careful

eleven

Nina's day-to-day normally consists of running errands that revolve around the girls. On this particular day, she's finished dry cleaning, dress tailoring, and everything else the girls require in enough time to relax before lunch. After wandering the house, she settles on the library and picks some book she's read in her free time a million times in the past.

She has to have been reading for at least an hour before Ricky waltzes in and asks, "Why? I looked in just about every other room in this house before I found you."

"That's crazy," she tells him. "Jenn knows I'm in here, did you even ask her?"

Ricky bites his lip and takes a deep breath. "I did, actually. She said she didn't know."

Nina laughs. "She's the best."

"Why is she even here? No one else is home and you never let her do her job," he points out. "And I know you don't let the girls call her for much."

"Because the girls don't need a butler, Ricky," she says. "Anyway, why are you here?"

"Trust me, I know," he agrees. He sits down in the chair next to her. "I've come to have lunch with you."

"With me? Pass." She shakes her head and turns her attention to her book once more.

Ricky sighs and leans forward, plucking the book right from Nina's hands. "Hope you remember what page you were on," he says before snapping the book shut. "Are you meaning to tell me that you have literally anything else to do right now?"

"Well, no," she admits. "Don't you have a job to be doing?"

He laughs and takes a seat on the arm of the chair she's sitting in. "I'm really only useful when EJ isn't in town. And since he is for the next... six hours or so, I'm free."

"I can't believe they're leaving again," Nina groans. "And on the girls' last day of school?"

Ricky shrugs. "Gina has a client to meet this weekend. She left this morning, yeah, but that's about as long as she's ever gonna be willing to leave you alone with my brother. That's not your fault, though."

"Yeah, I know," she admits.

"Sushi for lunch?" he asks, standing up and pulling his keys out of his pocket. "Let's go, I parked in the little roundabout in front of the house and I think Gina can literally sense when I'm doing something she hates."

And for whatever reason, she follows him to his car. "So, what do you usually do when EJ is in town? If you're not necessarily required to be there when he is."

Ricky lets out a chuckle as he puts the car in drive. "Dude, you're there. You always ask me why I'm always here, that's why!"

"That's really still no excuse for you getting on my nerves all the time," she argues.

"I guess no, that isn't the excuse," he mumbles.

"Do you have a home, Ricky?" she prods. "You can tell me if you don't, I'm a trusted adult!"

"Oh, please, Nanny," he snarks. "You're only one of those things!"

"Oh, shut it would you?" He turns to look at her at a red light.

She studies his eyes. When the light turns green, he asks, "So what are your first plans for summer?"

"Well," she mumbles as she thinks. "Sadie isn't coming home at all today. She has a bag packed for her sleepover tonight that I'll bring to her when I go pick up Ella. Apparently, I'm not the cool nanny so I don't have the joy of hosting the sleepover."

"Oh, is it at Julie's house?" he questions.

Nina scoffs in disbelief. "How the hell did you know it's at Julie's house? Kind of offended that you don't think I'm the cool nanny."

"I get around with the nannies, I know what goes down," he jokes.

"Is that supposed to be a joke about you sleeping with them?" she questions.

Ricky hums. "No, but I guess that's what it sounds like. I should have used the phrase, 'in the loop,' actually. But also I actually only know about Julie's nanny because she lets those kids do literally anything they want." She makes a weird sound that compels Ricky to glance over at her. "Sadie will be fine," he assures her.

"Starting to think I should've gotten her the cellphone."