Page 11

CHAPTER 11

CASSIE

T his week has been a whirlwind of getting everything on my to-do list accomplished and going on two of the three interviews Mrs. Harper had lined up for me. The first interview was with a personal assistant to a famous musician. They wanted me to go on tour with them and that was an easy pass. While some might think touring sounds glamorous and exciting, I have no desire to travel every week to a different city, live in and out of suitcases and hotels, and think of ways to entertain two young children while on the road. Thanks, but no thanks.

The second interview was with a neurosurgeon and while I thought the interview went great, apparently my age was an issue for him, since he told Mrs. Harper I was too young and didn’t have enough experience. Today is my third interview and the only thing Mrs. Harper has told me so far is that it’s another athlete who is a single father. I’m supposed to call Mrs. Harper on my way to the interview for more details.

I check myself out in the mirror and debate whether or not I should change again for the umpteenth time. I always make sure I dress up and look professional, but I just don’t feel like myself in my interviewing clothes. I’m wearing a sleeveless, fit and flare, houndstooth plaid dress with a black cardigan to cover my arms and black ballet flats. My hair is pulled back in a ponytail and I’m wearing minimalistic make-up and jewelry.

“Gah, just get on with it, Cassie,” I mutter to myself in frustration and decide what I’m wearing is fine. I spray on some perfume, grab my tote bag and leave for the interview.

Once I get into my car, I enter the address I was given into navigation. I’m happy to see it’s only fifteen minutes away from my dad’s house and appears to be close to the universities in midtown. I pull out of my driveway and when I get on the road, I call Grace’s mom.

“Okay, Cassie, let’s go over the final details that I can now reveal to you. The family you’re meeting today is the McNeer family. Does that last name ring a bell to you?” she asks.

I frown at the name being unfamiliar. “No, it doesn’t. Should it?”

“Only if you like country music and follow baseball.”

“That would be a no to both,” I answer with a laugh. “Is that going to be a problem?”

“It shouldn’t be. If anything, I think they will like that you don’t know who they are. Gunnar McNeer plays professional baseball for the Tennessee Terrors and is the father you will be interviewing with, but only if his sister-in-law, Alyson McNeer, likes you. She will be the one you meet with first and if you get the job, she will be one of your main points of contact when Mr. McNeer is out of town. Her husband, Gavin, is a famous country music singer and songwriter.”

Now that she’s said his name, it does sound vaguely familiar, but only because I’ve heard his brother mentioned on the radio.

“If Mrs. McNeer thinks you are suitable for the job, she will then have you meet with Mr. McNeer.” She pauses and I can hear the sound of papers rustling. “Do you have any other questions?”

“Since I’ve never watched a baseball game in my life, how does their schedule differ from hockey?”

“Baseball has more games than hockey. I’m pretty sure it’s almost double.”

“ Double? ” I question in shock because that just doesn’t seem possible.

“Yes, a regular season in baseball has one-hundred and sixty-two games compared to hockey’s regular season of eighty-two games. That doesn’t include spring training and post-season either.”

That many games hurt my brain. “So he will be on the road a lot then?”

“Yes. You would be a full-time, live-in nanny and your days off will be sporadic due to his schedule. Because he’s a single father, you will be compensated very well for your time and help. Even more than what you made with your last family.”

That’s music to my ears. “Will I be dealing with the child’s mother at all for the days she has custody?”

“Mr. McNeer has full custody of his child, and I was told the only other person you will be in contact with is Alyson McNeer and some other members of his family.”

My mind can’t help but wonder what kind of woman the child’s mom is for him to get full custody. Either she’s a career driven woman who didn’t make the time to share custody or she has addiction issues. Whatever the case may be, it’s none of my business unless Mr. McNeer wants to tell me.

“One other thing I need to warn you about,” she says and I stiffen in my seat due to the tone of her voice. “Gunnar and Gavin McNeer are big names in their respective industries, so you might come in contact with some unwanted visitors.”

I groan, knowing exactly what she’s referring to. She’s warning me that I might be dealing with either paparazzi or psychotic fans, usually the female kind who are determined to bag a celebrity.

“Noted, thanks for the warning. Anything else I need to know? I’m almost at their house.” I glance at the navigation and it says I’m two minutes away from my destination.

“I think that’s all for now. Just be yourself and they’re going to love you like we all do.”

I smile at the warmness in her voice. “Thanks, Mrs. Harper, and thank you again for setting up these interviews for me.”

“You’re most welcome. Go kick butt and call me later.”

I end the call and a minute later, I arrive at my destination. I double-check the address just to make sure I’ve got the right house because this is not at all what I would expect for a famous baseball player to live in. It’s an adorable two-story brick house that appears older and looks as if it has been remodeled. What surprises me the most is the lack of security. There was no community gate to get into the neighborhood and there’s no gate protecting the house either. There’s just a white picket fence as the first line of defense. Most athletes that I’ve come across, which have only been hockey players, either lived in gated communities or high-rise apartment buildings and condos that have front desk security that visitors or guests have to check-in with.

