Page 53 of A Whole New Play

It’s official. I’m crushing on my boss, and now he’s going to be my roommate.

I’m pretty sure this isn’t going to end well…

15

VALERIE

When I first told Megan about my agreeing to become Carter’s nanny, she insisted the job would come with perks.

At the time, I was too busy coming to terms with working for the man who gave me the best sex of my life to consider what those perks might be. After all, I was just going to be his nanny. I didn’t expect to fly on private jets or stay in luxury hotels or anything.

But as I follow the Jones family into the suite at the Rough Riders stadium, I have to admit, this is a pretty sweet perk.

Two rows of padded, luxury seats are positioned at the edge of the open-aired box, giving an unobstructed view of the football field below. A kitchenette stands off to my right and four cocktail tables with high stools are to my left. A sleek leather couch faces a flat-screen TV in the middle of the space. The Rough Riders pre-game show plays on the screen.

I didn’t know what to think when Carter invited me to join his family to watch the team’s first regular season home game. I would’ve thought I was invited to watch Abby and Andy, but Carter insisted it was my day off. He was inviting me as a guest. And the way the star linebacker had smiled when I finally agreed to come made me wonder if he really wanted me to watch him instead.

Don’t even go there, Valerie.

Carter and I have done a decent job of acting like nothing has changed between us since the night we kissed. Per our agreement, I moved into his guest bedroom two days after the accident, much to the delight of Abby and Andy.

Carter’s lawyer had been quick to draft a new employment contract. My work hours and compensation haven’t changed as a live-in nanny, but the contract now protects my “off-duty” hours and includes a section about a food stipend and the ability to use household items freely.

The food thing threw me for a loop, but Carter made the situation easy when he gave me access to his online ordering app. He told me to add whatever I needed to the list, and he’d have the grocery store deliver the items every Thursday.

It initially felt weird to have Carter buy my groceries. I’d spent at least half an hour debating if I should include the feminine hygiene products I needed or if I should just find time to buy them myself the next time I left the house. Eventually, I forced myself to stop behaving like an awkward teenager and added the items I needed. Carter hadn’t even batted an eye when he took them out of the grocery bag while we were unloading them in the kitchen. I suppose he was used to seeing boxes of pads and tampons after growing up with a sister.

After the second round of adding my shopping list to Carter Jones’s, it didn’t feel as weird. I mean, my college roommates and I would often pick up groceries for each other. This is kind of the same thing.

Except this kind of feels like you’re playing house with the sexiest man you’ve ever let see you naked.

I immediately shove the thought out of my mind before it has the chance to ruin the restraint I’ve shown these past two weeks.

Aside from a lingering look here and there, or the one time I caught Carter coming out of the shower with his shirt off and almost drooled on the living room sofa, I’ve been able to hide my burning desire for the muscular man who looks like Clark Kent in his dark-rimmed glasses.

As for Carter, I have to say, he’s kept his promise. His behavior has been nothing but professional. I haven’t even seen a hint of the attraction he showed me when he had me pinned against the fridge and devoured my mouth with his.

Much to my ego’s dismay.

“Valerie, look! Hot dogs!” Andy grabs my hand and pulls me over to the massive stone island in the kitchenette. Chips, cookies, hot dogs, pizza… all of the twins’ favorite foods cover the surface. Carter must’ve ordered it for them as a surprise.

“Wow, look at all that food.” Mr. Jones, the twins’ granddad, stands behind Andy, ruffling his wavy hair. “Think I can eat all of it?”

“No way!” Abby appears at her brother’s side. “You have to share.”

“Of course, Granddad will share,” Carter’s mom states. She takes a bottle of water out of the fridge. “He’s just teasing. Right, Granddad?” She levels a pointed look at her husband.

“Right.” He nods with a twinkle in his eye. “I’m just teasing.” Abby and Andy grin at their granddad’s mischievous look.

Mr. Jones takes the twins over to the plush stadium seats near the box’s railing. I watch them ooh and ahh over the view, pointing excitedly at the massive jumbotron situated in the center of the ceiling.

I smile kindly at Mrs. Jones as I move past her to grab a water bottle for myself.

A low whistle travels through the suite. “Damn. This is nice.”

I look towards the entrance and see a blonde young woman wearing tall wedge sandals and a pretty blue sundress. Carter’s sister, Carlee Jones, is gorgeous. I feel underdressed in my skinny jeans and the oversized Rough Riders t-shirt I borrowed from my dad.

“Language, young lady!”

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