Bear Pack's Nanny: A Reverse Harem Romance (Nanny Shifter Service Book 5) Read online

  “There’s my little niece!” she said as Cassie approached.

  Cassie threw her arms around her aunt, emotions overwhelming her. She couldn’t help but burst into the tears she’d been holding back since she left.

  “What’s wrong, baby?” asked Bess, her voice soft and sympathetic.

  But Cassie couldn’t do anything but cry onto Bess’s shoulder.

  “Come on in; tell your Aunt Bess all about it.”

  Cassie nodded, and her aunt led her into the house. Glancing around, Cassie noticed how eclectic the place was decorated, the shelves packed with odd little knick-knacks that appeared to have been collected from all around the world. The walls were adorned with curious paintings, and soft, jazzy music sung in a foreign language that Cassie didn’t recognize played from a stereo.

  Despite how odd the place was, Cassie noticed how comfy and homey it was—a far cry from the sterile, modern home where she lived with Chris.

  “Come to the kitchen,” said Bess. “I’ve got tea going; it’ll do you some good.”

  Cassie wiped away her tears as Bess led her to a small, sunny kitchen, the windows looking out over the gorgeous nature outside. She took a seat, and Bess quickly set a big, green mug of steaming hot tea along with some scones. A hunger she didn’t realize she had took over her, and Cassie eagerly ate the scones, washing them down with the minty tea.

  When she was full, Cassie felt a little better.

  “Now,” said Bess, sitting across from Cassie and wrapping her long, wrinkled fingers around her mug, “Like I said, you’re welcome to stay here. But if it’s not too painful to talk about, could you let me know what’s troubling you?”

  “It’s my boyfriend,” said Cassie.

  Then she corrected herself.

  “Ex-boyfriend.”

  She went on, telling Bess about Chris and his drunken, controlling ways, leading up to the incident last night when he laid hands on her. Bess listened attentively, nodding as Cassie spoke, her eyes warm with concern.

  “Then you made the right call,” said Bess when Cassie was done.

  Bess’s eyes moved across the red marks on Cassie’s neck. She shook her head.

  “It’s terrible,” she said. “But you’ve left him; you’ve done what you needed to do.”

  “It’s not just that,” said Cassie. “It’s…all the men I’ve gotten involved with.”

  “What do you mean?” asked Bess.

  “They’ve all been horrible, all in their own ways. Chris...I was attracted to him at first because he was so ambitious, so driven. But he became so controlling over time, wanting me to stay cooped up in that big, lonely house. And the then there was Brad, this musician who I thought was this special, amazing artist. But then he ended up being this awful deadbeat who couldn’t manage his own life.”

  Bess said nothing, letting Cassie go on.

  “And before that, there was Michael. He was a model, this gorgeous man who seemed to have it all together. But he was a total narcissus who didn’t care about anyone other than himself. He used people and tossed them aside.”

  Laying out her romantic failures like this made Cassie feel overcome with despair.

  “It’s like…every man I meet has turned into something different than I thought he was. And every man has wounded me in a different way. And now I feel like I’m doomed to just keep making the same mistake over and over again, just in slightly different ways with men who’re all uniquely horrible.”

  Bess shook her head.

  “Cassie, how old are you?”

  “Twenty-three,” she said.

  “You’ve still got years ahead of you, and you’re in the phase of your life when you can’t help but make mistakes. But all I can tell you is that you can’t give up on love, no matter what.”

  Bess’s words struck Cassie as beautiful, as hopeful. But she couldn’t help feel as though her worst fears were true, that she was doomed to repeat the cycle time and time again.

  Right at that moment, her phone vibrated in her pocket. Then again, and then again.

  Cassie knew what this meant—Chris was awake and looking for her.

  “That has to be him,” said Cassie.

  Bess reached over and took Cassie’s hand, squeezing it hard. The fear feeling like a hot hard rock inside her stomach, Cassie took her phone out of her pocket with her free hand.

  Chris: Where the fuck are you?

  Chris: If you’ve left, so help me God…

  Then another text.

  Chris: Cards are cancelled, car’s been reported stolen. You’ve got a day to message me back before I turn off your phone.

  And that was it. Cassie shoved her phone back into her pocket, more tears streaming from her face.

  “Everything is his,” she said. “Chris wanted it that way; he wanted to control me. And now I don’t have anything.”

  Bess nodded slowly in acknowledgement.

  “What’s mine is yours until you get all this figured out,” she said. “Don’t even think about going back to him. Men like that use their money as leverage, but he’s playing the only card he has. If you can be strong and independent, then there’s nothing he can do; he can’t touch you.”

  “You’re right,” Cassie said. “And I never wanted it; I wanted to have my own money, to not be reliant on him. But he was so insistent.”

  “Then I think you know what you need to do,” said Bess. “How about this: you relax, get comfortable, and get all your things out of the car. And when you’re ready, we can start looking for a good job for you, something that you’ll be good at, that you’ll love.”

  Cassie smiled, her heart filled with joy at her aunt’s love and support. She knew today was the start of the rest of her life.

  She only had to get started.

