Boss Nanny Ch. 01

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This is a completed story. Although there is sex, it is not the main focus and it does not happen in every chapter.

It was always busy in the mornings at Coffee|Bar but Matt felt more pressure than usual as he busied himself between taking orders and making orders. He’d only worked there for a few months and was feeling bad about requesting the weekend off to go home. The least he could do was prove to Denise that she hadn’t made a mistake hiring him.

Hilary elbowed him after he fumbled and then saved a stack of cups. “Dude, calm down. What’s got you wound so tight? This isn’t like you.”

“I think Denise is irritated that I asked for the weekend off. What if she fires me?” He paused and blew out a deep breath. “Maybe Mom could find someone to babysit.”

“You think Denise really gives a fuck?” she asked. “The deal with having a business that relies on college students to stay afloat is having a million time off requests at any given moment. Weekend requests are the easiest to fill because no one has classes. There’s a dozen people wanting those hours, Matt. You’re fine.”

“I know,” he groaned. “I just don’t want to lose my shifts. I have good shifts, great shifts even.” He had managed to have a great schedule that gave him premium hours, a little time off, and no conflict with his classes. It was a college wet dream.

“You have great shifts because you slay the job. Now finish your damn shift without wrecking the place and go watch your cute-as-a-button late-in-life…I mean, lil brother,” she winked.

Matt rolled his eyes but laughed anyway. The acronym was damn funny because it was true. Where Matt had been the product of high school lust on steroids, his lil brother couldn’t say the same. Matt couldn’t say what Aidan was the product of. His mom was nearing forty and dating a guy ten years her junior. Matt had done the math and they’d only been “dating” a week before she got pregnant. That was a generous calculation by the way. He wasn’t entirely convinced they’d done anything that was classified as a date unless they’d bypassed the classic dating rules and jumped straight to the post third date activities.

He guessed that meant Aidan was a product of post third date activities. Poor kid.

Hilary’s assurance helped Matt finish his shift without the nagging guilt on his shoulders. Still, he handed Denise a thank you card with a gift card to the movie theatre. Yeah, it was lame but he was still a broke college student and she’d mentioned how annoyed she was with the price of movie tickets these days. He really thought she’d appreciate the gesture.

He walked home, showered, and grabbed the backpack he’d packed the previous night. The bus ride was just under four hours. Going home was always bittersweet. He felt bad because there was no reason he should dread it. He didn’t have a terrible childhood by any means.

His parents hadn’t made their lusty high school affair work in the long term. Shocking. They’d split custody the best way they knew how, which wasn’t easy since his dad lived an hour west.

If he’d been going home to his dad’s, things might’ve been different. Having a kid so young had calmed him down and made him mature real quick. His dad was a rock and they got along great. But it was his mom who’d been a majority shareholder when it came to parenting time and being a teen mom hadn’t induced the same growth rate in her as it has in his dad. No doubt a contributing factor as to why he had a kid brother twenty years his junior whose father was only nine years Matt’s senior.

When the bus arrived, his mom was waiting. She smiled and waved when he stepped off the bus, clearly happy to see her firstborn. Matt smiled, then saw Aidan and really smiled. At three months old Aidan was too small to give a fuck about his older brother but that didn’t stop Matt from raising his voice and saying stupid things that no respectable man would say to another man but were socially acceptable when it involved the cutest sack of potatoes you ever saw.

He carefully plucked Aidan from his mother’s arms and cooed into the most uninterested blue eyes. The fact he hung lifelessly in Matt’s hands didn’t stop him from making a fool of himself. Just when it looked like Aidan was having enough of the assault, Matt cradled him on his shoulder and swayed him back and forth.

“Hi Mom,” he said, leaning in and kissing her on the cheek while giving the kind of awkward half-hug that can only be achieved when you’re holding an infant.

“Hey you,” she squeezed him then quickly let go. “Thank you for coming. Todd and I needed a night out and Aidan missed his brother.”

Matt looked down and smiled. “I’m sure he did. I bet he’s been begging for days to see me. I’m the only friend he’s got in this world.”

“Yeah, he doesn’t get out much. Kinda keeps to himself.”

“The introvert to my extrovert,” Matt joked as he laid his brother in the car seat and buckled him in. When he got in the front seat he turned to his mom, “Where bahis siteleri are you guys going tonight? Any place nice?”

