The Billionaire's Nanny

Chapter 21

My eyes flicked from the kids back to the road leading upstate to Maxwell's country club. They seemed really happy and kept pointing at one thing or the other on the highway. Lucas had been quiet through the drive, but I did not miss the way his eyes roamed my body when I was not looking.

"So," I said, desperate to end the awkward silence between us, "Anything I should know about your family?"

"There's a lot you should know," he smiled and turned off the highway into another less busy road, "but I think you would find out more when you meet them. " he tilted his head and thought for a second, "my mom cannot stand cats so don't bring it up. Also she might not like you at first given your um..." he trailed off, eyes boring into me.

"My face?" I completed.

He nodded and turned back to the sterling wheel. "She'll relax when she figures you're not her—or anything like her," he added quickly.

"Okay, so should I expect to receive dirty stares for the first few minutes?"

"Sadly, yes, but I won't let it go further. Also, my brother's wife and daughter would be there too, Zoey is still a toddler, but she's easy to get along with,"

"Your brother is married?" I asked, surprised.

"Yeah, we both married young," he smiled sadly, "I guess he made a better choice."

I chewed on the inside of my cheeks, contemplating what to say to make him feel better, but nothing came up. I just gave him the most reassuring smile I could muster, thankfully we pulled over, successfully ending the conversation before it turned sourer.

The gate opened up on its own after some weird light scanned the car, and Lucas drove into the country club. The second the car stopped the kids jumped out, without waiting for me or Lucas.

"Well, it's going to be a long day," he chuckled as they ran down to the front door in happy giggles.

I gasped in realization as we unbuckled our seatbelts. "What?" he asked in concern.

"We did not bring a gift,"

He just smiled and said, "My parents would not mind, I never bring a gift. I think Aiden and Abigail are enough gifts for them."

"Still, it's a bit rude since it's my first visit." I frowned.

"'I promise it's okay, let's go in." he smiled assuredly.

He led me through the club, and I could not help but gasp at every magnificent piece we passed after the other. The house was just a large as Lucas's, but it had more ornate and detailed designs that looked like they were dated back centuries ago. "I'll bring you on a tour later," he said, seeing how interested I was.

"Oh, you don't have to," I brushed it off with a wave of my hand and a smile.

"I insist." he smiled back.

From the sounds of kids running around, and small chattering, I knew we were close, and for some reason, my nerves shot up at this point. I had not really given it much thought before agreeing to come. I had never been to a real family dinner before, actually, the only thing I knew as a family dinner was dinner shared with my best friend Celine, she was the closest thing I had to family.

I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders, mustering the courage to walk past the door Lucas held open for me. It led to a rooftop garden where everyone waited for us.

The moment we walked through the door, everyone's attention turned to us swiftly, save for the three kids that were running around in a circle. I could have sworn I heard a gasp.

An older woman in a peach cocktail dress, with short blonde hair, was the first to speak. "What the f**k is that b***h doing in my house?" she spat not bothering the contempt and hate spilling from her.

I did expect the glares, but her words came as a total shock, and I swallowed hard to hold back from saying anything yet. At least it was only for the first few minutes.

"Language Martha, the kids are just by the corner," An older man chastised. He stood next to her in a black suit with his hair neatly combed back, in his hand he was holding a glass of wine. He was doing a better job hiding his shock than the rest of his family that stood looking at me mouth agape.

"Mother," Lucas said, placing a warm hand around my shoulder, which did a lot to calm my spiraling nerves. He walked forward and stopped in front of his parents.

"Father, Mother," he held me closer, "this is Christine, she is the kid's Nanny. Chris, meet my parents, Martha and Calvin" His mother's face morphed from hate and disgust to relief in a fraction of a second.

"Hello, it's so nice to meet you," I stretched out a hand, and his father took it and shook it gingerly.

"It's nice to finally meet the infamous Chris," he gave a genuine smile.

