Page 10 of A Curvy Nanny for the Big Boss

“We can go out together, then. If that’s okay with you.”

I feel the urge to break out into a big smile, but I resist. “Sure. Sounds good.”

With every little kindness that Henry shows me, I’m beginning to get used to this side of him. I’m beginning to see that the cold, demanding version of him that I knew for those six years that I worked for him wasn’t his true self. It makes me really happy to know that he’s a good man, after all.

I don’t know what to do about the sparkly feelings in my chest that keep happening every time I’m around him, but that’s another matter.

After we finish eating breakfast, I get Aria ready, then get ready myself. I throw on my favorite pair of jeans, a cute blouse, and a little bit of makeup—just enough to feel put-together. When I bring Aria downstairs, Henry looks up from where he’s waiting by the front door and looks at us for a second before saying, “Ready to go?”

I get Aria buckled into the car seat in Henry’s car, and then we’re off. Henry’s house isn’t too far from town, and our first stop is the bank. While I go inside to take care of my errand, Henry stays in the car with Aria.

Afterward, as I’m walking back to the car, I can hear Aria’s crying. The sound amplifies as soon as I open the door and get in.

“Aw, what’s wrong, honey?” I say, frowning as I peer into Aria’s car seat. As soon as she sees me, she starts to calm down, her crying softening to gentle whimpers.

“She started crying as soon as you left,” Henry says, shaking his head.

Aria is calm again, and she stays quiet as we drive to our next stop. But as soon as I get out of the car a second time, she starts to cry again.

I duck my head back into the car and look at Henry. “I’ll bring her in with me.”

Henry shakes his head. “I said I’d look after her.”

“I don’t mind, Henry. It’s my job.”

“You’re not meant to work twenty-four-seven. We’ll come with you and I’ll carry her. Maybe she’ll be okay if she sees you’re close by.” He climbs out and gets Aria out of her car seat. She’s still crying as he carries her over to my side of the car. Henry tries to calm her by bouncing her, but it doesn’t have any effect.

“I’m so bad at this,” he mutters, and I can see the frustration in his face.

“You’re not doing anything wrong,” I assure him as I pull out a folded bundle of fabric from my bag. “Some babies are just like this.”

“What’s that?” he asks, nodding at the fabric.

“A baby wrap. I’ll strap her to my chest so I can carry her while I do my errands.”

Henry shakes his head. “No. You’re not working right now. So unless you’re going to put that baby wrap onme, put it away.”

I laugh. “I mean, we could give that a shot.”

“The baby wrap?”

“Sure. If you want to give it a try.”

He lets a beat pass, but then nods. “All right. Put it on me.”

I wrap the piece of long fabric around him, first putting it across his abdomen, crossing it over his shoulders, and then securing it in the front to make a kangaroo pocket for Aria. As I put the baby wrap on him, my hands brush over his tall, broad frame, and I can’t stop the little shivers that rush up my spine at the contact. Even with the briefest touch, I can tell how muscular his huge body is.

“Now we put Aria into the pouch, like this,” I say, pulling the fabric to show him. Henry helps me get her in, and as she slips into the baby wrap, her crying immediately trails off. I break into a triumphant smile. “She likes it!”

“Look at that,” Henry says, shaking his head with disbelief.

With Aria settled, the three of us stick together as I do my remaining errands. I focus on trying to get them done as swiftly as possible, not wanting to take up too much of Henry’s Saturday with stuff like this. Every time I glance over at him, though, he seems…well, perfectly content.

When I’ve finally taken care of all my errands, we grab some lunch from a deli and take it over to the park. There’s an empty picnic bench that feels like it’s waiting for us. Sitting there, enjoying a leisurely lunch together while kids run around the park and birds twitter overhead in the trees…it’s just so…nice. All of it makes happiness swell up inside me.

But it feels bittersweet, too. This moment isn’t as picture-perfect as it might look. Henry isn’t mine; neither is Aria.

I would never be able to have something like this with Henry for real.

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