The Nanny with the Skull Tattoos

Chapter 4

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Sunlight filtered in through the open blinds. Outside, the street was cold and quiet. No snow covered the ground, but the chill in the air promised more to come. Max paced the living room. Chloe watched from her spot on the floor, a toy clutched in her hand. He checked the time again. Savannah would arrive at any moment. He turned away from his desk and padded toward the windows, eyes scanning the street outside for any sign of her car. He had no idea whether she would be arriving with a rental truck or if she was coming with as little as he had moved in with.

He wished he could have cleaned up a bit more. He still didn't have any cleaning supplies, and no vacuum. The place had seemed all right when he moved in, but now that a woman other than Riley was coming over, he felt as if every speck of dust and dirt stood out.

Running his hands through his hair, he turned and started yet another circuit of the room. A few days after their trial run at the grocery store, Savannah had watched Chloe for a few hours while he picked up an extra shift. When Max got home, Chloe was sitting next to Savannah on the couch, listening intently while Savannah read her a story. His lips lifted at the memory.

As he neared his desk, his phone vibrated. Quickening his pace, he snatched the phone up, pressing the answer button without even looking at the screen.

"Hey," he said, heart knocking in his throat. He struggled to keep his voice calm. "Did you get lost?"

Riley snorted. "I'm not lost, you dipshit."

Max's jaw clenched. "I thought you were Savannah," he said.

"Your Craigslist nanny?" Riley laughed. "How's that working out for you?"

"Knock it off," he told her, perching on his desk chair. He turned toward the window. A dark car rolled by, but didn't slow. "She seems really nice."

"I still can't believe you're doing this," Riley said. "Have you lost your mind?"

Max sighed. "Hey, you could have moved in. What else was I supposed to do?"

"Um, I don't know," Riley said. "Put her in day care, like every other modern parent. Who the hell lets a stranger move in and take care of their kid? What is this, The Sound of Music?"

"Chloe really likes her," he said, glancing down at his daughter. "She's seen Savannah more times this week than her own mother has seen her in her lifetime." He looked out the window again. A delivery truck rumbled down the street. He tore his gaze away from the window, and wiped sweaty palms on his jeans.

"Well, duh," Riley said. "Everyone sees Chloe more than Nikki does. Speaking of your track record, don't you think Chloe's a little young for this?"

Max frowned. "What are you getting at, Riley?"

"Come on, Max. I'm not stupid. Why else would you hire a female nanny and have her move in?"

Clenching his jaw, Max stood from his seat. "It's not like that."

"And what kind of girl moves in with a strange guy?" Riley continued. "Didn't you say she has a bunch of skull tattoos? Seems kinda weird to me."

Knuckles rapped gently at the door. Max's eyes flicked to the window. Savannah's BMW sat out front. His eyes widened. "I've gotta go, Riley," he said.

She snorted. "Why, is she there?"

He rolled his eyes. "Yes," he said. "Give it a rest."

"Max, I know you're in a crappy position, but you should really rethink this. Do you seriously want some strange woman living in your house? You don't know anything about her."