Bad Nanny (The Bad Nanny Trilogy #1)(86)

“I left the number in my notes. If you call her up now, I bet you could get Sadie in. She knows us. The co-pay is a little pricey, but you know how Rob's insurance is. Could you take care of that and we'll pay you as soon as we can? We've really blown every last cent on this trip.”

“Yeah. Yep. Uh-huh.” I stare at the neighbor for a moment and then tuck my hand over the phone so Mercedes won't hear. “My baby's super sick,” I say, pausing for dramatic effect as Sadie lets out another scream. “I can't really get on that diaper thing like, right this second.”

“Uncle Zay!” Bella screeches from the top of the stairs. “Kinzie stole my Monster High shirt and now she won't give it back!”

“She's a liar! This is my Monster High shirt. Hers is the one with Draculaura on it.”

“Nuh uh!”

“If you can't come over here and clean up these diapers, get someone else to do it. Don't make me call animal control.”

“Look lady, I don't know how a five pound rat could knock over your trash can. Maybe they took advantage of the diapers, but I doubt they knocked the damn thing over. Sorry, but if you want to call animal control then go for it, I just can't deal with this right now.”

The woman huffs and spins on her heel as I slam the door and lean my back against it, sliding to the floor. We are so epically late at this point it doesn't even matter.

“Call the doctor. Got it. Check the duplex. Got it. Do I really have to post it on Craigslist?”

“We can't make the mortgage without a renter, Zay. I hate to ask, but if you could please get some pictures uploaded, that'd be great. You are such a doll. I love you, you know that, right?”

“Yup,” I say as Dodger trots over to me and lifts his leg. Before my addled mind even really registers what's happening, he's pissed. All. The. Hell. Over. Me. “Can I go now, please?”

“Of course, honey. We'll see you in three short nights, okay?”

“Got it.”

I hang up, struggling to get the end call button to work with my broken cell screen.

I thought I was getting the hang of all this, but I feel so off my game today it's not funny.

“Are we going to school now?” Bella asks as she appears in a pair of lime green fuzzy pajama pants, yellow rain boots, and a lacy tank top that I think she stole from Brooke. “I'm dressed now.”

I lean over and put my forehead on my knees, trying to breathe.

Five days and it'll all be over. Just five short days.

I can so handle this.

I think.



When Brooke gets back from class, I'm just finishing up my dog piss/shit cleaning spree. I swear to Christ, if Rob doesn't start potty training these rats, I'm going to fly my ass up from Vegas for Thanksgiving and stuff the little fuckers for dinner.

“Hey,” I say as I sit up and swipe an arm across my forehead.

“Hey,” Brooke says as she comes in with another girl on her heels, a girl with electric blue hair.

A girl that I recognize.

“Holy shit,” I say as I lean back on my heels and stare at Tinley Horton. She freezes when she spots me, raising a brow with four piercings stuffed through it.

“Holy shit yourself,” she says as Brooke looks between the two of us with a confused expression flooding her face. “Zayden Roth. Wow. Never expected to see you here again—especially not on your knees cleaning … is that dog poop?”

“Wow.” I stand up and strip off the black latex gloves I put on for cleaning, looking my old flame over from head to toe. She looks damn good, exactly like the type of girl I usually go for, all tatted and pierced up and badass. “I thought you'd moved to New York?” I ask as Tinley shrugs her shoulders and gives me an appraising once-over. If her expression is anything to go by, she likes what she sees.

“I did. But I moved back last year to take care of my mom.” I nod as we scope each other out, shocked that the chick I took to senior prom is standing in Brooke's living room. I haven't seen her in like, eleven years.

“You two know each other?” Brooke asks, pointing between the two of us. Standing next to Tinley, she looks so ridiculously out of place in her big camel colored wool coat and neon red cocktail dress. It's so totally inappropriate for school—but in the best way possible. Paired with a set of white running shoes? Yeah. Total mess. Total adorable mess.

Tinley's got on these tight zebra patterned leggings and a neon pink tank that says Fuck Men on it. Huh. I like that, too, but not as much as Brooke's outfit.

“Brooke and I are actually in the same population sampling class, something I didn't realize until today since I hardly go.” Tinley lifts her hand up and gestures at me. “I warned her about my ex last week, and that got us talking today. Didn't know I'd get to see you when she invited me over.”