“Digly’s.”

Matt whistled. “Wow, what’s the occasion?”

His mom sat up straighter and got a proud look on her face. “Well, I got promoted to head nurse.”

“H-B-I-C,” Matt said, impressed. His mom might make questionable decisions in her personal life but she was a great nurse.

“H-B-what?”

“H-B-I-C. Head bitch in charge.”

His mom started laughing but was clearly pleased with the reference. “Can I get that on a plaque? It’s perfect. H-B-I-C,” she chuckled to herself. “That’s awesome.”

“Seriously, Mom, congratulations. You deserve it.”

“I do don’t I? I’ve worked hard for this. I’m excited. And Todd is getting a promotion, too.”

“Look at you two getting shit done. Good thing I already filled out my FAFSA or your ballin’ status would really screw me over.”

His mom swatted his knee but preened at the compliment.

She’d always had a good job but she’d never been great at managing her means. Matt had a feeling she and Todd were already experiencing the lifestyle creep even though they hadn’t gotten paid yet. Matt knew the reality wouldn’t be as much as they were expecting but that was their bed, not his.

They got to the house and Matt went to his childhood room and settled in. It was already late and his mom and Todd were quick to get going. He stood at the door and waved as they left to celebrate their big money status.

When they pulled away Matt picked Aidan up from the vibrating saucer bed and took him to the couch. They watched a movie, ate, burped, and settled into PJ’s. Matt loved his brother. It made him excited to have a kid of his own some day. He’d always been good with kids and Aidan confirmed what a kick ass dad he’d be. Even at twenty, it was quite easy to spend time with the little nugget.

He fell asleep on the couch with Aidan on his chest. Matt didn’t see a reason to put him down since they’d be up in a few hours to eat again.

When he woke again it wasn’t because of Aidan, it was a knock on the door. He slowly got up, assuming it was just his mom and Todd wanting in. Probably too drunk to worry about their house keys.

Aidan didn’t rouse even when Matt opened the front door, letting a breeze of frigid early morning air into the house.

On the porch stood a police officer. This wasn’t Matt’s first rodeo.

“How can I help you, officer?” He asked, pulling the blanket a little tighter to shield him from the cold.

“Hi, I’m Officer Whistler. What’s your relation to Brenda Andrews?”

“She’s my mother.”

“And what’s your name?”

“Matt, Matthew Kessler.”

Officer Whistler jotted the notes in his book then looked Matt in the eyes. It was that moment Matt knew it was more than just a minor infraction or a DUI like his mom had had in the past.

“Your mom and Michael Getler have been in an accident.”

Matt wasn’t thinking of worst case scenarios, yet. “Were they drinking?”

“That’s undetermined at this time.”

“What happened?”

“It looks like they were on their way home on Highway 72 when a boulder fell on the road.”

Matt’s gut coiled. He’d always hated that road. The whole side of the mountain was held together with a metal blanket of chain link to keep rocks from falling. There were signs every mile or so letting drivers know of the pending danger. To his knowledge, no one had ever been killed.

“Holy shit,” he breathed. His body began shaking so he started swaying Aidan, more for his benefit than his brother’s. “How bad is it? Are they—

The officer shook his head.

Oh shit.

* * * * *

Matt was on autopilot after that, doing things he thought were fifty-plus years in his future. He had to process and sort out the vast misfortune that was his mother’s life all while caring for Aidan. If it hadn’t been for his naturally organized nature and future as an accountant or business equivalent, he would have drowned trying to navigate the mess she left.

Todd’s only family was an aunt in poor health. Lucky for her because as far as Matt could tell, Todd had nothing to his name except whatever was in his bank, which he could only assume wasn’t much. It wasn’t as if his mom had a lot to liquidate. She’d never gotten to a place where she was able to buy a house but she did have retirement and a small life insurance policy through her job at the hospital.

Matt had to go through her house and decide what to keep and what to sell. The sell pile was a lot bigger than the keep. He never got emotionally attached to things the way his mom did. He had no problem discarding most of her stuff which made him feel incredibly guilty. But he lived in an apartment. What was he supposed to do? Pay for storage until x amount of time passed and then toss it? Nah, he’d rather get it over with.

