Suddenly Hired: Suddenly Love, #2

By Carmen Falcone

When Poppy storms into Ethan's office, she has a clear goal in mind: she'll convince him to sponsor her podcast in exchange for advertising his upcoming entertainment complex. But, she didn't count on the super-hot yet calculating man to be so stubborn, or his surprising and unexpected offer. If she babysits his unruly kids for two months, he'll give her what she wants. After raising her two brothers, she doesn't want any commitment—but this isn't an offer she can refuse if she wants a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a name for herself.

Single dad Ethan needs a reliable nanny, if he wants to earn a bonus that'll be his ticket to opening his own consulting firm and finally be able to spend time with his emotionally neglected family. But no one in New York City sticks with taking care of his kids. When an impulsive red-haired woman schemes her way into his office, he's surprised at how resourceful she is. Not to mention gorgeous. She's desperate for a chance, and he's willing to give it to her—if she helps him out.

The fiery attraction pulsing between them boils over and they have to choose—when the two months are up, will she finally fulfill long awaited dreams in the big city or embark on an instant family lifelong adventure?
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Carmen Falcone
• Release date: Jun 14, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201733148

Carmen Falcone

Carmen Falcone loves to spend her time writing about hot Alpha males and the quirky, smart and sassy heroines who turn their world upside down. Brazilian by birth and traveler by nature, she moved to Central Texas after college and met her broody Swiss husband--living proof that opposites attract. She found in writing the best excuse to avoid the healthy lifestyle everyone keeps talking about. When she’s not lost in the world of romance, she enjoys spending time with her two kids, being walked by her three crazy pugs, reading, catching up with friends, and chatting with random people in the checkout line. She now has more than a dozen of books published. She writes category contemporary, erotic romance and romantic suspense.

Book preview

1

"W hat happened this time?" Ethan asked, his voice filled with impatience. He glanced down at his eight-year-old son Archie, and ten-year-old daughter Willow. Couldn’t a single dad get a fucking break?

They stood in the middle of his office of one the world’s biggest luxury entertainment corporations, when they should have been at the exclusive private school they belonged to, in Manhattan. In less than thirty minutes, the founder of Kyle Entertainment, Mr. Branson Kyle, would arrive for their meeting in the conference room. Being the head of this project was a great opportunity. He’d opened entertainment venues before, but never in this capacity—and never such a coveted one.

If he excelled, he’d finally be able to walk away from this all-consuming job and open his own consulting firm. Spend more time with his children. Be his own boss—the way it should be.

The kids’ brand-new nanny, Sara, should have picked them up from school and gone straight to his duplex. That was what had been arranged.

Yet, his driver Drake called him to say the nanny had quit during her very first day at the job. She simply asked Drake to stop the car in the middle of downtown traffic and dashed, with a bullshit excuse about a personal emergency. Yeah right.

Ethan ran his fingers down his face. Out of all the days not to have childcare, today wasn’t it. Kyle had already complained about a couple of delays to opening date. One had been the construction company’s fault, and the other, Ethan’s—he had dropped the ball during a weekend Lydia had been off.

Lydia, his loyal housekeeper, had gone to visit her daughter upstate. The poor woman had stepped in a lot during the last few months, when a revolving door of nannies and sitters had stumbled in and out of his kids’ lives. She was a godsend, but at sixty-five and with newborn twin grandbabies, she’d started to put limitations to her work schedule. Rightfully so.

If only she hadn’t done so this week…

Sorry, Dad, Willow said, fixing her glasses. Archie was hyper in the car. I told him to stop shooting Nerf gun bullets at her. Then he pulled out his slime, and told her to ‘catch it’. We know how impossible it is to get that stuff out of the clothes.

Slime? Ethan winced. Archie, we already talked about Nerf guns. They shouldn’t have been in the car. And definitely not pointed at the new nanny.

They weren’t, his son said, with a glint of mischief in his blue eyes. They were in my backpack.

You took it to school? he asked, frustration squeezing moisture from his throat. The principal would no doubt call him if she had found out. Archie’s severe ADHD diagnosis only had so much reach. The principal had been understanding, especially because his former wife and mother of the kids was an unreliable junkie who last bounced out of the kids’ lives two years ago. But he knew even her patience had its limits. Other students’ parents complained about Archie constantly disrupting the class, and lowering overall productivity. Why did you do that, son? You know you aren’t supposed to.

Archie shrugged, and with his foot traced an invisible circle on the floor. I was bored.

Ethan drew a long breath, raking his fingers through his hair. A part of him wanted to be mad at his son, well a part of him was—but then he remembered Archie acted on impulse and even though he often found trouble, he didn’t have a mean bone in his body—though his sister, of course, would disagree.

Archie had regular sessions with both occupational and play therapists, and bless those professionals—they tried their best to teach him how to control his body and be aware of his space. But sometimes it felt like improvements didn’t come soon enough.

