Am I creeped out that he committed such tiny details of me to memory? Or maybe I should be flattered. Either way, the fluttery feeling needs to go away, because apparently it’s affecting my brain. I’m actually beginning to consider this nannying gig. My teacher’s salary could really use a little extra padding over the summer and he said it’s only part time so I’d still be able to get plenty of beach time in. Plus, I really do feel awful about his mom. I can see how much that’s affecting him.
“Listen . . .” He sighs, planting his forearms on the table in a way that makes it really difficult not to admire how toned they are. “I know it’s a big ask, but I’m really in a jam here. My mom is sick and . . .” He swallows hard, as if forcing down the emotion building in his throat. “I can find someone else, if need be. But Grier’s my whole world. I want her to be with someone I trust.”
I chew the inside of my cheek, letting my gaze sweep from the bill of Lexington’s baseball cap all the way down to the toes of his black sneakers. I can hardly believe this is the same boy from ten years ago. Now he’s a man, all rugged, muscular lines, a perfect contrast to the gentle way he handles his sweet little girl.
One look into those blue eyes, and my mind hums with an old memory. Lex and me, the fall of my junior year, just a week after homecoming weekend, when he asked me out on my parents’ couch while his friends chugged cheap beers upstairs.
He made good on his word, picking me up the next Friday night, making sure Dak was at the football game so Lex wouldn’t be caught taking out his best friend’s younger sister. We got double scoops of chocolate ice cream and walked up and down the beach, chatting about everything under the sun, and eventually, the moon.
And at the end of the night, when the words ran out, he lifted my chin with the tips of his fingers and pressed the sweetest, gentlest kiss against my lips. He tasted like chocolate and salty sea air, and just the feel of his hot breath against my lips sent a tingle straight to my toes.
That first date wasn’t the only first I gave Lexington Dane. In fact, he took just about all my firsts. But we were only kids then. And now he has a kid of his own. A kid he wants me to look after.
I loosen my grip on the table, slowly letting myself return to reality. It would be insane to take him up on this offer. I told Sarah Jo yesterday that I have zero intentions of getting involved with this man again. Taking a job that involves constantly being in his house and around his daughter definitely qualifies as getting involved with him. And how could I be around him all the time, witnessing him in all his hot dad glory, and not feel things? But then again, how do I say no to him and his adorable baby girl?
“Can I think about it?” I say, breaking the silence between us. It may not be the answer he wanted, or even an answer at all, but Lexington still nods, his eyes understanding.
“Absolutely. My assistant in New York can manage things if I need to take a day or two off, and—”
A generic ringtone blares from his pocket, interrupting his train of thought. He fishes his phone out, his eyes narrowing with concern after glancing at the screen.
“Excuse me for a minute,” he says, pressing the green ANSWER icon and bringing the phone to his ear. “Hi, Mom. Everything okay?”
I step into the living room to give him some privacy, where Grier has, for some reason, decided to cram her stuffed bat between the couch cushions. Fascinated, I watch her use her chubby fingers to poke its wings into the crevice until her stuffed animal is nearly hidden from view.
When she spots me heading her way, she pulls it back out, holding it up to give me a good view of its worn gray fur and button eyes. “Flapflap,” she says with a big smile.
She stares at me expectantly until I take it, but once I do, she holds out both hands to take it back, then hugs it tightly to her chest. Yep, toddlers are officially a mystery to me.
When Lexington walks into the room, I can immediately feel the shift in his energy, and panic is written all over his face.
“Mom’s not doing well. I need to get her to the ER.” His gaze bounces between me and Grier and his watch, and I can practically see the gears turning in his head. “I guess I can bring her with me . . .”
I shake my head, huffing out a sigh. “I . . . can look after her.” The words fly out of my mouth without my brain’s permission.
Well, so much for having time to think about it.
His eyes narrow on me, his thick brows pulling together. “Are you sure?”
Am I sure I know what to do with a two-year-old I hardly know, in a house I’ve never been in before? Absolutely not. But I’m not going to tell him that.
“Of course. It’ll be okay. I’ve got her. Just go.”
“I’ll be home as soon as I can.” He glances anxiously at his watch. “An hour, maybe? Hour and a half, tops?”
“Don’t worry about it.” I wave him off toward the door. “We’ll be fine. Just do what you need to do.”
The worry on his face fades into a soft, grateful smile. He pauses for a moment, his brilliant blue eyes locking with mine. There’s something about those eyes that a girl just can’t say no to.
“Thank you, Corrigan,” he says with an appreciative tone. “I’ll pay you for your time, I promise.”
“We’ll discuss it later. Go help your mom.”
With a flourish, he snatches his car keys off the kitchen counter, presses a quick kiss to the top of his daughter’s head, and bolts for the door, rattling off a string of thank-yous as he leaves.
Once again, Lexington Dane has run off on me. At least this time, it doesn’t feel like it’s for good.
But instead of leaving me heartbroken and confused like he did when we were a couple, he’s left me in an unfamiliar house with his single most prized possession—his daughter. Who, by the way, is super not happy about his grand exit.
“Daaddy!” Grier’s face scrunches up as a shriek loud enough to make a siren jealous pours out of her, her little hands reaching desperately toward the door her dad just disappeared through.
Crap.
I suck in a much-needed deep breath. Okay, Corrigan. If you can deal with twenty-five first graders for five years, you can manage a toddler for an hour.
And regardless of age, I can think of one foolproof way to dry the tears of any little kid. Or any adult, for that matter. Ice cream. I guess my first date with little Grier is going to be the same as my first date with her daddy.
Crouching down to Grier’s level, I offer her a smile. I’m not sure if she’ll let me pick her up, but when I wipe the tears from her soft cheeks with my thumb, she quiets a little.
“Do you like ice cream?”
Grier nods, her lower lip still trembling as she sniffs back her tears.
“Well, your dad will be home in a little while, and I was thinking we should get some ice cream while we wait for him. What do you think?”
If there are any house rules about sugar intake, I don’t know about them yet. Granted, we didn’t exactly have time for a full rundown on house rules before Lexington sped off to take care of his mom. But still, ignorance is bliss, and bliss is a big scoop of cookies and cream.
So I pull Grier into my arms, giving her a little tickle under her arm, which helps her giggle the tears away. That’s better.