The Nanny and the CEO

“After you’ve returned I’ll ask the chef to send up a meal for us. Are you allergic to anything?”

Chefs, a doorman, a concierge, no ceiling on expenditures—One could get used to this instantly.

“No, but thank you for asking. Are there certain foods you can’t tolerate, Mr. Wainwright?”

“No.”

“What about the baby?”

“So far no problems that I know of.”

“Thank goodness. Excuse me for a minute while I freshen up in my bedroom.”

She reached for the suitcase and briefcase and carried them across the hall to the other bedroom done in an opulent Mediterranean decor. It had its own ornate en suite bathroom with two sinks. She would use one of them to bathe Jamie. Afterward she couldn’t wait to wrap him up in the plush lavender towels hanging from a row of gilded hooks.

Reese looked around, incredulous that this was happening. Her thoughts darted to her employer. How was is it possible she’d be sleeping across the hall from the most fabulous man she’d ever met in her life?

After Ms. Chamberlain left the apartment, Nick fed the baby another bottle. He’d watched the nurse burp Jamie and had gotten that part down right. Once Jamie fell asleep, Nick laid him in the center of the bed and put the quilt over him. In the process he noticed the time on his watch. It was after three. The day had gotten away from him completely.

He reached for his cell phone and called the office. “Uncle Stan?”

“Where have you been? I need to discuss the Grayson merger with you. I’ve run into a snag and want your help.”

“I’m aware of that, but it won’t be possible today or tomorrow. Can’t you talk to Uncle Phil?”

“He’s at the dentist getting a new crown this afternoon.”

“Then ask Greg.”

“He doesn’t know all the ins and outs. It’s too tricky for him.”

“Nevertheless I can’t come in the office until Monday.”

“That might be too late, Nicky.” His father’s younger brother had always been an alarmist.

“Sorry, but it can’t be helped.”

“Since when? I don’t understand.”

No. He wouldn’t. His uncle and aunt had been childless. “Today I brought Jamie home for good.”

There was a deafening silence. “I thought he—”

“He’s been with his grandparents too long as it is,” he broke in.

“But how will you manage?”

So far … better than Nick had thought possible. “I’ve hired a nanny.” A totally feminine, beautiful, unexpected young woman. The image of her clutching Jamie to her while they were still in the limo—as if she was the mother—refused to leave his mind.

“I had no idea you’d even been looking for one. Your father never said a word.”

“He and Mother were already in Cannes when I made the decision.”

“I hear a decent one is almost impossible to come by. Is she over forty? ”

His patience was running out. “Why do you ask?”

“Because anyone younger who still has their eyesight will do whatever it takes to get set up with you.”

If Nick had inherited a cynical gene, it had to have come from his uncle. But in this case he wasn’t worried. Leah would have done a thorough check of Ms. Chamberlain’s background. He paid his secretary a salary that ensured mistakes like the one his uncle was talking about didn’t happen.

“See you on Monday, Uncle Stan,” Nick muttered before clicking off. Now to get busy dismantling his office. But before he did that, he changed out of his suit into something more comfortable.

To his relief, Jamie slept through the next two hours. By the time the concierge rang him at five and told him he was on his way up with Ms. Chamberlain, Nick had just wheeled the baby crib into the empty room.

He walked through the apartment to the entry and opened the door. Soon his nanny emerged from the elevator carrying bags in both hands. As she passed by him she said, “Merry Christmas.” She was intriguing and amusing at the same time.

Behind her came the concierge pushing a dolly loaded with cartons. Paul brought up the rear with more bags. He winked at Nick, who was still reacting to her comment. “This bag goes in the kitchen. Then we have one more load,” he whispered before heading for the other room.

“You’ve done the work of a thousand—” she exclaimed to Nick after the men had filed back out of the new nursery. “Jamie’s going to love this room once we’ve whipped it into shape. How’s he doing so far?”

She had such a vivacious personality, Nick was mesmerized. No wonder Leah had picked her. Ms. Chamberlain had to have stood out a hundred miles from any of the other nanny candidates.

“He’s still asleep on my bed.”

“I’ll just wash my hands and peek in on him.”

“While you do that I’ll ask the kitchen to send up our dinner.” He made the call, then started looking through the bags, curious to see what she’d purchased for one tiny baby. In a minute the concierge came through with even more cartons.

“Have fun putting all this together, Mr. Wainwright. Leave the empty boxes outside in the hall and I’ll pick them up.”

Nick thanked him and walked him out in time to ask the waiter to set up their dinner in the dining room. Halfway back to his bedroom he met her in the hall carrying Jamie in her arms. “This little guy was awake. I guess he could hear the noise and started to fuss. He needed a diaper change and let me handle it, but I think he wanted you to do the honors.”

“Well, now that the deed is done, our food is ready in the dining room.”

“That sounds good. If you’ll open the carton that says baby swing, we can set it up in there and he can watch you while we eat. It will be perfect for him when we go out on the terrace during the day.”

He hadn’t seen one of those at the Hirsts’. “You want to swing?” Nick gave him a kiss on the cheek before heading into the nursery. Reese followed him and waited while he opened the carton.

“There should be some batteries taped to the inside of the lid.”

“Batteries?”

“They make it swing and play music at the same time.”

Though he moved millions of dollars around on paper every day, the world of a baby and all its attendant necessities had passed him by completely. Whether his boy needed a swing or not, he had one now. Thankfully it wasn’t as difficult to put together as installing the base of the infant car seat in the limo. It had taken him several attempts before he’d managed to do it right.

“Let’s go try this out.”