“Hungry?”
“Starving. Can we have this?” He held up the granola with the chocolate chips.
“Nope. Let’s have the regular granola today. Save the other for a special occasion.” Although telling your kid you were newly engaged to his nanny is a certain sort of occasion.
We were two bites into our bowls when Jessa padded into the kitchen—hair brushed, pale-blue cashmere sweater, leggings, no makeup. Her cheeks flushed pink, fresh like she’d splashed cold water there. A natural beauty. I noticed every detail in her presence; the sight did complicated things to my breathing.
I went to her, hugged her, and smoothed a hand down her back. “You look lovely. Relax.”
Theo tracked us like a scientist. “What’s going on?”
I settled her on the stool beside him and rested a hand on her shoulder. “We have something to talk about,” I announced.
Theo’s eyes narrowed. “Am I in trouble?”
“Is there anything you’d like to confess?” She winked at him.
“Uh… I snuck a handful of chocolate chip granola before Dad walked into the kitchen.” He hung his head.
I covered my laugh with a cough. “We’ll let it slide this time, buddy.” I paused, and chose my words carefully. “Do you remember the day you met Jessa?”
“At the wedding with the frog?” Theo scratched his head, making his hair stick up in one spot.
“Exactly. But I actually met her about a year before that. I saw her every time we visited your Aunt Sophie up in Holly Creek. We eventually developed feelings for each other, and um…” I hesitated. Peering into his sweet face, this was harder than I thought it’d be.
“What your dad is saying is that when two adults have feelings, they naturally want to spendmoretime together,” Jessa easily picked up where I left off.
“You mean like kissing and stuff?” He wrinkled his nose.
“I have to admit, I do like to kiss her.” I lifted her hand, letting the ring catch the light. “Buddy, Jessa is going to be more than the nanny. I asked her to marry me.”
Theo’s eyes blew wide. “Can I get a little brother?”
“Maybe,” Jessa chuckled.
“No,” I scowled and blurted out at the same time. Her shoulders dipped. I stood there, dumbfounded for a moment.
She smoothed things over. “Maybe one day. Right now we’re a team of three.”
“I know what it means when people get married. So please, please, please, give me a brother. I could teach him how to play hockey. Jackson, the goalie on my team, has a little brother who is only two and can already skate and handle a stick and puck.”
Jessa leaned forward, quickly placing a hand on his shoulder. “What matters most is that we’re both here for you, Theo.”
I cleared my throat and pulled it together. “That’s right. The three of us together against the world. In fact, how about today we go hang out at Central Park? Take advantage of one of the last fall days before winter hits.”
“Cool.” Theo shrugged, and spooned granola into his mouth. Then he hopped off his stool and headed back toward his room. “I’m gonna get ready.”
I gaped after him. “That went easier than I expected.”
She gave me a wary look. “Don’t celebrate yet. It might take time for it to register what this really means.”
“Central Park was a nice touch, wasn’t it?”
“It was.” She smiled. But it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Are you really taking the afternoon off?”
“Yep. Besides, you can’t be considered a true New Yorker until you’ve been through the park.”
“Is that what I am now? A New Yorker?”
