Page 28 of Curvy Nanny for the Grumpy Single Dad

Chapter 18

Dante

Another week was over, but here I was, allegedly one of Texas’s most eligible bachelors, and I was working in my home office late on a Friday night. Lena was in bed after a long dinner of burgers and fries that she and Lucy had made together, which meant I could put in a few extra hours to make up for the fact that I left work at six every day this week to make sure I was home for dinner each night.

One point to Lucy.

I couldn’t deny that her unasked for push was just the reminder I needed as to why I worked so hard. Lena’s language skills improved by the day, not that she needed any help in that department, and her vocabulary grew as well, which meant she would start school ahead of most of her peers. She’d spent so much time walking me through the steps of seasoning the burgers and making the patties that I had to stop her just to get her to taste some of her hard work. She’d been so proud of herself, and I couldn’t stop smiling as she watched my first bite and held her breath until I told her it was perfect.

I opened my phone to look at the photo I’d snapped of her with a wide grin on her face, proud of her, yet sad that my ex had decided that these little milestones were of no interest to her. The next photo was of her and Lucy at the counter laughing together before either of them realized I was watching. Lucy had told a horrible joke, but they both laughed and laughed until they were doubled over.

Lucy was great with Lena, and I was man enough to admit that she was the perfect nanny. Sure she had a smart mouth and tempting curves, but her work with my little girl was transformative. Not that Lena was sullen or behind academically, but under Lucy’s particular brand of attention and affection, she was blossoming into a kind, smart and empathetic little girl.

A heavy sigh escaped and my eyes started to droop, which was as sure a sign as any that it was time to call it quits for the day. I turned off the phone screen and rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands as I stood and stretched my stiff muscles. It was past eleven, but even though my eyes were tired, I wasn’t quite ready for bed yet. I headed to the kitchen, for a snack… or maybe a drink, I wasn’t sure yet. But I figured I would know it when I saw it.

And I did. Dotty had restocked the giant ice balls for whiskey and I poured a shot for myself just before I noticed the kitchen door that led to the backyard was open and frowned.

“What in the hell?” I was ready to march up the stairs and lay into Lucy for leaving the door open where Lena could wander out and get lost when I spotted the spark of light in the distance. It wasn’t enough light to be alarming, just enough to know that it could only be one person.

Lucy herself.

I stepped out and onto the soft cushion of grass. “Lucy?”

My lips curled into a smile at her familiar groan of frustration. “Is lying in the backyard against the rules too?”

“No.” I laughed at her impertinence. The other nannies, hell most other women, were so concerned with keeping me happy that they wouldn’t dare speak to me that way, but not Lucy. I walked through the grass, and as I approached, I wished I’d kept my distance, stayed back, where it was safe. “What are you doing?”

“Star gazing,” she said easily, as if it was a perfectly normal thing to do at nearly eleven o’clock on a Friday evening.

“Why?”

“Why not?” She shot back with a shrug, her gaze never left the dark sky that sparkled with the diamonds of faraway stars. “It’s quiet and beautiful out here, and the weather is absolutely perfect.”

The weather was perfect, in fact it was overly warm for this time of year, or maybe it was just the sight of Lucy in short denim shorts and a barely there tank top that showed off even more of her ample breasts that the last time we found ourselves in this position.

“This isn’t the beach,” I growled like the grumpy asshole she accused me of being.

Instead of getting upset, Lucy laughed. Her back arched up and her tits shook as she laughed. At me. “No kidding. I guess that explains why I can’t hear the ocean.” Her gaze was pure mischief and the corners of her mouth curved up into a smile so bright it rivaled the moonlight. “Have a seat.”

I stared at her for a long minute before I dropped down beside her on my back and looked up to the sky. “The stars are beautiful.”

“Aren’t they, though?” Lucy sighed, a small smile on her lips as she focused her gaze back on the sky. “This is a little slice of perfect.”

I couldn’t disagree with her words, the sky above was stunning, and the only view more appealing was the one right beside me. “Are you a Texas girl, Lucy?”

She laughed. “Not at all, but I am a southern girl. My family lives in the Atlanta area and my sister was Miss Georgia, so I guess you could say I’m a proper southern girl through and through, though not as proper as my parents would have liked.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I’m polite enough, but not proper. No proper woman of means would end up as a nanny,” she laughed, but I heard the bitterness underlying her words. “They told me I was the type to blend in, and that I should pick a job that let me do that, but they were thinking wedding or party planner, not a glorified babysitter.” She laughed again, but again the sound was harsh and brittle. “I went to school for early childhood development, and this is where I ended up, much to their chagrin.”

There was so much to unpack with her words, and I didn’t know where to begin. “Are you happy with your choice?”

She stared at the side of my face until our gazes collided. “I am. I make a difference, I have fun and I love my job. What else could I ask for?”

“I don’t know, what else?”

“Nothing,” she sighed. “Mom was right though, I do best when I blend in.”

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