AllFreeNovel
Share Us
THREE
HADLEY
By nature, kids are a handful, but something about Colton and Piper seems extra. My brother has kids, but they are two of the most well-behaved children I have ever seen. They almost seem unnatural, especially as I watch Colton and Piper run wild on the beach, chasing each other with sticks, pretending to be Jedis. I laugh and clap, cheering them on, but I’m careful to keep an eye on them because within five minutes of Theo leaving me alone with them, they both tried to run. Luckily, I’m smarter than I look and managed to thwart any escapes. I also suspect they were testing me, as they likely tested the other nannies hired to watch over them.
But as the day progresses and we walk up and down the boardwalk and along the beach, I feel eyes on me, watching me, and maybe even them. I don’t know the first thing about Theo or his family, and maybe the uncomfortable stares and glares are a silent warning something is off about him. I don’t even know his last name.
“Hey, Colton,” I shout, grabbing his attention. He stops and turns, squinting at me in the sunlight, the golden highlights in his dark hair glistening. “What’s your last name?”
“Why do you want to know?” He places a hand over his eyes, shielding them.
“Just curious,” I tell him with a shrug. In reality, I planned on googling his father while he played with Piper.
“Franklin,” he finally says.
“Thanks,” I call out before gesturing him back to playing. I can’t help but admire the way his khaki shorts are wet from running in the surf and his feet are covered in an acceptable layer of sand. Children are supposed to be messy, and when I first met Theo, I got the distinct impression he didn’t like messy.
When I type Theo’s first and last name into the search bar on my phone’s Internet browser, I’m shocked by how little information appears. Theo Franklin is practically nonexistent. The only information I glean from the results is that he is a finance manager at some big firm in Portland. No wonder he dresses like a stuck-up Brooks Brothers model.
“I’m hungry.” I look up from my phone at two sets of blue eyes. The color of them is shocking, an icy blue that seems unnatural against their creamy sun-kissed skin and dark hair.
“We just had lunch,” I tell Piper.
She clutches her bell and moans dramatically. “But that was hours ago.”
I check the time on my phone and sure enough, this little drama queen is right. I guess time really does fly when you’re having fun. I glance toward Colton. “Are you hungry too?”
He nods and I glance toward the boardwalk to survey our options. What if they’re allergic to something other than hot dogs and lemonade and I accidentally cause one of them go into anaphylaxis? I’m supposed to meet Theo in an hour, but kids can’t wait. When they want something, they want itnow. “What do you like to eat?”
“Cookies!” Piper shouts, pumping her fists in the air to emphasize her joy.
I should have known. “What does your dad let you eat?”
“Cookies!” Piper repeats again with a mischievous grin.
I roll my eyes but laugh. “I am not feeding you cookies for dinner. Maybe dessert. Colton, what do you like?”
He shrugs. “Pizza,” he mumbles.
“Okay. Pizza sounds great!” I lead them toward the row of restaurants and shops, looking for one specializing in pizza. It doesn’t take long; I simply let my nose lead the way. When we’re about to order, I realize I’m about to spend the last of my money on dinner for two kids I met a few hours ago. I pay for our dinner, hoping Theo is a man of his word because if he doesn’t hire me, then I’ll be forced to call Curtis and surrender my freedom to him and the family business.
We’re finishing dinner when I catch Theo walking toward us. I don’t know why but I expect him to appear more relaxed, maybe even wearing something more casual than his khakis and button-down shirt, but he still has the determined, serious look of a businessman in his eye.
“Perfect timing,” I say with a smile as I gather the grease-stained paper plates.
“How did it go?” He doesn’t bother to look at his children, which bothers me.
I glance back at the table where Piper and Colton watch us with expectant eyes. Do they want me to stay? “Great! No one was lost and no one got ice cream bombed. It was a good day.”
“Excellent.” He reaches into his pocket, pulls out his wallet, and takes out some money. “This is for today, but I don’t really think this is the best situation.”
He holds out his hand with the money and I look at it, confused. “What? Why?” Tears sting my eyes. I am a strong woman; I will not let this man make me cry.
“I can’t risk leaving my children with a stranger,” he says in a flat, cold tone.
“So, you’ve only hired people you personally know?”
“No. All of the previous nannies have been hired through an agency.”
