by Shéa MacLeod
"Tamzin. I didn't expect to see you here."
She sniffed. "Clearly not."
"Ah, this is my nephews' nanny, Ann Talbot. Anna, this is Tamzin Berkshire."
"His girlfriend," Tamzin said, giving me a pointed look. She all but snarled "get off my territory, bitch."
"Hi, Tamzin. Nice to meet you. Boys, say hi to Uncle Evan's friend."
"Hi, Tamthin," they chimed before going back to more important things, like coloring.
Tamzin ignored the boys, her eyes laser-sharp on me. "An American, I see. How… unfortunate for you. Which part?"
I didn't see what was unfortunate about it, but I nodded. "The West Coast."
She brightened. "Hollywood?"
"Er, no. Portland." At her blank expression, I expanded. "Oregon. It's north of California."
"Oh. Never heard of it." She pointedly turned back to Evander. "Evan, darling, why haven't you called? I've left you several voice messages," she chided. "You promised you would take me to the new play with Adam Wentworth. I even have tickets. For tonight."
He sighed. "You're right. I did promise."
"Well, you can take me shopping to make up for it. There's this darling bag at Selfridges, and I absolutely must have it." She quite literally dragged him from the booth.
"Sorry, Anna. This should cover it." He laid several bills on the table. "Reece, Riley, I'll see you later."
"'Bye, Uncle Evan," they mumbled, barely looking up from their artwork. Evander ruffled their hair, and with a last, crooked smile at me, disappeared out the door with Tamzin.
Figured. The first guy I'd found even vaguely interesting —okay, let's be honest, totally interesting— and he was dating the Wicked Witch of the East.
# # #
"I want to put the flour in."
"No! I wanna."
"Wait. Guys…." Too late. The bag of flour hit the floor and exploded. A white mushroom cloud shot into the air, coating the boys, me, and half the kitchen. Viola was going to have my head.
Sunday's weather was as miserable as Saturday's. Since we'd already done the museum thing, and I was wiped, I figured we'd make cookies, American style. That may have been a poor choice.
"Look what you did."
"No, you did it! I'm telling."
"No, I'm telling."
"Reece. Riley. Front and center!" There I went again, channeling my dad. At least it worked. The two boys drew themselves up straight and puffed out their chests. "Reece, dustpan. Riley, broom. Snap to it." They scampered off to find the required cleaning gear while I carefully picked up the bag and what was left of the clean flour.
"What on earth is going on in here?"
I glanced up to find Bella standing in the doorway, a look of horror on her face. She was dressed like she was going to afternoon tea or something in a blue velvet wrap dress and a pair of black stilettos. Her blonde hair was carefully coiffed, and she was wearing honest-to-God pearls. All she needed was a Donna Reed apron.
"The boys and I were making cookies."
"Cookies?" She frowned, a line appearing between her eyebrows.
"Um…." I searched for the British word. "Biscuits." Thank goodness for research.
"Right. And this?" She waved at the disaster that was the kitchen.
"We had a bit of a problem with the flour."
"So I can see," Bella said tightly. "You do realize I have people coming over in"—she checked her watch—"ten minutes."
"Er, no. I didn't." I wondered if she expected me to mind-read or what.
"It's on the calendar." She thrust a forefinger in the direction of the fridge. Oh, right. The calendar. She'd mentioned it, but I'd been so jetlagged, it hadn't sunk in.
"Sorry. I forgot. Don't worry. We're almost done anyway. I'll get this cleaned up."
"See that you do." The doorbell chimed, and she closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers. "They're early."
"Anything I can do?"
"Just keep the twins out of sight and get this place picked up."
I nodded, but she was already headed toward the front door, her heels clicking sharply against the floorboards. I heard the murmur of voices as she opened the door. A quick peek at the calendar, and I saw she'd marked "book club" on it in bright red. Since I had no idea book club meant people showing up at her house, reading the calendar earlier wouldn't have helped me.
