Nurse Or Nanny?

Chapter Thirteen

Ashley/Laura's POV

I made it to Galveston before the sun went down so I had a chance to find somewhere to park my car.  I thought I'd stay where I was but I didn't want to risk my car breaking down and not being able to make it for the interview.  As I was trying to find somewhere to sleep I noticed a YMCA in town and made a mental note of where it was, I'd shower there tomorrow.  Only costs a couple bucks to use the pool facilities and there are all over the place, easier then trying to sneak into a Motel and quickly use she shower.  I did that once and it didn't go so well.  Had to pay off the maid.  I am in a really pretty part of town, I'm parked on a street where there are a few houses under construction, there are some work trucks outside that are clearly staying overnight so I park between a couple and set up my bed.  It's too light out still to be in my car, I know people can't see me from their homes but if people are out for a walk they'll notice someone in a car.  I grab my bag and head to the beach, I'll go and watch the sunset and prepare for the interview tomorrow.  I am so nervous, I know he is going to ask me things about my past, where I went to school, how I know French and I sort of thought about how to answer them on the drive down but I need information that is convincing enough he won't check into it.  I wish I could just tell him I'm from Canada, went to french immersion school, have two degrees and currently a nurse, I think I'm qualified to take care of your kids and help educate them but I am just on the run from some crazy killer and just need a place to lay low till I can make my court date or he just stops looking for me.  I mentally eye roll and kick a rock down the road in frustration.  I am never going to get this job, I suck at lying and he'll see right through me.  I find myself in an area I don't really recognize and I can't remember how long I've been walking but I am looking at a path that leads me to a beautiful beach with not another soul in sight.  I get down to the sand, kick my shoes off and take a deep breath of the fresh ocean air.  This is what I need, to clear my head. I take off my backpack and pull out the small towel, lay it down and sit with my feet in the sand.  As I stare off into the sunset I just keep telling myself, "you've got this, this is meant to be, everything happens for a reason." I shake my head at myself, if everything happens for a reason then I can't see the reasoning behind what is happening to my life right now.

