Barbara McMahon - The Nanny and the Boss's Twins

“Don’t worry, your bachelorhood is safe with me. I have no designs on you.”

She walked down the hall to the next room and opened the door slowly. Peering in, she was enchanted with it. Rose walls, a deep rose carpet and white duvet on the bed made it look fresh and pretty. And pink was her favorite color, in all shades.

She waved to Luis, still standing at his door, watching her, and entered, closing the door behind her. She wasn’t sure whether to be insulted or amused by his comment. Did he have so many women chasing him that he thought all were? Granted, there was that pesky awareness of him as a very virile man that flared every time she saw him, but she’d been around some of the world’s most exciting men—it was a mere aberration. Once she got a good night’s sleep, she’d be back to viewing him merely as the father of her charges.

Time to check out her room for the next three weeks. She noticed her suitcase near the door. When she picked it up, it was too light to contain clothes. Opening the wardrobe, she saw her dresses had been hung up. A quick look in the dresser showed the rest of her things. Nice to be pampered while working, she thought. There was an en suite bath on the side. The huge claw-foot tub dominated the room, but a modern shower was tucked in one corner.

Once showered and in fresh clothes, Stacey went back upstairs to await the boys’ awakening. It would be lunchtime soon, and after they ate, they could go to the beach.

Lunch was served alfresco on the veranda, with bread and cold cuts and spreads suitable for a wide variety of tastes. Stacey prepared sandwiches for herself and the boys and led them to a small table near the gardens. There was a larger table closer to the house, but she thought for this first meal they would feel more comfortable not sitting with strangers. She sat between them, to help when they needed it and to referee if required.

When Abuela Maria came from the house she stopped by the table to ask the boys if they wouldn’t rather eat at the long table set nearby, where Sophia was heading.

Pablo looked at Stacey with stricken eyes.

“I think this would suit us better,” Stacey said, smiling in response to his stricken look. “Once they’re more comfortable with everyone, then I think they’ll fit right in. Maybe in a day or two?”

“Perhaps tomorrow. I want them to enjoy their visit, and want to hear all they’re doing. But children take a little time to adjust,” the older woman said with a smile to her great-grandsons. “We want you to join us as well,” she said to Stacey. With another smile, she went to sit at the larger table with Sophia.

“She talks funny,” Juan said quietly, his eyes still studying his abuela .

“She’s speaking English with a Spanish accent, as a concession to you two who don’t speak Spanish. Maybe you can learn some words in her language while we’re here and surprise her. She’d like that,” Stacey explained. “I’ll teach you, how’s that?”

“I don’t want to learn stuff, I want to play,” Juan said, taking a bite of his sandwich. The he looked up. “Except learn to swim. Daddy said he’d teach me.”

“Ah, nadar ,” Stacey said with a nod.

“Huh?”

“ Nadar is Spanish for to swim. So if you want to do that, you need to say it in Spanish,” Stacey said.

“ Nadar . Can we go after we eat?”

“Sí.”

“See?”

Stacey nodded. “ Sí is Spanish for yes.”

She caught sight of Luis coming from the house. He looked refreshed and amazing in a polo shirt and khaki slacks. Her throat went dry. When he went to the buffet to fill his plate and then went to sit at the main table, it was all she could do to drag her eyes away. She wished she could check her hair, make sure her lipstick was still on.

Placing his plate on the main table, he came over to them.

“Not eating with the rest of us?”

“I thought it best for the boys to get used to things slowly,” she said. “Did you want them there?”

“Not necessarily. I trust your judgment.” He looked at the twins. “And they seem to be doing okay. For a while there I was afraid the entire vacation would be full of complaints and comments about returning home.”

“We’re going to have too much fun to think about returning home. We’re going to la playa after lunch—will you be joining us?”

“I have some work to do. I should warn you, the boys don’t know how to swim.”

“ Nadar , Daddy,” Pablo said. “We’re going to learn to nadar , if we say it in Spanish.”

“Ah, very good. So usted irá a la playa a aprender nadar .”

Juan looked at him in confusion. “What?”

“He said we’ll go to the beach to learn to swim,” Stacey said, smiling at the child. “Your daddy already speaks Spanish. We’ll have to surprise him, too.”

“Aren’t you going to teach me to nadar , Daddy?” Juan asked.

“If I get done with my work today. Otherwise maybe tomorrow,” Luis said.

He returned to the main table. Stacey couldn’t hear the conversation but she could tell from her posture that Maria was scolding her grandson. She hid a grin. The businessman didn’t look like anything could sway him, but for a second she could see the little boy he’d once been, listening respectfully to his abuela .

Luis listened politely to his grandmother chiding him for staying away so long.

“I’m not getting younger, you need to visit more often,” she said in rapid Spanish.

“I have been away too long. But it’s not easy to travel with children.”

“They are old enough now, certainly.” She looked at the boys and her expression softened. “They remind me of you and your sister when you came to visit. I love having children in the house.” She studied the three at the table near the flowers and nodded. “I think they like their nanny very much. But they should be with you. You work too long, this vacation should be about family and not work. Spend time with them, Luis.”

“I will. There are only a few things to see to, then I can. And they have Stacey. She’ll see they have a good visit,” he conceded, looking over. For a moment he wished Stacey had brought them to the main table. He watched as even Pablo seemed captivated by whatever it was she was saying. His shy little boy was warming to the temporary nanny. He hoped both boys enjoyed the visit. He did need to make time for them, but until he could, he was sure they were fine.

The beach was wide and white, the sand fine and clean when the trio headed out after lunch. The Mediterranean Sea stretched as far as the eye could see, various shades of turquoise and blue. A soft breeze blew off the water, keeping the temperature comfortable. One of the servants had set up a wide umbrella for shade, but the two little boys didn’t want to sit in the sand. They raced to the water, and splashed in, stopping when the water reached their knees.

Stacey dropped the towels and ran after them, grabbing a hand each and slowly encouraging them to walk farther into the water. It was shallow and even when they had walked out twenty feet the water was not too deep for the boys. They loved splashing, running to the beach and back into the water.

“I want to swim,” Juan called.

Pablo stopped near Stacey, and reached out to hold her hand. “It’s scary,” he said.

“Only because you don’t know how to swim yet. It’ll be fun. Juan, come here, we’ll begin.”

“Daddy said he’d teach me,” Juan said, standing near the shore studying the water with trepidation.

“When he can, I’m sure he’ll come out with us, but we can get some basics out of the way and surprise him,” she called.