years ago he’d invented medical software that interfaced directly between doctors’ offices and their affiliated hospitals. Gradually they’d begun selling to the east coast and into the midwest but now they were poised to expand into the western part of the country and Luis wanted to stay on top of things.
This was important. He wished he could have convinced his grandmother of that. But the invitation had been a nicely worded summons. Since he owed his grandmother a lot, he couldn’t refuse. It would be the first time she’d asked him to return to Spain since the boys’ birth, although she’d visited several times, so she knew the twins. But they’d never been to the place he would forever think of as home.
Still, the timing sucked.
When he finished talking with Jerry, he had his secretary transfer him to his research and development team so he could get an update on the latest version of the software, due to be released in six weeks. Luis wanted daily updates.
He’d only left the office four hours ago. He checked his watch. Their flight would be departing soon and by the time they landed, New York would be fast asleep. This was his last chance to be in touch with the office for a while.
Once he’d hung up, he swung by a coffee kiosk and got a cup of coffee. He had work to do on the plane, and with the flight time such as it was, his circadian rhythm would be all messed up by the time he landed in Spain.
As he approached the waiting area for the flight, he quickly located his new temporary nanny and his sons. She was talking to them and for once the boys seemed to be behaving. They both sat in seats, watching her as she talked. At least they hadn’t dashed off, trying to find him. Or trying to get home. He would have thought they’d love the opportunity to take a trip to Spain. If only his long-term nanny had accompanied them.
Stacey spotted him and smiled. He nodded in acknowledgment. He had to give her points for already controlling those hellion boys of his. He wished he knew her secret. Even Hannah had trouble with them, but for once it seemed they were not getting into mischief.
“Everything okay at your office?” she asked.
He shrugged. “This is not the best time to be taking a vacation. I’m needed here.”
Although he was taking both his phone and his laptop and expected to work from his grandmother’s home, making this very much a working holiday.
“But what a great opportunity for you and the boys. I think traveling is so educational,” she said.
“They’re a little young to be viewing the trip as educational. It would have suited me more to wait a few years.”
Luis knew the company would be in good hands while he was gone. He paid high wages to keep the best in the business. His general manager was more than competent in running things. Still, it felt odd to be taking off at such a crucial time—and for three weeks. He hadn’t taken a real vacation since selling that first version of the software to the doctors’ consortium in Boston. It was actually pushing six years.
“Go now and again in a few years as well,” she said with a smile.
Stacey turned her attention to Juan, who was complaining again. Luis knew his sons—they’d get worse and worse until he’d have to send them to their rooms. Impossible now they were about to board a plane! He hoped they slept through the flight. How did other parents have perfectly behaved children when his acted like hellions most of the time?
He took the seat on the far side of Pablo, glad the nanny had saved it for him. Stacey continued to talk to them about airplanes and the boys seemed enthralled. He still thought the woman looked little older than a teen ager, but so far she’d shown she had a knack with kids. He couldn’t remember the last time the twins had sat so still or been so attentive.
Maybe they just like looking at her? He had to admit, she was pretty.
He frowned. Her long blonde hair was pulled back into a low ponytail. Her bright blue eyes drew his attention again and again. She had a light tan but, if he had to describe her, he would call her complexion peaches and cream.
Looking away, he checked his watch again. He wasn’t interested in his nanny as a person, only as someone who would take care of his children. They’d begin boarding soon, and he had more important things to concentrate on than how pretty the temporary nanny was, though she definitely spiked his interest. It had been a long time since he’d had any interest in the opposite sex. But this was not a complication he wanted. He was confusing awareness with gratitude. That was it. He was grateful she had taken Hannah’s place on such short notice, they couldn’t have made the trip otherwise. He didn’t want to take the boys to his grandmother’s without someone to watch them. He’d be too busy himself. And there was no guarantee a nanny in Spain would speak English.
Stacey glanced at Luis, noting the frown. Did he never smile? The boys wanted to go to the large windows to look at planes, so she took each by the hand and soon all three were watching planes take off and absorbing the size of the one they’d be on, which was already parked at the gate.
She recalled what Stephanie had told her just before she’d set out for the Aldivista residence to interview and be interviewed. Luis Aldivista had been on New York’s top ten most eligible bachelors list the last couple of years. He’d invented some kind of medical software that most of the private doctors’ offices in the country used. Stephanie hadn’t dealt with details. All that had been important to her was that his software had made him fabulously wealthy. But Luis was so good looking he might have made the list without the money behind him.
Stacey wasn’t sure of her friend’s assessment. So far the man looked grumpy. And so focused on business he couldn’t share his children’s delight with airplanes. He needed to lighten up if they were all to enjoy this trip.
“What’s that one, Stacey?” one of the twins asked.
Stacey stooped down to be at eye level with the little boy. He was adorable—blond curls that went every which way, bright blue eyes that seem to sparkle from inside. “That’s called a jumbo jet. Because it’s a jumbo size. I’m not sure who makes it. We can look that up when we get to Spain if you like.”
She looked at their father. He was totally involved in whomever he was talking to on the phone. She wanted to snatch it away and tell him to enjoy the excitement of a first flight with his sons. He should be the one explaining how planes flew and where in the world they could all be going. But she was used to fathers who put work ahead of children. They did what they did. A mere nanny wasn’t going to change that.
Turning back to the planes, she wondered why men married and had families if they didn’t want to spend time with them. If she ever got married and had her family, she’d insist her husband spend time with her and their children.
If ever. She sighed. Her job didn’t give her much chance to meet eligible bachelors.
She looked at the boys. The twins must take after their mother. Luis had brown hair and hazel eyes. Not that she should be noticing that.
“Cute children you have.” A woman had brought her daughter to the window to look out. “They look just like you. Their first plane ride?”
Stacey was taken aback by the comment, but then smiled and responded with, “Yes. We’re flying to Spain.” No need to say more, she’d never see the woman again.
“Ah, have a great time. We’re on our way to Italy. My husband’s there on
