by Harlow James
THE END
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(Subject to change after publication)
Luke
“Clara… are you sure you’re alright with watching Grayson for a few hours?” She scoffs and then I hear something drop in the background of the phone call.
“Luke, it’s fine. I’m working a lot from home right now anyway, trying to prepare to take time off once the baby arrives. It’s only for a few hours, right? And besides, that little boy is the cutest and it will give us practice. Right, Coop?”
I can barely make out the muffled response through my Bluetooth speaker in my car, but it sounds like Cooper tells me to stop being dramatic and get my kid over there ASAP.
“Okay, we’re on our way,” I say before hanging up and checking on Grayson in the rearview mirror, his legs swinging happily as we cruise to Clara and Cooper’s house.
When Cash called me yesterday and asked if I was still thinking about hiring a nanny, his timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Once I got home last night, my dad called and filled me in on my mom. She did in fact break her hip, which means surgery and recovery, which will take months before she’s normal again. I feel helpless and guilty that it happened while she was watching Grayson, but she assured me on the phone last night it was her own clumsiness.
Still. Now I am out of childcare for the foreseeable future and in desperate need to hire someone immediately. My dad said he can watch Grayson tonight during my evening classes, but most of his time in the next few weeks will be at the hospital and home with my mom. Her surgery is scheduled for tomorrow, so until then he’s helping the best way he can. However, he was there late with her last night, so the last thing I wanted to do was ask him for his help this morning to watch Grayson for a few hours while I met with the person Cash said would be perfect for the job of looking after my son.
All he mentioned was that she was a friend of Piper’s, which seems kind of odd seeing as how she just moved back out here from her home back east. But I guess she must have made some friends while she was living out here before all of that shit went down. And even though Cash doesn’t have kids of his own, I trust his judgment and know he wouldn’t recommend someone lightly.
After dropping Grayson off at Clara and Cooper’s, I rush across town to Skye’s Creations, a local organic coffee shop that is known for gourmet coffee drinks and fresh baked goods. Ask anyone in Emerson Falls and they will have a favorite drink from Skye’s, my personal favorite being the peppermint mocha.
Once I arrive and park, I rush inside out of the cold. The weather calls for snow tonight, which will make for a fun drive to the college tomorrow. As long as the snow fall is below a certain number of inches, classes stay in session. We’ve had one week of classes cancelled so far since the start of the semester, an interesting event for me since my work as a deputy was never cancelled. You reported in snow or a hurricane. It didn’t matter.
“Hey, Skye,” I greet the owner as soon as I step inside and unwrap my burgundy scarf from my neck. One look in the mirror behind the counter and I realize my dark hair looks like I have dandruff in it from the snowflakes that attached themselves to it during my small trek from the car to the shop. My black peacoat is covered too, so I shake my entire body like a dog while Skye chuckles at me from behind the counter.
“Hey, Luke. Peppermint mocha for you?” She asks, reaching for a cup and writing my order on the outside.
“You know it. Can I get a raspberry scone too, please?”
“Absolutely.”
I pay for my order and then find a table for four tucked away in the corner. Cash and Piper said they would tag along to introduce me to their friend so it wasn’t terribly awkward at first, which means I need to save seats for them too.
As I take a sip of my drink, trying not to burn my lips or tongue on the scalding liquid, the door chimes, alerting the arrival of a customer. But the sight of Cash and Piper walking in makes my pulse start to race, particularly when I see the woman trailing them.
“Hey, man!” Cash raises his hand in greeting, Piper waves, and then Rachel looks up, locking eyes with me.
You’ve got to be kidding me? The woman who I let watch my kid for two hours yesterday is a friend of Cash and Piper’s? How the hell did I not know this?
And more importantly, why are there butterflies swarming around in my stomach? All of sudden, I’m extremely nervous and can’t stop staring, especially as Rachel smiles at me and then gives me a small wave. As she turns her head back to the menu and her ponytail swishes with the movement, my pulse quickens, my throat feels like it’s closing in on itself, and my head is telling me that my reaction to her is dangerous.
This is the first woman since my late wife that has my body reacting like a teenage boy and I’m stunned. Maybe because it’s been almost five years and my manhood is finally starting to rebel at the fact that I’ve haven’t touched a woman since? Or maybe it’s her, which is equally exhilarating and terrifying, especially since I need her help desperately.
Once Cash orders for all three of them, they find their way over to the table as I stand to greet them.
“Cash. Piper. Rachel,” I reach to shake her hand as Cash’s head bounces back and forth between us and Piper just grins.
“Wait. You know each other already?” Cash is flabbergasted and I can’t help but shake my head at the irony of the situation.
“Yeah. Funny story. You want to fill them in, Rachel?”
Her eyes veer up at mine beneath dark lashes, and that green hue hypnotizes me again.
“I actually told Pfeiffer last night when she told me Grayson’s name.”
“You told her his name? Where was I? I’m so fucking confused right now.” Cash looks over at Piper as she straightens in her seat. I call his fiancé Piper, since that’s who she is to me, but it’s clear that Rachel still calls her by her actual name.
