Chapter 2

• April
• I stood outside Jason Ryder's office, nerves eating away at me.
• This wasn't just any job interview.
• It was Jason Ryder – billionaire, CEO, and impressively attractive.
• His assistant, Shauna, smiled reassuringly.
• "You'll do great."
• "Thanks," I said, taking a deep breath.
• Shauna had briefed me on the company and Jason.
• Smart, stern, and fair – with a piercing gaze.
• That worried me.
• I wasn't here just for the nanny position.
• I was spying.
• Forced into this role, I had to succeed.
• My brother's life depended on it.
• The doors opened, and Jason's presence commanded attention.
• Tall, broad-shouldered, and chiseled.
• His eyes scanned me, and I felt his intensity.
• "Ms. April Flowers," he said, his voice low and smooth.
• "Please, sit."
• As I took my seat, Jason's gaze lingered.
• I sensed his assessment.
• "Your file says you're from upstate New York," he began.
• "Business management major, nanny experience."
• Impressive?
• Or was he testing me?
• "I have references," I added.
• Jason nodded, his eyes narrowing.
• "Some familiar names in your work history."
• "Good connections," I said, smiling.
• "Don't be nervous," Jason said, leaning back.
• "You're qualified – on paper."
• "Thanks," I said, relaxing slightly.
• "Let's get real," Jason said, his voice low.
• "Is being a nanny your dream job?"
• His question caught me off guard.
• "Honestly?" I hesitated.
• "It's... complicated."
• Jason raised an eyebrow.
• "I want to know if you're in this for the long haul."
• "I am," I said, conviction rising.
• "Why?" Jason pressed.
• I took a deep breath.
• "I love working with kids. And I need stability."
• Jason's gaze locked onto mine.
• "I see," he said, his voice softer.
• For a moment, our eyes held.
• A spark of attraction?
• No.
• I couldn't afford that.
• "I'll be honest, April," Jason said.
• "Willa's had a tough time."
• "Her mother passed away."
• My heart went out to him.
• "I understand," I said.
• "It's not just about caring for Willa," Jason emphasized.
• "It's about being a steady presence."
• "I'm committed to that."
• Jason nodded, his expression thoughtful.
• "I'll need to run background checks."
• "Of course."
• "And if you're hired, discretion is essential."
• "I understand confidentiality."
• "Good."
• As our conversation concluded, Jason's eyes lingered.
• Assessing me?
• Or seeing beyond my facade?
• "Thank you, Mr. Ryder."
• "Jason," he corrected.
• "I'll be in touch soon."
• As I left, I felt his gaze on me.
• A shiver ran down my spine.
• This was more than a job interview.
• It was a game of deception.
• And I had to play carefully.
• To protect my brother.
• Jason's eyes locked onto mine, his gaze piercing.
• "I'm sure it is," he said, his voice low and smooth.
• "No wrong answers, remember?"
• A trick?
• I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts.
• "Honestly, no. I didn't imagine being a nanny."
• "What did you have in mind?" Jason asked.
• "Starting my own nonprofit."
• Jason's eyebrows rose.
• "Helping women with big dreams, but limited resources."
• "I researched, learned as much as I could."
• "But New York was tough."
• "Competition was fierce."
• "Nonprofits aren't as altruistic as I thought."
• "Harvard alum," Jason said, a hint of amusement.
• "Competitive, yes."
• "I applied everywhere, but no callbacks."
• "A friend got hired, and I realized..."
• "State school vs. Ivy League."
• Jason nodded.
• "Nonprofits can be cutthroat."
• "I didn't expect that."
• "A chance encounter changed everything."
• "A little girl in line, adorable."
• "Her mom asked if I'd consider nannying."
• "Mrs. Samson."
• "I hit it off with the family."
• "Shannon, their daughter."
• "I fell in love with her."
• "Nannying became my passion."
• Jason's expression softened.
• "But it wasn't your first choice."
• "Initially, no."
• "Backup plan."
• I worried I'd given the wrong impression.
• "It's not just a job," I said.
• "Being a positive influence."
• "Some kids... they have it bad."
• "Rich kids with absent parents."
• Jason's expression flickered.
• "Sad, but true."
• "Willa's my daughter," he said.
• "Eight years old."
• "I'd love to meet her."
• "If all goes well," Jason said.
• "Next step."
• His eyes lingered.
• Assessing me?
• Or seeing beyond my facade?
• I brought my thoughts back to the question. “And, well, it felt…really good to be there for these kids, give them an adult to look up to, one who was there for them when their parents couldn’t be.”
• Another slight smile that suggested he liked my answer.
• “It’s satisfying in a way I didn’t expect. And it made me think about my future.”
• “How’s that?”
• “Well, I didn’t just want rich kids to have access to nannies. I could’ve really used one when I was a kid—my parents weren’t exactly there for me when I was younger.”
• I stopped the subject there, not wanting to get into anything too heavy. No need to mention how my dad was a drunk who spent more time getting plastered at the bar and cheating on my mom than paying attention to me and my brother. My mom did her best, but when you’re working two jobs, there’s only so much time you can actually spend with your family.
• “So, I decided I wanted to start a nonprofit that could connect nannies with less fortunate families. Donors could contribute, and kids in need would get the care they needed.” I shook my head. “Anyway, that’s a long ways off. For now, I’m happy doing what I’m doing.”
