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  “I suppose I was very lucky. Damien had spent a lot of time with his daughter, and she was still young enough to be very impressionable. Underneath it all, Jonathan and Jessica are sweet kids as well, but they’ve been through a lot. All of the Caseys have, really. Crystal was hardly there for them to begin with, and then she up and left out of nowhere. I know they weren’t a very close family, but I’m sure that was still incredibly difficult for them.”

  Cathy had to acknowledge her friend’s point. “I guess that’s true. It’s just that the kids hardly ever talk about her, so I don’t think about her very much either. Still, they don’t know what it’s like to have a mother figure around. I promised Jonathan that I wasn’t trying to replace his mom, but the role of a nanny is practically the same thing anyway. Maybe he thinks I lied to him, and I’m trying to wedge my way in.” It was something she hadn’t thought about until she’d said it out loud. That would also explain why Jessica was always trying to get her to stay with her at night. She did see her as a new mother, and she craved the attention.

  “If it makes you feel any better, it sounds like you’ve already made quite a lot of progress with them. Damien hasn’t come to me with any complaints from Jackson, so maybe it’s not as bad as you think. Why don’t you go do something for yourself, maybe have a nice long bath while the kids are asleep? Relax a little, and don’t make any rash decisions. I know it’s difficult, but Jackson really does need you. Things might get better in a week or two, and it would take some time to find a new job, anyway.”

  “That’s true.” While Cathy had considered leaving, she hadn’t worked out any details. It wasn’t likely that her current position with the Caseys was going to get any worse, so it couldn’t hurt to stick it out for a while. She hung up and went down the hall to the bathroom.

  It was a grand affair, as was everything else in the Casey home. The massive garden tub that rested in the corner had jacuzzi jets. The cabinets and tile all seemed to be custom made, and the double sink vanity provided more than enough counter space. Thrilled to have a little time to herself, Cathy went all out. While filling the tub, she scanned the closet for bubble bath and found a container of Calgon. Laughing to herself as she recounted the slogan in her mind, Calgon, take me away, she added plenty to the running water and swirled her hand around the tub to distribute it. There were a few tea lights on a shelf, so she placed them around the tub at intervals and lit them. By the time she sank into the warm water, the entire room was illuminated by nothing but flickering candlelight. It was exciting and relaxing at the same time, a combination that she most definitely needed.

  Cathy piled her hair on top of her head and leaned back, closing her eyes. It had been a crazy week. The children’s lives had changed, and so had hers. It was ridiculous for her to think they should all be able to adjust quickly and without issues. She was overreacting, and Brianna was right. She just needed to give everyone time to get used to each other. She allowed herself a fantasy of a happy life there at the Casey home, one where the children didn’t fight with each other and always listened to her. They would spend plenty of time outdoors or playing games together instead of arguing over what television show to watch. But Cathy would make her concessions to them as well, allowing them some time with their video games while she read a book. She was already generously compensated and lived in a far nicer house than she’d ever been in before, so that part was taken care of.

  She didn’t realize she had drifted off until a noise from the other end of the house caused her eyes to spring open. She sat up with a start, realizing as she wiped bubbles off her chin that she’d been sinking into the water and caught her breath. One of the kids was probably up again. Her private time couldn’t last forever, but she smiled at the thought. There was still plenty of potential for her to be happy here if only she had the right attitude about it.

  Just as she stood up in the water, the bathroom door swung open. Jackson stood there, looking shocked. Just as surprised, Cathy screamed, frantically reaching for a towel to cover herself. Heat flushed her cheeks, and her heart thundered in her ears.

  Her boss clapped a hand over his eyes. “I’m sorry! I’m so, so sorry! The light was off, and I didn’t think anyone was in here!” He turned and left in a hurry, closing the door firmly behind him.

  Cathy collapsed on the edge of the tub, trying to calm herself down. That didn’t just happen. It couldn’t have. Right? All hope for her future there went down the drain with the bathwater, and her career as a nanny seemed doomed. She was utterly mortified. How could she possibly ever face him again?

