I turned, still attempting to be quiet, when a high, soft voice nearly sent me to heaven fifty years too early.
“Is Gia alright?”
“Holy shi—! Sera, you can’t sneak up on people like me!” I pressed a hand against my chest, staring down at my daughter as she stood in the middle of the hallway, a blanket acting as a cape and an empty bowl in her hands.
She raised her bright brows and gave me a long look. “Sorry, Dad.”
Why was I swearing over the fact that my daughter had just seen me coming out of her nanny’s room? It’ wasn’t like anything had happened. Even as I thought that, I remembered the way her body had felt under my palms, even in that small moment that I’d lifted her. She’d felt so good there.
Fuck. I blinked down at Sera, who continued to watch me quizzically. “It’s fine. She’s fine. What do you need? More food?”
My daughter raised one shoulder. “Maybe in a bit. I was just wondering if you wanted to watch a movie with me.”
I pressed a hand to her back, ushering her away from Gia’s room. “I’d love that. Let’s go find something.”
Every step I took tugged at my chest, though, and I barely resisted looking back at the now-closed door. That woman… What was it about her that seemed to have burrowed deep the moment I’d met her?
First, she’d sparked my temper and, now, something far more dangerous. My fucking heart.
Sera only lasted until dinner before she started to crash again. This time I insisted that she get off the sofa and go climb into her own bed. She went willingly after I promised that if she woke up feeling better, I would give her a full breakfast, complete with my famous pancakes, in the morning.
Right around the time I was leaving Sera’s room after reading her latest chapter book with her, I noticed the space under Gia’s door was lit again. I stopped in front of it, hesitating with my fist raised. I knew her laundry was done. I’d gotten it out and folded it an hour earlier while Gia had munched on some toast and bananas for dinner.
But now that it was time for her to leave, I was suddenly a lot less excited about letting her go. I’d judged her all wrong, and after all the stories I’d heard today, I knew that I’d been completely wrong about her experience as a nanny. She’d been a lovely companion to my daughter, even in the worst-case scenario.
But there was only so much I could do to undo my attitude from earlier.
And when the door opened a short time later, I kept my face entirely neutral as I watched her wheel her suitcase into the front room.
“Feeling better?”
Gia smiled at me, her face still tight. “Yes, thank you. I’m sorry I slept so long.”
“It’s all right. You clearly needed the rest.”
She nodded and then rocked back on her sneakered feet.
I cleared my throat, unsure of what to do now that we were here. “Gia, I—”
“I’ll plan on calling Sera whenever she is feeling better. We can talk then.”
I felt the dismissal in her words, and as I slowly nodded, she was already moving past me to the door and opening it wide. The spring weather was cool tonight, the dark clouds of a passing storm lurking above the tree canopy. “Are you sure you know how to get where you’re headed?”
“Yeah, no problem at all.” Gia held up her phone. “It’ll get me there.”
I opened the door, standing to the side and letting her walk through it. I moved to follow her out, but she surprised me by holding up a hand.
“I’ll get it. No offense, but I think we’ve reached a good spot. Maybe we should just stay on that one, yeah?”
I offered her a small smile. “Sure.”
Gia’s pretty face broke out into a real smile then, and she ducked her chin as she turned and made her way down the small path. Her sedan, which I had barely noticed before, was parked to one side. I watched as she opened the back driver’s-side door, preparing to load the suitcase. But then I couldn’t stop myself. I ran out barefoot, my hands covering hers against the side of the bag as she gasped in surprise.
“Wouldn’t want to upset your stomach again,” I said smoothly, loading the bag carefully in.
Gia blinked at me rapidly, and then her head fell to her shoulder, a sweet, sincere smile pulling at those pretty pink lips.
“Thank you, Mr. Marlatt.”
