A couple of hours later, and I’m standing by the front door, grinning like an idiot because a car has turned into our driveway. Ned is on time. He’s here, and he hasn’t changed his mind.
He parks really close and then bolts out of his car. His shoulders are hunched, and he’s acting like it’s pouring with rain. I glance up at the sky. It’s cloudy, but there is no rain.
Ned skids past me into the entrance hall. His shoulders relax, and he stops hunching.
“Hi,” he says as he looks up at me.
He’s every bit as cute as I remember from the interview. I wasn’t imagining that. He’s all big brown eyes and well-defined cheekbones, with a mop of dark hair.Actually, in this light, I can see flecks of gold and green in his gorgeous eyes. Just like Jennifer had.
I shake my head to clear it. I really need to stop seeing her everywhere. It’s ridiculous. She’s gone, and she’s not coming back.
“The kids are in the playroom. Let me introduce you,” I say.
He nods, and his Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows. Is he nervous? That’s strangely adorable. I don’t think my kids are that terrifying. But I guess that’s something he needs to decide for himself.
I turn and lead the way. I don’t understand why he wants this job. He’s young and absolutely stunning. Looks like that could get him anything he wanted. An acting career, a modeling job. A sugar daddy. Why on earth he’s choosing to be a nanny is beyond me. But I’m grateful that he’s here, whatever his reasons.
I open the door to the playroom and grimace. It was looking nice ten minutes ago. And the kids were looking fairly presentable. I’d put time and effort into both because I didn’t want Ned to think I was completely hopeless.
The kids pause their playing and stare up at Ned. A newcomer entering their domain. Fresh blood.
“Noah, Oscar, Lottie,” I say as I point to each of my little darlings. “This is Ned. He has come to meet you.”
Ned looks completely overwhelmed. He even looks a little pale. He’s staring back at the kids intensely. Then he gives them a little awkward wave.
He is such a dork. I love it.
“You’re pretty,” says Lottie, breaking the silence.
The boys giggle. I wince.
Ned drops down onto his knees, right beside Lottie. “So are you, sweetheart.”
Lottie thrusts her toy truck at him, and he takes it with a smile.
“You look just like…” he pauses suddenly and swallows audibly. “A princess!”
Lottie grins at him, all toothy and gummy.
“What about me?” demands Noah.
“And me!” adds Oscar.
Ned smiles. A true smile that lights up his eyes. It’s dazzling to behold. He looks like he thinks this is the best day of his life, and he’s never been happier.
“You look like a brave knight,” he says to Noah.
Then he turns to Oscar. “And you look like a scary dragon!”
Oscar roars loudly in delight, and Noah runs to a toy box and grabs a lightsaber. Then he waves it around his head.
I shake my head fondly and quietly back out of the room. I’ll leave them to it, since today is all about getting to know each other. I won’t leave Ned alone with my kids until I’m one hundred percent sure they’re comfortable with him. Which, judging how that just went, will not take long at all.
In the meantime, I’ll lurk in my home office and try to get some paperwork done. It’s only down the hall, so I’ll be able to hear if something goes wrong.
The house is unnervingly still, but not in a bad way. There’s a sense of peace I haven’t felt in months. Maybe it’s because for the first time in a long while, I’m not alone in managing everything. I pause with my hand on the handle to my office.
That’s strange. My mental image of something going wrong is Ned needing rescuing, not me needing to protect my kids from the stranger.
