Prince Daddy & the Nanny

Chapter Three

Well, that hadn’t gone quite as she’d expected, Hannah thought as she exited Prince Michael’s office. And she couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed, not just with their meeting but in the man himself. She’d thought he might want to talk to her about Riley’s favorite activities at the beach, give her some suggestions on how to keep the little girl busy and happy, but she’d gotten the impression he only wanted her to keep the child occupied and out of his way.

As she made her way down the hall in search of the princess, she realized that she’d never actually seen him with his daughter. The first time she’d met Riley—the day of the ice cream mishap at the art gallery—the little girl had been in the care of her nanny. When Hannah had arrived at the prince’s house to interview for the position, Riley had been out with Brigitte. She’d gone back for a second visit, to spend some time with the child so that she wouldn’t be a complete stranger to her when she showed up at Cielo del Norte, but she hadn’t seen the prince at all on that occasion.

Now he was in his office, and the princess was apparently somewhere else in this labyrinth of rooms preparing for a piano lesson. Did they always lead such separate lives? Did the prince really intend to spend most of his supposed holiday at his desk?

Once she’d gotten over her wariness about taking a job for which she had no experience, she’d actually found herself looking forward to spending the summer with the young princess. She’d imagined that they would play in the water and have picnics on the beach. She hadn’t anticipated that the little girl wouldn’t have time for fun and frivolity. Yes, she’d been born royal and would someday have duties and obligations as a result, but she wasn’t even four years old yet.

Brigitte had made a point of telling Hannah—several times—that Riley was an exceptionally bright and gifted child who was already reading at a second-grade level—in French. She’d encouraged the young princess to demonstrate her talents at the piano, and Riley had done so willingly enough. Hannah couldn’t help but be impressed, but in the back of her mind, she wondered why the child didn’t seem happy.

Somehow that question had Hannah thinking about what she’d been doing as a four-year-old. Her own childhood had hardly been traditional, but it had been fun. In whatever village had been their current home, she’d always had lots of local children to play with. She’d raced over the hills and played hide-and-seek in the trees. She’d gone swimming in watering holes and rivers and streams. She’d created rudimentary sculptures out of riverbank clay and built houses and castles from mud and grass.

Her parents had never worried about the lack of formal education, insisting that the life skills she was learning were far more important than reading and writing. While the teacher in her cringed at that philosophy now, she did understand the importance of balance between life and learning.

At the princess’s age, she’d picked up some words and phrases in Swahili and Hausa and Manyika, enough to communicate with the other kids on a basic level; Riley was studying French, Italian and German out of textbooks. And whereas Hannah had learned music by banging on tribal drums or shaking and rattling dried seed pods, Riley had lessons from professional instructors.

She could hear the piano now, and followed the sound of the sharp, crisp notes to the music room to find the prince’s daughter practicing scales on a glossy white Steinway.

She was sitting in the middle of the piano bench, her feet—clad in ruffled ankle socks and white patent Mary Janes—dangling several inches above the polished marble floor. Her long, dark hair was neatly plaited and tied with a pink bow. Her dress was the same shade of cotton candy, with ruffles at the bottoms of the sleeves and skirt. The housekeeper was in the corner, dusting some knickknacks on a shelf and surreptitiously keeping an eye on the princess.

The soaring ceiling was set off with an enormous chandelier dripping with crystals, but the light was unnecessary as the late-morning sun spilled through the tall, arched windows that faced the ocean. The other walls were hung with gorgeous woven tapestries, and while Hannah guessed that their placement was more likely for acoustics than aesthetics, the effect was no less breathtaking.

Suddenly, the fingers moving so smoothly over the ivory keys stopped abruptly. Riley swiveled on the bench, a dark scowl on her pretty face. “What are you doing in here?”

“Hello, Riley,” Hannah said pleasantly.

“What are you doing in here?” the princess asked again.

“I wanted to hear you practice.”

“I like to be alone when I practice,” she said, demonstrating that she’d inherited her father’s mood as well as his dark eyes.

