Torn [SHAWN MENDES]

~28~

"That's two that haven't impressed us and one maybe," Shawn said to Yasmin after their latest nanny applicant left.

"Hopefully Mary Poppins will walk through our door soon," she replied. "Otherwise we're going to have to consider having my parents step in."

"I don't love that idea. What if they start calling Piper 'Martha number two' instead of her name?"

Yaz cackled. "I wouldn't put it past them. We need to keep looking for a competent caregiver so that we never find out if they'd stoop so low!"

Shawn looked at his calendar app. "Our next candidate should be here in twenty minutes. Let's cross our fingers and light a positivity candle that Heather is better than the others."

Fifteen minutes later their doorbell rang. Yaz answered since Shawn was getting Piper, who had just woken up from her morning nap.

"I think I'm early," the young woman said anxiously. "I can wait out here if that's a problem."

Yasmin smiled. "It's quite all right! Come on in." She then walked down the hall to the living room. "Please have a seat. Can I get you anything? Water? Tea?"

"I'm fine, thank you. Your home is incredible! The white is so dramatic!"

Sitting across from Heather, Yaz smiled. "Thank you. I love it though my husband thinks it's too much."

Shawn walked in with Piper in his arms. "I think what is too much?"

"The white decor," his wife said with a laugh. "And don't deny it!"

"I don't hate it. It's just a bit stark." He looked at the nanny applicant. "You must be Heather. Nice to meet you. This is Piper."

Heather's jaw was on her chest. "You...you're...you're Shawn Mendes!" She then turned to Yaz. "Oh my god! That means you're Yasmin Fields! The agency didn't give me either of your names, which I thought was odd. It makes sense now! I didn't recognize you at first. Sorry!"

Yaz waved a hand dismissively. "I'm not wearing makeup and my hair is up. No worries!"

Shawn tried to keep from frowning as he sat down, since this was exactly what he didn't want. They needed a discreet nanny who wasn't overly enthusiastic about the fact that they were working for celebrities.

"I've seen your baby on socials. She's so cute!" Heather gushed.

"Thanks." He picked up the folder that contained her resumé. "It says here that you were a nanny for a family in Carpinteria for two years. Why did you leave that position?"

She coughed nervously. "It was a live-in situation, and I was harassed by one of my employers."

Yaz gasped. "I'm so sorry. Do you mean sexually harassed?"

"Unfortunately, yes. You can call the woman for a reference. She has no idea that's why I quit, and I'm sure she'll speak highly of me."

"You didn't tell her that this was happening?" Shawn asked.

"It was her boyfriend, and no, I felt weird having that conversation with her. He never touched me, but he was constantly making suggestive comments."

"If that were to happen in my home, I'd expect you to tell me," Yasmin said pointedly. "Keeping that kind of thing a secret doesn't do anyone any favors."

"You're right. I'm sorry. Do you think I should contact her now?"

"Perhaps you should talk to your agency about it," Shawn suggested. "They might have a policy in place for this sort of thing. I can assure you it won't be an issue here, if we hire you."