The boys charged back in, armed with broom and dustpan. A quick clean up, and we were ready to finish making the cookies. The rest of the baking process went fairly smoothly, interrupted only by Bella's trip into the kitchen for tea and a bottle of wine.
She said nothing, and neither did the boys and I. Once the cookies were in the oven, we put things away, and then I sat them at the island with crayons and blank paper and told them to draw their adventure with the dinosaurs.
They were halfway into that when the buzzer rang, alerting us to the cookies. As if the scent permeating the air wasn't enough.
I opened the oven door. Perfectly done.
"I want to help."
"No, I want to!"
They bounced around me, so excited they ended up tripping me. I went down face first, the cookie tray held in front of me like an offering. I hit the floor first, the metal tray close behind, smashing into the tile with a loud crash. The boys shrieked and ran around the kitchen like the house was on fire. I lay there blinking, trying desperately not to let the litany of swear words running through my brain escape my mouth.
"What the hell is going on?" I recognized Bella's voice instantly.
"This is the nanny? Did you check those references, Bella?" a cool, snide voice spoke up. I stared through the hair that had fallen over my face. Tamzin. Wonderful. Not only had I embarrassed myself in front of my new boss but Evander's girlfriend, too. And about half a dozen other ladies who were trying to peer into the kitchen.
"Sorry," I mumbled, climbing to my feet, wincing as my bashed knee gave a vicious throb. "Just tripped. It's fine. We're almost finished in here."
They boys were still dancing around excitedly. Bella looked like she was going to have an apoplexy.
"Reece. Riley." I winced as I put my full weight down on my leg. "Why don't you take your crayons and paper upstairs, and I'll bring up fresh cookies in a minute."
With cheers of delight, the boys dashed upstairs, leaving me with broken cookies, a pissed off Bella, and a bunch of society snobs. That wasn't fair. They could be perfectly nice ladies, other than looking down their noses at me. Except Tamzin. She really was a pain in the ass.
"Anna…." Bella began. I could tell by her tone she was going to crucify me. With my luck she'd fire me and stick me on the first plane back to Portland.
"Aunt Bella! Aunt Bella!" The twins rushed back into the kitchen. "We made you these!" They thrust paper at her, interrupting whatever she was going to say. The snooty women behind her tittered, but she ignored them, staring down at the papers clutched in her hands.
She swallowed hard. Was she tearing up? Then she knelt and hugged the boys, the first real physical contact I'd seen her give her nephews. "Thank you. Now you go up and do as Anna says."
"Yes, Aunt Bella," they said in unison. They scampered up the stairs. I heard the thuds of their footsteps overhead.
Bella cleared her throat. "I'll hang these up later. Finish washing up. I don't want Viola having a meltdown tomorrow." She turned sharply on her heel and strode from the kitchen, the book club women on her trail.
I glanced at the papers lying on the island. They were both pretty much the same thing but in different colors and styles. A blonde stick figure woman wearing a blue dress with a little stick figure boy on either side of her. Scrawled across each sheet were the words "I LOVE YOU, AUNT BELLA" along with the signature of the artist. I remembered Bella's response to the twins' art. Maybe she did have a heart, after all.
Chapter 6
"Did the boys get off to school all right?" Bella cleared her throat as she entered the kitchen. I w
as cleaning up the enormous mess the boys' breakfast had created, as I'd promised Viola. It was Friday, and so far the weekday routine had gone surprisingly well. Oh, there'd been the odd hiccup here and there. Like the day Reece had refused to wear his uniform and deliberately smeared currant jelly on his white shirt. Or the day we were late because Riley had locked himself in the bathroom. I'd had to go to the headmistress's office to explain that one. But all in all, we were slipping into a routine that worked for us.
"Sure. Everything went fine."
"Excellent." She hesitated as if she wanted to say more. She adjusted the lapels of her red power suit, clearly uncomfortable.
I waited for her to spill. Finally she did.
"I want you to take the day off."
I stared at her, still clutching the damp dishrag. "Excuse me?"
