Derek tried to hold back his laughter and turned his back on Matteo, going up the stairs, deep down tempted to continue and see how far he could tease Matteo. He liked to think he wasn't that sadistic. Most of the time he did his best to be a good father and stayed true to Sofia's image. Like it or not, on paper, they were still married, even if Sofia didn't make the same effort as him, and at the moment, Derek was especially trying to be a good host; it was clear that Matteo was a good boy, patient and respectful when he didn't treat him the same way, but it was so easy to tease that little boy... before he knew it, they were too close, Derek having even more fun while trying to control himself and hide his amusement behind a frown.

Okay, he was the one to blame in this story, Derek admitted, he was testing the boy. Matteo seemed too nice and too young to be working, it was like watching a child taking care of other children, besides the fact that he didn't know anything about the boy. It couldn't be possible, that cute and innocent little face couldn't be more than fifteen, maybe sixteen years old. He was so skinny that Derek was afraid that the children would accidentally break him in half when they went to play. And even though he knew he would regret it, Derek went up the rest of the stairs and opened the door, being greeted by his mischievous little angels who hugged him tightly before returning to their tasks.

"Daddy, Daddy! Where have you been? We 're late!" Little Logan shouted from his bed, putting on his shoes and already dressed. He was sweet, innocent and well-behaved, always trying to do the right thing. This also had to do with the fact that Logan hated being late.

"Kelly didn't come today?" Alice asked in a much calmer, almost distracted way, reading something on her cell phone while sprawled on the bed.

"She had to leave. Matteo will stay with us today. What do you think about that?”

"Another one left?" Alice said.

“I didn’t like her at all,” Logan said. He smiled at his shoes, satisfied with a job well done, and shrugged. “She didn’t know how to play and was on the phone all day.”

"I know, dear. Hopefully, Mr. Matteo will be different. Do you want to meet him?”

Obediently, the children stopped what they were doing and got up from the bed, each one stopping on either side of Derek and finally seeing the person standing behind their father. With their straight spines and curious looks, they waited patiently when Derek finally moved out of their way, allowing them to see him. And Matteo, who had been leaning against the doorframe all this time and watching the interaction between him and the children, let a smile take over his face.

Derek saw Matteo take a step into the room, approaching them, and continued watching from afar, as curious as they looked at Matteo.

"Kids, what do we say when we meet new people?

"It's a pleasure to meet you! "Logan said excitedly, his eyes shining when they met Matteo's.

"I hope you last longer than a month." It was Alice's turn to mutter. Soon after, she looked away at her cell phone and pretended nothing was happening.

Derek understood perfectly, it was Alice's way of protecting herself; she would ignore the problem until it went away or until someone solved it for her. Because, in fact, he had already lost count of how many people he had hired in the last few years.

“The pleasure is all mine,” Matteo said, the tone of his voice surprising him.

Derek couldn't deny it, that tone was something much more loving and kind than Matteo had used with him. This surprised him even more when, contrary to what he thought, Matteo knelt down to the children's height and held their hands, smiling gently as he said: "I hope we can have fun.”

"Are you going to take me to school? The sitters always do that." Logan said.

"Are you going to help us with our homework?"Alice added.

"Yes, we will do that and much more.”

“Shouldn't you be in school? How old are you?" Alice said again, looking suspicious.

"I'm twenty. And you?”

"Eleven. My little brother is seven.”

"It's true! Daddy's twenty-nine. Mommy, thirty-one!" Logan spoke excitedly, as if in a game. Whoever spoke the fastest won.

"That's very good to know." Matteo smiled and Derek couldn't help but smile along.

Derek ruffled Logan's hair and sat on the bed as he continued to watch the light and easy way Matteo spoke to the children.

"Do you… study?" Alice asked.

"No, I'm saving money to pay for college.”

"Do you live in the city?" It was Logan's turn.

Derek saw Matteo smile even wider, a smile so wide and angelic that he tried to hide his interest as Matteo continued to answer the children without hesitation. “No, I live further inland, an hour away from the city. Yes, I have four brothers, two girls and two boys. And yes, I have a boyfriend.”

"Why so many questions?" Matteo asked after a while.

"We're helping daddy!" Logan told him, sitting next to Matteo on the floor with his sister.

"When we ask, people lie less." Alice nodded, confirming.

"Who has lied?”

"The last nanny. A woman of twenty-five.”

Derek felt like slapping himself and sneaking out of there just as Matteo turned to him and raised an eyebrow, clearly questioning him about it. He shrugged, pretending he didn't know anything and settled back in bed, pretending with his cell phone in his hand as if he was reading something very important. Matteo turned back to the children, once again paying attention to what they were saying, but... yeah... Derek could see a slight blush creeping up Matteo's neck, stopping at his high cheekbones, giving Matteo a slightly darker hue.

"I think that's enough for today. Who's ready to go to school?”

Surprisingly, it wasn't Derek who had said it. It had been Matteo himself, already in full caretaker mode. It all felt so natural that Derek found himself following Matteo's order. They both helped the children pick up their bags, books, and water bottles, each of them taking Matteo's hands and pulling him toward the front door, down the stairs, and into the entrance hall.

Feeling satisfied, he handed the car keys to Matteo and said, “Have fun!”

"Shouldn't you…?”

"You don't know how to drive?”

“It's not that!”

"So, it's settled. It's the black Jeep.”

Being dragged along by the kids, Matteo made a funny face at Derek and he found himself following them again as the kids continued to drag Matteo around the house. They went around the house, past the garden, and behind it where there was a long garden were the cars, a convertible that Derek had gotten for his eighteenth birthday and a Jeep, a four-door monster with wheels that he loved to drive, almost taller than himself.

Derek pointed out the car to Matteo and, paying attention to Matteo's face, felt even more satisfied. Matteo stopped in place and spent a while admiring the car, his eyes wide open with such a surprised expression that it made him even cuter.

Matteo shook his head and looked at him, looking overcome with fatigue.

"Come on, unlock the car." Matteo did, of course. Matteo pressed the button and as soon as the alarm was deactivated, Derek opened the door for him and then picked up the children, placing them in the backseat and adjusting the seat belts for them.

"Can you climb up?”

Matteo waved, pushed himself forward, and fell face first into the driver's seat, all awkward. Derek had the urge to help him, but since Matteo hadn't reacted well when he'd touched his shoulder earlier, Derek stopped before Matteo could interpret it the wrong way.

Yeah, looks like he'd have to buy them another car. One that was... lower? That was a good idea.

Derek finally slammed the car door, waved to them and only went inside the house when Matteo actually showed that he knew how to drive. Derek continued to watch the car drive away until Matteo parallel park to complete the return towards the exit. It seemed that things would be more interesting than Derek thought.