The Billionaire's Nanny

36

After cleaning for only two hours, I realized how much work Emma had to do and I made a mental note to give her some much-needed commendation. By noon, I had only cleaned half of the house and I was going at a really fast pace in my opinion. Thankfully, I found out early enough that most of the rooms in the house were guest rooms and only had to be cleaned once a month, so I had much less work to do, laundry, shopping, and cleaning. I was already done with laundry and most of the cleaning and intended to go shopping after picking the kids up from school.

Just as I decided to take a break, my phone rang in my apron, and I felt some relief to see my best friend's name flashing on the screen.

"What's popping bess," I asked, grinning as I wiped the hallway windows on the third floor. I had never ventured this far off in the house and I knew my phone would come in very handy to call Lucas if I got lost along the way. Though I would rather not have him drive 15 miles just to come get me.

"That's the worst you have used so far," Celine said drily. I did not need to hear more to know that my best friend was upset.

"Don't blame me, I'm too occupied to think of a better line,"

"What are you doing?"

"Um right now?" I took a peek of the neighborhood through the glass, "currently looking at the wealthiest and one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in California through a window in this four-story mansion." I said in mock pride.

"Ughh," she groaned, "now I don't think you would be excited to hear that I just got off a helicopter ride from a f*****g mountain top" she screamed the last part so loud, I had to push the phone from my ear as I chuckled.

"Don't count on it girlfriend, I'm just wiping windows."

"You're what now?" she sounded as shocked as I expected her to be.

"Well, I decided I would add cleaning duties to my nanny duties, seeing as I'm always bored when the kids leave," I said drily, moving over to the next window.

"You're kidding."

"Emma had some family issues and I offered to take over for her until she got back. Tell me what's going on Ibiza." I said changing the topic, hoping to get some spicy new gossip about how she was enjoying her vacation, but the sadness in her voice made my heart plummet.

"Well nothing new, except I might just be falling in love with his angel of a man."

"I would have been surprised if I did not see it coming all along," I chuckled humorlessly, feeling a sudden wave of happinss wash through me at the news.

"Have I really been that cheesy?"

"Well I've only heard Alex did this and Alex did that and oh Alex here and Alex everywhere for the last few months, plus you went on a fuckin trip C to a city of love. All that's left is falling like a sparrow flying like a dove," I added without missing a beat.

"Where did that even come from?" she sounded amused.

"You know that song, that says it must be love, by Don Williams or something."

"I don't like you so much right now, plus I'm not yet completely in love which means I have to find a way to fix this,"

"Only my best friend would want to hold back from relishing in the joy that comes from being in love." I finished up with the window cleaning and headed for the last room down the hallway. It was the only one left to be cleaned.

"Says the same person that refused to drill a guy she was busy drooling over for weeks," she said glibly.

"Okay tell me what's going on. You're the last person to want to pull away from the good stuff, you're like the f**k it let's eat all of the sugar in the world, we'll deal with diabetes tomorrow kind of person."

"Well that's the problem," she said with a long sigh, "this all feels too good, too fast, and too damn much. It's only been three months and here I am already talking about love,"

"And that's a bad thing?"

"Yes Christine, All of this is happening too fast and now I'm trapped in all of these feelings and I feel like it's too late to correct shit." she sounded like she would break down in tears any minute.

"C," I said softly, dropping the bucket in front of the door. "it's never a bad thing to fall in love,"

"It is if he's from a very different world that's not yours," she shot back almost angrily.

"Where did that come from?" I frowned.

"I don't know" she sighed, "I...he's...Alex is different okay. We have both had a really tough life, hell we spent a great deal of life on the streets, and Alex is a completely different story, plus his parents are absolute douchebags,"

"You met them?"

"Once, over a skype call and they completely hated me," she snorted.

"You have dated a lot of people with asshole parents, and a lot of people hate you, I learned to give not one f**k over haters from you so what is the problem now? Don't tell me you're holding back your feelings because of his parents."

"Not exactly, it's just that they're are a vivid reminder that we're both worlds apart, and not in a good way. This would never work, there's no need to hurt each other,"

"But s*x with him has been great—according to your very detailed and a little gory description," I said slowly and I could only imagine the glare she was probably shooting me over the phone. "and your relationship so far has been amazing, it's turning you into this amazing human. Don't get me wrong, you are always my most amazing human, but  I'm glad to see Alex making such a positive impact on your life. You can just keep it going and see where it leads you."

"f*****g is different when you're in love Chris, I don't want to complicate things between us. Maybe it's just better to end it now,"

I sighed and raked my fingers through my hair, "Does he know?"

"No," she said sharply, "of course not, the only thing that would make my problems worse now is finding out that he feels differently. I might just burst into tears and I never f*****g cry," she yelled the last part angrily.

"Well, you would never know if you hide it from him,"

"True but I would rather hold on to the what if's for now," she mumbled. "look Chris let me call you later, the door just buzzed and I can bet it's not room service calling me baby in that sweet and sexy and caring tone that is both confusing me and making me tingle with excitement at the door," she said in a pissed tone. 