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It's one thirty and I showered and got myself looking like a normal human and not the current troll look I'd been rocking the last week.  I put some effort into styling my hair, its just down and not in a bun, putting on some mascara and lip gloss - I didn't want to be too heavy handed on the makeup, trying to keep it natural.  I threw on some leggings, a white t-shirt that is longer at the back and loose, a pair of black runners and a jean jacket.  I definitely gravitate to the more comfortable looks, and I like the looser stuff on me, don't like clothing that is too tight, it's not flattering on my bigger figure. I am sitting in the coffee shop he mentioned and I got here way to early.  I am on my second cup of coffee and my leg is just jumping off the floor, and now I have it in my head that I should have probably waited order something when he got here, or at least pretend I didn't have anything before he got here. Should I just dump the rest of this and wait. Oh my god, I'm a mess. I tell myself to calm down and finish the rest of my drink.  One fifty-five, I am not looking at every man who comes through the door and seeing if they walk in and try to look for someone, if they do and don't see who they are looking for, I'll give a small smile and a wave and hopefully it'll be him.  I'm expecting someone maybe in their forties or fifties. Thinking he has three kids he has to be at least that old, at least old enough to have three kids in school who need a tutor. So when the most gorgeous man alive walks through I didn't even give him a second look, I mean, I did but just to quickly check him out.  He was tall with dark hair and green eyes, he had a lean body, you could tell he was fit but not huge. There was a small five o'clock shadow starting to form on his face and when he flashed a smile at the girl working the counter I think I saw her knees get weak.  He must be a regular here.  I go back to looking at the news paper I picked up after I finished my second cup of coffee, I decided a third cup was a bad idea and I needed something to occupy my hands with, and was interrupted by this devilishly handsome man. 
"Excuse me, are you Ashley?" He asked in a voice so confident and smooth, I looked up and hesitated, "I'm just here for an interview and thought you might be her, sorry to bother you." he said and started looking around the cafe.
"Oh, sorry, yes that's me." I stand up and give him my best smile and outstretch my hand.  He give me a once over and grabs my hand and shocks me. I quickly take my hand back and he does the same, "Sorry!" I say, "I didn't mean to do that." I quickly sit down. What a great way to start this.
"Hey, no worries, not your fault.  It's not like you could have intentionally done that." He laughs at me and takes the seat across from me.
"Oh sorry," he stands up and gestures to the counter, "would you like anything?"
"No thank you." I say quickly, he gives me a odd look, "I already had one, I came here a little early."
"Ah, I see. Well if you don't mind I'm sort of fading and need the caffeine kick."
"Yes, of course, take your time. And thanks for the offer"
"No problem." He says as he makes his way over to the counter.  He puts his order in, chats a little with the girl at the till and they laugh and he comes back and sits down.
"They'll just bring it over when it's ready. So, Ashley, how has your day been."
"It's been very good, thank you. How about yourself?" I can feel myself being to polite and formal and I need to snap out of it, the last time I was the guy pegged me from Canada and I can't have that here.
"Busy to be honest, that's why you're here." He said with a chuckle.
"Of course." I say and smile at him.  He is looking at me and holding my gaze almost an uncomfortable amount of time but just about as I am to look away his coffee comes and he snaps out of it. Shaking his head he grabs some papers out of his bag he had hung on the back of the chair,
"So, I know you said you've never been a nanny before, have you had any experience taking care of people?" Yes, I have actually, it's sort of my job.
"Not really, I have only ever served before but I used to babysit when I was a kid." He looks at me and I can see he is questioning this whole thing already.
"And what makes you think you would be right for this job then, before say people who have had experience being a nanny in the past?" He is in total interview mode now and it really threw me off, but it's not like I have never been in an interview before.  I used to go in front of a panel to be interviewed, this should be cake.  But he is unnerving me and I don't know why.
"I believe that not having any experience in the field would give you a better opportunity to groom me how you would like. I do not have any habits from previous jobs that would carry into this one and I feel that would help us create the best environment for your children." He looks at me and doesn't say anything. Shit. I'm done for.
"Very good answer, if I didn't know better I would think you'd done this before." Uh, oh. Maybe that was too good of an answer, I should dumb down, he only thinks I have a highs school education. I don't even remember if they cover this stuff in high school.
"Thank you.  I am very interested in this job and I feel I would excel in it. I am great with people and I love kids." He keeps his face straight and I can see him thinking about something but doesn't say anything about it.
"Honestly, the thought of having a nanny never crossed my mind until a colleague of mine suggested it. So it would be new territory for both of us."
"I think that might be perfect then.  We both have a learning curve ahead of us and we can make this job exactly what you need it to be." He looks at me with that weird expression again. What am I saying that has him internally questioning everything I say.
"A couple more questions. Do you drive?"
"Yes."
"Can you cook?" I laugh a little,
"Yes, I can cook." He gives a small smile.
"Good, also and lastly, can you speak French.  Or more importantly, can you read and write French?"
"Oui, très bien." 
"Très bon! I don't think we really need to talk about much else. If I could get your phone number so I can contact you, I'll look over your references and give you a call in the morning.  I think you should meet my kids, see if they take to you and give you trial run if that's alright." Shit, I gave him letters of reference and bogie phone numbers. I hope he doesn't try and call anyone, hopefully he doesn't want the long distance charges. 
"That sounds perfect. Just one thing, I don't have a phone at the moment. I cracked the screen and can't seem to get it to work. If you want to just write down your address I can come first thing."
"You're going to need a phone for this job." He tells me and looks almost confused.
"Yes, I know. I will get a temporary one today and give you the number tomorrow." I hope he buys this. I will actually have to get a phone. Will have to be a untraceable one, hopefully he doesn't notice.
"Okay, that will be fine." He starts to right his number down on a piece of scrap paper when all of a sudden I hear tires sequel, I whip my head around and see a car swerving out of the direction of a person crossing the street, but that causes someone else to swerve and hit the pedestrian. They go flying and everyone freezes.