Seven: Harlow

SEVEN

HARLOW

“ I ’m so excited that you’ve decided to follow me through my typical day as a live-in nanny!” The woman on the orientation video smiled a little too hard for the camera. “Come on!”

She adjusted her Prada neck scarf before strolling out of a bedroom and into an immaculate white kitchen.

“I start my morning by making fresh green juice for me, and hand-squeezed orange juice for the kids!” She set crystal drinkware on a marble counter. “I have about forty minutes before I’ll need to wake them up for breakfast and chauffeur them to school, so I make sure their backpacks are filled with whatever they need.”

The screen suddenly shifted to her standing in the laundry room.

“I keep all their school uniforms on a cleaning schedule and make sure to keep track of everything. Especially since Mommy and Daddy work way too hard to deal with silly things like dirty socks.”

I hit pause and wrote my first note.

“Do rich parents with nannies help out with their kids at all?”

I guzzled Skittles before hitting play again.

“After dropping the beautiful kids off at school—” The nanny twirled around a beautiful blue bedroom. “I begin preparing the home for their return, which is a true pleasure because Mommy and Daddy trust me to keep them entertained until bedtime.”

So, when do ‘Mommy and Daddy’ SEE the kids?

Behind the sound of annoying cartoon music, she cleaned their rooms, set up floats by a pool, and baked cookies before setting them next to a board called The Homework & Cookies Station.

“Oh yummm!” She picked up one and took a bite. “Can you guess what this sweet cookie tastes like?”

“Indentured servitude,” I offered.

“It’s the sweet taste of being an amazing nanny!” She clapped her hands, and I reconsidered my life’s choices in taking this job. Then, I checked the video’s time stamp.

There’s more than an hour left? You’ve got to be kidding me…

“Although the terms of your nanny job will differ from client to client, I’ve found that the major keys to being a perfect nanny are all the same.” She was now walking the kids’ dog down the street. “Love the kids like your own, engage with them, and routine, routine, routine. Now, let me show you how I prepare for bath time!”

Okay, that’s enough . I hit pause and glanced at the checklist Miss Hildreth gave me.

Three Categories You Must Study Before Day 1

(Rules are Different for Every Client)

Proper Professional Nanny Attire

Boundaries between you and the Parents

Being Invisible & Visible at the Same Time

I prepped two stiff sugar mojitos and took out a pack of pens.

It was midnight by the time my brain begged for mercy.

There was no way I could finish everything by morning, so I saved my place and hit the lights.

I flopped onto my floor mat, and my phone rang before I could drift into dreams.

“Yeah, Sasha?” I answered.

“Do you have any questions for me?” A deep voice that was definitely not Sasha said.

“Huh?”

“This is Harlow Hawthorne, correct?”

“Yes.”

“I believe you’ve agreed to be my full-time nanny,” he said. “If you have any questions about the position, I’m listening.”

Shit . I sat up and hit the lights.

“Yes, I’ve agreed to be your nanny, Mr. Dawson,” I said, stunned that he was calling me this late. “First thing is your children’s names and ages. I didn’t receive any notes about that.”

“William and Charlotte. They’re four months old.”

Twins? “Are you a fan of the royal family?” I asked. “Was that the inspiration behind their names?”

“ No . Anything else?”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what do you do for a living?”

He was silent for several seconds.

I checked to see if he was still on the line.

“I manage a couple of hedge funds, Miss Hawthorne.” His voice was capable of talking me out of my panties. “Recently, I became the new owner of the Brooklyn Jets.”

“So, you’re trying to lose all your wealth?”

He inhaled a sharp breath. “What did you just say?”

“Nothing.” I flipped through my notes. “When we met, you mentioned that the job was seven days on, but the full description mentions two off-days a week. Can you tell me what you’re actually expecting?”

“It’s five days on and two off, but I may need you to work a few of those days in the weeks ahead, since I’m running behind at work.”

“Okay, noted.” I wrote that down.

“I’m also looking for a two-year commitment at the same salary, and I’ll cover the rent on your current apartment as long as you remain employed with me.”

I did the math in my head. That would give me at least seven hundred thousand dollars, not including the potential overtime.

It was more than enough to pay off my debt, get more than one piece of furniture at a time, and save for my dream bakery.

Even if I worked under the best chef in the world, I’d never make that much money as fast.

“Miss Hawthorne?” His voice cut through my thoughts. “Did you hear what I said about the commitment?”

“Yes.” I tried not to sound too excited. “Two years works for me, Mr. Dawson. Speaking of commitment though, there’s no place for me to submit my bank account.”

“The hiring agency prefers that I pay you in cash until you’ve lasted up to a certain point. Is that a problem?”

“Not at all.” I smiled. “Cash is perfect.”

“Anything else?”

“Um….” I still had plenty of reading materials and videos to finish, so I didn’t want to discuss anything else too soon. “Not that I can think of at this time.”

“Good. When are you moving in?”

“Well, that depends. When exactly would you like me to start?”

“ Tonight .”

What? “I don’t know if I can get to you by then, but?—”

“I’m sending a town car to your listed address,” he said. “He’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

He hung up.