"I'm so sorry dear," she reached out and hugged me instead of taking my outstretched hand. "I think I was a little...misinformed."

"I told you they shared a resemblance," Calvin said in a low voice.

"You said resemblance, not a carbon copy," Martha said through a toothed smile.

"That's okay, no offense taken," I said, thankful that that situation was quickly resolved with a simple introduction.

"Are you not going to introduce us?" A woman's voice sounded from behind us.

He turned around without taking his hand off my shoulder, "Hey man," he said to the blonde-haired man standing next to a dark-skinned beautiful woman wearing a sundress.

She gave me a warm smile, and left her husband's grip, then walked to me and Lucas, "Oh my God," she cried, "I can't believe you are real," she took my hand and pulled me in for a hug. "Also," she continued when she released me, "On behalf of me and my dear husband," she gestured to the man behind, "I am truly sorry for gawking at you like that, I was just really surprised."

"Lilian, let her breathe," Lucas teased, and she shot him a sharp glare.

"I think you made up for it with this warm welcome," I smiled.

"Hello, Christine," her husband stepped forward and extended his hand, "I'm Robin, it's nice to finally meet you,"

"Same here," I took his hand and returned his smile. "I think I'm the only one that is unfamiliar with everyone, you all seem to know me,"

"Mia has been crying your praises since you started taking care of the kids," Lilian said.

"Oh," I said, almost surprised, "that's nice,"

A beautiful girl with curly golden hair, and green eyes, waddled toward us from the small circle the kids were playing. She giggled, clapping her baby hands, as she cried, "Luca...Luca,"

Lucas leaned down, and it felt like her feet could not leave the ground fast enough as Lucas lifted her in his arms. With a wide grin, he raised her up, and pretended to drop her but caught her swiftly. Her giggling screams cut through the air as he repeated it a few more times.

"How is my little princess Zoey doing," he held her in his arms and brushed his nose on hers playfully. She held his cheeks in her small hands, following his lead and brushing her nose on his. "I've missed you, your mommy and daddy don't bring you around anymore, they're very mean,"

"Mommy is mean," she mumbled, and it took a few seconds to understand what she said.

"How you always successfully make me the villain every time is beyond me," Lilian, stretched out her hands to take Zoey back.

"Hmm hmm," she shook her head, holding on to Lucas's large shoulders, and Lucas stuck out his tongue in childish mockery.

"And to think that he has two of his own," Robin said laughing.

"Three would not be bad," he shrugged, and placed small kisses all over Zoey's face, making her squeal in delight, "right my princess, I should take you home with me and your cousins,"

"Give me back my baby Lucas," Lilian said in mock annoyance, and stretched to take her again, but she cried out and buried her face in Lucas's neck.

"Okay, okay," Lilian stepped back with her hands up, "Ass," she snorted to Lucas, and Zoey raised her head in imitation, "Ass," she squealed.

"I think we have had enough bad language for one day," Lucas's father said from behind us.

"See what you taught my daughter," Lilian pouted.

"Don't push your dirty work to me," Lucas chuckled, rocking Zoey, who was now resting her face comfortably on his chest.

The group turned back to Martha and Calvin who were now sitting on the rows of seats, facing the view of the land below us. "So Christine," Martha said as she took her seat, she patted the space next to her, and I sat down, while everyone else made their own chit chats.

Lucas had dropped Zoey back down, so she could play with Aiden and Abby, who were busy making something with an Apple at the table that was filled with different fruits, and snacks.

"Please, you can just call me Chris," I said to Martha with a smile.

"That's nice," she crossed her ankles and sat in a poised position. "Tell me, how has it been going with the kids. They aren't too much trouble, are they?"

"No," I waved my hand lightly, "they have been the best in these last few weeks,"

"I think it because you're still on a honeymoon period with them, they can be a handful sometimes," she laughed.

"Oh they are," I admitted, "but I can't complain, they give me just as much joy as the trouble."'

