Silver Fox and the Nanny

Silver Fox and the Nanny Brooklyn Cox Copyright Copyright © 2023 by Brooklyn Cox All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. Contents 1. Chapter 1 2. Chapter 2 3. Chapter 3 4. Chapter 4 5. Chapter 5 6. Chapter 6 7. Chapter 7 8. Chapter 8 9. Chapter 9 10. Chapter 10 11. Chapter 11 12. Chapter 12 13. Chapter 13 14. Chapter 14 15. Chapter 15 16. Chapter 16 17. Epilogue Chapter 1 Chapter 1The last box was packed into the truck, and in the blink of an eye, my best friend Caroline was completely moved out of the small apartment we had been sharing. We had been friends since kindergarten when she kicked a ball at my face during recess, after which I tackled her. Despite the initial scuffle, we became fast friends and have remained that way ever since. I moved in with her a little over three months ago, aiming to take over her lease after she finished the purchase of her new house. It had been fun living with my best friend for a little while, but I wouldn’t miss her coming home at four in the morning every weekend. “I’m really glad we were able to do this before I moved. Remember – you only have six months until the lease is renewed, so start thinking about where you want to go next. I know you don’t like to plan ahead.” Caroline smiled as she said it, shutting the door of the moving truck. She handed over a fluffy bear keychain with a single key on it and patted me on the back. I almost rolled my eyes in amusement at the keychain. She had always been a fan of those kitschy knick-knacks that inevitably ended up collecting dust.“Thanks for this, Car.” I took the key and shoved it in my back pocket, making a mental note to change the keychain out as soon as I could. Caroline gave a simple shrug and shuffled through her purse. “Of course, Thea. You’re my friend.” Caroline turned around to face me again. “Also, I got you an interview with my old boss, Mr. Hale. I know I haven’t talked about him much, but that's the way Mr. Hale prefers it. It’s in the hiring paperwork – you’ll see. It’s not a hard job, though. Max is such an adorable and fun kid.” She handed me a simple, black card with silver lettering. On the back was a time and date followed by an address. It was an address in the business district, only a twenty-minute drive from my new apartment. Even though we were best friends, Caroline never gave specifics about her job, so this came as a surprise. All I knew was that she was a nanny but was going to have to give up her position because her new home was too far. That and the building she worked in had what she described as a “million stairs.” The latter likely had more to do with her hatred of elevators than anything else, though. “I can’t keep saying thank you so much,” I joked, taking the card slowly. It seemed surreal. I hadn’t told her that I had almost completely drained my savings account from paying rent and groceries, but it was as if she already knew. It likely wasn’t hard to tell given that I had been unemployed since I moved to this side of town. Money was running out faster than I thought it would, even with Caroline helping with the rent. Caroline was a true mother hen, always intuiting what her friends needed, often before they realized it themselves. It was one of the things that drew me to her and kept us close over the years. “No need to thank me. Just don’t be late. He has a huge thing about being on time. Mr. Hale is a little strict. – I guess that’s the best word for it. Just be on your best behavior. I’ll see you later.” She got in the truck and started it up. With a wave, I was officially on my own. ~I could feel my hands shaking as I sat in the lobby of Hale Contracting and Design. When I arrived, I almost thought I was in the wrong place. The marble floors of the lobby and the poised receptionist contrasted with all the stories Caroline told me of her workday before. Yet, the name matched the slim writing on the front of the card. Under it was a single name: Spencer Hale, CEO & Lead Designer.“Ms. Delgado?” I nearly jumped as my name was called from across the room and shoved the card back into my pocket. The slim brunette receptionist was standing in front of the desk now, tapping her foot impatiently as I quickly gathered my bag and walked over. She led me through the halls until we reached a sleek, gray door. There was no nameplate, but it was clear who the office belonged to. The receptionist gave a quick knock on the door before opening it. My jaw dropped when I saw the spectacular office. It was spacious with floor-to-ceiling windows that gave a beautiful view of the city. I was so distracted by the view that I didn’t notice the man sitting at the desk angled in the far corner. The only things on the desk were a stack of folders, a laptop, and a cup of pens. Otherwise, the entire office was clean and spare, almost as if he had just moved into it. Given the impressive digs, I doubted that was the case.“Ms. Delgado, I presume? Caroline has told me a lot about you.” Mr. Hale began to rifle through the folders on the desk before pulling out a small packet. It looked to be a short resume, though I was unsure how he