“Does it matter? She was going to find out eventually. And it just happened in conversation. But yes, it seems you two had already met, which makes this even more perfect.”
“Will someone tell me what the hell is going on? I haven’t seen you in weeks, man. And now suddenly, you met Rachel before I even got the chance to tell you who she is or that she’s living with us?”
My eyes flick over to Rachel, who’s just chuckling at Cash. “He’s quite dramatic, apparently,” she says with a grin and a flick of her head in his direction.
“You have no idea.” Piper rolls her eyes. “Anyway, Luke, this is my best friend, Rachel from back home in New York. Rachel, it seems you’ve already met Luke. And Grayson,” she exclaims.
“Nice to formally meet you,” I reach out to shake her hand, and even though we did this yesterday, she was wearing gloves so I didn’t get to feel the softness and warmth of her skin. Now that our palms are touching, tiny flurries of electricity scurry up my arm from my fingertips to my brain, igniting an alarming reaction at how enjoyable her hand feels in mine.
Fuck, this isn’t good.
“Likewise. Although, after yesterday, I have to say I’m really excited for this opportunity. I had the best time with Grayson.” Her cheeks fill out as she smiles over at me.
“Yeah, the kid is a hoot.”
“I’ll say. He was so sweet and fun. I’m not going to lie, leaving him yesterday made me incredibly sad at the idea that I’d never see him again.”
I can’t help the corner of my mouth lifting slightly at her words. “Yeah, he was bummed too. After we left, he kept asking if he’d see you again, and of course, I gave him a vague answer. I honestly never imagined you would be the person Cash said could help me out.”
I turn back over to look at Cash and Piper, both of them watching us interact with shit-eating grins on their faces.
“Nothing. Look,” he sits forward in his chair before he continues. “Luke, you need help right now. And Rachel is free, not to mention, obviously already loves your son.”
“It’s not hard to fall in love with Grayson,” Piper interjects as Rachel nods in agreement.
“So, let her help you, man. I know you have a lot on your plate, especially after what happened with your mom yesterday…”
“How’s she doing by the way?” Rachel interrupts him, pulling my attention back to her.
“She’s having surgery tomorrow.”
“Where is Grayson right now?” Piper asks before taking a bite of her blueberry muffin.
“He’s with Clara and Cooper.”
Cash starts laughing beside me. “Oh, I bet Cooper had no opinion in that decision.”
“What are you trying to say?” I get defensive, even though I know Cash is joking.
“Nothing. I just know how pushy Clara is, so I’m sure he was obligated to go along with that decision regardless of his reservations.”
“She has become more strong-willed lately, hasn’t she?” Piper adds.
“Pregnancy hormones will do that to you. I remember when Hannah…” I stop myself before I share too much, an instant pain clouds my head and heart as I casually mention Hannah in conversation. It happens sometimes without me thinking, and I try not to dwell on it too much. She was part of my life and Grayson’s, be it briefly, so it’s natural to want to talk about her. But I really try to avoid doing so because it makes me feel exactly how I do right now—like everyone’s giving me their pity, casting a haze of sorrow around us.
“Anyway,” Cash slices through my moment as I sip my coffee, thankful he saw that I was starting to panic. “It seems our need for introduction was short-lived. Come on babe, let’s go get the grocery shopping done and then enjoy the rest of our day off.” Cash moves to stand and then reaches out for Piper’s hand.
Piper is a nurse at the hospital and Cash still works for the sheriff’s department. They both go days without seeing each other, so I know they try to spend their days off with one another as much as possible.
“You okay, Rach?” Piper asks her, giving me a quick glance before focusing back on her.
“Yeah, I’m good. I drove my own car, remember? So don’t worry. I’ll see you guys at home,” she smiles before turning back to me.
“Thanks, guys. I’ll see you soon.” Cash and I reach out to shake each other’s hand.
“Yes. Let’s do dinner one night next week,” Piper offers.
“Sounds good.”
I watch Cash and his fiancé walk out of the shop, beyond happy for my friend who vowed never to fall in love. And after losing my wife, I felt myself go to that same place mentally, even though I know Hannah and I promised each other we’d move on in the event something happened to either one of us. However, it’s easy to agree to that in the moment when the last thing you’d possibly imagine happening is the reality of that conversation.
I miss that woman every day. Some moments my chest aches so badly, I have to rub my sternum in an attempt to relieve the tension. She was my best friend, the one person I never saw my life without. I remember meeting her for the first time when she came home with my younger sister Tenley one weekend back when they were in college. Tenley is two years younger than me, so when she came home that year, I had already graduated and was getting ready to leave for the sheriff’s academy.
My breath left my lungs the minute I saw her, her golden blonde hair highlighted by the sun, her long tanned legs peeking out beneath the cuff of her denim shorts, her smile so blindingly beautiful because it was natural and exuded a happiness I had never seen on a woman before.
And in that moment, I knew I was a goner. I made it a point to spend any moment I could with her that weekend. And then we exchanged numbers, and I kept in contact with her as much as I could while I was away. When I returned, she attended my graduation from the academy and I told her I loved her.