  But as she exited the bathroom a few minutes later—firmly wrapped in her bathrobe—she jumped, noticing Jackson was there in the hallway waiting for her. “Cathy, look…”

  She was too embarrassed to hear any of it. Cathy dashed straight to her room and shut the door. She didn’t even turn the light on at first, so upset with herself for letting such a thing happen. With a sigh, she finally flicked the light on and got dressed, rehearsing what she would say when she gave her notice. I can’t very well explain that I just need to find a new boss who hasn’t seen me naked…

  As she pulled on some clean clothes, she realized just how immature she was being. Accidents happened, and something like this was bound to occur if they all lived under the same roof. Mr. Casey had tried to apologize, but she had blown him off because she was mortified. That made her no better than the children, and she wasn’t much of an employee if she didn’t tackle this head-on.

  Fluttering her hands at her sides in an attempt to get them to stop shaking, she opened her bedroom door a crack. Mr. Casey was no longer in the hallway. She descended into the living room, and he looked up eagerly as soon as he heard her footsteps on the stairs. The look on his face was one she hadn’t seen before. He had always given off the air of being completely confident—cocky, even—but he now looked so guilty, he could have been a puppy in trouble. Even his square jaw, covered with a hint of stubble, didn’t make him look any tougher.

  She lingered with her hand on the banister. “So… uh, you’re home early,” she began.

  He laughed at that, which made her feel better. “I really am sorry. I never meant to embarrass you.”

  “It’s okay.” Cathy knew she could forgive him, even if she wouldn’t forget the incident any time soon. “I should have locked the door.”

  He tapped his fingers against the thigh of his trousers. “Well, there wasn’t much going on at work, and I thought it would be nice to get up early tomorrow so I could have lunch with the kids. If that’s not going to ruin anything you have planned for them, that is.”

  Cathy could have taken his words as accusational, but they didn’t sound that way. It was actually quite a surprise that he was volunteering to spend time with Jonathan and Jessica. “That would be fine.”

  “Come sit down and have a drink with me.” He retrieved a bottle of bourbon from a liquor cabinet. “I think we could both use one.”

  It was her turn to laugh, and she hesitantly sat on the edge of the sofa across from him. She had been a little intimidated by him from the moment she had met him, and now it was like they were starting all over again.

  Mr. Casey handed her a glass, his eyes flicking to hers for a moment as he did so. “I think the two of us got off on the wrong foot, and a lot of that is my fault. Your presence here is supposed to make my life easier, but it’s like my mind hasn’t gotten used to the idea yet. I’ve had a housekeeper forever, but she comes in when I’m not around, does her job, and disappears. It’s not the same with a nanny, and I have to admit the situation is a little awkward at times.”

  “It’s a little awkward for me, too.” Cathy took a sip of the liquid, enjoying the way it burned as it went down. She could have used some of that while she was in the tub, and then she really would have been able to relax. “All the childcare jobs I’ve had before have been for people I’ve known very well, friends or family. I already know how they do things, and we’re us
ed to each other. It’s different working for a stranger, especially in a new country.”

  Mr. Casey leaned back in his recliner. He’d taken off his suit jacket, revealing a dusting of gold hair at his chest where the top button of his shirt was undone. “I’m sure it doesn’t help that I’m gone all the time or sleeping late. I thought having you here would help me focus on my work, but I’m starting to think that I’m gone too much.”

  “I know you mentioned owning some nightclubs. Forgive me for being so nosey, but don’t you have managers to run them for you?” It was something that had nagged at her for a while, but she knew it wasn’t really any of her business. But the living room was dark, with only the corner lamp sending a faint stream of light through the bourbon, and the late hour made her feel like she could talk more freely.

  “I do have managers,” he admitted. “But they mostly run the bar areas, and it seems like there’s always something that needs my attention. Right now, I’m short a head of security for one of my clubs. And then I have a rival club owner who’s doing everything in his power to shut me down. Alex Babcock is just an overgrown spoiled brat, and he’s determined to get rid of me.”