Hannah just shrugged, refusing to let the little girl’s attitude affect her own. “I can wait in the hall until you’re finished.”

“I have my French lesson after piano.”

Hannah referred to the schedule she’d been given, which confirmed Riley’s statement. “I’ll see you at lunch, then.”

The princess’s nod dismissed her as definitively as the prince had done only a few minutes earlier.

On her way out, Hannah passed the piano teacher coming in.

The older woman had a leather bag over her shoulder and determination in her step. Clearly she had a purpose for being here. Hannah had yet to figure out her own.

The conference call that Michael had rescheduled came through at precisely eleven o’clock and concluded twenty minutes later. A long time after that, he was still struggling to accept what he’d learned about Miss Castillo—high school teacher turned temporary nanny.

Phillip Marotta had said only that she was a teacher; Michael had assumed that meant she had experience with children. Because he trusted the royal physician implicitly, he had taken the doctor’s recommendation without question. Apparently he should have asked some questions, but he acknowledged that the mistake had been his own.

Still, despite the new nanny’s apparent lack of experience, he knew that the doctor had stronger reasons than nepotism for suggesting his niece for the job. And from what Brigitte had told him, Riley seemed to accept her easily enough. Of course, his daughter had had so many doctors and teachers and instructors in and out of her life that she accepted most newcomers without any difficulty.

So why was he uneasy about Miss Castillo’s presence at Cielo del Norte? Was he really concerned about Riley—or himself?

When Sam died, he’d thought he would never stop grieving the loss. He was certain he would never stop missing her. But over the years, the pain had gradually started to fade, and Riley’s easy affection had begun to fill the emptiness in his heart. He’d been grateful for that, and confident that the love of his little girl was enough.

He didn’t need romance or companionship—or so he’d believed until Hannah walked into his life. But he couldn’t deny that the new nanny affected him in a way that no woman had done in a very long time.

A brisk knock at the door gave him a reprieve from these melancholy thoughts.

“Lunch will be served on the terrace as soon as you’re ready,” Caridad told him.

He nodded his thanks as he checked his watch, surprised that so much time had passed. Twenty minutes on the phone followed by an hour and a half of futile introspection. Maybe he did need a vacation.

The housekeeper dropped a quick curtsy before she turned back toward the door.

“Caridad—”

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“What is your impression of Miss Castillo?”

Her eyes widened. “I’m not sure I understand why you’d be asking that, sir.”

“Because I value your opinion,” he told her honestly. “During the summers that I spent here as a kid, you were always a lot more of a mother to me than my own mother was—which makes you Riley’s honorary grandmother and, as such, I’d expect you to have an opinion of her new nanny.”

“We’ve only spoken briefly, sir, I’m certainly not in any position—”

“Quick first impressions,” he suggested.

“Well, she’s not quite what I expected,” Caridad finally admitted.

“In what way?”

“She’s very young and … quite attractive.”

He didn’t think Hannah was as young as Brigitte’s twenty-four years, though he could see why the housekeeper might have thought so. Brigitte had dressed more conservatively and she hadn’t been nearly as outspoken as the doctor’s niece.

“Not that Brigitte wasn’t attractive,” she clarified. “But she was more … subtle.”

She was right. There was absolutely nothing subtle about Hannah Castillo. While she certainly didn’t play up her natural attributes, there was something about her—an energy or an aura—that made it impossible for her to fade into the background.

“But I’m sure that neither her age nor her appearance has any relevance to her ability to do her job,” she hastened to add.

No—the most relevant factor was her employment history, which he decided not to mention to the housekeeper. No doubt Caridad would wonder how he’d ended up hiring someone with a complete lack of experience, and he was still trying to figure that one out himself.

“If I may speak freely …” Caridad ventured.

“Of course,” he assured her.

“You should spend more time around young and beautiful women and less behind your desk.”

“Like the young and beautiful woman you ‘hired’ to help in the kitchen when you sprained your wrist last summer?” he guessed.

