Page 79 of Unseen Danger
Nannies, on the other hand, weren’t paid enough. From what she could gather from D-Chop’s chatty children, they’d scared off their most recent nanny—something they apparently did a lot—and were very happy without one until the replacement was hired.
Today was Shawnee Blackwell’s first day, and Nevaeh guessed she wouldn’t last many more.
The girl stood off to one side, fingering her beach wave extensions as she stared at her smartphone. She’d apparently given up on trying to be the kids’ new buddy. Buying them a bunch of snacks and junk food only went so far, and D-Chop’s hooligans saw right through the befriending con.
She was obviously too young and inexperienced. Judging from the curves she’d barely squeezed into a tight, super-short skirt and a top with a plunging neckline that left nothing to the imagination, it was obvious D-Chop hadn’t hired her for her childcare qualifications.
“Hey, Nev! Watch this!” Eight-year-old Destiny waved as she bounced high on the trampoline and flipped in the air.
“Cool.” Nevaeh gave a thumbs up.
“I can do that.” Bear, the adorable six-year-old who didn’t seem old enough to be away from his mother so much, brushed against Nevaeh as he ran onto the in-floor trampoline with his sister. He jumped and tried to flip before he got high enough. He tumbled in a somersault instead.
Samson snickered and pointed at his little brother.
“You can do better, Sam?” Nevaeh pushed back on the boy who reminded her of Dawton even though Samson was a year older. He needed to be challenged by someone.
“If I wanted to.” He crossed his arms over his skinny chest, apparently smart enough not to try what he knew he couldn’t do.
“Uh-huh.”
Destiny and stocky little Bear hopped off the trampoline and ran into Nevaeh like she was there just to stop their progress. “Can Al come on the trampoline with us?” Destiny fiddled with Al’s ears as she looked up at Nevaeh.
“I don’t think he’d like that.”
Though he was loving the attention from the kids. Little Bear hung his arms over Al’s back while Destiny’s small hands massaged his face.
The dog’s eyes sagged at the corners, his panting grin a sign of sheer bliss.
Nevaeh laughed. “But he definitely loves you.”
“I love him, too.” Destiny planted a kiss on Al’s broad head.
“Time to go.” Darren’s deep voice came through the earpiece Nevaeh wore. She glanced at him, standing guard at the metal back door they’d entered through.
“Roger that.” She glanced at the nanny. “Miss Blackwell.”
The girl, who probably wasn’t more than nineteen, looked up from her phone.
“Time to take the kids home.”
“Right.” She tucked the phone into her slim purse. “Let’s go, kids.” She headed for the door instead of the children. Like they’d all just follow her.
Nevaeh rolled her eyes.
“Aw, do we have to go?” Samson led the whining Nevaeh had expected.
Destiny and Bear added their own complaints in simpering voices.
“Don’t you want to go with your mom? She’s waiting at the house to pick you up.”
“Not really.”
Rats. That was the motivation Nevaeh had planned to use, but Samson’s answer shot it down. “You want to stay with your dad instead?”
The boy nodded, looking away, his slim jaw set.
Compassion for the kid’s situation made Nevaeh take a second. Her nieces and nephews had the same problem. Wanting to be with their dad, needing two parents who loved them and cared enough to spend time with them.