  This intrigued her, since she imagined he didn’t do anything but sit around and watch the young, half-naked women parade through his businesses. “Why’s that?”

  Jackson shook his head as he looked off in the distance. “One of my most successful places is in a building that he used to own. It was his father’s place, and he wasn’t doing anything with it, and I snapped it up. This guy Babcock has let that get under his skin, pathetic as it is. He wants to buy it back, club and all, but I won’t sell. Now he thinks he can shut down my little hotspot as revenge.”

  “Can he?” Cathy knew about retail, but not about these sorts of things.

  Her boss laughed. “No, not really. I hope he’ll give up eventually, but while he’s pushing me, I’m doing everything I can to just keep improving my business. If he had any idea what he was really causing, he would have quit a long time ago.”

  The two of them sat in silence for a moment. There was more Cathy wanted to discuss with him, but since they were getting along for the time being, she didn’t want to push it too far. She tossed back another sip of her drink, wondering if she would find the courage in the bottom of her glass. She might, but it might also get her fired.

  Fortunately, Mr. Casey seemed to be reading her thoughts. “You know, the kids have been really lost since Crystal left. They don’t say it, and I’d like to think it’s because they’re not really affected by it. If I’d had any idea she would’ve been such a distant and unaffectionate mother, I never would have married her in the first place. But, regardless, she was their mother, even though she wasn’t much of one. I’m sorry if they’ve been difficult for you.”

  “It’s an adjustment period for everyone,” she acknowledged, touched that he’d noticed this hadn’t been very easy on her, either. “And I don’t think I’ve helped matters. I’m pushing too hard to make them live the way I think they should, and that’s not fair.”

  Jackson sat forward to refill his glass, and he topped hers off without asking. “No, it’s not fair of me to be so resistant to it. I can see what you’re doing. You’re trying to give them a normal life, which is certainly something they deserve. And I shouldn’t have snapped at you about any of it. Goodness knows, I don’t know enough about childcare to do it myself. But the three of us just don’t really know how to go on and be normal. You’ll have to be patient with us.”

  Cathy suddenly felt incredibly remorseful for even considering giving her notice. Mr. Casey really did need her, and at least he was acknowledging that she knew what she was doing. “I will. I really am sorry for everything.”

  He raised his glass. “Friends?”

  Thank god for bourbon, she mused, smiling at him, feeling warm and happy. “Friends.” Cathy clinked her glass to his, tossed back the rest of her drink and bid him goodnight, then headed upstairs to her room. She settled into bed and closed her eyes, allowing herself a dizzy little dream about Mr. Casey. He might not always be easy to get along with, but he’s so damn hot. The pitiful look he had given her when he had apologized had been adorable, a different side of him that Cathy wouldn’t have even guessed existed up until that point. And while it had been humiliating for him to see her in the buff, she had at least seen him without his shirt. That was enough to make her wonder just what it might be like if the two of them were to embrace, her skin against his, his lips on her neck… Feeling blissful tension in her core, she let her hand travel downward, caressing the tender flesh between her thighs as she allowed her hazy mind to wander further. She’d never slept with a dragon before, but at least she could live out the fantasy in her thoughts. She continued to work herself, her fingers swirling over her pleasure center faster and faster until she reached her peak, then stifled her quiet moans with her pillow.

  Giggling to herself and rolling over, Cathy closed her eyes firmly, telling herself she had to get to sleep. The idea of her and Mr. Casey together was even more ridiculous than everything else that had gone through her head that evening. No matter how enticing her imagination made it out to be.

  Chapter Seven

  It was supposed to be Jackson’s night at Indulgence, but he found himself needing to concentrate on Bliss more often now that Alex Babcock had pulled his little stunts. He’d spent lots of time with the bartenders discussing all the current drinks they offered, what was ordered the most often, and what they could do to improve both the taste, appearance and the price. The bouncers had gone through extra training and meetings with him so that Jackson could make sure they all knew how vigilant they needed to be and what to do in certain incidents. Now, he was watching the Villainous Ravens set up onstage, about to play their first big show. It was early in the night still, barely past dinner time, but the place was already packed.

