Page 103 of The Nanny Tenure (Single Dads Club)

“Oh, babes, if I could fix it with kisses, I would.” I kissed him anyway. Brushed my palm over his cheeks. “You can have as many kisses as you want, but I need you to try to be brave. Should we bring one of your dinos?”

He whimpered, and I snatched the pterodactyl from the floor. He tucked it under his chin with one hand, the other still on his head. Which was fine with me. I didn’t want him to see the blood. It had soaked into his shirt, into the sleeve of mine too.

“Okay,” I whispered. “We’re okay.”

I carefully carried him to the kitchen and sat him on the counter while I dialed Liam on my cell phone. He didn’t answer, so I called again. But when he didn’t answer for a third time, I shoved it into my back pocket and took hold of two kitchen towels, giving Finn one to hold to his head and wetting the other. As best I could, I wiped away the blood, but I feared putting a clean shirt on him wouldn’t go over well. Instead, I helped him put on his coat, careful not to let the towel drop, and slipped into mine too.

After I had my keys and purse in hand, we were out the front door, Finn still in my arms, still crying.

“I know, babes. I know. I’ll try to drive quick, okay?”

The freezing rain wasfreezing, and I was soaked by the time I had him buckled up in his car seat, but I had no time to waste and sped out of the driveway before the car was even warmed up.

It was almost four, and we hit all the after-school traffic, driving behind the slowest bus known to man. “Come on,” I whined, “move.”

Behind me, Finn sniffled. “I urt.”

“I know it hurts, babes, but you’ll be okay.” I didn’t know that for sure, but I promised anyway. “You’ll feel better soon.”

Liam finally called through the Bluetooth when I was stuck at a red light. “Hey, what’s going on? You?—”

“Finn’s hurt.”

“What?”

“He hit his head and…” I could barely get the rest out. “There was a lot of blood.”

“Jesus fuck,” he snapped. “Where are you?”

“In the car. I’m going to the hospital?—”

“Go to the urgent care. It’ll be faster, and it’s closer to campus. I can be there in five minutes.”

My hiccupping breath stole my words.

“I’ll meet you there,” he said then hung up.

Minutes later, I pulled into the urgent care parking lot, not more than seconds before Liam, who came running to my car.

Liam opened the car door and picked up his son. “Hey, Finn, hey. It’s okay.” He clasped the back of Finn’s little head in his hand, his other arm banded around Finn’s waist, and he carried him to the entrance.

I wiped my eyes and sank back against my door, not caring about the rain.

Until I’d seen Liam, I hadn’t fully comprehended how scared I was, but now that he was here, all the guilt, shame, and embarrassment came crashing down.

I was supposed to be taking care of Finn. Protecting him.

And I failed.

In the worst way.

I’d rather have put my own head through the table than ever have Finn experience a moment of pain, and yet I’d let it happen.

Worse, I shouldn’t have been upset that Liam didn’t acknowledge me, but I was disappointed.

Like a selfish bitch.

We were here, at a medical center, because Finn was hurt. Not because I needed to be coddled and indulged.

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