“I wasn’t sure you’d even noticed,” she admitted.

“How could I not when every time I turned around she was in my way?” he grumbled good-naturedly.

“Maybe she was a little obvious, but I thought if I had to hire someone, it wouldn’t hurt to hire someone who might catch your eye.”

“Caridad,” he said warningly.

“Your daughter needs more than a nanny—she needs a mother.”

The quick stab that went through his heart whenever anyone made reference to Samantha’s passing—even a reference as veiled as Caridad’s—was no longer a surprise, and no longer quite so painful.

“And in a perfect world, she would still have her mother and I would still have my wife,” he stated matter-of-factly. “Unfortunately, this is not a perfect world.”

“Four years is a long time to grieve,” she said in a gentler tone.

“When Sam and I got married, I promised to love her forever. Is that time frame supposed to change just because she’s gone?”

“Unless your vows were different than mine, they didn’t require you to remain faithful forever but only ‘till death do us part.’“

“Could you ever imagine loving anyone other than Estavan?” he countered.

“No,” she admitted softly. “But we have been together forty-one years and I am an old woman now. You are still young—you have many years to live and much love to give.”

He glanced at the calendar on his desk. “I also have another quick call to make before lunch.”

“Of course, Your Highness.” She curtsied again, but paused at the door. “I just have one more thing to say.”

He knew it was his own fault. Once he’d opened the door, he had no right to stop her from walking through. “What is it?”

“No one questions how much you loved your wife,” she told him. “Just as no one would raise an eyebrow now if you decided it was time to stop grieving and start living again.”

He hadn’t been with anyone since Sam had died, almost four years ago. And he hadn’t been with anyone but Sam for the fourteen years before that. He’d loved his wife for most of his life. After meeting her, he’d never wanted anyone else—he’d never even looked twice at any other woman.

But Caridad was right—Hannah Castillo was beautiful, and he’d found himself looking at her and seeing not just his daughter’s new nanny but a desirable woman.

Thankfully the buzz of his BlackBerry prevented him from having to respond to the housekeeper. Acknowledging the signal with a nod, she slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Michael picked up the phone, forcing all thoughts of Hannah from his mind.

Lunch for the adults was pan-seared red snapper served with couscous and steamed vegetables. For Riley, it was chicken nuggets and fries with a few vegetables on the side. She eagerly ate the nuggets, alternately played with or nibbled on the fries and carefully rearranged the vegetables on her plate.

Throughout the meal, Hannah was conscious—almost painfully so—of the prince seated across the table. She’d pretty much decided that she didn’t really like him, at least not what she’d seen of him so far, but for some inexplicable reason, that didn’t stop her pulse from racing whenever he was near. Remnants of her childhood crush? Or the shallow desires of a long-celibate woman? Whatever the explanation, the man sure did interfere with her equilibrium.

Thankfully, he paid little attention to her, seeming content to make conversation with his daughter. Hannah found it interesting to observe their interaction, noting how alive and animated the princess was with her father. Certainly there was no evidence of the moody child who had banished her from the music room earlier.

“Is there something wrong with your fish?”

Hannah was so caught up in her introspection that it took her a moment to realize that the prince had actually deigned to speak to her. She looked down at her plate now, startled to notice that her meal had barely been touched.

“Oh. No.” She picked up her fork, speared a chunk of red snapper. “It’s wonderful.”

“Are you not hungry?”

She was hungry. The muffin and coffee that had been her breakfast en route were little more than a distant memory, and the meal the housekeeper had prepared was scrumptious. But not nearly as scrumptious as the man seated across from her—

She felt her cheeks flush in response to the errant thought. “I’m a little nervous,” she finally admitted.

“About seafood?”

The teasing note in his voice surprised her, and the corners of her mouth automatically tilted in response to his question. “No. About being here … with you.”

“With me,” he echoed, his brows drawing together. “Why?”

“Because you’re a prince,” she admitted. “And I’m not accustomed to dining with royalty.”

