The Nanny

Sam shook his head leaning into her. "Tell me not to kiss you Mercedes, if you tell me to stop, to walk away I will."

He turned her face to his. "Or tell me to kiss you, to put us both out of our misery and give in to this."

Mercedes looked at him. "Sam…I-"

Sam leaned in, lips brushing hers, when they both heard a whine coming from the next room. Mercedes pulled away from him and ran her hand through her hair. "I should go check on the twins."

Sam nodded. "Yeah…okay, I have some work to do anyways."

She stood, giving him one last look before walking to the room to check on the twins. Sam looked after her, part of him wanting to wait for her but he did have work to do.

Giving the door one last room, Sam walked out and headed to the main house, already plotting when he would see her again.

Sam walked into his father's office, a smile on his face handing over the files to him. "Hey dad, everything is up to date for you to add the numbers to your speech at the Evans Foundation."

Dwight ran his hands through his hair. "Change of plans, Stacey is sick and well lets not mince words, your mom is kinda sad Stacey preferred for Mercedes to take care of her, so your mother decided to stay home, which means I lost my date."

Sam shook his head. "Dad…no, I know you want to get out of this but I can't take your place. It's tonight and its not like I have a date or a speech."

"You can use my speech Sam, just reword it to fit you. And I am sure you can bring one of the girl's who we all know fawn over you."

"Dad we both know if I take one of them to our Foundation Gala they will expect more from me."

"Ahem excuse me Mr. Evans. I cleaned up Stacey and she is with Mrs. Evans right now, I am going to drop Stevie off to his sleep over, is there anything else I can do?" Mercedes said standing at the door frame.

Dwight smiled. "Actually you can do us a huge favor. Sam is in need of a date to the Gala my wife and I were supposed to go to today. Would you be okay with that? Its not mandatory you can say no."

Mercedes looked over to Sam and saw the hopeful look in his eyes, then back to his father. "Mr. Evans I would love to but I don't have anything that would be appropriate for a Gala."

"That isn't a problem, give Mary your size before you go take Stevie, and when you return there will be a few options delivered to your room." Dwight said and Mercedes nodded.

"Um okay then I will be back. Thank you." She said giving Sam another glance before exiting. Dwight watched the silent display from Sam and Mercedes and smiled leaning back in his chair.

"So you are okay with this arrangement?" He asked his son.

Sam shook his head looking at his dad. "I am okay with it. I will be in my room reworking this speech."

"I bet you are Son." Dwight teased.

Sam turned back to his dad and folded his arms across his chest as he leaned against the door. "And what does that mean?"

Dwight shrugged. "I am not a brilliant man Sam, I am just great at observation and a few other things, and what I know is a man could so so much worse than the likes of one Mercedes Jones. The woman is beautiful, smart and great with your siblings, and more so I see the way you look at her."

Sam shifted on his feet and Dwight continued. "So enjoy yourself tonight, and see what's there. I know the history with the other Nanny's, most come for you. But Sam, some things are clear as day, and the chemistry between you two, that is clear."

Sam sighed. "I do like her dad, but first off you and I had a deal, no dating the nanny's and Mercedes is so much more than that."

Dwight nodded. "Well, there are always exceptions to the rules and lets be honest, Mercedes is an exception for sure."

True to his word, Mercedes came back to a room full of Gowns, and a stylist and make up artist waiting to work on her. Mary walked into the room and Mercedes frowned.

"This is so much…"

Mary smiled. "Mercedes, from the moment we hired you, I knew we made the right decision, you've more than earned a day to be pampered. Plus, from the moment you show up until the minute you leave you and Sam will be in the spotlight. This is more for all of us, as an honorary Evans, you need to show up and turn heads, let that natural beauty work for us."

Mercedes blushed as she started to look through all of the dresses. "These are all so beautiful. I have never worn anything so…so elegant."

"Well they are all yours to keep, so out of these four which one do you like the most?" Mary asked.

As Mercedes held up each dress, her phone vibrated. Looking at it she blushed seeing it was from Sam.

S: I am never looking forward to these things but knowing I will have you on my arm…I finally am seeing the appeal.

M: I have never been to something like this, I really don't want to embarrass you.

S: You never could. If you wanted to match with me…I am wearing a green silk tie and vest with my tux.

S: Inserts Photo of Tux

M: You will definitely be living up to the Evans name.

S: Send me a pic of your dress.

M: Nope. Gotta go, I will see you later. I will be the one in a dress.

She put her phone down and looked up to see Mary smiling at her. "Was that Sam?"

