Baby for the Billionaire(24)

He scanned it quickly to refresh his memory. Right, right. He remembered this one. He’d almost rejected her out of hand because she had so little practical experience. What had tipped the scales in her favor was the fact that she’d received her teaching certificate in early childhood and elementary education, as well as in special ed, and that she’d possessed glowing recommendations. They were right in line with the qualifications Derek recommended in his future bride.

“I assume my assistant explained why I’m in need of a nanny?”

“Yes, she did. I also read about the tragedy in the newspapers, Mr. Mason. I’m very sorry for your loss.”

He inclined his head, relieved that he didn’t have to go into lengthy explanations. The papers had been quite thorough in that regard. “I’m afraid you had the pleasure of meeting my niece, Isabella, a few minutes ago.”

Annalise offered a quick smile, one that transformed her face, lifting it from striking to luminescent. “So I gathered.”

“As you can see, she’s having a difficult time making the transition.” He held out his hands. “And who can blame her? Not only did she lose her parents three months ago, but she’s been uprooted from her home in Colorado.”

Sympathy radiated off Annalise and her eyes glittered with a wealth of emotion. “That explains a lot about her current behavior.”

Jack inclined his head. “When she first came to live with me, I contacted an agency to hire a qualified daytime caregiver. I went through their entire portfolio the first month. The longest stayed a week. The shortest clocked in at just under an hour. Since then, I’ve decided to take matters into my own hands and hire someone myself. Which brings me to your application, Ms. Stefano.”

“Please call me Annalise.”

“Fine. Annalise it is.” He paused on the first page of her application. “You’re qualified to teach elementary school. Why have you applied for a position as a nanny?”

She didn’t hesitate, clearly anticipating the question. “I’m interested in attaining my master’s before taking on a teaching job. This position will provide me with more flexibility than teaching and fewer hours of preparation while I pursue that goal.”

He tilted his head to one side. That would fit in with his own plans. She could pursue her master’s program—a program he’d be only too happy to pay for—while playing the role of devoted wife and mother. “Would you be willing to commit to an employment contract of two full years? And would you be willing to homeschool Isabella, if needed?”

She folded her hands in her lap and met his gaze dead-on. “It will take me two years to complete my master’s program, so that aspect isn’t a problem. Since it’s the end of the school year right now, your niece and I will have the summer to work out a comfortable routine before fall classes begin. If you want to initiate a schooling program for her at that point, I’ll have the next few months to put together a curriculum that meets with your approval. Then I can implement Isabella’s lessons while I begin evening classes toward my master’s.”

Despite her outer calm, he sensed a certain level of nervousness—almost anxiety—and couldn’t help but wonder what caused it. He allowed the silence to drag while he considered the various reasons for her turmoil. She could be nervous because she was lying to him about something, in which case he’d find a way to get to the truth. The irony of that fact didn’t escape him, considering this entire interview was a huge fraud. Even so, he needed to trust his future wife, which meant all the cards on the table. Of course, she could be nervous because she didn’t handle interviews well. One other possibility occurred to him, one that caused his gut to tighten and an unwanted hunger to gnaw at him.

Maybe he made her uneasy. Maybe she’d experienced the same odd awareness that he had. She didn’t break the lengthy silence with a rush of nervous explanations the way many would have. That fact alone impressed the hell out of him.

“Let me be frank, Annalise. I’m concerned that you may change your mind midsummer and take a teaching position, leaving me to go through this process all over again. Isabella’s had enough trauma and loss in her life without experiencing another so soon.”

“That won’t happen.”

Instinct told him that she spoke with absolute sincerity. Even so, he sensed an intense emotional current that continued to ripple just beneath the surface, though he still couldn’t quite pinpoint the reason for it. Perhaps it was a simple case of interview jitters. He glanced down at her file.

“I see you’ve also had some training with special-needs.”

She stilled in the act of brushing another loosened curl away from her eyes. Her expression grew troubled. “Has Isabella always been a special-needs child? Or is today’s incident related to the plane crash?”

He hesitated, choosing his words with care. “It started after she came to live with me. I want to make sure I hire someone who can help her adjust. Frankly, I don’t think you have the necessary experience.”

“Is she seeing a counselor?”

“I don’t have much choice in the matter. CPS has insisted.”

She raised an eyebrow at his dry tone. “With good reason. Children of that age can be manipulative. If she feels like you’re cutting her some slack because of her loss, she’ll use that for as long as it works. You should also consider talking to one yourself in order to learn how to best provide for her needs.”

He leaned back in his chair and lifted an eyebrow. “Do I look like the sort of man who can be easily manipulated? Or is it just that you don’t think I can provide for her needs?”

“Look, I’m not saying you can’t or shouldn’t give her love and stability and reassurance. I’m just suggesting you don’t allow pity to make you too indulgent.” Then she grinned, the vibrant flash of it arrowing straight through to his gut. “And now I’ve moved from dispensing unwanted advice to lecturing. It’s well-intentioned, honestly.”

He knew it, just as he knew it was advice identical to that of the psychologists he’d consulted. “How would you deal with her temper tantrums? If I hire you, you won’t be able to do what you did a few moments ago and hand Isabella off to someone else. Next time you’ll be the one in charge.”

“I’ll try a variation on what I did today. Ignore her screaming when practical, making sure she can’t injure herself. Remove her from the situation when necessary, particularly if we’re in public. Afterward, talk to her in a calm fashion and make it clear that her behavior is unacceptable. In time, when she doesn’t get the response she’s hoping for, she should stop.” She offered a wry smile. “Of course, then she’ll try something else.”

Curiosity filled him. “What did you say to her before you put her out?”

“I told her that screaming is unacceptable behavior, and that there are consequences when she chooses to resort to a tantrum.”

“What sort of consequences?” His eyes narrowed. “Do you believe in spanking?”

“No, I don’t,” she retorted crisply. “Do you?”

A smile loosened his mouth before he could prevent it.

“No.”

“That’s a relief.”

“So, if you don’t utilize corporal punishment, then how do you plan to change her behavior?”

He was genuinely curious, since none of the methods he’d attempted had worked. Of course, he had not been consistent, nor had he been Isabella’s main caregiver except for those first weeks immediately after the plane crash. Right on the heels of her release from the hospital, his work obligations had taken up most of his time, limiting the hours he spent with her. Plus, he doubted the interim sitters he’d employed had helped the situation. There hadn’t been any consistency in his parenting and it showed.

“Is she intelligent?”

“Highly.”

Annalise nodded. “She needs to be challenged intellectually, as well as physically, in order to help her stress level. In other words, she needs to engage in activities that will allow her to cope with her grief and confusion and work through them at her own pace. It would help to have a daily schedule that doesn’t vary, so she knows that every day she gets up at the same time, eats at the same time, goes to bed at the same time, all of which gives her a feeling of security.”

“She doesn’t have that right now.”

Annalise lifted a shoulder in an expressive shrug. “Because she’s so young she may not be able to verbalize her fears and concerns. It would help to find creative outlets that allow for that expression. Painting or coloring, games that require organization, regular exercise, other children she can socialize with so she can just be a quote-unquote child for a while.” She paused. “Does she have nightmares?”

“Yes.”

Annalise nodded, as though not surprised. “She may also revert to behaviors she exhibited at a far younger age, such as thumb-sucking or bed-wetting.”

“I haven’t noticed any of that, so far.” Well, except for one not-so-minor detail that he’d neglected to mention—her refusal to speak.