her sides.
“Of course I didn’t do it on purpose,” Lily said. “I told you. I’d been up half the night with Hailey. I was exhausted. What I wear to bed is my business.”
Sophia rubbed at the dull ache thumping behind her temple. “Being caught in the hallway wearing skimpy pj’s shouldn’t warrant being fired.”
Chagrin made Lily balk. “It wasn’t the first time.” She grimaced, reluctantly admitting, “Or the second.”
Karen snickered, and Sophia silenced her with a sharp glance. She’d heard enough of Lily’s predicament.
“What you’re saying is that he had good reason for implementing a robe rule.” Remembering the ticking clock, Sophia’s irritation simmered over. “I don’t have time for this. Lily, if you can’t be more considerate of the people paying your salary, maybe you don’t deserve to work here.”
“But I need this job!”
“I know you do. That’s why I’m not letting you go. But I am putting you on probation. If you show me you’ve learned something from this experience—”
“Yeah.” Karen smirked. “Like maybe buying some flannel nightgowns and white cotton granny panties.”
“Hush, Karen.” Sophia had had all she could take. She looked at Lily. “You can fill in for Paula for today and Karen will work on getting you another full-time position.”
“I will?” Karen asked, clearly surprised. “But that’s not usually in my job description.”
“Your job description is changing as of right now.” The wake Sophia created as she breezed past Karen’s desk on her way to the powder room made several papers flutter. “You’ve been asking to go full-time, haven’t you?”
“You know I have.” Karen went very still and serious.
Sophia flipped on the powder room light. “Well, now’s your chance. You’ll be running the office for the next two weeks. It’s a big job. Can you handle the responsibility?” She glanced into the mirror over the sink.
Gathering her thick hair in her fingers, Sophia twisted it into a knot and secured it with a clip. She knew Mr. Taylor liked his nannies to keep their hair out of their eyes.
“Are you kidding me? You know I can handle it. That reminds me, Terry’s on her way to the Schaffers to cover for Isabel. I’ve already called Mrs. Schaffer to let her know Terry would be late. But what’s going on? Where will you be?”
“Yeah, Sophia,” Lily chimed in. “You going to tell us what’s up? You never said which lucky nanny gets to go work for The Beast.”
While Lily talked, Sophia turned on the faucet and scrubbed the makeup from her face. Then she patted her forehead, cheeks and chin dry. “He likes his nannies plain, right?”
Slowly but surely, both Karen and Lily figured out the plan. “You?” they asked in unison.
“That’s right.” Sophia smoothed her hand over the lapel of her jacket and then tugged at its hem. “I’m saving the spotless reputation of The Nanny Place. If Mr. Michael Taylor wants a sedate, older nanny, I’m going to give him just that,” she declared, adjusting her Mrs. Doubtfire bun.
“But you’ve never gone out on an assignment for more than a couple hours, a day at most. Why would you—”
“Because he’s left me no choice, Karen. That man fired three perfectly acceptable nannies.”
“Damn right, he did,” Lily grumbled.
Karen smirked. “Lily, you might be perfectly qualified to take care of a baby, but I have to point out that you did break the robe rule.”
Lily made a face at Karen.
Sophia ignored the ruckus. “I need to get over there myself and see exactly what the problem is. Obviously, there’s something going on with that man. I need to figure this out before I start losing clients.” She absently fingered the buttons at each cuff. “I just have to remember my ultimate goal.”
“You have a goal?” Karen asked.
“Oh, yes. I’ve got two actually.” A slow smile spread across her lips and she forced her tense shoulder muscles to relax. “I’m going to preserve my pristine business reputation by making Michael Taylor happy.”
The mischievous sparkle in Sophia’s eyes had Lily prompting, “Yes? And?”
There was determination in every syllable when Sophia declared, “Whatever it takes, I’m going to tame the flippin’ Beast.”
Chapter Two
The Palisades condominiums were the place to live in Wilmington. The great slabs of white Carrara marble that encased the twenty-five-story building glistened in the morning sun. Bands of glossy black stone shot skyward at each corner, the sharp angles of the architecture imparting a distinctly contemporary feel. Sophia had heard real estate commercials for the condos on the radio. The extensive complex boasted both indoor and outdoor swimming pools, various sports courts, several workout facilities and a professionally landscaped walking path, not to mention the two-, three- and fourbedroom luxury residences that were available. The place was a lush oasis smack in the middle of the bustling city.
Sophia parked her car, got out and squinted up at the tall building, knowing she’d never earn the kind of money it took to buy a home in this au courant high-rise.
The lofty ceiling of the lobby was crowned with a huge abstract light fixture made of individual swirls of gemhued blown glass, a gorgeous splash of vibrant color against the otherwise stark black-and-white surroundings.
The elevator doors slid open on a whisper. Sophia stepped out into the hallway of the top floor, and when the doors closed behind her, the soft jazz she’d enjoyed during the swift, short ride was silenced. The well-lit corridor had been painted a tasteful shade of taupe. Conceptualistic paintings hung at regular intervals on the walls, and with each step she took, Sophia’s heels sunk into the plush henna-colored carpet. There wasn’t a single detail here that wasn’t impressively lavish. She stopped in front of the solid mahogany door of Michael Taylor’s condo and pressed the buzzer.
He pulled open the door, and immediately she was once again struck by the simmering intensity he exuded.
“Right on time,” he observed, approval brightening his tone. “Did you remember to bring proof of your childcare credentials? I assumed you were qualified when I was at your office, but I’d still like to see the paperwork.”
Evidently, he wasn’t one to waste time with amiable greetings, but rather got right down to the business at hand. Somehow, that didn’t surprise her.
“Of course. Everything you need is right here.” Stepping into the foyer, she handed him the manila envelope filled with the usual information her nannies supplied to their employers—a resume complete with education history and work experience, proof of a recent physical, a copy of her current driving record and childcare and emergency safety accreditation.
He was so serious when he took the envelope
