Michael rolls his eyes, but there’s a smile tucked at the corner of his mouth.
“Let her be,” Zoe says, curling up next to him. “She’s welcome here.”
I point my finger at her. “This is why I love you.”
Zoe laughs, leaning into Michael’s side, and his hand automatically finds her thigh. I keep changing channels, pretending I’m not half-jealous of the comfort they’ve found. My phone buzzes against my thigh, and before I think twice, the words tumble out of me.
“I found a babysitting job ad today.” Both of their heads snap toward me.
Michael’s eyes widen instantly.
“Watch what you say next, Michael Price.” I point my finger at him, the threat clear.
He laughs. “I wasn’t going to say anything bad. It’s just… the last thing I expected to come out of your mouth.”
“Why? I’m great with kids.” I gesture to Sprinkles, who swishes her tail like she agrees. “Hell, I’ve got nieces and nephews hanging off me all the time. One kid? Easy.”
Zoe leans forward, interest sparking in her eyes. “Can I see the ad?”
“Sure.” I pull out my phone and swipe to the photo.
She takes it, squinting. “Liv…it says potential live-in.”
“What? No, it doesn’t.”
“There.” She points at the bottom of the card where, in tiny print, it reads:Live-in option available for the right candidate.
“Well, shit.” I squint at it myself. “I don’t want to live in some random’s house.”
“That’s the job,” Zoe says gently.
Michael leans back, arms still crossed. “What’s wrong with sticking to the farm for now?”
I groan, tipping my head against the couch. “I’m tired of it. I’ve been feeding, fixing, chasing, mucking in since I was old enough to reach a trough. And as much as I love the animals, and truly, I do, I can’t spend the rest of my life just orbiting Xavier and Dad. I want something new. I want—”
“Something more challenging,” Zoe says, finishing for me.
“Yes!” My head snaps toward her, a grin tugging at my mouth. “How do you know me so well already?”
“Just a hunch.”
Michael snorts. “Dangerous thing, encouraging her.”
“Dangerous?” I gasp, clutching Sprinkles to my chest like he’s insulted us both. “I’d make a fantastic nanny. Crafts, snacks, bedtime stories. I’d nail it.”
Michael smirks. “Until the kid back-talks and you threaten them with a shovel.”
“That’s discipline, right?” I say sweetly.
Zoe laughs so hard she nearly tips over. “Oh my God, I love you.”
I beam. “See? She gets me.”
Michael just shakes his head, but I catch the smile he’s hiding. And maybe that’s what makes me stay planted on their couch, even when I know I should go home. Because under all my wildness, big talk and endless teasing, the truth is simple. I want what they have. Comfort. Belonging. The kind of person who looks at you like you’re both the problem and the answer.
And let me be clear, I’m not out here trying to chase a man. I’m not desperate for love, and I don’t need saving. I’ve built a life that works, and I know how to stand on my own two feet. But everyone deserves their person. For years, mine was Amelia. She was my safe place, my other half. But now she has Bradley, and I’m left here wondering when it’s my turn to find that same kind of fit.
Not the fairytale, not the grand gesture… just someone who feels like mine.
