The two of them share a laugh. “Yeah, I think desperation won out over rationality, but I’d say we’re doing okay.”
Rhonan glances between the two of us, but my eyes are transfixed on the brunette vision standing next to me.
I’m fucking glad I found her too.
“Right?” she asks me with a nudge.
“Yeah. We’re getting a routine down,” I reply, clearing my throat.
Rhonan blows out a breath. “Routines are crucial. Trust me. It’s part of the reason why I hired Joanne, my nanny, so my daughter Ellis could have stability.”
Glancing around the property, I say, “Where is Ellis?”
“Joanne took her to the playground to play for a bit, but she’s probably with my dad bossing the employees around.” His eyes dart around the open space. “Everyone thinks it’s hilarious, but my daughter takes it very seriously.”
Elodie laughs. “I love that. Bossiness is a great personality trait to have, despite what people might tell you.”
“Yeah, I’ve gotten a little glimpse of your bossiness already,” I say as Elodie smirks back up at me.
“Well, you hired me for a reason. I’m just trying to be the best employee I can be.”
I can still feel Rhonan’s eyes on us, but mine remain locked on the woman standing beside me.
Rhonan clears his throat. “To answer your earlier question about the wine, do you prefer red or white?”
“White. I wish I liked red, but it’s just not for me.”
Rhonan nods. “I get it. It took a long time for me to adjust to the taste, but if whites are your thing, we have a white cabernet that is one of our most popular wines for a reason.”
“Excellent. Thank you.” She turns to me now. “You’ll be okay with Remy while I’m gone?”
No, I want to say because I’m getting used to her being nearby. But instead, I fake confidence. “Of course. Go get yourself a drink.”
“Thanks.” Squeezing my forearm, she presses a kiss to Remy’s cheek and walks away, releasing me from her grasp as I watch the distance between us grow.
I don’t realize how long I’ve been staring until Rhonan’s laugh cuts through my thoughts. “Oh, shit. You’re so screwed.”
I spin back to face him. “What do you mean?”
“You’ve got the hots for your nanny.”
Dilynne barks out a laugh as she joins us. “You saw it too?” she asks, right as Laney appears at my side.
“What are we talking about?” Laney asks.
“How my brother has a boner for his nanny,” my sister says without missing a beat.
“First, please don’t talk about my dick. And second, no I don’t. Elodie has just been a huge help and I wanted to make sure she found the bar all right.”
Laney points to the giant sign above the outdoor bar. “Not sure she could miss it, Henley. But it’s cute that you couldn’t come up with a better excuse.”
Rhonan holds his stomach as laughter pours out of him now. “Oh, fuck. This is great. I mean, how much more cliché could you get?”
I point a finger at him. “The only reason you think this is funny is because your nanny is old enough to be your mom, so no one’s accusing you of the same thing.”
Elliot walks up to the group with a fresh glass of wine, inserting himself back into the conversation. “Hey. Don’t knock older women. Cougars need love too, and they are amazingly confident in the bedroom.” He bounces his eyebrows up and down. “Trust me.”
Rhonan stops laughing and glares at Elliot. “If I find out that you’ve hit on Joanne, I’ll be the one putting a hand on you next.”
