Chapter Ten—Katie

I’d been here for a month, and with the extra money Stan was giving me, I’d made more in the span of one week than I’d had working two jobs during one month. I needed to go to the apartment and get my things. My car had been towed; sure enough, between being here and worrying about being thrown out, I’d forgotten about it. I didn’t even bother with clothes as Stan took out his card and bought me everything I needed online, but then I got a text from Ben. He said our things were being chucked out because we hadn’t paid the rent. It was more of a case that he hadn’t paid the rent. He hadn’t even seen me in a month, and the jerk should have at least asked if I was okay. Instead, all he said was:

-Being kicked out. If you don’t want your things in the trash, then grab them before noon tomorrow.

“What happened? Did they find out?” Stan asked as he approached the elevator.

I didn’t know who was more worried about being exposed, him or me?

“Good! Let’s go for our morning walk. Twins ready?”

I nodded. “Yep, they’re strapped in and ready to go for their morning walk.”

He pressed the button, and I noticed for the first time since we’d been going every day for our morning walks that he had changed a bit. He’d lost a little weight and had shaved, and with a new haircut, he looked more like his brothers.

Maybe I was assessing him a little too much, because I didn’t notice that he’d stepped into the elevator, and I was still staring at him.

“Why do you keep looking at me like that?”

I shook my head. “Nothing.”

“So, we going or what?”

“Shoot! Sure,” I said as I gasped, pushing the stroller into the elevator. One thing about Stan, he never pushes or even acknowledges that we are going out with the twins. If anything, it’s the opposite. He refers to the twins as ‘them’ if one starts crying, or if I had a problem with the stroller, he would glance their way, not trying to act like a concerned father. Unlike Rick, who was all over them like crazy whenever he was near them. He brought a smile to their faces when he entered the room. As for Pete, well, he seemed to be with them whenever Rick was around.

Rick wanted it to be that way when he was with the twins—that was their time together and I was to disappear, which was fine by me. I needed time for myself sometimes. Not that the twins were a handful, but at times, if one was settled, then the other would cry. I didn’t even want to think how their mom handled the triplets at the same time. She was a woman made of stone, that was for sure, and a beautiful one, too. I’d seen pictures of her in the penthouse. But when I asked Stan about her, he ignored my question, and my relationship with Rick was strictly professional. We talked about the babies and nothing more.

Except for that kiss. The one we had on his bed, before we were interrupted by the babies waking. I knew he wanted to go all the way, but it was as if as soon as I get all hot and bothered with the triplets, they go all cold again.

I should be happy.

Relieved.

I had a job, a home, and wonderful twins to look after, but I craved more.

“So, why did you look unhappy then?” Stan asked as the elevator chimed and we reached the bottom floor.

“My ex… the one who is going out with the stripper. He said we are being thrown out by noon tomorrow, and I need to get my things out.”

We walked out through the lobby, and Stan grabbed his phone. “Okay, Rick will be with the twins from twelve to six, so you have time to sort yourself out.”

“I thought I was cooking lunch again?” I quizzed, wondering if this game was going to stop at one point and I would find myself on the street.

“Nope. Forget that. Rick will sort himself out. I have to go and….well, I’m out. So is Pete.”

Stan never went out, but then he must have to get the haircut. I couldn’t help but look at him suspiciously again.

“I really wish you would stop looking at me like that. If you must know, I’m seeing a personal trainer, but you cannot tell my brothers.”

I choked, “Rick only asks me about the twins, and I’ve never been officially introduced to Pete.”

Only kissed him!

He stopped in his tracks. “Never formally been introduced to Pete? How is that possible? Yesterday he said that he loves the way you manage to keep the kids entertained and the place tidy at the same time. You were even talking to him yesterday about that new thing they did.”

“Oh my God, that was Pete? I thought it was Rick!”

He laughed. “Funny, people always get them confused. When Pete’s hair was long, people used to be able to tell them apart, but now that he cut it again, everyone gets confused. He should have introduced himself.”