It wasn’t until Aidan’s stuff was cluttering his one-bedroom apartment that the weight of it all hit him. He went canlı bahis siteleri from a college junior studying numbers to a single parent in the literal blink of an eye. He was hardly the first young, single parent getting a college degree but it was all so new to him.

Regardless, he wasn’t gonna let it get him down. He was his father’s son, and if his dad could do it and cross the other side like a boss, then so could Matt.

* * * * *

“I’m torn between being glad and feeling bad that you’re back to work already. Are you sure it’s not too soon?” Hilary asked as she and Matt quickly prepped the incoming drink orders. Matt pumped chocolate into the cup and shrugged.

“Well, I’m torn between not wanting to work but knowing that money is the root of all evil and I must have it if I want to finish school and not kill a small helpless child.”

“Well,” she laughed. “When you put it like that, welcome back. Where is Aidan anyway? When are you gonna bring him in? I want to hold a baby so bad.”

Hilary and Matt moved around each other as they worked the line, her reaching in the minifridge below Matt and him grabbing the flavoring from her side of the bar.

“He’s with a woman named Victoria who lives over on 117th. I found her on Craigslist and, before you judge me, know that I’m totally freaking out about it. But I didn’t think about getting him in daycare until it was too late and they don’t have drop-off services. I’m just trying to figure it out. On top of that, daycare is so damn expensive,” he stepped back so Hilary could cross him, when she moved back, he resumed crafting the perfect mocha breve. “Like seriously, how do people afford to raise kids?”

Hilary looked at Matt with sympathy. “I don’t know but they do. I think the college offers some daycare assistance during classes and the state offers daycare assistance based on income.”

Matt put the finished drinks on the counter then called out the names for pick up. “I know and, I’m not trying to sound finicky, but the state-assisted daycares are terrifying.”

“I’m not sure I can do much but you have my number. If it works around my schedule, I’ll do what I can.”

“I appreciate it. Even if it doesn’t work out, the offer means so much. It’s all the small things that are overwhelming me. There are so many things I’m not aware of, you know? I don’t know what I don’t know. I just wish I knew what to plan for. I feel like I’m in a stranger’s house, trying to find my way to the bathroom in the dark.”

“You’ll find the light switch soon enough my friend.”

Matt was thankful for Hilary, if for no other reason than being a compassionate sounding board. Just talking about it made him feel better. By the time he clocked out, he had more confidence than he’d woken up with.

When he picked Aidan up from his first day of daycare and there hadn’t been any issues, he was relieved. He never thought he’d be so anxious about leaving a child but Aidan was tiny and helpless and was relying on Matt to keep him safe. It was enough pressure to make him second guess his every move.

* * * * *

If Matt thought daycare was his biggest issue then he considered himself royally punked. The college had a daycare and was able to take Aidan during his class hours and Victoria was pretty flexible when it came to his shifts at Coffee|Bar. The bigger issue was trying to get anything done with a three-month-old. Laundry? No longer a quick trip to the laundry room. Now he had to figure out how to take Aidan plus his laundry and he couldn’t take separate trips as leaving a baby unattended was frowned upon.

Grocery shopping was no longer a quick in/out situation. He either had to strap the kid to his chest or sacrifice the majority of the shopping cart to house him. And for such a small human, he made everyday chores almost impossible. Aidan was an easy baby but it seemed like Matt couldn’t get more than ten minutes into something before Aidan needed something. Feeding, diaper, attention. Matt wondered if there was any chance he could pass his classes without studying. Lord knew Aidan wasn’t going to give him the chance.

Despite the hardships, things were moving forward. Two weeks with Aidan and it was starting to feel smoother.

Just like every Thursday, Matt carried Aidan to campus, dropped him off at the daycare, went to class, picked Aidan up, took the bus to Victoria’s and dropped Aidan off again, then walked to work.

He was dead on his feet when he entered the back door and put his stuff in his cubby before putting on his apron. He checked the schedule like he did every day, just in case something changed, then went to the front of the house. It was busy, of course. It was a popular and trendy coffee house close to campus. It was always teeming with people needing a caffeine fix or a place to take selfies just to prove they studied.

Hilary wasn’t working but he hadn’t met a coworker he didn’t like. Example; Kase. He was on the football team and he and Matt canlı bahis got along pretty well. Kase saw him and raised his chin, his hand busy prepping food.

“Matt,” Denise said as she came up from behind. “How are things settling? How’s that chunky monkey?”

