Chapter Fifteen — First Day
“You didn’t have to drive me,” I said.
Abby looked over her shoulder to her right and turned the steering wheel. “I want to know where I should pick up your body just in case I don’t hear from you.”
“Seriously? You’re going to go there?”
Abby glared at me. “You’re my baby sister. I care about your safety. Someone has to. I mean, who—”
“Okay, Abby. That’s enough.” I gritted my teeth as I stared out the window at the ocean.
I loved her, but she could be overbearing and in my business. I wanted her to be my friend, not a mother. I’d thought after high school she would lighten up, but her older sister duty never went away. Even our mother had never been this attentive.
“Turn left up there, after that palm tree,” I said quickly. “Right there.”
“There?”
“There.” I pointed. “Skyshore. You’ll see the house.”
Abby slowed the car to turn and then parked on the curb in front of a two-story mansion. “Wow. Very nice. Well, good luck and call me.”
I got out of the car and opened the back door to get my duffel bag. “It’s only two weeks. Besides, I’ll only be spending the night when the parents are away for whatever the reason. You’ll see me soon. Don’t miss me too much. Give Ty my love and kiss him for me.” I blew her a kiss and shut the door.
Abby’s tires on the gravel sounded loud in the quiet of the posh neighborhood. I watched her leave and then knocked on the front door. The longer I waited, the harder the knots formed in my gut. I inhaled a deep breath and released an even a bigger one.
A door opened.
“Miss Summers.” Mona stepped back with a relieved smile.
She must have worried I wasn’t going to show up.
“Come in.” She opened the door wider and took my bag. “Let me put this away for you. I’ll be back with Roselyn. We want her to meet you before the driver takes her to school.”
Mona left, leaving me to stare at the crystal chandelier and the grand Christmas tree. I stiffened when a man jogged across the foyer, unbuttoning his shirt.
He must be Mr. Banks.
“Mona, where’s my dry cleaning?” he hollered by the stairs, his back to me.
I retreated and watched from the doorway. We hadn’t met, and I didn’t know if he knew I was there. I’d wait to be introduced by Mona.
Mr. Banks had his hand on the banister, his shoulder muscles taut and defined. When he peered upward, the sunlight cascaded down on his dark hair from the window high above.
“Mona, where are you?”
My heart somersaulted in my stomach. That voice. I knew that voice. I swallowed hard ... twice. Surely I was wrong. To prove myself wrong, I came out of hiding and strutted toward him.
“Mr. Banks?”
He spun around and his face registered the same shock I felt. More shocking, his unbuttoned shirt gave me a peek-a-boo of his muscular chest.
I sucked in a breath. “Leonardo? Um ... what are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here? I live here. You’re Kaitlyn Summers? You’re the Miss Summers Mona hired?”
He clearly knew my name. He had said it like he didn’t know?
“Yes,” I said.
“Why?”
What is he implying, exactly? I crossed my arms.
He read my expression well enough to lower his voice. “I didn’t mean that. Mona told me the new nanny’s name, but I didn’t know it was you. I thought it must be a strange coincidence. I didn’t know you were a nanny. You work with your sister. Why would you need this job?”
Leonardo was merely explaining, and there was nothing technically wrong in what he said, but somehow it made me mad. Should I be mad? When it came to that man, everything was confusing.
“Would you like me to leave? I can fire myself.” I certainly wasn’t going to be fired by him.
When he just stared at me, looking perturbed, I walked away. Here I’d thought we’d gotten along just fine at the Movie and Popcorn night. We weren’t on bad terms. We hardly knew each other. But his tone made it clear he wasn’t happy to see me.
To make matters worse, I felt ridiculous for storming out, but I didn’t care if he thought I was rude. Abby would be happy. She didn’t have to worry for my safety, but she might need to nurse my ego instead.
“Miss Summers.”
I passed the grand Christmas tree.
What was taking Mona so long? But I was glad she wasn’t there to witness that scene with ... Roselyn? Or was it Bridget? Did he have two daughters? But Mona said I’d be taking care of one. And what was Leonardo’s real last name—Banks or Medici? I shook my head, confused.
I was trying to get out of there before a child saw me. If it was Bridget, she’d be shocked.
Bridget, Roselyn. Whoever.
“Miss Summers.”
I passed under the chandelier.
Thinking of Mona reminded me she had my bag. Great. I had to turn right back around and ask if she could give it back. So much for the dramatic exit.
Perhaps I could just storm right back in, stomp up the stairs, and swoop back out with my bag, all the while ignoring Mr. Medici.
“Miss Summers.”
Making up my mind to get my bag without asking his permission, I whirled just before I reached the front door. Unaware he had caught up and was right on my heels, I collided into him.
My hands somehow slipped through his open shirt and my palm smacked against his warm skin. His arms wrapped around my back to keep me from falling.
Oh, heavens.
Words fled me. The surf rushed in my ears. I saw stars and fireworks around the edges of my vision. I knew he experienced the same intensity when his gaze pierced through mine. Time seemed endless as neither one of us looked away until the fog over my mind vanished.
“I’m so sorry.” I backed away as my fingers laced through my hair. “I was going to get my ... Mona took it and ...” I leaned sideways as if I could point to Mona there.
Surprisingly she stood at the top of the stairs with her arms crossed, looking giddy as a child holding cotton candy with her lips spread in a delighted smile.
If I didn’t know better, I’d call her smug. Next to her was Bridget, her eyebrows arched upward in confusion. Had they been there all along, watching us?
“Mona?” I clenched my jaw and walked toward her, Leonardo behind me. “Where did you go?” Then I mustered a sweet smile. “Hello, Bridget.”
“Hello, Tyler’s aunt.” Bridget waved, keeping the same flustered expression.
Mona took one step at a time down the stairs. “I put your bag away in your room as I said. I was going to introduce you to Mr. Medici, but you two were already ... talking.” She pursed her lips, suppressing a laugh.
So Medici and not Banks. Why had Mona lied to me?
My face burned. I took a quick peek at Leonardo next to me—Mr. Medici, now that he was my boss—and he was rubbing his neck.
“I was trying to explain to Miss Summers that I was confused, that’s all.” Leonardo’s grin tugged up at one corner.
Was he laughing at me?
“It didn’t sound like he was,” I said to Mona.