"Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise, but make sure you dress warm and grab your rain jacket."
Kate didn't move, as if deciding whether to push for more information.
"Hurry up. George is coming with us and you know what he'll say if you're not ready."
Kate grinned and turned, racing into her room to get changed.
Adrian packed his raincoat and a big umbrella, checking through the rucksack he'd prepared to make sure he remembered everything; Food, drink, sun cream, hat.
Someone knocked on the door.
"I'm ready," Kate yelled.
Adrian peered into her room on his way past and saw she was struggling with her shoes. "I'll stall him."
Kate grunted in response.
Adrian opened the door and his smile stopped on its way across his face. "Emily."
Emily tucked her long blonde hair behind her ears and had the grace to look bashful. "Adrian." She paused. "I behaved badly the other night and wanted to apologize. It was selfish of me to quit and leave Kate without anyone to look after her."
Adrian didn't move. Without a doubt it was selfish and childish of her, but he knew now it was better this way. "She always has me."
Emily's eyes widened. "Of course." She crossed her arms. "I'm sorry for, er, coming on to you. I know it will be difficult for you to find another nanny here, so I'd like to offer to come back to work."
Somewhere down the hallway the elevator dinged, but Adrian barely registered it. Emily wanted to come back after the way she'd behaved? After the way she'd left without the slightest consideration for Kate? Even if he hadn't hired Libby, he sure as heck wouldn't be taking Emily back. "Thank you for the offer, but I've already found someone to care for Kate."
Emily's mouth dropped open but she recovered quickly, closing it with a snap. "Oh. Well then." She paused. "Was it the woman who came yesterday?"
A chill went down Adrian's spine. Was she spying on them? He didn't like the idea. "That's no longer your concern."
"Morning, Adrian." George sauntered up to them. He nodded to Emily. "Miss Smith. Are you here to say goodbye to Kate? Your flight leaves this afternoon doesn't it?"
Emily glared at him before smiling. "Yes, I would like to say goodbye to Kate, if that's all right."
Adrian wasn't sure, but before he could decide, Kate yelled, "I'm ready, George. I'm no slowpoke." She pushed past Adrian out into the hall and saw Emily. She stopped and her smile disappeared. Looking back at Adrian, she asked, "What's Emily doing here?"
"She's heading back to the US today and she's come to say goodbye."
"Oh." Kate turned to her ex-nanny. "Goodbye. I hope you have a nice flight."
Emily's face looked like she'd sucked on a lemon. "Goodbye, Kate. I hope your new nanny is nice."
Kate's face broke into a grin. "She is. Libby's wonderful."
Adrian practically saw the cogs turning in Emily's mind. He put a hand on Kate's shoulder and gently pulled her closer to him. "We need to finish getting ready. If you'll excuse us, Emily." He didn't wait for a reply. When George and Kate were inside he shut the door in Emily's face.
"Are we going now, Uncle Ade?"
"Yep. Don't forget your bag and a book to read. It's a bit of a drive."
"Okay." She raced back to her room.
"Do you think Emily's likely to cause trouble?" Adrian asked his friend. He clenched his hands. Emily knew too much about them. This was another reason he didn't let people get close. He couldn't trust them.
George shrugged. "I don't know. She's signed the confidentiality agreement, but it might not mean much to her at the moment." He scowled. "We'll have to wait and see."
Adrian rolled his shoulders to relax the tension there. "We'll take it as it comes. Let me get our stuff and we'll go."
***
Twenty minutes later they were in a car driving south toward Phillip Island. Adrian had searched the internet for a day trip Kate would like and discovered there was plenty to do on the island, only ninety minutes from the city. George drove and Kate already had her nose stuck in a book.
"Libby signed the contract this morning," George said.
"She have any problems with the confidentiality agreement?" Adrian asked.
"None. I've changed the hotel bookings and arranged the airline tickets. She's moving rooms today and will be ready to fly next week."
"Good." Adrian was glad there were no issues. "Did she have plans for today?"
"She'd already started working on her book."
The guilt he hadn't realized he'd been feeling disappeared. Of course she needed to write her story. She was probably pleased she had enough time to work while he had Kate.
It suited them both.
George cleared his throat. "She asked for an advance."
Adrian's eyebrows lifted. "Why?" Was she going to take the money and run?
"She's broke. Her car needed repairs and she spent the last of her savings fixing it. She's still waiting to be paid by her publisher for the book tour." George paused. "She seemed embarrassed."
Had Libby just taken the job because she needed the money? Had he made another mistake in hiring her? He pushed his head back against the headrest. "Did you give it to her?"
"I gave her a couple of hundred to see her through. You don't need to worry, Ade. If I hadn't agreed with your choice, I would have said so."
It helped for George to tell him that, but in the end it was his choice and he would have to face the consequences if it had been the wrong one.
Damn it.
He'd keep a close eye on Libby for the next few days.
***
It had been a long day. They'd stopped at a koala park on the way down to Phillip Island and then at a chocolate factory, where Kate had convinced him to buy her more chocolates than were good for her. He'd have to keep control of the stash and dish them out slowly otherwise she'd make herself sick. Then they'd gone on to do a bush tucker tour, which was about traditional Aboriginal food, before watching the parade of penguins returning home to their colony on the shores of a beach as the day ended.
Kate was quiet in the back of the car and Adrian turned to see she'd fallen asleep. They'd bought some fast food for dinner on the way back and he promised himself he would make sure Kate ate healthy food for the rest of the week. He'd have to talk to Libby about that and give her some money for groceries. Maybe he'd get Kate to write up a list of her favorite meals so Libby knew where to start.
"Libby knows she has to cook for Kate, doesn't she?" Adrian asked George.
George regarded him for a second and then turned back to the road. "Yes. I gave her the same terms as Emily had."
"And she was happy with that?"
"Didn't bat an eyelid. What's bothering you?"
Adrian checked to make sure Kate was asleep. "We barely know her."
"We know her better than anyone else we could have hired. Kate likes her and I think she'll do a great job." George paused. "You're relaxed around her too."
Adrian scowled and drummed his fingertips against the armrest of the car. He didn't want to think about that.
They arrived back at the hotel and Kate woke up. She yawned and stretched.
"Are we back already?"
"Sure are, kiddo."
Adrian helped Kate out of the car and George handed the keys to the valet. Walking to the elevators, Adrian noticed a woman standing there.
"Libby!" Kate called.
Libby turned, smiled and waved back at the girl. "How was your day?"
Adrian didn't hear Kate's response. He was too busy taking in Libby's appearance. She was wearing a black leather jacket and green top that made her eyes more emerald, but it was the skinny-leg jeans and high heels that attracted his attention. Where the heck had those legs come from? They went on and on and the jeans clung to them like a second skin.
His mouth went dry. What would it be like to peel off those jeans and – Christ, he couldn't have those kinds of thoughts about Kate's nanny.
Kate tugged on his hand. "Can't she, Uncle Ade?"
He realized Kate has said something to him. "What?"
"I said Libby can have a double choc, whipped cream, marshmallow delight with the chocolate we got from the chocolate factory, can't she?"
He swallowed to get some moisture back in his mouth. Everyone was waiting for his answer. "Sure, but not tonight. You need to go to bed."
"Aw."
Adrian smiled at the way she drew out the sound. "No. You can teach Libby how to make it tomorrow night while I'm at the concert."