Page 8 of Don’t Fall for the Billionaire

Chapter Eight

Ashton

It was Sunday morning. I got up, put on a pair of sweatpants, and went downstairs to the gym to work out. Wiping my face with a towel, I went upstairs and found Eloise sitting at the island with a bowl of cereal. More cereal made it onto the island than into the bowl, along with the milk.

“Why didn't you come downstairs and tell me you were up? I would have gotten your cereal. You made a mess.”

“You always told me never to bother you while you're working out.” She shrugged.

Letting out a sigh, I grabbed the dishcloth and cleaned up the island.

“I have a date tonight, but Charlotte will be here with you.”

“Of course, you do,” she said, shoving a spoonful of cereal into her mouth.

“What's that supposed to mean, young lady?” I stopped wiping the island and stared at her.

“You're always working or going out.”

“Eloise.” I cocked my head.

“It's the truth, Dad.” She climbed off the stool. “What time will Charlotte be here?”

“I don't know. Sometime this afternoon.”

“Can you call and ask her?”

“No. She'll be here when she gets here. Go upstairs, get dressed, and clean up your room before she comes.”

“Whatever.” She turned and stomped up the stairs.

Shaking my head, I grabbed my phone and called Sylvia.

“Hello, Ashton.”

“Good morning, Sylvia. I wanted to let you know that I've hired a new nanny. She'll be moving into the townhouse this afternoon.”

“That's good. Have you told Eloise?”

“Yes. And she's already spent time with her and really likes her.”

“Good. I can't wait to meet her. What is her name?”

“Charlotte Campbell.”

“Hopefully it works out for both you and Eloise.”

“I'm sure it will. Enjoy the rest of your day. I'll see you tomorrow.”

Just as I ended the call, my phone rang. It was Eloise’s best friend, Kelsey's mother, calling.

“Hello.”

“Ashton, it's Katrina.”

“Hello, Katrina. How are you?”

“I'm fine. Thank you. Would it be all right if our nanny, Madison, dropped Kelsey off at your house to play with Eloise today? My husband and I have a last-minute charity function this afternoon, and Madison has plans. She said she'd only be a few hours and then she'd pick Kelsey up.”

I didn't mind because with Kelsey here, I'd be able to get some work done.

“That's fine, Katrina. I'm home working all day.”

“Excellent. Madison will bring Kelsey by in about an hour.”

“Looking forward to it.”

I set my phone down on the island and went up to Eloise's room.

“Kelsey's mom just called and asked if Madison can drop Kelsey off for the day. I told her it was fine. She'll be here in about an hour.”

“Okay. Thanks, Dad. Hopefully, she'll still be here when Charlotte moves in so she can meet her.”

“I'm sure she will be.” I sighed.

A few hours had passed. While Eloise and Kelsey were in the kitchen eating a snack, the doorbell rang. Walking over to the door, I opened it and saw Charlotte standing on the porch with two large suitcases.

“Come on in.” I smiled, grabbing the handle of one of her suitcases and rolling it inside.

“Charlotte! I knew that was you.” Eloise ran into the foyer and hugged her. “This is my friend, Kelsey. Kelsey, this is my new nanny, Charlotte.”

“It's nice to meet you, Kelsey.” Charlotte extended her hand.

“Nice to meet you, too. Maybe you and my nanny can be best friends.”

“Okay, you two. Go play while Charlotte gets settled,” I said.

We rolled the suitcases into the elevator and took them up to the fifth floor.

“This is your room,” I said, setting the large suitcases on the bed. “After you get settled, come down to my office so we can go over a few things.”

“I can get settled later.” She smiled.

We went into my office, and I gestured for her to take a seat across from my desk.

“I'm going to need your banking information so your checks will be directly deposited into your account every Friday.”

“Okay,” she said, crossing her legs and looking incredibly sexy.

Reaching over, I grabbed a piece of paper and handed it to her.

“That is Eloise's schedule. She attends school Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, she has ballet and hip hop starting at 3:45. On the days she doesn't have dance class, Maura used to take her to the park after school for an hour.”

“How long has she been in school? It's only the second week of September?” Charlotte asked.

“Only a couple of weeks. I was referring to the previous school year.”

I grabbed another piece of paper and handed it to her.

“That is everyone's contact information.

Make sure to store their numbers in your phone.

Syvia is my housekeeper. You'll meet her tomorrow morning.

Dominic's number is also listed, as is the school's, doctor's, dentist's, dance studio's, my office number, and Charlie's.

Just in case there's an emergency and you can't get a hold of me.”

“Shouldn't I always be able to get a hold of you?” Her brow arched.

“Sometimes I'm tied up in meetings.”

“But it doesn't matter. Being a father, you should always have your phone where you can see it in case.”

I inhaled a sharp breath. “Things come up, and I'm not always available. It's your job to look after Eloise and handle any emergencies that arise. I will call the school tomorrow morning and add your name to the list. So, if anything comes up, they'll call you and not me.”

“Okay.” She nodded.

Opening the top drawer of my desk, I pulled out a credit card and handed it to her. “This is for Eloise. If she needs new clothes, personal items, or anything else, she may need. I trust you're responsible with credit cards?”

“Of course.” She flashed a smile.

“I know you don't technically start until tomorrow, but I have plans tonight.”

“Not a problem. That's what I'm here for. What time does Eloise usually get up on school days?” she asked.

“She is to be up at 7 a.m. I usually leave the house at 7:30, and Dominic is back here by 8:30 to drive Eloise to school.”

“Okay. Anything else?”

“Not that I can think of right now. Why don't you get settled? I have to get ready for tonight.” I stood from my seat.

I inhaled a sharp breath as I watched her walk out of my office. She was incredibly beautiful, and I was starting to think I'd made the wrong decision. But I'd finally had my life back, and that was all that mattered.