"Hey don't take it out on him, it's not his fault you fell in love with him,"

"Being in love was never part of our deal, so yes it is," she said angrily, "I'm this emotional mess because he walked into my life and decided it would be a great idea to show me what it feels like to be loved and now I don't f*****g know hat to do and I feel like I would go crazy with all these new and dumb emotions flowing through me..." she trailed off, choking out a small sob that made me alert with worry.

"C, are you okay?" I said in a softer tone.

"No," she sniffled, "I m not okay bess, I'm not."

"Do you want me to come over?" I asked without giving o much as a second thought. "I'll be there tonight if you want."

"You don't have to. I might be returning to California much sooner than I expected to."

"Don't do that to him C," I pleaded, "he seems like a really nice guy."

"He is, the most amazing I have ever met actually," another sniffle," which is why I have to end this before my very f****d up life ruins what we have. Be there at my house with as much ben and jerry's ice cream as you can find."

"I'll be there to comfort you not send you to the hospital for diabetes and a lot of brain freeze."

"Whatever," she said in a defeated tone, "I'll call you soon,"

"I'll be waiting, I love you,"

"You, more, and tell Mr asshole that I will kill him for making my best friend do so much work," she added in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"Sadly, I volunteered,"

"I want to hear all about it when I get back," she said and ended the call, leaving me alone to my worries and the pair of french doors that locked away the last room waiting to be cleaned.

There were cobwebs gathered around the door's frame, making me wonder if the room was even supposed to be cleaned, after all, it was at the very far end and in a dark corner in the house.

I was about to send Lucas a call asking if it was okay to clean this room when my phone vibrated with another call.

"We're soulmates," I said drily as I put the phone next to my ear.

"What?" Lucas asked, amused.

"I was just thinking of you and about to call you," I chuckled.

"That's great, at least now I know I'm not crazy for missing you as much as I do right now,"

"I hate to burst your bubble, but I was calling regarding a door," I snorted as he huffed in disappointment.

"Which door?"

"The last door on the third floor," I said casually, twisting the doorknob. Unlike the other rooms, it was locked. Strange. 

"Do not open it," he said harshly with a sudden defensiveness that left me stunned.

"Whoa calm down, It's not even open."

"You tried to open it?" his tone suddenly sounded worried and pissed.

"Relax Lucas, It's locked. Sadly I cannot see the bodies you hide in here, I knew you were a serial killer," I said trying to lighten the mood, but that did nothing to make him relax.

"That's not funny Chris, get out of there," he growled through the phone.

"Okay, Okay," I said raising one hand in the air as if he could see me. "I wonder what's in here though, maybe I should get a sneak from this little space under,"

"Chris!" he warned sternly.

"I'm leaving already," I said but made no effort to move, as my curiosity grew every second that passed. "Now you have me curious about what if in there," I said in a more serious tone.

"It's nothing that requires your concern or attention," the harshness of his words stung. "I would prefer to have that room undisturbed and please go back downstairs now, I'm on my way home." 

"Okay you do not have to be an asshole about it," I retorted, ending the call before he got the chance to say anything else. 

Once the call ended, a wave of confusion, curiosity, and anger raced through me at the same time. Everyone had secrets, it was natural, but the way he defended the room and completely switched moods as I spoke about the room was almost scary. Before he called, I thought nothing of the room as a simple storeroom that was rarely used but his reaction gave off a very different vibe. 

I was reminded very quickly of how little we knew each other. And I stood right in front of a door that most likely holds all the answers. There was a reason this room was located at the very end of the house, a reason why Lucas suddenly became irked at the mention of the room. The last time I felt so much anger from him was when we first met. It was a reserved kind of anger like he was doing everything in his power to hold back the unexpressed anger. But why?

I stood there, staring at the doorknob that stood between me and my answers, all it would take was one push and I would find out what was really going on. Lucas would be mad, but I might go crazy if I left without answers. 

Wrapping my hands around the doorknob, I gave it a gentle push and it clicked open, making me realize it was not even locked in the first place. I chewed on my bottom lip, contemplating what my next move would be. I just had to push the door open to find out, but I could not tell if I a ready for whatever stood behind the door. 

Whatever it was, Lucas knew it would affect our relationship if I found out and I questioned if I was ready for the change. I closed my eyes weighing my options. I could open the door and find out for myself what was hidden in the room, or I could walk away and wait for Adrian to come home and give me a much-needed explanation. That was what couples did right? Trust each other. I trusted Lucas, I had not a doubt that he would never hurt me, even though it seemed irrational to trust a man I barely knew. 

I closed my eyes, and pulled the door back, letting it click right into place, and dropped my arm. 

If I stood there for one more minute, I knew I would change my mind, and before I got the chance to, I picked up the cleaning bucket I had taken along and pivoted, racing straight for the lift.