Page 77 of Marrying the Nanny

“I’ve lost three contracts and two of my best consultants.” Reid had had to double the salary of a third so he could double her workload. She had married recently so he fully expected she’d get pregnant soon if she wasn’t already. “My profit margin is a third what it should be. We’re all making sacrifices.”

“We are.” Trystan leaned back to tilt a look down his nose. “But you don’t have to make all of them, Reid.”

“It’s not a hardship to marry Emma.”

“No, Emma’s great. I consider her a friend so I’m as concerned for her as I am for our sister. And you. A baby is a lot. You already have your mom.”

“I know that. I know what it means to have a dependent.”

“Emma will be one, too. Do you get that? Wives have needs.”

By giving her a means of staying with Storm, he was fulfilling one of Emma’s deepest biological ones. He didn’t get into her personal heartache, though. That was for her to share if she wanted to.

He sat with his elbows on his thighs, thumbs pushed into his eye sockets.

“Em is not my mother or Storm. She’s stable and capable of speaking for herself.” She had wanted to marry for love, but her ex had set the bar low enough that even Reid’s stunted affection would be an improvement. “I want Storm.”

He felt naked saying it, but he sat tall and slapped his hands onto his knees as he spoke his truth.

“I was never going to have kids, mostly because of Mom, but the little brat has grown on me. The idea of letting someone else raise her, someone I don’t even know, wondering every day—” He shook his head, unable to entertain the idea long enough to finish the sentence. “Maybe my sick need to control everything is doubling down, but I have to know she’s in good hands.”

“Does that mean you’re never going to let me take her camping? Because the little turd is growing on me, too. I expect to be part of her life, Reid. I’m not abandoning her. Or you. If you need me, I’m there.”

“Thanks, man.” He had to clear his throat. Deep down he had known that, but he was moved to hear Trystan say it aloud. Even though it was damned uncomfortable. He rubbed his thighs, clarifying, “This isn’t about taking her away from you or Logan. Or getting my hands on her share.” He swore. “Is that why he flew off the handle, do you think?”

“Who knows? He’s been on and off his period since we got here.”

Reid’s gaze hit the flat box tucked beneath a table. “Is that his new desk? Should we drag it to the top of the ramp? See if that improves his mood?” He wanted to get the hell away from what was starting to feel like a pajama party full of sleepover confessions.

“Worth a try.”

*

Heavy footsteps clomped up the stairs.

“Emma?” Logan called from below. “Where are the keys? They’re not on the hook.”

At the sound of Logan’s voice, Emma opened her eyes wide at Storm and formed her mouth into an O. “Who’s that?”

Storm mirrored the look, which was hilarious.

Emma laughed and pulled Storm from her high chair, then faced the top of the stairs.

Storm held out a pudgy arm and kicked her legs so Emma had to keep a firm grip on her. She made little ho-ho-ho noises of excitement.

Logan appeared wearing a grumpy scowl of impatience.

Storm wrinkled up her nose and hunched up her shoulders and showed her two baby teeth in a hard grin. She looked at Emma as though to say, It’s him. It’s really him. Then she released a laugh that sounded more like a bird’s crow.

Logan pulled himself up, thunderous expression wiped clean. He snorted with affection.

“I like what you’ve done with your hair,” he said as he took Storm.

Emma had run the damp cloth over it, but her little curls still had traces of mashed carrot and applesauce that wouldn’t come out until bath time.

Storm was crushing her face into another of her super smiles, her whole body shuddering in happiness. In her exuberance, she almost bopped her face right into Logan’s.

“Be careful, you nut.” Logan gently cradled her head and kissed her forehead. “You’ll get whisker burn. Feel.” He opened her palm against his cheek.

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