"Not today, of course. I have a very important client meeting. But tomorrow."
I frowned. "I thought you preferred I take Sundays off so you could work Saturdays." I'd only worked the previous Sunday because I had just arrived and was getting to know the boys, plus Bella had had an appointment she couldn't get out of.
"True, but I'm starting to believe Meg and John knew what they were about when they made me the boys' guardian. I think it's time I took a more active role with them."
I had my doubts about her ability to handle them. I guessed she'd put on her rose-colored glasses when it came to child rearing. "Okay. If you're sure."
"I am," she said firmly.
"Right. Then I guess I'll plan a little exploring."
"If you need any recommendations, please feel free to ask."
"Thanks," I said. "I will."
Bella nodded. "See you at dinner." Then she turned sharply on her stilettoes and strode from the room.
Well, well, well. This should be interesting.
# # #
Saturday morning I nearly barreled into Evander on the way out the door. He grabbed my shoulders to keep me from winding up on my ass on the front stoop.
"Whoa," he said with a dimpled grin. "Where are you going in such a hurry? Where are the boys?"
"Bella has decided she wants to take a more direct role with the boys. She gave me the day off, and she's taking care of them."
His eyes widened. "No way."
"Yes way."
"This ought to be good." There was a devilish glint in his eyes that told me he shared my doubts about Bella's parenting skills.
"You're telling me. That's why I wanted to get out of there before the crap hit the fan."
"God, I hope they don't burn the house down."
I tugged at his sleeve, leading him away. "Don't worry. I'm sure Bella can dial 999, if that's the case. But I'm sure things will be fine. If she thinks she can do it, let her. Maybe she'll be better at it than we think."
He gave me a disbelieving look.
I laughed. "Okay, maybe not. But she deserves the chance to try, right?"
"If you say so." He still looked doubtful. "What are your plans for today?"
"I thought I'd do a little sightseeing."
"Want a tour guide?"
I wanted to ask him about his girlfriend, but really, what business was it of mine? Just because I was attracted to him didn't mean it was reciprocated. He was just offering to show me around the city. No big deal. "Sure. I'd like that."
"Come on." He took my arm and hustled me toward the tube station. "There's only one way to really see this city properly."
"What's that?"
He winked. "It's a surprise."
# # #
It was like the entire city of London was spread out in front of me. Far below I could see Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. The River Thames wound its muddy way through the heart of the city, tiny boats and barges bobbing on its surface. It was breathtaking in more ways than one.
"Are you all right?" Evander asked, moving a little closer. "You're looking a little pale."
"I sort of have a bit of a heights problem."
"Why didn't you say so before I dragged you on this thing?" He motioned around the giant, clear pod that was our ride on the London Eye.
"Because you were so excited about it. And you were right. This is the absolute best view of the city." I glanced down a little too sharply and sucked in a breath. Look out, not down, I reminded myself. I started as Evander wrapped his arm around me.
"Don't worry," he said softly. "I won't let anything happen to you." Strangely enough, I believed him.
Although the view was amazing, I was relieved when the ride was over, and we were back on terra firma. Evander led me down the wide walkway alongside the Thames, which he called the "South Bank." We wandered past theaters and restaurants, poked our heads into the cute, quirky shops in Gabriel's Wharf, strolled past the Globe Theater, and eventually wound up at a charming pub in the shadow of London Bridge. It was wonderfully traditional, with low beamed ceilings, dark wood worn smooth with age, and lots of nooks and crannies. We got our drinks and tucked in next to a cozy fire.
"I love this," I said, staring around me in awe. "It's exactly what Americans think of when we imagine ourselves in England."
Evander smiled over the rim of his pint. He took a long sip, let out a sigh, and placed his drink back on the table. "This pub is right next door to where the original Globe used to be."
"You mean, the one Shakespeare actually played in?"
"That's the one. He used to come here to get dressed before plays. They all did, the actors. Some say he even wrote here."
"Oh, wow." My eyes must have been the size of saucers. "That's amazing. Mind-boggling."