Mercedes nodded. "He was telling me that he would be wearing green, if I wanted to coordinate with him."

Mary smiled. "Well now…if you were interested in matching him, and you can wear this black dress, or this black and green, which I think would look amazing on you. You can also wear the red or white."

Mercedes chewed her bottom lip, trying to decide the best option for her, in the end she picked the dress that most felt like her.

Sam normally didn't care for flashing around his wealth or what people perceived him to be, but knowing Mercedes would be his date, he immediately called for a car. He wanted to treat her better than any woman he had ever dated, wanted to make her feel special.

Pulling out his phone he sent Mercedes another text, he had just enough time to run an errand and be back.

S: Living Room. 7pm. Sharp.

M:I'll be there.

Mercedes couldn't even stop smiling if she wanted too.

Mary sat back as Mercedes was getting her manicure. "Every time that phone pings you smile even wider. You really are taken with my son aren't you?"

Mercedes looked at Mary and then back down to her nails getting done. "He's been really sweet to me."

"You don't have to be coy, I see the way he looks at you too. My son is very hard working and dedicated to his family. I have only seen him smile that wide one other time in the last few years. Last year he met a young lady he said he felt was his soulmate. She got him not because he was an Evans but because he was just Sam."

Mercedes looked over to Mary. "He told you about that night?"

Mary laughed. "He did. And when we hired you and I saw that look on his face, he told me it was you. A mother always wants that for their son, to find a love like that. Now I am not saying you have to be with him. But if you like him, don't hurt him."

Mercedes chewed her bottom lip. "Mrs. Evans, I can promise you, hurting your son, is the last thing I would ever want to do. I don't want to hurt any of them. You guys opened your home to me and the last thing I would ever do is ruin everything you guys have done."

Mary leaned up and patted Mercedes on the arm. "You my dear, could never ruin anything.

Mercedes looked at her and nodded, taking a deep breath and wiping a stray tear. "I really do love being around your family. All of you Evans."

"At least you know the feeling is mutual…now, we better get you ready, have you decided on the dress you want to wear?"

Mercedes nodded. "I have, and I think it will look really good with the curls."

"My son won't know what hit him, and you two will be the talk of the Gala as it should be, since Dwight and I can't be there."

Mercedes smiled. "I just hope that we live up to the Evans name." She said grabbing her chosen dress and walking into the bathroom to change.

"You will. Now I am going to check on Stacey, I'll be back to help you with your finishing touches."

In the bathroom, Mercedes started to get dress, when her phone rang. Smile she sat in front of the vanity.

"Well I was wondering when I would hear from you? Traveling the world makes you forget your daughter."

"Hello daughter, I am fine, how are you." Amelia Jones said smiling.

"You will never guess what I am doing."

"What? Knee deep in Barney and Ice cream?" Amelia teased.

"Mom! Barney? Really?"

"You loved that show, anyways what are you doing?"

Mercedes stared at herself in the mirror. "I'm getting ready to attend a Gala."

"Oooh well aren't you little miss Diva."

Mercedes laughed. "Its the Evans Foundation and since Mr. and Mrs. Evans can't go, I am going with Sam."

"Ah Mr. Dreamy himself huh?"

"He really is great, mom. I really like him."

"But?"

Mercedes sighed. "But I don't know if I fit in his world. Sam comes from this lavish lifestyle and you and I both know that we Jones come from and live on humble beginnings. I mean mom, I found out I was going to this thing and within an hour, Mrs. Evans has gowns in my size and a team to beautify me. Its a bit overwhelming and hard to feel like I fit into all this."

"Baby, you belong right where you are. Money doesn't make the man, and you know that. You don't like the Evans because they have money, and you told me the whole family was down to earth."

"They are, they didn't even hesitate when they were asking me to talk their place."

"Good, so enjoy your Cinderella moment, send me lots of pictures and call me."

"I will momma…when are you and daddy due back?"

"Next week. So I fully expect a BBQ invite to that mansion you are working at."

Mercedes laughed. "Okay. Bye momma."

"Bye baby."

Sam checked his watch as the limo pulled up to the house, he made it home with 1 minute to spare. Walking into the house exhaled nervously, tapping the small box in his hand. Hearing a pair of heels, Sam looked up and if asked, he would swear his heart stopped as Mercedes walked towards him.

Her curve hugging, off the shoulder, slit up the left thigh dress, fit her perfectly. She added a pair of black opened strapped heels and her hair fell over her shoulders, and she wore a pair of dangling diamond earrings. Her natural makeup completed the look and Sam truly felt unworthy of her.