  “This is going to be great,” Damien said at his elbow. He had his arms folded in front of his chest as he watched the stage hands wheel in the drum set. “Looks like all those flyers you put out have been effective. Bliss is even more packed than usual.”

  Many of Damien’s bands had played at Bliss, so he would know. “I think you were right about Blane’s sister being a big attraction. He’s huge right now, and I don’t mind riding his coattails as long as I get a hot new band that only plays here. Aqua doesn’t stand a chance against me, not if they’re as good as you say.”

  “Oh, they are. They’ve worked really hard. I had to actually kick them out of the studio the other day because I didn’t want them to get burned out before they’d even started. As soon as they went out for pizza, they came right back with new lyrics written on napkins. They’re the real deal.”

  “Is Blane coming by to see the first show?” Grace Jones, Ally Sheedy and Rosanna Arquette had dropped in already, and the rumor was that Emilio Estevez planned to make a stop at the club later. It was like the clientele from Indulgence was spilling over into Bliss, and Jackson couldn’t complain about that.

  “Jane, his sister, said he’s shooting tonight. But he should be in later, even if it’s after their set.”

  The singer in question bounded onto the stage with her band behind her. She wore her bright red hair short in the back, with longer wisps of curls falling down over her face. Her tube top, fluffy tulle skirt, and numerous bangles gave her the edgy look that most fans were looking for, and Jackson smiled. Damien had come through for him once again.

  The first song was a cover of Tears For Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” but the Villainous Ravens put a harder, more powerful spin on it that the crowd went nuts for. As they began their second song, an original, Jackson noticed a familiar face weaving through the crowd. “Excuse me for a minute.”

  He joined the newcomer and brought him to the bar for a drink on the house, where the music wasn’t quite as loud. “Cameron, my man! What brings you by?”

  The film producer smiled, sho
wing his brilliant teeth against his tanned skin. With his tousled brown hair and piercing blue eyes, several of the young women at the bar craned their necks to ogle him. He had all the looks of an onscreen celebrity, but most common people probably had no idea who he was. “I have an upcoming film, and I’m trying to scope out places for the different scenes. One of them is supposed to take place in a club very much like Bliss. I don’t suppose I could talk you into letting me film here sometime in the next few months, could I?”

  “Are you shitting me?” Jackson laughed, feeling like he was floating on a cloud. “The timing couldn’t be better, actually.” Having Bliss featured in a big film would really stick in Alex Babcock’s craw. Besides, he liked to help his friends, and this would make for great publicity. “Do you need the place full? Empty?”

  Cameron surveyed the room. “Just like this, actually. I can have my people stationed at the door to make sure everyone signs a waiver about being filmed. What about the band? They’re pretty good. Think they’d want to be on board as well?”

  “You’ll have to talk to Damien, but I’m sure it wouldn’t be an issue. They’re brand new. They’re playing tonight in the hope of getting an exclusive residency, and I think I’ve already decided to give it to them. That makes it even easier to set up. And you know Blane Vinson, right?”

  The producer nodded. “Of course.”

  “The singer is his sister, Jane. That can’t hurt.”

  Cameron laughed. “I guess I stopped in on the right night! Blane is actually being considered for the male lead. That’s the kind of stuff the audiences will go wild for. I’ll be sure to talk to Damien.”

  Jackson pointed through the crowd to where Damien stood just off to the side, watching his latest band with a critical eye. “You’re in luck. He’s right over there. I’ve got to run to the office to do a few things, but I’ll join you guys again in a few.” He excused himself and headed up the stairs, thinking about the paperwork he would need to prepare for the new band’s residency. It wasn’t the kind of thing he usually did, but he was sure this was going to work out in his favor. Eventually, the band would end up going on tour, but he could probably still keep them exclusive within Los Angeles. That would still make a big difference for Bliss.