The Nanny Who Kissed Her Boss

“Check the national weather outlook. I’ll confirm you’ll be there on Friday at eleven. Oh, and, Savannah …” Stephanie sounded hesitant.

Savannah sat up at her tone.

“What?”

“The dad is Declan Murdock.”

Savannah frowned, almost hearing Stephanie holding her breath after delivering that bombshell.

“I’m not going,” she said. Declan Murdock. It had been seven years since she’d seen him. Seven lonely years of trying to forget the man she’d loved with all the fresh bright hope of first love—and who had dumped her so unceremoniously.

“He asked especially for you.”

“That’s hard to believe.” And was like a knife twisting in her. He’d left her because of Jacey. Now he wanted her to watch her while he was off doing what—oh yeah, backpacking. What had happened to Jacey’s mother? They were divorced—again?

“Why backpacking in the mountains? Why isn’t he just sticking around New York while he has Jacey? They could see shows, visit museums, go to the shore. Bond in New York.”

“I don’t inquire as to why our clients do things. Friday morning at his office. I think you know where.” Stephanie hung up before Savannah could utter another word.

She slammed down the phone. “For this I had to get up early?”

Declan Murdock. She hadn’t seen him in years, hadn’t thought about him in—well, at least maybe one year. She wished she could say she’d forgotten him as fast as he’d probably forgotten her. But she’d been incredibly hurt by their parting. She’d been dreaming of a wedding and he’d been lured back to his ex-wife because of a daughter he hadn’t known existed.

For the longest time she’d gone over everything, replaying in her mind every word he’d uttered at that final meeting, trying to see where things could have gone differently.

“Water long under the bridge,” she muttered, going to get coffee to jump-start her brain. Did Stephanie really think she’d take the job? Be alone with Declan and his daughter for three weeks?

“Why not ask me to plunge a knife into my heart to begin with. It would be just as painful,” she mumbled, watching the coffeemaker drizzle the brew into the carafe. Divorced, Stephanie had said. So when had that happened? What about Declan’s determination to make a go of his marriage for the sake of a daughter he’d just discovered?

No one would blame her for turning down a request for an assignment from the man who had broken her heart. The man against whom she had judged all other men ever since—and had usually found them lacking.

Maybe she should have asked the Lightowers to extend her services—even the horrible brats looked better than facing Declan again.

Taking her coffee, she went back to the sofa and gazed out the window. She wondered if he’d aged much. She’d learned how successful his sporting goods chain had become. Everything he touched seemed golden.

Divorced. Her curiosity got the better of her. Dare she risk her peace of mind by seeing him again? Any feelings she’d had for him seven years ago had evaporated. She’d become much more wary, much more cynical about men’s intentions.

And how could she watch his daughter—the reason he’d left her. She’d been so in love, and she’d thought he had, as well. How could he so easily have tossed that love aside to marry Margo—or rather to remarry her when she’d shown up years after their divorce saying Declan was a father. He’d had the paternity tests done and had then been convinced he needed to marry Jacey’s mother again and build a strong family unit.

Forget about the college student who had adored him. Forget about the plans and dreams they’d had. Once he’d uttered the fateful words, Savannah had wished him well and left the coffee shop, tears not falling until she was home.

So what had happened to his precious plans that had brought him full circle back into her life?

Curiosity won. She’d go to the interview. It wouldn’t go well, she already knew that. But the reputation of Vacation Nannies was on the line. She didn’t want him bad-mouthing the company because of personal feelings. Feelings that should have died seven years ago.

“That did die seven years ago!” she repeated aloud. “I’m so over you, Declan Murdock.”

Friday, Savannah dressed with care. She was no longer the college student dating an up-and-coming businessman. She went with the most trendy outfit she had, and spiked her short hair the way she liked it. Her outfit was the fourth she’d tried on this morning, wanting to get just the right look of successful businesswoman and capable nanny. The navy slacks, white blouse and sassy scarf declared her achievement.

He’d done well, she’d learned a couple of years ago. Well, so had she and her sister. Maybe not on the scale he’d reached, but wildly prosperous. She and Stacey had planned their business long before they were able to start it. The one course she especially wanted to take in her senior year in college was Start-ups on a Shoestring—taught by visiting guest lecturer Declan Murdock shortly after he began his sporting goods company. She’d hung on his every word. First for what she could learn about business, then for what she could learn about the man himself. When he’d asked her out, she’d gone. There were rules at the college against faculty dating students but as a guest lecturer, he wasn’t really faculty.

Only a few years older than she, he’d captured her imagination and fired her enthusiasm about her business model for Vacation Nannies. Before long the business talk had turned personal and by Christmas that year she’d fallen in love. She remembered their talk about surfing together off the coast of Maine, the fun she’d had slugging a softball out of the park to his wild cheering, the thrill of rollerblading in Central Park together. Visiting museums and art galleries when the weather was bad, lost in a world of two despite the crowded places.

She shook off the memories. She was an accomplished businesswoman in her own right. She would see him, refuse the job and that would be that.

