he might take it away and tell her it was all a big joke .
They headed back inside, Trisha’s head on a swivel as she continued to take everything. When they left the garage behind and made their way back into the dining room, both boys were seated at the table, books and papers sprawled out in front of them .
“Okay, boys. I’ve got some more work to do, so I’ll be up in my study. Trisha is in charge for right now, so if you need any help with your homework or anything, ask her.” He turned and winked at her. “Good luck !”
The boys smiled, then turned back to their homework. For a moment, Trisha just watched them, wondering if she’d had that much homework when she was their age. She decided that she didn’t, since she couldn’t remember it ever taking very long before she was curled up with a book after school .
Trish retrieved her own backpack, then took a seat at the table with the boys to lend them a hand .
The boys were quiet as they worked. The only time either of them spoke was when Declan would ask his brother a question he wasn’t sure about. Surprisingly, Alexander was patient with his little brother, explaining everything like a professional .
I never had near that much patience , Trisha thought as she watched the boys work together. She could have easily interjected and given Declan a hand, but this seemed like a very good habit to reinforce .
Once they were finished their homework, they passed it over to Trisha to check. She was actually impressed how well they both did. She started taking notes on their work, coming up with a plan to improve their study habits .
She was still at the table when Mr. Ashcourt came downstairs. “The boys abandon you already?” he asked with a laugh .
“They finished their homework and ran off to play one of their games.” Trish saved her notes on the laptop, then stretched. “I checked it over for them, too. They’re both extremely smart, you know …”
Mr. Ashcourt beamed proudly, then pulled out a chair and sat across from Trisha. “That’s always nice to hear. Don’t get too excited though. Today was a good day; they must’ve been trying to impress you. Last week I almost drove myself crazy trying to keep them in their chairs long enough to finish their work. Especially Declan. You’ve seen how much of a ball of energy he is .”
“I can imagine how much of a struggle it must’ve been,” she smiled at him. “You’re a brave man, Mr. Ashcourt .”
“If you’re going to live in my house, you should probably start calling me Jonathan. Anyway, it wasn’t too bad. I got to spend a few weeks enjoying some time with my kids. It’s going to be hard to get back to business-as-usual .”
“Sounds like I’ve got my work cut out for me .”
“Oh you’ll be fine!” Jonathan said, waving off my concerns. “The boys already like you, and that’s the hardest part .”
Well, at least someone has faith in me, Trisha thought to herself .
The two of them chatted easily for a while longer until Gretta came from the kitchen and told them dinner was nearly ready. Jonathan headed up to change out of his work clothes while Trish stowed her school stuff in her room and retrieved the boys from what looked like a cutthroat game of Overwatch .
“Dad,” Alexander said, his mouth full of food. “Zack has a birthday party on Saturday. Can I go ?”
Jonathan thought for a moment, then nodded. “I don’t see why not.” He glanced over at Trisha. “Would you mind taking him shopping after school tomorrow so he can pick up a gift ?”
“Sure, no problem.” Trisha smiled at the two of them .
“Then it’s settled. I’ll drop you off at the party on Saturday, and Declan and I can have some fun together.” He winked at Declan who grinned back at him .
“What about Trisha?” Alexander asked .
“I’ll be packing my stuff up so I can move in here.” At least, that was the plan. Jonathan had already arranged with a moving company to bring everything here Sunday afternoon, this way she’d be all ready to go full time on Monday .
“Cool!” He grinned at Trisha, then went back to his dinner .
After everyone finished eating Gretta’s delicious meal, the boys dragged Trisha to their game room, pleading with her for help getting past a level on a strange little game called Cuphead .
Trisha only meant to play for a little while with them, but before she knew it, it was their bed time. Jonathan walked her back to her room after they’d sent the boys to bed .
“The boys really do like you,” he said as they headed up the stairs .
“I think they just really like playing video games,” Trisha replied wi
th a grin .
“It didn’t look like they were holding you hostage in there !”
The two of them laughed. She figured if playing a few games helped her bond with the kids, who was she to say no ?
When they reached Trisha’s room, they stopped outside the door. She looked up into Jonathan’s eyes, her heart pounding. Out of nowhere she had the overwhelming desire to lean in and kiss him. She buried that feeling as deep as she could and put on a smile instead. Where the hell did that come from? She thought to herself .
“It really is going to be great having you here .”
Trisha wasn’t sure what to say so she just kept smiling, her cheeks heating up. “I might not see you tomorrow before I go to work, so, good luck! Don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything .”
“Thank you,” Trisha said, trying to calm her pounding heart. “Good luck at work .”
Jonathan then turned and walked away, Trisha’s eyes still locked onto him. Even in casual clothes, she could see a nice firm ass, and her mind was going into overdrive as she wondered what he looked like naked .
God, first day on the job and she was already flirting with the boss …
8
Jonathan
S leep evaded him. By time he crawled out of bed around five that morning, he felt like he hadn’t rested at all. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get her out of his mind .
Trisha…
Since it looked like sleep was no longer on the menu, he went downstairs and made himself a quick breakfast. Gretta was still in bed, so he was left fending for himself. Luckily he wasn’t completely useless when it came to cooking. He’d never be a chef, but he wouldn’t starve either .
After a quick meal and some coffee, he headed into work, getting out of the house before Trisha woke up. He told himself it was to get a jumpstart on all the work that’d been piling up, but he knew it was a lie. He was trying to avoid seeing the woman. There was something about her that kept her running through his mind. That mocha skin…. Those chocolate eyes… God, she was fucking gorgeous !
