I don’t miss it when her eyes flare. It means she’s considering it.
My sister is good at what she does and is compensated as such. There’s no doubt she offered Summer a generous hourly wage. But it’s not one a billboard-topping artist can’t compete with. Even one who is only earning royalties at the moment. I no longer care how desperate it makes me sound.
Summer surprises me when she shakes her head and starts to walk away again, her wrist slipping from my grasp. I follow after her.
“It was your idea to be my nanny,” I argue.
“I told you in a roundabout way when we met that I’m impulsive. By definition, it means I don’t stick to the things I commit to.”
“Does that mean you’re going to drop my sister too?”
God, I’m practically poaching Summer from her. I don’t really want that for Emma. She seemed genuinely excited about employing her. If Summer could use the money, maybe she can work for both of us.
“Of course not!” she says, sounding offended as her heelsclick clackacrossthe parking lot.
She’s almost to her car, and I’m running out of time. “Five weeks. After school until eight and a few hours on Saturdays. It’ll give me the time I need to finish the last three songs on my album,” I clarify. “What will it take for you to say yes?”
She spins around and folds her arms. “Well, for starters, you haven’t said please yet.”
I glare at her. Not this again. The thought of me begging her makes me want to die. It’s also making my skin hot. I survey the parking lot before I whisper it. “Please.”
She cups the shell of her ear. “I’m sorry, did you say something? I think I might hear it better if you were down on one knee.”
If reporters caught wind of my morning commute and started following me to Quinn’s school, they’d have a heyday with this charade she’s putting me through. I don’t need them spinning up a false story about my relationship status.
“That’s what I thought.” Summer’s ponytail swishes as she flips around and opens her car door.
Dammit. “Fine!” I shout and drop to a knee. “Will youpleasebe Quinn’s nanny?”
She looks over her shoulder at me, chewing on her bottom lip.
I am going to hell. This is the worst idea I could have come up with. I should have just let her work for Emma. Because if she does that around my house all the time with me there, I’m going to have a much bigger problem on my hands than trying to juggle Quinn and the record label. I’ll be fighting with a tight dress, plump lips, and a walking billboard of red.
“All right.” She folds her hands. “I’ll do it.”
Relief floods my system. I thought for sure she’d say no. I start to stand, and she pushes me down by the shoulder. “But I get to keep my job with your sister while Quinn is at school.”
Took the idea right out of my head. I nod.
“And you have to do the spring play,” she adds.
This time I stand. “Why doyoucare about the school play?”
“Because I think Quinn would like it,” she says.
With the number of hours I’m putting in at the studio right now, it’s hard to find time to spend with Quinn. I suppose I can spare an afternoon once a week without it setting me back any more than I already am.
“Okay,” I agree.
Her timing could not have been more coincidental as the same guy who asked me to do the play approaches us.
“Hey!” He greets me with another jovial slap to the shoulder I don’t appreciate. “How about that school play?”
“I’ve decided to help out.” I keep my eyes on Summer to see how she’ll react. “As long as she volunteers too.”
“Wh-what?” gusts out of Summer’s mouth. I don’t miss it when the guy’s over-the-top grin falters.
“Summer… that’s… yeah. Great! Thank you… both… for your participation.” He takes a step back. “See you on Monday at three o’clock.” Then he pivots on his heels and beelines for the building.