And that was it. We stayed together while she finished school, we bought our first home together when she got her first teaching job and I finished my first year on the force, and we married a year later, Grayson making his appearance one short year after that.
And then one stormy night when Grayson was three months old, I pulled onto the scene of a crash and my heart plummeted in my chest when I recognized the car—my wife’s car.
“So, what exactly are you looking for?” Rachel snaps me back to the present, causing me to choke momentarily on my saliva.
Clearing my throat, I brace myself to speak. “I’m sorry. Well, here’s my situation. I’m a single dad. My mother and father normally would take care of Grayson while I went to work, but obviously you know she’s hurt and my father is now going to have to take care of her. So, I need someone, like yesterday,” I chuckle as Rachel reciprocates. “I teach classes Monday, Wednesday, and Friday days, and Tuesday and Thursday nights. In all honesty, I was even considering having someone move in with me just to make things easier. But if you’re not up for that…”
“Yes!” She shouts before catching herself and laughing. “Sorry. That was overly enthusiastic. I mean, yes. I wouldn’t mind moving in, as long as you’re okay with it. There’s only so much sex I can stand to hear between my best friend and her fiancé before I feel like my ears might bleed.”
“Oh, God. Thanks for that image,” my face clearly displaying disgust as we both chuckle.
“Yeah. It’s worse when you get the full audible track. Anyway, I know you don’t know me very well, but obviously you trusted me yesterday, and I seriously loved your son. I’m planning on being a teacher anyway, so the experience is perfect. I did agree to bartend at Tony’s a few nights a week already, but as long as it’s not on the nights you teach, I think he can work with me. I would love the opportunity.” Her eyes are full of hope and her aura is so pure and honest, my head tells me she came into our lives at exactly the right time. Crazy how this idea has been on the back of my mind, and in the instance when I needed to follow through, here is this woman who already gets along with my kid and is in the position to help me out.
The timing of all of this is freaking me out.
I shove a hand through my hair as I narrow my eyes at her. “You have to understand something. I’ve never had someone else watch my kid before, besides my parents or a close friend. Yesterday was the first day it happened and I let a stranger do it. That choice alone is making me question my sanity. But something is telling me to trust you, and I know my son loves you by how he hasn’t stopped talking about you since. So I think I’d be stupid to look anywhere else. Are you alright with me performing a background check and running your fingerprints?” I know the Captain at the station will have no problem doing that small favor for me.
“Not at all. I know this must be scary. Believe me, I never imagined becoming a nanny for someone when I moved out here…”
“That explains why you’re from New York,” I snap my fingers in recollection, putting her ID from yesterday and her connection to Piper together.
“Yes. But I know how hard it must be to put your trust in someone else to care for your son. I promise, I’ll do my best. But your kid won’t make that hard at all. When he started telling me all about the human body yesterday, I was amazed,” she says, clasping her hands over her heart.
“Oh, don’t worry. You’ll get that same spiel every day from now on. I get that information so often, I could probably teach a class on that, now.”
“He’s amazing. And I promise to make sure he eats a well-balanced diet, gets exercise, and doesn’t get away with bloody murder. I can’t stand children who have never been disciplined.”
“Well, my parents have helped me a lot with that. But don’t be fooled. He can be pretty manipulative. And he knows how to put on th
e puppy dog eyes and the sad lip. One time he told me, ‘You know you want to tell me yes because I’m so cute!’”
“Oh, my God!” Rachel laughs, and then sits back in her chair, much more at ease than she was when she sat down initially. “That’s hilarious!”
“Hilarious, but true.” I sit there for a minute, wondering if I’m certifiably insane for making this decision so quickly, but I really have no other options at the moment. “Okay, Rachel. Let’s do this. If you’re sure…”
She pops up from her seat and smiles like she just won the lottery. “Yes! Thank you, Luke! I won’t let you down, I promise.” She rushes over to my side as I stand, reaching out to shake her hand, but she lunges for me and wraps her arms around my torso, hugging me like she’s clinging on to me for dear life.
And I’m completely caught off-guard. Not only because I didn’t anticipate a hug, but because the feel of her pressed up against me is making my dick harden. Fuck. I can’t think of her like that. No. She’s going to be my son’s nanny. She’s just a beautiful woman who is helping me out in a time of need. Her stunning smile and eyes are not going to deter me from the understanding that ultimately, I’m her boss. I can do this. I can ignore this woman. Hell, I’ve been doing that to every other woman on the planet for almost five years—because none of them are my wife, Rachel included. I can’t think of her that way. It isn’t fair to Hannah.
When she releases me, I step back a few feet and reach for her hand again. “Okay. How about you come by tonight to watch him during my night classes? It will give you time to become acclimated with his routine in the evenings, and then tomorrow I’ll need you from eight to four. I can have my attorney draft up a contract agreement for you to sign later this week and then this weekend you can move into the guest room. I need to move a few things and clean, but I’ll have it ready for you by Sunday.”
“That sounds perfect. Thanks again, Luke. I’m so excited!” She squeals before reaching for her phone. “Can you text me your address?”
Retrieving my phone from my coat pocket, I shoot off a text to her and watch as she intercepts it.