• “Very bold plans,” he said. “I like them.” He cleared his throat and leaned forward. “So, I have a series of questions for you, all about how you would handle various situations if you were to get the job.”
• “Of course.”
• “The first of which is—”
• The chime of an intercom cut him off. “Yes?” he asked, pressing a button on his desk.
• “Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Ryder. But someone’s here to see you.”
• “Who? Did you really schedule someone at the same time as my interview?”
• “Nope. Someone very important. Should I send her in?”
• He paused and then smiled. “Of course. Send her in.”
• The office doors opened, and a small figure flew into the room.
• “Dad!”
• The girl was cute, with the same blonde hair and strikingly blue eyes as her father. I didn’t need to be told this was Willa. She threw her arms around Jason’s waist after he’d stepped around the desk.
• “There’s my little sprout,” he said, returning the hug.
• It warmed my damn heart. It was easy to see that they were crazy about each other. And something occurred to me—there wasn’t a ring on Jason’s finger. Was he a single dad?
• Willa turned those blue eyes onto me. “Who’s this?”
• “This is Ms. Flowers,” said Jason. “She might be your new nanny.”
• “Call me April,” I said, getting up and offering her my hand.
• She regarded my hand with a bit of hesitation before taking it.
• “I’m Willa.” There was apprehension in her voice, and I could tell she was the shy type.
• “Very nice to meet you, Willa.”
• “Now, Sprout,” said Jason. “You want to tell me why you’re not in school?”
• “Because we didn’t have school today. When I got dropped off, I looked around and no one was there. One of the janitors told me it was a faculty meeting day.”
• “Oh,” said Jason. “That’s right. Totally forgot about that.” He shook his head, as if unable to believe it’d slipped his mind. “Sorry, Will.”
• “It’s OK. So I had the driver take me here.”
• “Well, good call.” He gestured to me. “Anyway, I was talking to April here about maybe working for us, hanging out with you when I’m not around. What do you think?”
• She turned those big blue eyes back toward me.
• “Um, I don’t know.”
• Shit. It was a part of the interview I hadn’t counted on. But I knew he’d be grading me hard. I glanced over Willa’s outfit, spotting a big sticker of a cartoon otter on her backpack.
• “You like otters?”
• Her eyes lit up, the shyness melting away. “Yeah! They’re so cute.”
• “You know what I really like about them?”
• “What’s that?”
• “How they like to hold hands when they’re floating in the water.”
• “They do that?”
• “Yep. And they also like to snuggle with each other. The baby otters get onto the mama otter’s belly and curl up. It’s really adorable.”
• “That’s so sweet!” she said, beaming. “I like how they float on their backs and eat food off their bellies.”
• “You like animals?” I asked.
• “Yeah, and I always want to go to the natural history museum, but Dad…um, he always says he’s busy.”
• “Well, I love it there. If it’s OK with your dad, I’d love to take you sometime.”
• “Maybe today!” She turned back toward Jason, who’d been watching the conversation with great interest.
• “Well, not today, but if Ms. April wants to take you, then maybe we could work something out another time.”
• “Yeah!” said Willa.
• “And you like pizza?”
• “Mhmm!”
• “Me too. I love the kind with pineapple. You ever had that before?”
• “That sounds weird.”
• “It’s weird but good. I’ll have to get you to try it.”
• She thought it over before giving a big, enthusiastic nod. “OK! If it’s weird then I can at least say I tried it, right?”
• “There you go.”
• Jason regarded me for a moment before dropping down to Willa’s level.
• “I want to talk to Ms. April a little more. But what do you think about seeing her again?”
• “That’d be cool,” said Willa. “She seems nice.”
• “Why thank you, Willa. You seem nice too.”
• Jason gestured to the doors. “Why don’t you go hang out with Ms. Shauna for a little bit, and then we can figure out what we can do for the rest of the day, OK?”
• “OK!” She waved to me one last time before hurrying out the door.
• When she was gone, Jason crossed his arms over his big chest and sat on the edge of the desk. “That was…interesting.”
• “The good kind, I hope.”
• “Definitely. Willa’s not usually like that. Ever since her mom died, she’s been…I don’t know, stuck in a shell. Doesn’t really come out, not with adults, not with kids her age. But with you…that was different.”
• “I like to just talk to kids about what they’re into. Usually gets ’em to open up.”
• “Right. You clearly have a way with them.” He glanced aside, seeming to think something over. “I had a full interview for you, but I think your minute or so with my daughter spoke for you better than any of my questions could. Here’s what I’m thinking—we bring you on for a trial period. Let’s say a week. And if that goes as well as this did, then we can talk about something more permanent.”
• Holy shit. I’d won the guy over.
• “That would be great! I look forward to the opportunity.”
• “Great. I’ll be in touch. Plan on starting Monday—as you know, this is a live-in job, so pack accordingly.”
• He offered his hand again, and I took it.
• “Let’s see what happens,” he said, his hand warm around mine.
• “Perfect.”
• I left the office, and though I couldn’t be sure, it felt as though his eyes were on my body as I made my way out. After saying another goodbye to Willa, letting her know I’d be seeing her soon, I was in the elevator on my way down.
• I’d done it. I’d gotten the job. Almost.
• Now came the hard part—the part where I had to lie through my teeth and betray the man who’d just trusted me with his daughter.
• Here goes nothing.