“I know it sounds crazy but—”
“I thought this was only supposed to be for a few months?”
“It is. I told Henley that—”
“Henley?”
“Yeah, he’s my boss and he was desperate, Lennon. I swear, I couldn’t handle watching him beg for my help.” I spend the next several minutes filling my friend in on everything that has transpired today.
“So you’re going to live with him and take care of his daughter, but you still plan on leaving Blossom Peak?”
“Exactly. Honestly, it’s perfect. More money, I won’t have to worry about rent, and it will help me pay down my debt sooner and save up for my next move. Plus, you know I love babies.”
Living in L.A. isn’t cheap, especially when you’re trying to juggle bartending hours and writing with multiple roommates in the house, so credit cards became my best friend. Well, now they’re my worst enemy, and something I want to get rid of faster than a zit that pops up out of nowhere.
“Yeah, I know. I’m just worried…”
“About what?”
“Well, what does your boss look like? You know those stories where the nanny falls for the boss are popular for a reason.”
My brain filters back through every mental snapshot I’ve taken of Henley today, flipping through the rolodex of how I’ve organized every photo—his smirk, his ass encased in denim, and his forearms.
Yup. Those forearms are a problem.
“He’s…uh…” I hear the water shut off, making my heart rate instantly spike. “Hey, Lennon?”
“Yeah?”
“I’ve gotta go.”
“This conversation isn’t over, Elodie. In fact, maybe I need to make a trip down to Blossom Peak to make sure you’re not in over your head here. I mean, you just agreed to move in with a man you’ve barely met, and I know you go silly for a sinful-looking man, especially if he wears flannels...”
I’m listening to her, I am. But before I can reply, Henley comes walking down the hall with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist, droplets of water cascading over the mountains of muscles on his chest and abs.
Screw a flannel when he looks like that underneath.
“Dear God,” I pant breathlessly, but thankfully, Henley doesn’t seem to notice.
“Sorry. I just realized all of my clean clothes are still in the laundry room,” he explains, completely oblivious to how he’s practically rendered me speechless.
“Uh huh…”
“Elodie!” Lennon shouts through the phone.
I fight like hell to divert my gaze from the walking lumbersnack before me, failing miserably until Remy decides to burp loudly against me, saving me from further humiliation.
“I’ll call you later, Lennon,” I say into the phone.
“This isn’t over, Elodie!” she yells before I end the call and toss my phone to the couch, hoisting Remy up to my shoulder, patting her back in an attempt to get another burp from her tiny body.
Triumphantly, she lets out a rumble that stops Henley in his tracks as he heads back to his room. “Was that her?”
“Sure was,” I say, smiling at Remy, her face right next to mine.
Henley chuckles. “Damn. That was actually impressive. Maybe she really is my kid.”
I glance between the two of them. “I don’t think there is any doubt about that. I mean, have you compared your ears and hers?”
