The Nanny

Chapter 2

I bite my lip as I watch the small bubble of blood form on the tip of my finger. Stupid tagging guns, jamming all the time and stabbing me. I feel my immense irritation begin to build and quickly take a deep breath. Placing the ugly dress back on the rack with the rest I'm supposed to tag before the end of my shift, I turn and toss the tagging gun onto a nearby supply table.

"Hey Aidan, I'm going to go find a band-aid." I call out across the large backroom. I hear nothing in response and smile to myself, knowing he's snuck in headphones again and is definitely not getting any work done. I stroll out of the room and down the hall to the main office.

"Hey Emily, you okay?" My boss Regina asks with amusement as I walk through the door, immediately reaching for the first-aid kit behind her. I frequently seem to find myself being poked with the tagging guns due to how quickly I work once I find my rhythm, but since that also makes me the fastest at the job it is the one I am assigned to most frequently.

I shoot her a grateful smile and take the band-aid she offers. "I'm fine, just a bit of blood." I raise my eyebrow as her phone buzzes on the desk, dating app notifications appearing.

"Oh my!" Her eyes widen and she quickly turns the phone over, face flushed. "You saw nothing, I never would use my phone at work." Regina says, sounding extremely unconvincing.

"Oh no, of course not." I try to hide my smile. Regina was a wonderful boss and since her divorce last year had been hesitant to try and meet new people. I guess she's decided to get back in the saddle. I stifle a giggle at the thought and move to leave the room.

"Why don't you go take your break and forget you ever saw this, hm?"

"Sure Regina. It's already forgotten." I shoot her a smile and watch the guilt on her face disappear before I leave the office. No doubt she was concerned I'd tell someone and it would get back to her ex husband and the co-owner of the store, Sam.

Walking into the break room I grab my purse and plop into one of the cold metal chairs. I quickly fish my phone out of the bottom of the bag, typical, and check my notifications. Hm, two new missed calls. I hesitate only for a moment before dialing the number back.

"Ah Ms. Bryan, thank you for returning my call." A woman's voice answers sounding professional and detached.

"May I ask who I am speaking with please?" I question, trying to sound professional as well, but my heart immediately starts pounding. Please be calling about one of the interviews, oh please. My fingers can't take much more here.

"Oh pardon me, I seem to have forgotten my manners! My name is Lucy, my boss received your resume and wanted to request you come for an interview. Is that something you are still interested in?" She sounds slightly embarrassed and I smile kindly before realizing she can't actually see me.

"Oh it's fine, we all get ahead of ourselves sometimes!" I say brightly, hoping she takes this as me trying to be kind instead of a small jab. "I am certainly interested in the position."

"Great! Could you come this evening then? Say around six?"

"Oh sure! What was the address please?" I try to keep my heart in my chest as I fumble for a sticky note and pen from the box of random store junk left on the table.

"It is 1572 Market Street downtown. When you arrive you may simply tell whoever is at the desk that you are there for the interview and they can direct you." I scribble everything down as quickly as I can. Downtown? What publishing company is downtown?

"Perfect I have that all written down. Can you just remind me please what the position is and who I will be meeting?" I wince as I ask, knowing how it probably sounds.

"Oh of course. This is for the nannying position with Mr. O'Connell." I feel my entire body freeze as I take in the words. I quickly thank her for the information and end the call. The job is for him? But he made it sound like it was for a friend or a colleague! This could be it! My stepping stone into the publishing industry! Plus he is very easy to look at. I press my hands hard into my thighs, trying to still their sudden shaking. He's too easy to look at. This is a bad idea and I can't wait.

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The address leads to a very tall and modern looking apartment building. I immediately feel underdressed as I walk into the lobby. I had worn my nicest interview outfit, a white mock silk shirt tucked into a black pencil skirt, all under a black blazer I had borrowed from my mom. I wobble slightly on the black heels she had insisted I wear when I told her of the interview. I was awful in heels but I felt very professional.

"Hello." I say as calmly as I can, heart in my throat, as I approach the round desk in the center of the large room. This place looks like a company building, how rich are the people that live here? The woman sitting behind it looks up quickly at the sound of my voice and smiles warmly at me. She's in a very tight and very expensive looking dress, with loose blonde curls falling across her shoulders and bright red lipstick. I'm instantly intimidated and try to force more words out. "I'm here for an interview?" Fuck that wasn't a question, why did it sound like it? "With Mr. O'Connell."

One of her perfect eyebrows raises as the name as her smile gets a bit colder. "Oh of course. Ms. Bryan I presume?" I nod quickly. "He's expecting you. You may head to that elevator, Robert will take you up. Good luck." Her voice is cold by the end and I can feel the jealousy radiating off of her. I quickly shoot her a smile and walk over to the elevator she had gestured and up to the finely dressed and kind looking attendant.

"Robert I presume?" I ask. He nods and smiles at me warmly.

"This way please ma'am." He presses the button and the door opens before he steps inside, holding his arm out to keep the doors open. I follow him quickly and raise an eyebrow as he presses the penthouse button.

"Please, you can call me Emily."

He nods at me again and gives me another warm smile. "As you wish Emily." I look up at the screen above the door. 5...6...7...8...

"How many floors is this building?" I ask, gazing wearily at the buttons next to Robert.

"It is 28 floors, you're going to the top one this evening."

"Oh okay, thank you." I bite my lip absentmindedly, suddenly feeling very self conscious. I was dressed the nicest way I could, but I still felt extremely underdressed for this space. What if he turns me away? He wouldn't want someone so messy appearing looking after that sweet young girl.

Suddenly the door dings and opens. "We're here Emily." Robert says, shooting me an encouraging smile.

"Thank you Robert." I step out and into the small room. Lovely paintings hang on the walls, and a large door is between them. This must be a greeting room for the penthouse I guess. They didn't seem to have any kind of key or code to get to the floor so this makes sense. I tentatively walk up to the door, hesitating for a moment, and knock.