“I’m sorry, Daddy,” she says, a shine in her eyes as she stands, brushing pine needles off the knees of her jeans.
“Go on, back home. Lickety split,” I say, pointing across the yard. “And look both ways before you cross the street. I’ll be right behind you.”
“And I’ll be right behindyou,” Clover says, emerging from the fort after Ava with a determined smile. “Because I’m here. I’m right here, right on time, and no one has to worry about taking Grammy to the airport.”
I frown. “What?”
“I mean, except you,” Clover says, sticking close as I trail Ava around the house. “You have to take her, but I’ll be fine here with the girls.”
My frown deepens until it hurts my forehead a little. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the fact that I’m here,” she says, sounding a little exasperated. “I’m here, and I’m ready to go to work. I would have been at your door at exactly six-thirty if I hadn’t seen Ava run across the street and been worried about her.”
I stop at our front gate, shooing Ava into the house when she pauses, casting a curious glance our way. “Go on, inside. Tell Grammy you’re okay and watchBlueyfor a few minutes. I’ll be right there.”
“Okay, Daddy,” Ava murmurs, shooting one last, big-eyed look Clover’s way before dashing up the walk to the door.
When it closes behind her, I turn back to Clover, giving her my full attention. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Are you here to see Cristina? I don’t think she’s home from the deployment with her husband yet. And I’m pretty sure I’ve seen renters coming and going, but maybe?—”
“No, I’m here for you,” Clover says, doing exactly nothing to clear this up. “I’m here for the job. I’m the…” She huffs out another laugh. “I’m the nanny.Yournanny…right?”
I blink, so dumbfounded I can’t form words for a second. But then the voice of reason helpfully reminds me that the new nanny’s last name is Cummings.
MeredithCummings, not Clover, but…
Shit.
Holy fucking shit.
“They told me your name was Meredith,” I mutter, feeling stupider with every passing second.
Clover’s eyes widen. “What?”
“Is your real name Meredith?”
“I mean, Meredith is the name on my birth certificate, yes, butno onecalls me that,” she says. “Never. I’ve been Clover practically since birth, and Tasha never calls me Meredith. I wasn’t even sure, she knew—” She breaks off with a wince and a shake of her head. “But, I mean, of course, she knows my legal name. She has a copy of my driver’s license and did the background check with my full name, but I never thought she would?—”
“Dean, my flight’s delayed,” my mother calls cheerfully from the open front door, making Clover and me both flinch. “By a whole hour! So, we’re in no rush.”
I turn to face her, forcing a smile. “Good. Great. I’ll be um… I’ll be inside in just a minute.”
“Okay,” she says, but she doesn’t turn to go back inside. She stands, staring for a long beat before she asks, “Is that the nanny? Hi, nanny, I’m Eliza.”
“Hi, Eliza,” Clover says, waving with a forced, but friendly smile. “I’m Clover. Legal name, Meredith, but my friends call me Clover. I hope you will, too.”
“Great to meet you, Clover!” Mom cheers. “You look like you’ve got spirit! I like that in a woman. None of that mealy-mouthed, kindergarten teacher energy for me. I like a woman with a spine. You’re going to need one to keep up with these two. They’re the sweetest girls in the world, but stubborn as mules, both of them. And impulsive.”
“Mom, please,” I start, only for her to cut me off.
“But I’m sure you’ve gathered that since you caught Ava making a break for it as you were pulling up.” Mom laughs, clearly embarrassed beneath the bravado. “So sorry about that. What a terrible first impression.” Shifting her focus my way, she adds, “You should make a note on the caregiver directions to keep the front door secure, Dean. We can’t have that happening again.”
“On it, Mom,” I say, wishing she’d head back inside already.
There’s no point in getting to know Clover.
Because Clover—akaMeredith—is leaving.
Having a woman I fingered in my truck two nights ago watching my girls, working for me full time,living in the apartmentabove my garage, is a clear conflict of interest.
