"NOAH!"
I turn just in time to see Matthew bolt down the stairs, his pale-green wings buzzing behind him, his face lit up with the biggest smile I've seen on him in weeks. He crashes into Noah's middle, wrapping his arms around him in a fierce hug.
Noah catches him easily, his big hands steady on Matthew's back.
"Hey, buddy," Noah says, his voice warm and genuine.
I stare at them, my brain struggling to catch up.
Matthewknowshim. And not just knows him butlikeshim.
Footsteps on the stairs make me look up, and I see Zoe standing at the top, her arms folded across her chest, her expression guarded. But when she sees Noah, her face shifts.
The hard edges soften. Her lips lift in a small, genuine smile.
And once again, all my thoughts shrivel up.Zoe likes him, too?
"Hey, Noah," she says quietly.
"Hey, Zoe." Noah grins up at her. "How'd your math homework go?"
She shrugs, but the smile doesn't fade. "Good. It's pretty easy the way you explained it."
"That's awesome. I knew you had it in you."
Zoe actuallyblushes.
I'm floored.
This is the same girl who makes me shrivel in place if I so much as dare to ask if she needs help with schoolwork. The same girl who's made five nannies quit in six months. And she's smiling at Noah like he hung the moon.
My throat tightens. I can't dismiss this. I can't dismiss the first person who's been able to reach Zoe without triggering a nuclear meltdown since Mitchell took off into the sunset.
Even if he's a man.
Heck, even if he's the most attractive man I've seen in years and the last thing I need right now is to be distracted by a pair ofhazel eyes and a jawline that could cut glass. Or a great ass that won't quit.
Standing in my living room in front of a ridiculously attractive man-nanny, I'm seriously considering all the ways I could make my mom's death look like an accident. A tragic yoga mishap, perhaps. Downward-dog-off-a-cliff style.
From the corner of my eye, I see Mom smirk like a fox who just slipped into the henhouse. Yeah. I'm definitely going to kill my mother. But first, I need to interview a sexy manny.
I take a breath and turn to Noah.
"Alright, I'll hear you out," I say, my voice icy calm. "In the kitchen."
Chapter 6
Noah
Thisisn'tagoodstart. In fact, this is a disastrous start.
My eyes stray to the door and I wonder if I could just bolt out of here. Then I see Belinda lingering in the doorway, like the damned pixie can read my mind.
She tricked me. I should have known better and asked for a confirmation that Rika actually wanted to interview me for a nanny position, but like the chump that I am, I trusted my employer.
The meddling pixie.
Well, too late now since Belinda is blocking my way out.
