Bother. I shouldn’t have mentioned the other one.“Interview on the French Riviera,” she lied. “Another nanny position. It didn’t work out. The father of the family gave me the creeps. I’m pretty sure he had some ideas about nannies that he got from bad internet porn.”
“Ugh. It’s crap to fly all that way on the hope of a job, only to find out you don’t feel right about it. Still. Good on you for knowing when you shouldn’t stick around.” He shook his head in disgust. “I hate men like that. You won’t find any of that where we’re headed.”
“That’s a relief. Though you did mention they’re a crazy bunch, I took that to mean a crazy bunch, like all families are a little nutty.” Gossip didn’t look good on a resumé, so she kept hers neutral.
“Partially. It’s not what you’d call a usual situation, Miss Sparrow.” He caught her gaze in the mirror. “I don’t know what preconceived notions you have going into this, but I can tell you, they’re probably wrong.”
That’s a little ominous.“Is it dangerous?”
“God, no. No one there would bring you into a dangerous situation.”
“Then I’m not worried about it. All families have their peculiarities. I’m sure they’re lovely people.” This time, she smiled first, one she hoped was both friendly and firm.Let’s not talk about this. It’s rude, and I don’t need to go into this interview with the wrong idea. Please, don’t let this gorgeous guy be a dickhead.
“They’re definitely that. You might find one of them frosty, but the others make up for it.” He grinned into the mirror. “If you get the job, you’ll love the chef. Good food, and none of us has to make it. I don’t miss figuring out what was for dinner every night.”
“No wife to do it for you? Or husband?”
“Nah. I’m a bachelor. No one else wants to figure out what’s for dinner, either.”
I would.She leaned back in her seat. He’d taken the redirect of the conversation well, said nice things about his employers, and mentioned he knew how to cook for himself.Though probably, I shouldn’t be thinking about one of my potential co-workers naked. Not really all that professional, and as they say, you shouldn’t shit where you eat.
“What about you?” he said. “Are you leaving someone behind you back in the States?”
“No. I was staying with a friend, but she’s not my sort. It’s just me, myself, and I.”
“Nothing wrong with that. There’s freedom in coming home to a quiet house, putting on ugly pajamas, and eating peanut butter straight out of the jar because no one’s there to care.”
That started a laugh out of her. “That’s terrible! You’re a monster, you know. I would never eat peanut butter out of the jar.” She paused, then added, “I would drink milk right out of the carton, though.”
“And you callmea monster! You’re a barbarian.”
“Who wants to wash dishes? The jug’s a natural container to hold liquid. I’m conserving water!”
“I think you’re conserving manure.”
“That, too.”
He turned the car onto a smaller road that branched off towards some hills. Far in the distance, she wondered if she could see a house, though a stand of trees blocked most of the detail from view. “Not far now. Have you done nanny work before?”
“Yes. I sort of fell into it.”
“Oh?”
“My life tried to turn upside-down and sideways at eighteen. I’d been going to college, but there were some snags with paying for it. Financial aid problems, so on.” She glanced down at her hands. The entire matter still reeked of shame and defeat for her. “At about the same time, I needed to move out of my parents’ house. I’d been babysitting for a family for years. Earning spending money and all. The wife was pregnant, but her career was taking off, so they’d been talking about getting a live-in nanny. We decided to make the arrangement permanent.”
“That must have been a relief for all of you. They got trusted help with their new baby, you got a job and a better place to live.”
“It was. I wish it had stayed that way.”
He didn’t say anything. When she looked up again, she found him looking at her in the rearview mirror, furrowed brow an invitation to tell him more.
“Their baby had a genetic defect. A pretty profound one, and medical intervention can only take you so far.”
His eyes closed for just a moment. “Oh, no.”
“Yes. He didn’t live to see two years of age. We were all heartbroken, but them especially.” She sighed. “Their oldest was in kindergarten by then, and after the loss, they wanted to restructure their lives around different priorities. So the dad decided to stay home with their son, and they didn’t need a nanny anymore. The mother had connections, though, and found me another position.”
“I hope that one went better.”