He knelt until he was on eye level with Archie. You can’t ever point a fake toy gun at anyone, and much less shoot in their direction. Do you understand? he said, using a voice that set most people straight. Next time you act out, you’re losing your iPad for a month at least.

Archie looked down. Sorry, Dad.

You’re really going to forgive him and let him go off the hook like that? Willow asked, behind them. He was bouncing off the walls in the car. He got detention twice this week. Dad, there’s a pattern.

Willow’s questioning of his parenting skills always made him second guess himself. If there was a position open for a kid warden at a strict boarding school, Willow would take it and excel in her sleep. Listen, I have a meeting soon and—

Of course, Willow cut him off. Always a meeting. Never us.

It was like someone switched off a light inside him, then turned it on at its brightest, the abrupt shift shocking his body. Though it shouldn’t. By now, he should be used to the hurt in his daughter’s eyes, the resentment in her voice. She’d lost her mother, and no nanny in this world could make up for it.

Willow, I—

The sound of the doors being swung opened startled him.

Mr. Sterling. Please, hear me out, said an anxious female voice.

He raised his gaze from his daughter’s disappointed face to find a tall, statuesque red-haired woman storming into his office. Her hair fell in waves across her face all the way down her shoulders, and she panted, like she’d just ran a marathon. Sweat coated her forehead, and a flick of desperation gleamed in her bright green eyes. What the hell? He didn’t have anything in his schedule besides the important meeting with Kyle. And this woman looked nothing like Kyle’s assistant. Who are you?

Poppy Jones, she said, glancing behind her shoulder, then closing the door of his office and at last, looking at him. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve been meaning to talk to you for a while.

He picked his brain, trying to place her name. He usually remembered the ones important to him. To his career as a regional director in Kyle Entertainment. But hers didn’t ring any bells. I’m sorry. Where do we know each other from? I don’t see anything on my calendar, he said smoothly, hiding his impatience. She could be working for Kyle and he just didn’t know. Why would she just barge into his office? She had to have a fucking good reason.

She worried her lower lip. A deliciously plump lip. Oh. We haven’t met yet. I’ve tried. You’re hard to get.

You can say that again, Willow said under her breath, rolling her eyes.

I like your hair, Archie said, stepping toward Poppy.

Thank you, Poppy said, touching the bouncing waves, and flashing him a smile. I’m sorry for barging in, but I’ve been trying to get hold of you for months, and I’m not backing away now. Mr. Sterling, I have the perfect marketing opportunity for you. I’m an up-and-coming podcaster, and—

He waved her off, impatience getting under his skin. Was she seriously cold calling him on the most important day of his career? Contact Marketing.

I’ve tried, for a couple months.

Not my problem, he wanted to say. He glanced at his son, who still seemed entranced by the stranger. How did you get in here?

I, hmm, accidentally spilled coffee on your assistant and she rushed to the restroom to clean up. So I thought, hey why not be time conscious and take advantage of this opportunity? I promise I’ll be quick. And even if I take a long time, it’ll sound like a breeze to you.

More like a thunderstorm. He shook his head. Who the hell was this person? Accidentally?

She tossed her hair to the side. It was iced coffee, in my defense. I apologized profusely, she said, gesturing with her hands. Anyway, please listen—

Get out, he said, pointing at the door. Out of all the things he didn’t need today, dealing with this woman was definitely one of them. How did she get past security in the lobby? He narrowed his eyes at her. She probably had a way to get things done.

Jeez, Dad, kicking her out isn’t very nice, his daughter said, choosing a bad time to be polite. A part of him knew Willow only intervened because she’d sensed he didn’t want to waste his time with Poppy.

Neither is soliciting without permission.

You always tell us we should listen more, Archie said. And be polite.

See? Listen to these adorable kids. They’re the future, right? Poppy chimed in, smiling like he’d given her the go-ahead. Once I tell you my idea, I guarantee you’ll change your mind.

Jesus. Listen, door-to-door person, I give you—

Ethan, said the voice belonging to the one person he wanted more time before he had to meet. Branson Kyle. The man walked into his office, his icy gaze taking in his children and the red-haired woman. Am I interrupting you?

Fuck. Ethan fell into the smooth talker role again, feeling his features soften, willing the frustration away from his expression. Not at all, Mr. Kyle. I was expecting to meet you soon, and—

I prefer to surprise and show up earlier sometimes. To see what you’ve all been up to, he said. I see your children are still a lively presence in the office, he said, with a tone of sarcasm. I thought the last screw-up had taught you a lesson.

Fuck. He had to take the kids out of sight as soon as possible, otherwise the cranky old fool would assume that Ethan’s life was still drowned in personal chaos. He needed the bonus money at the end of this project—the only