I turn off my engine and check my reflection in the rearview mirror. I examine my teeth to make sure they’re clear of food and apply my lipstick. I throw it back in my purse, take a deep breath, and count to ten.

You’ve got this, Cassie. Just be yourself.

Once my mental pep talk is done, I get out of my car, shut the door and head up the walkway to the front door. I ring the doorbell and within a few seconds, a beautiful brunette with the cutest baby bump answers.

“Hello!” I greet with a wave and a smile. “I’m Cassie Warner. I’m here to interview for the nanny position.”

“Hi, Cassie! I’m Aly McNeer, Gunnar’s sister-in-law.” She offers me her hand that I immediately shake. “Please come in.” She turns to the side and stretches out her arm, indicating for me to enter. I walk in and take in my surroundings.

A candle is burning in the distance that makes the whole place smell of citrus and vanilla. The house is deceivingly bigger than what its outside appearance perceives one to believe. The front hallway is long and leads into an open concept living room, dining room, and kitchen.

“Please, come this way.” She walks me to the dining room and motions for me to take a seat. “Would you like something to drink?”

I shake my head. “I’m fine, thank you.”

“No problem.” She sits down and examines the papers in front of her. “I reviewed your résumé and it’s nice to see that you’ve worked with a family in sports before. I called Marissa Fitzgerald and she raved about you. Can you tell me a little bit about your time with them and what it entailed?”

“Sure.” I nod and clear my throat. “As you know, Mr. Fitzgerald is a professional hockey player so my main focus was helping Mrs. Fitzgerald with their children during hockey season, especially when he was on the road. When I first started off with them, they only had one child, so I was more of a part-time nanny. When they welcomed their second child, I became full-time. I lived with them during his road trips and stayed overnight if they had any special events that they needed a sitter for.”

“Would you go to any of his home games?” Aly asks after she writes down some notes on her papers.

“I did attend many home games, but not all due to the baby. The ones I did attend, we would often leave during the second intermission if it was a night game. If it was an early afternoon game, we would stay for its entirety and go out to dinner after.”

She chuckles. “Got to love those afternoon games.” Afternoon games were my favorite, but they are few and far between in hockey. “What about during the off-season?”

“If they stayed in Nashville, then I worked for them full-time. If they went home to Canada, then I was off. Sometimes I would go on vacation with them, but never to Canada since they had family there to help them.”

She nods while writing everything down and once she’s done, she looks up and smiles at me.

“Excellent, so your past experience is somewhat similar to what my brother-in-law needs, but he needs a full-time, live-in nanny, even when he’s home. He’s a single father, so there will be no one else living here to help him. Were you made aware of that?”

“Yes,” I nod with a smile. “That won’t be a problem.”

“Great. Now, tell me what your days off were with the Fitzgeralds during the season?”

“There were barely any home games on Fridays and Sundays, so those were my consistent days off when he was home. But if he was leaving for a road trip or did have a game, then we would negotiate different days during that week. Those were few and far between though.”

“Unfortunately, baseball’s schedule is more inconsistent than hockey’s. I think it’s going to be difficult for you to have designated days off during Gunnar’s season. If you get the job, that’s something that you and Gunnar will work out. My husband and I will help out whenever he needs it during your days off.”

I love seeing how involved they are in his life. “I understand that there might be some weeks where I have no days off and I’m fine with that.”

She shakes her head. “That won’t happen. You deserve your days off. We will take our niece on those days.”

“It’s really great to see how close you all are. Some family dynamics are not like that.” I think back to my own childhood when my father was left alone to take care of me while my mother was out partying and staying out until the early hours of the next day. If she came home at all. “Your niece is a lucky girl to have an aunt and uncle who love her so much.”

“We’re really excited that they’re here in Nashville. Gunnar is an amazing father, but his parents were his support system back in Texas and while we will try to help out as much as we can, we have our own growing family as well.” Her mentioning Texas takes my mind back to Lewis and I wonder if they are both from the same area. What if they know each other?

Focus, Cassie! Do not think of Lewis. He probably doesn’t even know the McNeers; the state of Texas is big!

“Not to mention,” Aly continues talking. “When Gavin tours, we go on the road with him. He’s actually currently on the road right now and our son and I flew back here this week to help Gunnar with these interviews.” She stops and gives me a questioning look. “Wait, were you even aware of who my brother-in-law was before today?”

“No, I had no idea until—” I quickly glance at my watch and calculate the time.”—thirty minutes ago who Gunnar McNeer was.” She laughs and I sag my shoulders in relief that she doesn’t seem mad about that. “I also have no clue who your husband is either. I’m sorry, but I’m not a huge fan of sports or country music. I hope that doesn’t offend anyone or disqualify me for the job.”

