Nurse Or Nanny?

Chapter Fourteen

David's POV

I'm at work and all I can think about is this stupid interview this afternoon.  Ashley, she sounded nice enough but sort of like a ditz. I shouldn't be so harsh, especially if she will be helping me with my kids but I need someone who is smart and capable. Who can stand on her own feet and doesn't need me to dictate everything she needs to do.  
"What has you panties in a twist" Chris says as she walks by my desk.
"I am regretting letting you put an ad out for a nanny. No, I'm regretting that you let me set up an interview with a twenty seven year old. What kind of twenty seven year old wants to start a new adventure and thinks this would be a fun opportunity?" I challenge.
"Oh, I don't know, maybe someone who has had some hardships in their life and is taking any job they can find. Maybe someone who doesn't like what they are doing and needs to make a change. Maybe someone who has lived their whole life with their parents and now they are getting the boot and they think a live in job would be better than paying rent." She laughs at her last one but now she has my mind racing.
"There are a lot of reasons for people to seek employment so don't be so judgey." She says and she plops down on her chair and spins it around my way. When I don't spin towards her she kicks my chair. Annoyed I turn around.
"Give this girl a chance okay, go in open minded.  You need this.  I need this.  Okay?" She's right, I need to go into this with an open mind.
"Fine, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt." But one thing I don't like and I'm done. I don't tell her that but she can see I'm thinking it and rolls her eyes.
"Whatever Moore, don't say I never do anything for you." She turns back around and starts to do something on her computer.

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It's finally almost two and I can't wait to get this interview over with.  As I make my way to the coffee shop I realize I have no idea what this girl looks like, we should have made an effort to distinguish us somehow so we are not blending in with the crowd. I walk in and I am instantly in a better mood at the smell of coffee.  Maybe I'm grumpy because I am tired and I'm in some need of this stuff.  I scan the room and don't see many people, maybe she's not here yet, but my eyes do stop on one person.  She is reading the newspaper by herself and doesn't have any coffee.  She is beautiful, it's the first thing I notice. She has long brown hair that looks silky soft. She has creamy skin and when she looks up at me I can't stop but stare at her big beautiful brown eyes. I give her a better look and she has creamy skin that also looks soft to the touch and full pink lips, natural colour, a little on the darker side and they compliment her face well. She is not very skinny, a little on the bigger side, which I can see she tries to hide, but she's no hiding very well.  She looks like she has all the curves in all the right places.  I can't believe I just thought that, I haven't thought about a women like this ever since my wife died. I mean, of course I have looked but I have never taken in so much detail.  She gives me a small smile and I almost melt, this cannot be the nanny I am hiring.  She hold my gaze for a little longer then starts to look away. She must be doing the same thing, she has no idea what I look like, I didn't even tell her how old I was.  I walk over to the table she is sitting at,
"Excuse me, are you Ashley?" She looks up at me and sort of stares at me, she doesn't answer my question so I assume she has no idea what I'm talking about. Thank god, this could have been a disaster, "I'm here for an interview and thought you might be her, sorry to bother you." I say and start to look around the cafe when I hear her say,
"Oh sorry, yes that me" she stand up and gives me a breathtaking smile and puts her hand out for a handshake. I'm a little slow to react but do so and grab her hand. She shocks me and pulls her hand away so fast you'd think I was poison.  I start rub my hand and see her looking at it, 
"Sorry!" she says, "I didn't mean to do that." She looks worried and quickly sits down and starts to fiddle with the paper. I look at her funny, why would she be apologizing for something she had no control over. 
"Hey, no worries, its not your fault." I grab the chair and pull it out across from her, "It's not like you could have intentionally done that." I laugh a bit and sit down. But I quickly stand up and shake my head, where are my manners,
"Oh, sorry. Would you like anything?" I point towards the counter.
"No thank you." I give her a funny look, this will be very weird if she doesn't let me get her anything. She can see I am staring,
"I already had one, I came here a little early." Ah, that makes sense now, but I do need one.
"Ah, I see. Well if you don't mind I'm sort of fading and need a caffeine kick." She nods at me in understanding,
"Yes, of course, take your time.  And thanks for the offer." I give her one last look, like a last chance and she looks back at the paper.
"No problem." Is all I say and make my way to the cashier to order my highly caffeinated coffee beverage. I know it will take a couple minutes to prepare and they told me they'll bring it to me when it's ready.  I head back to the table 
"They'll just bring it over when it's ready.  So Ashley, how has your day been?" I ask to try and make some conversation before we get into the interview.
"It's been very good, thank you. How about yourself" She says very sweetly and she's being very professional.  I want her to loosen up a bit. She'll be taking care of kids, she needs to be a little more relaxed.
"Busy to be honest," I say honestly, "that's why you're here." I give a small laugh.
"Of course." She says with a small smile and it reaches her eyes, I know she is being genuine. I can't stop staring at her and I know she probably thinks I'm crazy but she has the most beautiful eyes, I could get lost in them. I can see her smile start to fade and my coffee comes. Saved by the barista. I shake my head and reach down to my bag and grab her resume and letter that Chris insisted everyone write. Let's get this started. I am secretly hoping this goes terribly because I don't know if living under the same roof will bode well.