I shrugged, trying to dismiss my embarrassment. “Maybe I assumed… and he probably thought, oh no, not another one.”

Stan agreed, but like always, whenever the conversation changed to his brothers, he started to get agitated.

“So how many miles today? We could do five. If you’re up for it?”

I smiled. “My… before you didn’t even want to do one.”

“I know, but I have way more energy now. I’m not eating as much. Exercising, well, I just feel better about it. You think they will be fine with it?”

Wow, he was showing concern for them, something he’d never done.

I nodded. “They’ll be fine. They’ve eaten and can do with some fresh air.”

“Great. I’ll set my phone; let’s cross and go through the park.” He pointed for us to cross the road.

“Fine.”

When Stan found out my secret, I was worried about him. Scared he would get bored and decide to give up on this charade.

“I still don’t get why you’re doing this?” I asked as the nerves kicked in. Wondering if I got my stuff from my old apartment, came back, and then discovered Bianca was in her rightful role.

He sighed, then motioned for us to move to the side of the entrance, away from prying ears and eyes. It was then that it dawned on me; I wasn’t the only paranoid one… he was, too. He removed his sunglasses, something he tended to only do when we were indoors. It was as if he didn’t want anyone to know he existed with his dark clothes in the middle of summer.

“I told you, if my brothers find out about you, then not only am I in trouble, but you are, too. So, it is not in both our interests for them to discover the truth. Capeesh?”

I shook my head, thinking he wasn’t making sense. “You could have easily said that I took her place and that I’m not the real nanny. You didn’t need to pretend and go along with this whole thing.”

He crossed his arms, and then realized that he couldn’t hold his posture for long, so he gave up, then huffed about it. “Katie Baldson, I’m not sure what type of education you had in the past, nor do I care, for that matter. You said you had siblings, you knew how to cook, and I knew we could help each other out. End of story. I got your car out of the pound—”

“You did?” I asked, thinking now I understood why he was asking for details about where it was and my plate number. I thought it was curiosity; I didn’t know him well enough to know he took the details for a specific reason.

He nodded. “Yes, I did. And by the state of it, I’m surprised it even moves. Anyway, it’s in this garage. I’ll text you the details so you can get it on your way to get your stuff from your boyfriend’s.”

“Ex!” I reminded him, making sure there was no confusion. He’d done more for me than my ex had ever done in the five years we’d been together.

He rose an eyebrow and asked, “Are you bored? Is that why you’re asking me a million questions?”

I shook my head, then nodded. “You see, I’ve been working two, sometimes three, jobs to pay the rent, bills, and everything else. I haven’t had time to have a good night’s sleep, let alone time for myself. I suppose the free time I’ve had when I’m not cooking or looking after the twins has got me thinking.”

“Idle minds do that to you. You should get a hobby or something.”

I laughed. “Like a personal trainer.”

He turned to look at me, stone cold as if I’d touched a nerve. Then gestured away. “Are we going to stand here all day or get moving?”

He didn’t wait for a reply, but I knew that once again, I’d said something wrong—he blew hot and cold, and it was so confusing at times. Like the night he caught me, then fixed the situation with Bianca. I wanted to know what he was going to do, but he simply told me, “Ask no questions and I’ll tell you no lies.” I expected after that night to be kicked out, but I wasn’t.

He said to make sure I cooked only when his brothers were out, and changed things around a bit. He told me if I was good and worth the trouble, then I get a roof over my head, a salary ten times more than I agreed, food every night, and I wouldn’t have to want for anything. I know that this is good now, but I never came to the city to be a nanny.

I followed my ex, hoping we would be married and have kids in the future. I loved being with the twins, but it was clear as Stan turned hot and cold, I couldn’t think he had any type of romantic interest.

The day in the kitchen seemed to be something dead in the water. Just like my relationship with Ben, and completely putting my life on hold for a man.

I wasn’t going to do that again.

Never, never again.