“I’m a princess,” Riley interjected, lest anyone forget her presence at the table.

“It’s only a title,” her father told both of them.

“That’s easy to say when you’re the one with the title,” Hannah noted.

“Maybe,” he agreed. “But the matter of anyone’s birthright seems a strange reason to miss out on a delicious meal.”

She scooped up a forkful of vegetables, dutifully slid it between her lips. “You’re right—and it is delicious.”

She managed to eat a few more bites before she noticed the princess was yawning. “Someone looks like she’s ready for a nap,” she noted.

“I don’t nap,” Riley informed her primly. “I have quiet time.”

“Right, I saw that on the schedule,” Hannah recalled, noting that Brigitte had indicated “nap” in parentheses.

And then, as if on schedule, the little girl yawned again.

“I think you’re ready for that quiet time,” the prince said, glancing at his watch.

His daughter shook her head. “I want ice cream.”

He hesitated.

“Please, Daddy.” She looked up at him with her big brown eyes.

“Actually, Caridad said something about crème caramel for dessert tonight,” he said, attempting to put off her request.

“I want ice cream now,” Riley insisted.

“One scoop or two?” Caridad asked, clearing the luncheon plates from the table.

“Two,” the princess said enthusiastically. “With chocolate sauce and cherries.”

The housekeeper brought out the little girl’s dessert, but as eagerly as the child dug in to her sundae, Hannah didn’t believe she would finish it. Sure enough, Riley’s enthusiasm began to wane about halfway through, but she surprised Hannah by continuing to move her spoon from the bowl to her mouth until it was all gone.

“Could I please have some more?” Riley asked when Caridad came back out to the terrace, looking up at the housekeeper with the same big eyes and sweet smile that she’d used so effectively on her father.

“You can have more after dinner,” the housekeeper promised.

The upward curve of Riley’s lips immediately turned down. “But I’m still hungry.”

“If you were really still hungry, you should have asked for some more chicken, not more ice cream,” the prince told his daughter.

“I didn’t want more chicken,” she said with infallible logic.

Hannah pushed away from the table. “Come on, Riley. Let’s go get you washed up.”

“I’m not a baby—I don’t need help washing up.”

It seemed to Hannah that the young princess didn’t need help with much of anything—certainly not with manipulating the adults in her life, a talent which she had definitely mastered.

But she kept that thought to herself, at least for now.

She didn’t want to lose her job on the first day.

“Riley,” Michael chastised, embarrassed by his daughter’s belligerent response. “Hannah is only trying to help.”

“Actually,” Hannah interjected, speaking to Riley, “maybe you could help me.”

The little girl’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “With what?”

“Finding my way around this place,” the new nanny said. “I’ve only been here a few hours and I’ve gotten lost three times already. Maybe you could show me where you spend your quiet time.”

Riley pushed away from the table, dramatically rolling her eyes as she did so. If Hannah noticed his daughter’s theatrics, she chose to ignore them.

“If you’ll excuse us, Your Highness,” she said.

“Of course.” He rose with her, and watched as she followed Riley into the house.

He wasn’t pleased by his daughter’s behavior, but he didn’t know what to do about it. As much as he loved Riley, he wasn’t blind to her faults. But the adolescent attitude in the preschooler’s body was just one more of the challenges of parenting a gifted child, or so he’d been told. Was Riley’s behavior atypical—or did he just not know what was typical for a child of her age?

Surely any four-year-old going through a period of adjustment would need some time, and losing her longtime nanny was definitely an adjustment. He hoped that within a few days, after Riley had a chance to get to know Hannah and settle into new routines with her, her usual sunny disposition would return.

After all, it was a new situation for all of them, and it was only day one.

But as he made his way back to his office, he found himself thinking that he probably missed Brigitte even more than his daughter did. Everything had run smoothly when Brigitte was around.

More importantly, he’d never felt any tugs of attraction for the former nanny like the ones he was feeling now for Hannah.

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