"So, I know you said you've never been a nanny before, have you had any experience taking care of people?" I can see a look on her face that I can't quite place.
"Not really, I have only ever served before but I used to babysit when I was a kid." Shit, maybe my wish is coming true. Babysitting is not really the same thing as being a nanny. All you do when babysitting is make sure the kids don't kill each other and put them to bed, the parents have basically done everything before they leave their children with thirteen year old.
"And what makes you think you would be right for this job then, before say people who had had experience being a nanny in the past?" She doesn't answer the question right away, almost like she is articulating an answer before she starts rambling.
"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." Wow, I did not expect that, she is definitely smarter than I am giving her credit for. That sounds like an answer someone would have prepped for.  If she has only had serving jobs in the past how would be know how to answer a interview question that well. 
"Very good answer, if I didn't know any better I would think yo'd done this before." I see a quick flash of fear cross her face but she recovers quickly.  I don't want to press her about it but I will remember it.
"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." I keep looking at her to see if her face will show the same fear it did a second ago, but it doesn't.
"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."  Yeah, a learning curve on how not to jump your bones when you are with my children. Shit, I'm thinking about her again, I can't believe this. Get it together David.
"A couple more questions. Do you drive?"
"Yes." She said, short and sweet.
"Can you cook?" I ask, I am not the best and it would be a bonus if she could. Not hugely necessary though. She laughs a little at my question,
"Yes, I can cook." She smiles at me.  Like she knows what I was thinking.
"Good, also and lastly, can you speak French? Or more importantly can you read and write in French?"  I kick myself for never learning that, I can speak it, but I am horrible at reading and writing in it.

"Oui, très bien." Oh thank goodness.  She can very well.
"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 them a trial run of that's alright."  I tell her, basically offering her up the job right there, but at the mention of her references that same fear quickly crosses her face. Weird. I get a good vibe from her and she seems like a good person, she's so sweet I can't see anyone not giving her a good reference. 
"That sounds perfect. Just one thing, I don't have a phone at the moment. Cracked the screen and can't seem to get it to work. If you want to just write down your address I can come to you first thing." She said, she talks a bit quicker and with less confidence than in the interview. I feel like she might be lying, but I let it slide. I'm annoyed and confused she doesn't have a phone right now. I try to hid my annoyance. 
"You're going to need a phone for this job."
"Yes, I know, I will get a temporary one today and give you the number tomorrow." She hold my gaze and gives me a small smile. I nod my head.
"Okay, that will be fine." I am still staring at her and she seems a little uncomfortable now, I need to get this starting thing under control. I pull out a piece of scrap paper and start writing down my address on it and all of a sudden I hear tires squealing on the cement, I see Ashley wipe her head around I look around her and I see a car swerving around a person crossing the street, maybe they shouldn't have been crossing? Maybe the car ran the light? All sorts of things are coming to mind. It's the cop in me. As I am analyzing this I see the car is heading right for a phone post. Fine, better than a person. But the action he took cause another car to swerve to miss him and they end up hitting a pedestrian.  That person goes flying and everyone is frozen where they are. Except Ashley, she is already half way out the door running towards the person who was hit.