She waves her hand and rolls her eyes. “Trust me, it offends no one. In fact, it will help keep my husband’s ego in check.” We both laugh and I really like Alyson McNeer. She seems intelligent, kind, and genuine. “Gunnar absolutely despises being in the public eye but loves giving back to the community. That, along with being a kick-ass baseball player, makes him a fan favorite. It’s fine that you had no idea who he was, but I must warn you, you might have to deal with some enthusiastic fans. I’m assuming you’re used to that?”

“Yes, Mr. Fitzgerald has his share of, um, ‘loyal’ fans.” I use air quotes when I say loyal and she giggles, knowing exactly what I mean by that.

“I’ll be honest with you; I do worry about them being here in this house with the lack of security. This was actually my old house before I met Gavin and we kept it as an investment property. Gunnar only has one year left on his contract the Terrors took over so who knows where he might be next year.”

“So, wait, this move might not even be long term?” I question and immediately feel disappointed when she nods. I don’t know if I want to take a job that might only be for a year.

“Because of the uncertainty of where he will be next year, he doesn’t want to commit to a house, which is understandable. We’ll see how long it takes for the neighborhood to figure out they have a future hall of fame baseball player as their neighbor and how they handle it. Are you from the area?”

“Born and raised, so I know the locals usually don’t bother the celebrities.”

She nods. “That’s right and we’re so thankful for that, but living in my gated community with our security does give me peace of mind. Due to his schedule, he won’t be around much, so hopefully no one will notice.” She sighs and takes a deep breath. “Do you have any other questions for me?”

“As of right now, no.”

“Okay, well, let me tell you a little bit about Izzy.” I perk up in my chair, excited to hear about her. “Her full name is Isabella, but we all call her Izzy. She’s five years old and the cutest child outside of my own.” She laughs and I love how her eyes light up when she talks about Izzy.

“She’s a sweet, funny, precocious child. For the most part, she listens and does what she’s told, but lately it seems like she’s having a hard time not seeing Gunnar like she normally does during the season. My in-laws have told me she’s been acting out lately.”

“I feel that’s normal under the circumstances she’s currently in,” I tell her. “She’ll get better once she’s here with him and has a consistent routine.”

“Exactly. Kids need structure and her daddy is her security. She’s a very smart little girl, who loves arts and crafts and prefers to be outdoors.”

“Those are two of my favorite things as well, so it sounds like she and I will become best friends.”

“Walk me through what a typical week would be like for you and Izzy when Gunnar is on the road,” Aly asks, and I reach in my bag and take out a mock schedule that I had prepared. Her eyes light up as I go through each day and I’m relieved to see she’s impressed with my schedule.

“Will Izzy be starting school in the fall?” I inquire, because that will change what our daily routine will look like.

Aly looks stumped and takes a moment before she answers. “That’s a great question. I don’t think Gunnar has had a chance to think about what he wants to do when school starts in August. If they were still back in Texas, she would be attending private school, but he might decide to hold her back for a year to wait and see where they end up.”

“That’s understandable. Regardless, I’ll plan on including daily teachings of what she needs to know for kindergarten.”

“Wonderful! I know Gunnar will be very happy to hear this. Did you homeschool with your other family?”

“No, they weren’t of age yet, but Luna was a super bright child for a four-year-old and already knew most of the required sight words for kindergarten. We read a lot, and she was great with memorization. I just feel any way we can get ahead makes it easier on the child when they transition to school. It’s also a great opportunity to discover if the child has any learning disabilities so we get them the help they need before starting school.”

“I one hundred percent agree with you. So far, my mother-in-law has been working closely with her and doesn’t see anything of concern.” She looks down at her notes and then back up at me. “I think that’s all I have at the moment. What other questions do you have for me?”

I pull out the list of questions I wrote down and quickly check off the ones she already answered. “Do Izzy and Mr. McNeer have any dietary restrictions or are they allergic to anything I need to be made aware of?”

Aly shakes her head. “Neither one of them have any known allergies.”

“That’s great, it makes things easier for me.” I quickly scan down my list and check off the other questions she answered. “I think you’ve answered all my questions so far.”

She claps her hands. “Wonderful. Well then, I think it’s time for you to meet Gunnar. Let me just tell him I’m bringing you into his office to meet him.” I put my questions away while she types on her phone. I’m relieved to see I passed her test and am moving on to the next part of the interview, which will be the hardest part.

“He’s ready for us, so please follow me.” We get up from our chairs and I follow her out of the dining room. My palms start to sweat, and I wipe them down my dress. I’m nervous to meet who I’m hoping is my future employer. I can only pray that he likes me enough to hire me.

She stops in front of a black door, looks back at me with a smile and knocks. I hear a husky voice tell us to come in. She slowly turns the knob and opens the door. I follow her in with a big smile on my face.

Then I see who Gunnar McNeer is and feel like I was just suckered punched in the gut. This might be the cruelest joke that’s ever been played on me.

Fuck you, Fate.