  CHAPTER 3

  CASSIE

  Cassie awoke the next morning to a chime from her phone. Through bleary eyes, she scooped her phone up from the nightstand of her aunt’s guest room and read the message on the screen. It was a text from her provider.

  Attention: Due to a change in service, your account is no longer active.

  Cassie figured that answered the question of what Chris was going to do about her phone.

  Despite everything, Cassie felt refreshed and ready to start her day. She had big plans with the job hunt and was looking forward to getting everything underway. After all, money meant independence, and there wasn’t a sweeter word she could imagine.

  After throwing on a robe, Cassie stepped out into the living room, where her Aunt Bess was looking out of the window.

  “Um, I don’t mean to startle you so early in the day, but…”

  She gestured to the window.

  Cassie, panicked, hurried to her aunt’s side, gasping at what she saw.

  It was a tow truck in the process of loading her car.

  “Damn it!” she shouted out.

  Cassie rushed to the scene outside and confronted the driver.

  “What’s going on?” she said.

  “Got a call from the name on the lease,” he said. “He wants the car back ASAP.”

  Cassie opened her mouth to speak but sank down onto the porch without saying a word. She knew the title was in Chris’ name and not hers. As far as anyone who mattered was concerned, that car was his to do with whatever he wanted.

  Aunt Bess stepped out onto the porch and placed her hand on Cassie’s shoulder as the tow truck left the property.

  “How’d he know where to find it?” she asked.

  “Who knows,” said Cassie. “Car probably has something he used to track it.”

  “So much for being independent,” continued Cassie, watching the two cars disappear into the distance, the tires kicking up dust.

  “That just means you’ll have to buy another one,” said Bess. “And the first step to doing that is finding a job.”

  “I know,” she said. “But it’s going to be hard to do if I can’t get around town.”

  Bess’s face
crinkled in thought.

  “How about this,” she said. “There’s this little tea shop nearby. Great tea, great scones, great everything. And they’ve always got this ‘help wanted’ board where people in the area can post ads for little jobs they need done. Might not be much, but maybe you could find something to put a little money in your pocket.”

  Cassie knew was right. She needed a little push, a little something to get the momentum going.

  “Sounds like a plan, Aunt Bess,” said Cassie. “And thanks again.”

  “My pleasure, baby,” said Bess, pulling in Cassie for a quick hug. “Now, go get ready. But don’t rush yourself—take a soak in the tub if you want.”

  Cassie did just that. Once in the bathroom she filled the tub with steaming hot water and took a quick soak, letting the water work its magic on her tense muscles. When she was ready, she put on a pair of slim-fit black jeans and a white button-up shirt, completing the look with a pair of dark blue flats.

  Bess was waiting for her in the living room and they were off as soon as Cassie was ready.

  Aunt Bess drove the two of them through the winding road leading away from her house. The area was fairly isolated, and they passed only a few houses as they went.

  Eventually, they reached the first business Cassie saw. It was a charming little building with a thatched roof, a small parking lot with a few cars out front.

  “This definitely looks like the kind of place you’d be into, Bess,” said Cassie with a small smile.

  “And they’ve got the best blueberry scone you’ll ever taste,” she said. “All on me—so get whatever you want.”

  They parked and were soon in the small shop. It was a cozy little place with a handful of wood tables, ten or so customers seated here and there drinking tea, snacking on little cakes. They chatted or read the paper as they enjoyed their breakfast, and the whole scene made Cassie realize how hungry she was.

  Then she spotted the “help wanted” board.

  “I’m going to take a look at that board,” she said. “I’ll take one of those blueberry scones and whatever tea you’re having.”

  Bess gave Cassie a smile and a nod as she headed off to the counter.

  Cassie stepped up to the board and began looking it over. There were a few ads, some for outdoor work she didn’t feel qualified for, and a couple for babysitting gigs, which looked promising.

  But there was one ad that stood out among all the rest. It was a very professional, typed-up note that looked totally different when compared to the mostly handwritten ads.

  It read:

  “WANTED: Highly professional nanny for local fathers. Must be of good character and willing to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Job is to nanny twins while the fathers are busy with work and other affairs. Note that this is a live-in position. All expenses will be covered by clients. Job offers competitive pay and full benefits. Please call…”

  And a number followed. Cassie was confused. “Fathers?” She thought that meant they had to be a homosexual couple—there was no other explanation. But the sign had promised good pay and benefits, which is more than she was expecting.

  She stepped toward the counter where her aunt was in the process of paying for their breakfast.

  “Excuse me,” asked Cassie to the small, elderly man working the counter. “I was looking at the ‘help wanted’ board and noticed there was a posting for a live-in nanny and was wondering if you knew anything about the men who posted it.”

  “Oh,” he said. “You mean the fancy, typed-up one? Yeah, it was some wealthy-looking man in an expensive suit. Put it up yesterday, actually.”

  He then handed over Cassie and Bess’s scones and tea.

  “You think that sounds promising?” asked Bess as she applied a healthy slathering of butter to the scones.

  Cassie watched the steam coil up from the tea.

  “I mean, I’ve done plenty of babysitting work in the past, and something that pays well and has benefits would be incredible.”