She gave the cabdriver the address. Savannah knew exactly where the company headquarters was for Murdock Sports. She’d met him there many evenings, to give them more time together. She didn’t want to remember, but ever since Stephanie’s call the memories had flooded in.

At least she had the teensy consolation that she wasn’t still some lovestruck idiot pining for a man who’d married a woman he didn’t love for the sake of a daughter who had been kept from him the first seven years of her life.

Maybe he’d say or do something so outlandish at the interview she could instantly say no. Highly unlikely, but she lived in hope. Truth was, she could turn down the assignment for no reason at all. She didn’t answer to him.

But Vacation Nannies thrived on referrals. He probably moved in such rarified air these days he could give their company a big boost.

Three weeks was a mere twenty-one days. She could do anything for a short time.

The first thing Savannah noticed when she stepped into the building was the major renovations since she’d last been there. The reception area was larger and very upscale. Most suitable to the image of a very successful company. Let the public believe you’re highly successful, and you’ll be highly successful, had been one of his axioms. So his business instincts had been right on. He was a huge success. Despite her heartbreak, she’d picked up some information over the years from the local business news. If nothing else, she’d learned solid business techniques and how to focus on the main goal from Declan’s class.

Add the fact that the address of Vacation Nannies made a major impression on clients, also thanks to Declan. Granted she sometimes thought they paid way too much for the tiny offices they had, but the clientele they drew demanded the very best.

Savannah gave her name to the receptionist and was asked to wait. No hardship since she’d put off the interview entirely if she could. But there was no other nanny as suitable from their company so Stephanie had explained to her when she’d showed up at the office to read the file before the interview. The most important thing was to keep up the reputation of Vacation Nannies.

The concept—provide short-term, temporary nannies to watch children while the family was on vacation—had proven surprisingly popular. Savannah and Stacey had begun the business because of their own desire to travel and see the world. With the little money they had that would be unlikely. So they’d found a way to travel on someone else’s dime.

After a degree in education, plus some business courses at NYU, Savannah had been instrumental in getting the business going. Soon there were more requests than she and Stacey could handle, so Stephanie had been hired to handle the scheduling aspect. Other nannies, trained at the prestigious Miss Pritchard’s School for Nannies, were carefully vetted and hired. Now they had a dozen others on the payroll, and during the summer months everyone was fully booked.

To ensure the nannies weren’t stuck for weeks with horrendous children or parents, the interview aspect went both ways. Either the prospective client could decline after meeting the nanny or the nanny could refuse to take the assignment.

So far there had only been a handful of refusals. She winced, thinking she’d make this another one.

She grew more nervous the longer she waited. What was she doing coming here? She didn’t want to spend three weeks with Declan. Or with his daughter.

“Mr. Murdock can see you now,” the receptionist said, rising and heading for the hall on the left. Her sleek toned looks gave mute testimony to the healthy lifestyle a sports aficionado could expect—especially if they used Murdock equipment.

Savannah wished she could have checked her makeup and hair one more time. It would never do not to be immaculately turned out and polished-looking. She hoped Declan didn’t remember the casual clothes she’d worn in college. Money had always been tight in her family. After the first six months with their new venture, however, that had changed. Now she and her sister enjoyed high-end fashionable clothing, makeup and a professional hair stylist. No more letting her hair grow long like Stacey. Savannah liked it short and spiky. And the kids usually liked it, too. It was easy to care for. And if she were in the sun for long, the blond bleached out to almost white. Which was always a startling contrast to her tanned skin.

The receptionist handed her off to a personal assistant who took her to Declan’s office—still located in the back corner of the warehouse-converted-to-offices. But the extremely modern look of chrome, leather and fine woods was a huge step up from when she’d visited before. His business model had obviously propelled his own firm into the stratosphere.

“Savannah,” he said when the PA opened the door to usher her in. He stood behind the desk, studying her as she stepped into the office.

Savannah felt a catch in her breath. He looked the same. She’d forgotten how tall he was. While she was only five foot four when she stretched, Declan had to be close to six feet. Muscular and fit, he didn’t look a day older than when she’d last seen him. His hair was still dark, not a strand of gray could she find. His eyes were a rich chocolate-brown, focused on her now. She could have stared back forever. For a moment she felt as tongue-tied as that college student who had been so in love. She nodded slightly, clinging to her composure with all she had. Wishing he’d aged, grown a pot belly and lost his hair.

“Hello, Declan.” Yippee, her voice hadn’t cracked. She hadn’t stuttered or slapped his face. She also hadn’t expected the jolt of awareness that spiked through her. Taking a slow breath she tried to relax, to treat him like any other prospective client. She wished she could forget the past that seemed to spring to the forefront. Why did long-dormant emotions have to blossom now?

“Connie, coffee for us both.” He said to his PA, then looked at Savannah with an eyebrow raised in silent question.

“Thank you, that would be nice.” They both had shared a love of strong coffee. Their final meeting had been at a coffee shop. She’d often wondered if he’d done that deliberately to make sure she didn’t cause a scene in public.

“Thanks for coming. This is a bit awkward.”