"Wow," she tilted her head and gave me a thoughtful look that made me squirm in my seat. Finally, she just said, 'life is amazing," It felt like she had more to say, but I knew better than to push it further since I knew just what she was thinking. The same thing Lucas must have thought when he saw my face the first time.

"Grammy, grammy," Abby held Zoey's hand in her's and led her to where we sat. Zoey cooed and giggled, following in Abby's steps, until they reached us.

"Yes, my little angels," Matha said and leaned further to listen to them.

"See, Zoey is almost as big as me," Abby said happily.

"She is," Martha and I laughed.

"So can I carry her now," she said with pleading eyes, "you said when she's bigger I can carry her,"

"Oh Hunny," Lillian said as she joined us, "You have to be a lot bigger to be able to carry Zoey,"

"Why," she whined and folded her arms across her chest, Zoey followed too, folding her hands the wrong way, and imitating Abby's sulk

Lilian laughed and pulled both of them closer to her, "that's because if you don't have a strong arm, and you carry her, you might drop her, and she might get really hurt," she explained carefully, "you don't want your baby cousin to get hurt right?"

"No," Abby said, shaking her head.

"I know you're a good little princess, I promise when you're old enough, you will carry her. Now I think Grammy made your favorite cookies, right grammy?" she looked at Martha, willing her to say yes.

"Of course, I can never forget to make cookies for my adorable grandkids," she got to her feet, and carried Zoey, while her other hand held Abby's, then she leads them to the table with Aiden following behind. She took out a few plates, and served each of them, making sure to feed Zoey herself.

Lucas stood on the other side of the room talking to his father and Robin, I could not hear them but I could tell it was a serious conversation, and I had no intention of interrupting. I was pulled out my phone from my purse to see if Celine had replied to my text yet, but Lilian plopped on the chair next to me and gave a sheepish smile.

I smiled back at her and put my phone back in my purse. "So tell me, how have the kids been, not too much trouble I hope,"

I smiled and gave her the same answer I gave Martha earlier. She seemed genuinely surprised to hear that I loved to be around the kids.

"You're so much different from her," she finally said and breathed a sigh of relief like she had been holding it in all morning.

"Sarah?"

"Yeah, apart from your different dress sense—which I think is absolutely fab," she smiled, but her face soon turned sad again, "she was not a kids person, she did not like them even in the slightest."

"She must have had her reasons," I said, trying to keep my voice neutral, to hide the anger that was building in me at the reminder of what she did to Lucas and the twins.

"She was a model, still is, a full-body model," her eyes were distant, and she forced a toothed smile.

"She must have been very beautiful," I said drily.

"Look in the mirror, and you would find out just how much." I could not help but snicker at the thought of me looking anything like a model.

"Wow I never knew our resemblance ran so deep," I admitted, "you two must have been close."

"We were," she said quickly, "but it was her choice to turn her back on such a beautiful family, her loss actually."

"I think so too,"

"I hope you do not make the same choice. Mia told me about your interview, and I must say I am so proud of you for making such a commitment,"

"The kids only make it easier every day,"

She gave a mischievous smile and leaned down to whisper, "also, Mia gave me the responsibility of handling Lucas while she's away, so whenever he's being an ass, I'm only a call away."

"He's been a good boy lately," I chuckled, and my eyes searched the room for Lucas. He was still talking to his father and brother, but his eyes were all over me, and I gave a shy smile before turning back to Lilian.

Her phone chimed, and she grinned as she saw who it was. "Speak of the devil." she typed a short message and sent it to Mia.

"Hey, since everyone is so occupied," her eyes roamed the room, Martha was sitting on the lounge chair with the kids, and from the laughs and giggles, I could tell they would be there for a while, the men were still busy talking, "would you like to help Mia choose her wedding dress?"

"I thought she was still in London,"

"She is, that's why there's a video call option," she smiled and waved her phone. "I'm going to the living room away from the prying eyes of everyone else wanna come?"

"Hell yeah!"