I wake up a few hours later to the sound of a baby’s cry. For a second, I don’t remember where I am. I stare blankly at the pristine white ceiling and the expensive-looking light shades. I’m not in my flat, that’s for sure.
There’s another gurgly wail, and it all comes flooding back to me. I sit up, squinting through the dim living room to see Cami, wriggling and red-faced in her carrier.
“Hey, baby,” I mumble, sliding off the sofa and pushing my hair back. “Don’t worry, I’m coming.” As soon as I pick her up, it’s clear what has her so annoyed. I change her nappy quickly, then warm up another bottle. According to the clock on the wall, it’s almost five AM, and dawn is slowly starting to lighten the sky outside the wall-to-ceiling windows. I spin around one of the leather armchairs so I can look out over the view as I feed Cami. She clings to me as she drinks, her tiny hands clutching at Jack’s hoodie.
About halfway through her bottle, I hear a movement, and look up to see Sebastian stepping into the room.
“You’re up early,” I murmur. I’m not surprised. He seems like the kind of guy who wakes up at the crack-ass of dawn to ‘maximise his productivity’. He’s probably already meditated, lifted weights, and drunk a protein smoothie made of raw eggs and kale.
He shakes his head. “Haven’t slept,” he mutters, heading for the kitchenette. I notice that he’s still wearing yesterday’s clothes, the white shirt and silver tie now slightly wrinkled.
I nod, looking down at Cami as she glugs happily away against my chest. “I guess it’s a lot to take in.”
He doesn’t answer. I hear the hiss of a coffee machine starting up. “You want one?” He asks.
“No, thanks.”
Cami finishes eating, and I burp her quickly. Seb moves quietly around the kitchen behind me, rattling cupboards and chinking china. I expect him to go back to his room after he makes his coffee, but instead, he comes and sits on the chair next to mine, looking out over the view.
The sun is slowly rising over the city. I don’t think many people would say London is a particularly beautiful place—when you get out of the touristy parts, it’s mostly just ugly overpriced housing and wet, chewing-gum covered streets—but the morning sunrise softens everything.
“Sorry for just barging in,” I say. “I guess it must be a shock to just find a random woman in your lounge.”
“I knew you were here. I checked in on Cami a few times in the night.”
“Oh.” Cami finishes up her bottle. I pat her back until she lets out a tiny burp, then cuddle her closer. Her tiny lips smack, and she curls up against my chest. “Good girl,” I say quietly. “That’s right, baby. Get some more sleep.”
I glance up to see Sebastian staring right at me. His gaze is so intense I flinch. It’s like his eyes are boring holes into me. “You want to hold her?” I ask. “I can show you how.”
An odd expression crosses his face. He shakes his head. “No,” he says shortly. “You appear to have it covered.”
“Okay.”
He clears his throat. “I’d like to suggest a probationary period of a few days. Name your daily rate, we’ll pay it, and see if you’re a good fit.”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re hired,” he says simply.
“What?” My voice is too loud. Cami mumbles against me, and I sway her gently from side to side until she settles back down.
“Is that a problem?” Seb asks. “You’re a nanny, and you’re unemployed. Do you not want the job?”
I sputter. “I… how do you know I’m unemployed?”
“Aren’t you? I hear you playing music through the floorboards most days. You don’t seem to leave your flat to work.”
My mouth falls open. “You can’t hear my music!”
“You’re a fan of musical theatre, Taylor Swift, and the Spice Girls.” He pauses. “You’re a very… enthusiastic singer.”
My cheeks heat. Oh my God. I thought the ceilings were sound-proofed. “Well, yes,” I stammer. “I am unemployed. But you’re not Alan Sugar. You can’t just say you’re hired. What hours do you want me to work? How much will you pay? How do you want her to be looked after?”
He blinks. “There’s different ways?”
“There’s a million different parenting styles. Usually parents pick one that they like, and then send me, like, a million blog articles about them.”
He shrugs, fixing his cufflinks. “I’m sure you know best. We’ll discuss the details of your employment when I come home this afternoon. I had my assistant order all of the items on your list. They should be here in a few hours.” He glances down at Cami. “For today, I’d like to prioritise her paternity test and immunisations. I’ve called up a private infant doctor, you have an appointment this morning.”
I nod. “Will you all be coming along?”
He frowns. “Why would I come?”
“You might be her father,” I remind him.
“I’m not the father. Can’t you take her alone?”
“It’s probably not a good idea for me to turn up with a random baby, and be like, ‘yeah, I just found this kid. I don’t know anything about her except her name. I swear I didn’t steal her.’”
He hums, looking out over the view. “I’ll call ahead and inform them of the issue. I’m sure a donation to the surgery will make them more sympathetic.”
I choke on my spit. “Even so—she just got here, Sebastian. She’s in a new place with lots of strangers. You should come along and help acclimatise her. Maybe she’ll be calmer with one of you with her.”
He shakes his head. “Ask the others.”
“The others aren’t here.” I point out. “There’s only you.”
Right on cue, there’s a clatter outside the flat door. We both turn to see Cyrus stumbling inside the apartment. His dark hair is ruffled, and he’s still in last night’s clothes. He’s very clearly just rolled out of some girl’s bed.
He pulls up abruptly, eyes widening when he sees me. “Still here, sugar?”
“We had a midnight emergency,” I say drily.
The smile wipes off his face. “What? What’s happened?”
“Jack freaked himself out. Don’t worry. I settled him down, back in his room. He’s sleeping now.”
Cy’s lip twists. He shrugs off his leather jacket. “What about me?” He asks. His voice is huskier than I remember it, like he’s spent all night shouting. “Any chance you could settle me down in my bed, as well?” His eyes run down my front, catching on Jack’s sweatshirt. His eyebrow quirks.
“I’m sure you can manage yourself,” I say sweetly.
Seb nods at Cyrus. “Excellent timing. You’ll go with Beth to Camilla’s doctor’s appointment this morning.”
Cyrus groans, loping over to the kitchen area and pulling out a glass. “I just got in,” he complains, filling it with water and chugging it down in one go.
Seb checks his watch. “The appointment isn’t for six hours. That gives you plenty of time to sleep.” He glances down at the sleeping baby in my arms. “She’s most likely yours, anyway.”
Cy just rolls his eyes. “Whatever. Guess I’ll see you then, sugar.”
