Prince Daddy & the Nanny

“Your daughter has been accepted for admission at Charlemagne Académie.”

“I didn’t even know she’d applied,” he said dryly.

Elena huffed out an impatient breath. “I pulled a lot of strings to make this happen, Michael. A little appreciation would not be unwarranted.”

“I didn’t ask you to pull any strings,” he pointed out. “In fact, I’m certain I never mentioned Charlemagne at all.”

“Your sister went there—it’s a wonderful educational institution.”

“Even so, I’m not sending Riley to boarding school.”

“Of course you are,” Elena insisted. “And while they don’t usually accept children as young as five—”

“Riley’s not yet four,” he interrupted.

His mother paused, as if taken aback by this revelation, but she recovered quickly. “Well, if they could take a five-year-old, they can take a four-year-old.”

“They’re not taking her at all,” he said firmly.

“Be reasonable, Michael. This is the perfect solution to your child-care dilemma.”

“There’s no dilemma, no reason for you to worry.”

“I thought your nanny was leaving.”

“Brigitte did leave, and I hired someone new for the summer.”

“And what will you do at the end of the summer?” she challenged.

“I’m not worrying about that right now.”

“The fall term starts in September.”

“I’m not sending my four-year-old daughter away to boarding school in Switzerland.”

“The child will benefit from the structure and discipline.”

“The child has a name,” he pointed out.

“A wholly inappropriate one for a princess,” his mother sniffed.

“You’ve made your opinion on that perfectly clear,” he assured her. “But it doesn’t change the fact that Riley is her name.”

“Getting back to my point—Riley will benefit from the structure and discipline at Charlemagne, and you will no longer be burdened—”

“Don’t.” Though softly spoken, the single word silenced her as effectively as a shout. “Don’t you dare even suggest that my daughter is a burden.”

“I didn’t mean that the chi—that Riley was a burden,” she hastened to explain. “But that the responsibilities of caring for a young daughter must seem overwhelming at times.”

He couldn’t deny that was true any more than he could expect his mother to understand that Riley was also the greatest joy in his life, so he only said, “I’ll let you know if I change my mind about Charlemagne.”

“I really do believe it would be best for Riley and for you,” she said.

“I appreciate your concern,” he lied.

Elena sighed. “I’ll look forward to hearing from you.”

Michael began to respond, but she’d already disconnected the call.

He dropped the receiver back in the cradle and went around his desk. Only then did he notice the figure curled up in the oversized wing chair facing the fireplace.

“I beg your pardon, Your Highness.” Hannah immediately rose to her feet. “I should have made my presence known, but I didn’t have a chance to say anything before the phone rang. Then I wanted to leave and to give you some privacy for your call, but you were blocking the door.”

He waved off her apology. “It’s okay.”

“I really didn’t intend to eavesdrop,” she assured him. “But for what it’s worth, I’m glad you’re not planning to send Riley to boarding school.”

He shook his head. “I can’t believe she would expect me to even consider such a thing.”

“She?” Hannah prompted curiously.