“Good, he’s doing real good. We’re both doing good.” And that was the truth. Denise had been a godsend from the beginning, letting Matt know she had his back and if he needed anything, all he had to do was ask.

“I’m glad to hear it. Mind taking tubs today? Dishes are way backed up.”

“Absolutely,” he responded.

Most of the crew groaned about doing dishes but Matt was happy to contribute wherever he was needed. He grabbed a tub from the floor and headed toward the back.

“Holy shit,” he muttered to himself. Denise wasn’t joking when she said dishes were backed up. The entire stainless-steel counter was stacked full. It was so full he wasn’t even sure where to start. He threw on the full length, thick plastic apron and got to work. Besides how hot and muggy it got from the commercial spray hose and giant sanitation machine, dishes weren’t that bad.

As each load came out of the washer, he quickly put them away and started the next. Rinse and repeat. Literally.

Matt had a stack of dishes and was heading to the front to put them away when someone came through the wrong door, running face-first into Matt and making him drop the dishes on the floor, shattering everything.

“Holy shit,” Matt swore as the sound of ceramic shattering echoed in the kitchen. No doubt the entire place heard the damage.

“I’m sorry,” the guy said. Matt could only assume he was a new hire. “I didn’t see you coming.” He bent over and started putting broken pieces in the tub.

“For future reference, that door is marked exit only and the other one is to enter…to prevent this from happening.” Matt tried to keep his voice calm even though he was irritated to no end by such reckless behavior.

The guy stilled and looked at Matt, then at the door, then at Matt again. He looked like he wanted to feel guilty but mostly found Matt annoying for pointing out his wrongdoing. “Fair enough.”

Denise busted through the door—the correct door—and looked around the kitchen. “Whoa. What happened here?”

Matt didn’t volunteer anything, opting to wait for the other guy to sing.

“We got our wires crossed, no big deal.” He looked at Matt. “Go ahead to the front. I’ll clean this up.”

Matt stared at him for a moment. He’d never seen this guy a day in his life and suddenly he was dismissing Matt? Matt wasn’t one who thought he was above anyone else and always respected authority but he couldn’t help wonder who the fool was.

Instead of leaving, he looked to Denise for instructions. She nodded toward the front, confirming his dismissal, then bent down to help clean the mess up. Matt removed the washing apron and left without a word.

“What the hell happened back there? Sounded like a sonic boom or something,” Kase asked as Matt jumped in to help on the line.

“Some dumbass came barging in the wrong door as I was trying to bring a stack of plates to the front of the house.”

“Some dumbass, huh?” Kase laughed.

Matt gestured to the door with a pretty little sign. “The doors are clearly marked, so you tell me.”

“Is said dumbass about yay-high,” Kase’s hand stopped just short of his own height, just under six foot or so. “A dark red headed Irishman, late twenties, possibly could choke you out with his mind power?”

Matt rolled his eyes. “Yes on the height and hair, no clue on the ethnicity, probable theory on the telekinesis.”

Kase thought the whole exchange was funny as shit because he was laughing pretty loudly as he put the two paninis in the press. “Dude, this is awesome. That dumbass is Seamus Ryan.”

“And he’s, what? A friend of yours from the football team?”

Kase clapped his hands and laughed. “No, more like the guy who signs our paychecks, man. As in, Seamus Ryan, the owner.”

Fuck me Matt laughed to himself. What are the odds?

“It changes nothing except my anxiety level. He still should’ve used the correct door, it’s not that hard. I’m not getting written up for his error.”

“Fight the power, man,” Kase fisted the air. “Fight the power.”

Denise and Seamus came up front together. Neither of them acknowledged Matt, who kept his head down and worked, prepping food for Kase on the line. When it looked like the dish bins were getting full, he excused himself and took the tub to the back to get caught up on the washing.

Denise and Seamus came and went throughout the day. Spending a little while out front before disappearing to the back again.

Matt didn’t really care what Seamus thought, but Denise, she’d been so kind and accommodating since his mom died. He wasn’t confident he could find another job with a boss like her and wasn’t going to do anything to jeopardize it.

Luckily, Seamus left before his shift was over and he was able to talk to Denise in private.

“I just wanted to apologize for earlier. The guy startled me when he came the wrong way through the door and everything happened so fast. I’ll be more careful in the future.”

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