His Nanny Mate (Moana and Edrick Morgan) novel Chapter 27

Nanny and the Alpha Daddy
#Chapter 27: The Invitation
Moana

The following morning, I woke up early to get Ella ready for training. She was tired after the party, but was cooperative, and her sweet disposition distracted me from the strange experiences I had at the Morgan residence.

While Ella ate breakfast, I sought Edrick out and found him in his study. Taking a deep breath, I quietly knocked on the door. He glanced up and gestured for me to come in before promptly looking back down at his work again.

“Did you need something?” he asked.

“Yes,” I replied, still feeling somewhat uncomfortable around the Alpha billionaire’s cold demeanor even though I thought I should be used to it by now.

“Well, spit it out.”

I swallowed. The last time I had done anything like I was about to ask permission for, it had ended horribly and completely stunted both Edrick’s and the servants’ confidence in me.

“I would like to take some time today to visit the orphanage while Ella is at her training session,” I said.

Edrick paused and slowly set his pen down, then looked up at me and leaned back in his chair. He folded his arms across his chest and looked down his nose at me, narrowing his eyes. I prepared myself for the inevitable.

“Are you planning on losing my daughter again?”

“Not at all,” I replied. “I was thinking, since the orphanage isn’t too far from there, I could get there and back before Ella even finishes her training. That’s how it would’ve worked last time, too, had I not gotten stuck in traffic.”

Edrick was silent again for a few agonizing moments. “Well… You can’t predict traffic in the city,” he said. “It could happen again.”

“So I’ll make sure the attendant knows that I’ll be leaving,” I replied, the words flying out of my mouth quickly this time as I became more desperate. “I promise, it won’t happen again. Really.”

After I spoke, I could see something flash through the Alpha CEO’s cold eyes. It looked like worry. “Alright,” he said finally, picking up his pen again. “Don’t let anything happen to Ella again.”

“I won’t,” I replied softly, backing out of his office. I often forgot that Edrick had feelings for anyone, but seeing such a strong emotion for his daughter flash across his face like that immediately reminded me that he wasn’t entirely cold to his core. Seeing the way that he interacted with his own father the night before also reminded me how sour behaviors like the one that Edrick often exhibited were frequently a product of nurture, not nature… And I knew that Ella would grow up to be a sweet young woman, because deep down, I think that Edrick knew that he had to break the cycle with her.

…

“Okay, Ella. Here’s your backpack. I’m just going to the orphanage to do some volunteer work, alright?” I said, crouching to Ella’s level as we stood outside the training facility. She nodded vehemently, and I ruffled her hair. “Okay. I’ll be here when you’re done. If I’m not, it’s just because of traffic, and I want you to go back inside and wait with the attendant until I do get here.”

Ella nodded vehemently again, her little face hilariously serious as though I had just given her marching orders to take to her grave.

I stood, watching as Ella ran to meet up with her werewolf friends. Once she was inside, I flagged down a taxi and headed to the orphanage.

I spent the next hour and a half playing with the children on the playground. While I always enjoyed every activity with the children, playing outside was one of my favorites; I always loved helping the kids cross the monkey bars, playing hide and seek with them, and participating in their games of kickball. By the time it was over, I was a bit sweaty from the summer heat, but it felt good to get some exercise.

I was just getting ready to flag down another taxi to get back to the training facility when an unfamiliar black car pulled up to me.

“Get in,” a familiar, friendly face said as he rolled down the window. It was Ethan. “I’ll give you a lift.”