"You think that's amazing, beneath our feet is the site of a Roman graveyard."
I took a quick swallow of beer. "Oh, my word, that's fantastic." The sheer volume of history was unbelievable.
"Fantastic? I think you're the first person who's ever said that."
"Me and some archaeologists, I'd bet," I said with a grin.
"That's true." He clinked his glass against mine. "A toast."
"To what?"
"How about… new friends and new experiences."
"I'll drink to that." But my heart sank a little. I knew he had a girlfriend, but I could admit, at least to myself, that I'd hoped he felt more than friendship toward me. I told myself I was being an idiot. A man like Evander would never be interested in a simple nanny. I gave a mental shrug. His loss. At least he'd bought me an ale.
# # #
When I returned home that night, I was still on a high. Spending the entire day sightseeing with Evander had been one of the best days of my life. I honestly couldn't say which I'd enjoyed more, the adventure or the company. The minute I walked into the house, I came crashing down.
The place was a disaster. Toys, art supplies, and decorative pillows were flung everywhere. A rather nice vase that I remembered sitting on the mantle was nothing but a pile of tiny pieces on the hearth. The large abstract painting above the fireplace hung askew, the corner of the frame badly chipped, and there was a scrawl of purple crayon along the white walls of the foyer.
The kitchen was even worse. Dishes were piled in the sink and had spilled over onto the counters, the bottoms of the pans scorched and the plates crusted with something that looked vaguely inedible. There was a puddle of milk on the floor in front of the fridge and something sticky next to the kitchen island. I didn't even want to ask what the red handprints on the white fridge were. Viola was going to have a fit.
I went upstairs to the second floor and paused at Bella's door. I heard sobbing, and my heart broke a little for her. Clearly things had not gone well.
I rapped softly on the door. "Bella? Bella, it's Anna. Can I come in?"
She didn't answer, so I took that as a yes. Inside I found Bella huddled in the middle of her enormous king-sized bed, the gray and pink silk duvet pulled over her head.
I sank down next to her. "What happened?" I asked softly.
"It was terrible!" she wailed. "Everything went wrong.
They hate me."
"I doubt that."
She sat up abruptly. Her eyes were red and puffy, mascara trailing down her cheeks. Her hair stuck up in several directions, and I was pretty sure there was ketchup in it. She looked dreadful. "Oh, they do," she insisted. "They were… monsters!"
Well, that was a little dramatic. "They're good boys, just… exuberant."
She smiled a little tightly. "That's an understatement.
"They're not used to you, Bella. They were testing their limits."
"And I failed!" she wailed.
I patted her hand. "Hey, everyone messes up. Believe me. I've spent years studying and working with children, and I mess up frequently. Believe me. It takes time and a lot of patience. Rome wasn't built in a day."
"I know. I just…I've never been very comfortable around children. I'm used to my life being a certain way. And while change in my job is a must, change in my home is…."
"Uncomfortable?"
She attempted to straighten her burgundy blouse, but it was useless. Not only was it badly rumpled, there were brightly colored splotches of paint on it. "Rather. I really appreciate you being here, Anna. The twins have really taken to you, and I feel more, ah, relaxed about it all."
I studied her for a moment. She did not look relaxed.
"I think I should stick to what I do best and let you keep taking care of the children."
"Really? Because I think you did a great job for your first time out."
Bella blinked raccoon eyes. "Are you mad?"
I grinned. "Maybe. But tell me, where are the boys?"
She frowned. "In bed, of course. You always have them in bed by seven. I made sure to follow suit. I understand schedules are important for children."
My grin widened. "See. You got them to bed."
"I don't understand."
"Do you have any idea how many parents would pay a fortune and then some to be able to get their kids to go to bed on time? And those boys? Bella, that's a minor miracle. No, scratch that. It's a major one."
Bella straightened her shoulders, suddenly looking a little less devastated. "Really?"
"Truly."
She eyed me carefully. "You're not just saying that."
