Nanny and the Alpha Daddy

Nanny and the Alpha Daddy
#Chapter 34: The Exhibit
Moana

I couldn’t bring myself to avoid Ethan’s exhibit after he had asked me to go so many times. So, after putting Ella to bed, I went to Selina with my hand on my stomach and a frown on my face.

“I’m afraid I might have contracted food poisoning,” I said, feigning illness. “Can you keep an eye on things if Ella wakes up? I’m going to go to urgent care.”

Selina frowned, looking at her watch. “Do you need a driver?” she asked.

I vehemently shook my head. “No. It’s okay. I’ll call a cab.”

“Well… Alright,” she said, pursing her lips. “Be careful.”

After that, I put on a simple dress that could pass for urgent care attire if anyone were to question me, and flagged down a cab outside of the penthouse.

Just as I suspected, the art gallery was packed to the brim when I arrived. As I got out of the cab, I felt a lump rise in my throat; all of the other patrons seemed to be dressed lavishly, which made me feel incredibly out of place.

There was a line with a bouncer to get in. I stood in line, patiently waiting my turn.

“Name?” the bouncer said, eyeing me up and down suspiciously as I walked up to him.

“Moana Fowler,” I replied.

The bouncer narrowed his eyes at me before scanning his list for a painstakingly long moment. “You’re not on the list,” he said. His voice was gruff and indifferent, and before I could say anything else, he waved me away to let the next person in.

“But I have an invitation from Ethan,” I replied, clutching my purse nervously as I stood to the side.

The bouncer, not even bothering to look at me, simply scoffed. “I highly doubt the artist personally invited a human. Quit wasting my time and get out of here. You can come back to view the art tomorrow, when it’s open to the public.”

“Actually,” a familiar voice said from behind the bouncer, “I did invite her. Come on in, Moana.”

a chorus of murmurs making their way through the line of

foyer with his hand on my back. “He’s just doing his

around at all of the wealthy-looking people that were

warm smile. “Unfortunately I have to participate in some involuntary networking with a few of the patrons here, but feel free to take a look around. And have a glass of champagne, too.” He reached out, taking a glass of champagne off of a waiter’s

took the champagne and nodded, watching as

deep breath and a sip of the champagne for courage, I made my way into the gallery so I could get a better

beneath the gallery lighting. A jazz quartet played lively music from a small stage at the back of the gallery, creating an atmosphere that almost made the artwork come alive.

me, either — with my glass of champagne in my hand as I closely studied each

a corner of the gallery, and no one else seemed to notice it; but I did. I felt entranced by the depiction of a young boy, staring out at the viewer from a black void. His face was sad, but there was also a hint of something else behind it that I couldn’t quite read.

me out of my trance. I jumped a bit at the sound of his voice, not realizing that I

You startled me,” I said, feeling my face flush. “Yes. I

my favorite, too,” Ethan replied. “I haven’t given it

of a silence before Ethan spoke.

a bit nervously as I reached into my purse and pulled out a single, folded piece of paper and held it out to Ethan. “It’s not much. Just

same drawing that I had

a few moments, “this is stunning. You didn’t mention that you could draw this