“No. Actually, I don’t. At least when Lily is here. If Lily isn’t here, they’re gone before the sun rises.”
“Ah.” I brought the bottle up to my lips.
“Have a seat.” He gestured to the chair across from him. “There are a few things we need to go over.”
“Sure.” I walked over and took the seat across from him.
He slid a check across the table to me.
“I’m giving you a hiring bonus. Tomorrow, I want you to go to the bank and open up an account.”
I picked the check up and looked at it.
“Wow, Stefan. You don’t have to do this. You’ve done enough.”
“I’m sure you need some things. For example, a new purse. And a hundred bucks isn’t going to last you very long. Also, here’s a credit card. This is for groceries and things Lily might need if I’m not around.”
“Thanks.” I took it from him and placed it on top of the check.
“Do you have any questions?” he asked as his eyes stared into mine.
“None that I can think of right now.” For some ungodly reason I could feel myself blushing. “If that’s all, I think I’ll head to bed.” I pushed myself up from my seat.
“Okay. Good night, Alex.” The corners of his mouth curved upward.
“Good night, Stefan.”
I went to my room and shut the door. Leaning against it, I let out a deep breath. How was I going to do this? And how long would it be before the sides of my box started going up around me, suffocating me, and making me want to run?
Alex
The next morning, I got up, showered and got dressed for the day. Walking into the kitchen, I found Stefan standing over the stove making scrambled eggs while Lily sat at the table drinking her orange juice. I nearly lost my breath when I saw him standing there in a tailored dark blue suit.
“Good morning.” He grinned.
“Good morning, Alex!”
“Good morning.” The corners of my mouth curved upward.
“If you want coffee, you’ll have to make a cup. I don’t want to burn the eggs.”
“Not a problem.” I smiled.
Walking over to the cabinet, I took down a mug and popped a k-cup in the Keurig.
“How did you sleep?” Lily asked.
“I slept great. How about you?”
“I had a dream about Nanny Kate. It was a nice dream.”
“I’m happy to hear that, Lily.”
“Eggs?” Stefan asked.
“No. I’m good. Thanks. Do you always wear a suit?” I asked.
“Not every day. Only when I have meetings, which today is packed full of them.”
He gestured with his head for me to sit down at the table while he set Lily’s plate in front of her.
“Lily, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”
“What is it, Dad?” She stabbed her fork into her eggs.
“I’ve asked Alex if she would be interested in taking care of you while I’m at work and she said yes. She’d do everything Nanny Kate did.
“She’d be my new nanny?”
“Yes, baby girl. She would.”
The corners of her mouth curved upward as she stared across the table at me.
“Okay. Will she live here with us?”
“Yes,” Stefan spoke.
“Nanny Kate didn’t live with us.”
“That’s because Nanny Kate had her own place. Alex doesn’t right now. So, it’s easier if she lives with us.”
“Why don’t you have your own place?” she asked me.
“It’s a long story, and maybe I’ll tell you all about it when I pick you up from school today.”
“Okay.” She grinned. “You can meet my teacher!”
“I’d love to meet her.”
Chapter 12
Stefan
“This is nuts,” Sam said as he pulled into the school parking lot.
“Good times ahead, brother. Good times ahead.” I grinned.
He pulled up in the long line of cars that belonged to the other parents dropping their kids off.
“Oh shit,” he said.
“Bad word, Uncle Sam.”
“Sorry, Lily.”
“Dude, language in front of my kid.”
“That woman is coming over here,” he said.
“Who?”
“Maddie’s mom.”
She tapped on the driver’s side window with a wide grin across her face and Sam rolled down the window.
“Wow. What a treat. Hi, Sam. Hi, Stefan.”
“Hi, Reece.” I gave a small smile and wave from the passenger side while Sam gave her a nod.
“Hi, Lily.” She peeked in the back seat. “What a lucky girl having both your uncle and Dad drive you to school.” She grinned. “Who’s that next to you, sweetie?”
“This is Alex. She’s my new nanny and she’s going to be living with us.”
I watched as the look on Reece’s face went flat.
“Oh. Well, isn’t that nice. I better get back to my car.” She turned and walked away.
The line started moving and Sam pulled up.
“Okay, kiddo. Let’s go,” I said as I climbed out of the car and opened the door for her.
I walked her up to the door and kissed the top of her head.
“Have a good day, baby girl. Don’t forget Alex will be here to pick you up, and I’ll see you after work.”
“Bye, Dad.” She smiled as she went inside the building.
I climbed back in the car and Alex began to laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
“The way the other moms were checking you both out. They were practically salivating. My god, they made it so obvious.”
“Yeah, well, I can honestly say I won’t miss seeing any of them.” I smirked. “They’re your problem now.”
I headed to the office after picking up the rental car. Taking a seat behind my desk, Sam walked in.
“Don’t forget we have that meeting with Rizzo at two o’clock,” he said.
“I know. I’m prepared.”
“So, Lily seemed to be in a good mood this morning. I take it she’s okay with Alex being her new nanny?”
“She seems to be.”
“How did last night go after you left my house?” His eye steadily narrowed at me.
“It went okay considering Alex was in her pajamas, and I couldn’t keep my eyes off her body.”
“I figured as much. She’s a beautiful woman and you’re going to have to practice some serious self-restraint.”
“Yeah.” I sighed. “I can’t screw this up for Lily’s sake.”
“At least you’re thinking with your brain.” He smirked. “If you feel like you’re going to cross that line, call one of us and we’ll talk you down.”
“You’re my brothers. You’re supposed to be encouraging me, not stopping me from having sex with a beautiful woman.”
“This case is different.” He pointed at me. “I have to go finish the design for Rizzo before our meeting. I’ll talk to you later.”