Thank youcould mean anything. Could be about the mudroom. Could be about Ben. Could be about literally anything that happened in the last twenty-four hours.
But then I instantly know what it means.
It means he noticed.
The breathing thing.
He tried it, and it worked.
It means I’m not just the nanny whoreorganizes closets and does hair. I’m someone whose systems are makinghislife better. Not just Ben’s life.His.
When you realize you’re not just useful.
You’re necessary.
And that’s somehow more terrifying than being wanted.
I should text back something professional. Something that maintains boundaries and doesn’t acknowledge the fact we violated seventeen different contract clauses in his studio.
Instead I type:Anytime. That’s what I’m here for.
His response is immediate:Is it?
Two words. A question. Loaded with about nine thousand layers of subtext.
He’s right, though. Because even I’m not sure. Am I here just for the job? Or am I here for something else? Something we both keep pretending isn’t happening?
Yes,I type back.
Because what else can I say? That I’m here because I can’t stop thinking about him? That reorganizing his mudroom at dawn is my love language? That watching him use my breathing technique made something in my chest crack open?
No.
Absolutely not.
We have rules. We have a contract. We have approximately six thousand reasons this can’t be more than it already is.
My phone stays silent after that.
I finish the mudroom. Stand back and survey my work.
Rosa appears in the doorway with coffee. “You’ve been busy.”
“Yeah, I got here early,” I admit. “Couldn’t sleep.”
“Mmhmm.” She hands me the mug. Gives me a look that says she knows exactly why I couldn’t sleep and is choosing not to comment. “Mr. Fiore will appreciate this.”
“It’s just a mudroom.”
“It’s systems,” she corrects. “Systems he didn’t know he needed. You’re good at that.”
“At what?”
“Seeing what’s missing. Filling gaps.” She pats my shoulder. “Don’t sell yourself short.”
She leaves before I can respond.
I’m still standing there holding my coffee when Ben runs back in. Fully dressed now. Hair still a disaster but we’ll fix that.