  Bess apparently didn’t need to hear another word. She took her phone out of her purse and handed it over to Cassie.

  “Then don’t waste another second; some other less-qualified girl might beat you to the punch.”

  Cassie nodded before taking the phone, stepping back over to the ad. She dialed up the number and waited nervously as the phone rang.

  “Josh Hart speaking,” came the deep, masculine voice on the other end.

  Cassie was a little taken aback at how sexy the man’s voice was, and how much of an effect it had on her with just a couple of words.

  “Hello?” came the voice again on the other end after Cassie failed to say anything. “Is anyone there?”

  “Oh, oh, sorry,” said Cassie. “Hi, my name is Cassie Mayer and I’m calling about the ad you posted in…um, well, I don’t know the name of the shop but it’s a tea place outside of town.”

  “We posted many ads,” he said. “Doesn’t really matter where you found it.”

  His voice was stern and commanding, and Cassie couldn’t help but feel a little intimidated.

  “Oh, okay,” said Cassie.

  “You think you’re qualified for the job?” he asked.

  “I do,” said Cassie. “I..”

  “How old are you?” he asked, cutting her off.

  “Twenty-three.”

  “And do you have any health concerns we ought to know about?”

  Cassie noticed the “we” again. She figured it had to be a gay couple—there was just no other explanation.

  “No,” I said.

  “Well, we’d be giving you a full exam anyway, but we like to make sure, in advance, that there isn’t anything we should know about.”

  He went on.

  “And you have experience?”

  “I do. I babysat all through high school, and I’m very good with kids.”

  Truthfully, Cassie had always felt she was a little awkward with children. She could handle the kids she’d babysat for, but they were all children of family friends. But this man didn’t need to know that.

  Silence followed.

  “Are you available to come to downtown Burlington this afternoon?”

  Cassie was a little shocked by this. They wanted her to come today? Then again, she knew she didn’t have anything better to do.

  “Sure,” I said. “What time?”

  “It’ll be at three o’clock. I’ll text you the address after we get off the phone. Bring a resume and identification. We’re looking for someone to start ASAP, so be prepared if we decide you’re the right person for the job.”

  “Okay!” said Cassie.

  “Until then.”

  Then the line went dead. The phone vibrated seconds later with the address of the place where she was set to meet the men. She didn’t know the city well enough to know for sure, but it looked to be an office downtown.

  Cassie returned to the table where her Aunt Bess sat nibbling on her scone, her expression curious.

  “What happened?” she asked. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost, kid.”

  “They called me in for an interview,” said Cassie. “For today.”

  Bess’s bright blue eyes went wide, and a big smile formed on her face.

  “That’s great!” she said. “You might have a job before the end of the day!”

  “I mean, I don’t want to get too ahead of myself,” Cassie said. “And there was something…strange about the guy on the other end.”

  “Strange? Like how?”

  “Just very serious and very professional,” said Cassie.

  “That’s good, though,” said Bess. “You want someone who takes this all seriously. Did they give you an address?”

  Cassie showed Bess the text.

  “Oh, that’s one of those new towers downtown. Very fancy.”

  “And I need to be there at three.”

  Bess raised her eyebrows again.

  “Then let’s not wait around!”

  Cassie and
Bess took their breakfasts to-go, and quickly made their way back to the house. Cassie realized she didn’t have anything to wear, but after Bess realized they were about the same size, she was able to lend Cassie a professional outfit of gray slacks, a white blouse, and black pumps. Bess helped Cassie put together a resume, and before too long, she was ready to go.

  “Go ahead and take my car,” said Bess. “It’s no problem.”

  Cassie shook her head.

  “Thanks, Aunt Bess, but you’ve done enough already. I need to start being independent, and this is how I’m going to begin.”

  Bess gave her a warm smile.

  “If you insist,” she said. “But at least let me give you a bus map.”

  Bess rooted through a junk drawer in the kitchen, pulling out a bus schedule.

  “Good luck, baby,” said Bess, throwing her arms around Cassie. “I want to know everything about how it went.”

  Cassie gathered her things and started off toward the bus station. After a time, the bus showed up and Cassie climbed on. The ride to downtown Burlington took about thirty minutes, and by the time Cassie was let off in the charming and bustling downtown area, she was feeling a perfect combination of nervous and exited.

  She followed the directions Bess had printed out for her, eventually arriving at a very sleek ten-story office building that looked somewhat out of place among the New England buildings around her.

  Taking a deep breath, her folder with her resume tucked under her arm, Cassie stepped into the building, not sure in the slightest what to expect.

  CHAPTER 4

  CASSIE

  Cassie stepped into the sleek office lobby, her heart racing at the potential of what was to come. In front of her was a pair of stainless steel elevators, and to her left was a well-dressed young woman seated behind a desk. Men and women in business wear zipped here and there. Not sure what to do, Cassie approached the receptionist.

  “Hi,” she said, her voice tinged with anxiety. “My name is Cassie Mayer. I’m here for an appointment with Josh Hart.”

  The receptionist looked over Cassie skeptically for a moment, as if not sure what to make of this girl.

  “You have an interview?” she asked.