Page 11 of Revived

And after losing my wife, I felt myself go to that same place mentally, declaring to never let another woman in like I did with her. And even though I know Hannah and I promised each other we’d move on in the event something happened to either of us, it’s easy to agree to promises of living your life fully when the last thing you’d possibly imagine happening is the reality of that conversation.

I miss that woman every day. Some moments my chest aches so badly I have to rub the skin over my heart in an attempt to relieve the tension. She was my best friend, the one person I never saw my life without. I remember meeting her for the first time when she came home with my younger sister Tenley one weekend back when they were in college. Tenley is two years younger than me, so when she came home that year, I had already graduated and was getting ready to leave for the sheriff’s academy.

My breath left my lungs the minute I saw her, her golden blonde hair highlighted by the sun, her long tanned legs peeking out beneath the cuff of her denim shorts, her smile so blindingly beautiful because it was natural and exuded a happiness I had never seen on a woman before.

And in that moment, I knew I was a goner. I made it a point to spend any moment I could with her that weekend. And then we exchanged numbers, and I kept in contact with her as much as I could while I was away. When I returned, she attended my graduation from the academy and I told her I loved her.

And that was it. We stayed together while she finished school, we bought our first home together when she got her first teaching job and I finished my first year on the force, and we married a year later, Grayson making his appearance one short year after that.

And then one stormy night when Grayson was three months old, I pulled onto the scene of a crash and my heart plummeted in my chest when I recognized the car—my wife’s car.

“So, what exactly are you looking for?” Rachel snaps me back to the present, causing me to choke momentarily on my saliva.

Clearing my throat, I brace myself to speak. “I’m sorry. Well, here’s my situation. I’m a single dad. My mother and father normally would take care of Grayson while I went to work, but obviously you know she’s hurt and my father now has to take care of her while she heals. So, I need someone like yesterday,” I laugh uncomfortably as Rachel tilts her head sympathetically. “I teach classes Monday, Wednesday, and Friday days, and Tuesday and Thursday nights. In all honesty, I was even considering having someone move in with me just to make things easier… but if you’re not up for that…”

“Yes!” She shouts before catching herself and laughing. “Sorry. That was overly enthusiastic. I mean, yes. I wouldn’t mind moving in, as long as you’re okay with it. There’s only so much sex I can stand to hear between my best friend and her fiancé before I feel like my ears might bleed.”

“Oh, God. Thanks for that image.” I scrunch my face up in disgust, even though I hope Rachel knows I’m joking.

“Yeah. It’s worse when you get the full audible track. Anyway, I know you don’t know me very well, but obviously you trusted me yesterday, and I seriously loved your son. I’m planning on being a teacher anyway, so the experience is perfect. I did agree to bartend at Tony’s a few nights a week already, but as long as it’s not on the nights you teach, I think he can work with me. I really would love this opportunity, Luke.” Her eyes are full of hope and her aura is so pure and honest that my head tells me she came into our lives at exactly the right time. Crazy how this idea has been on the back of my mind, and in the instance when I needed to follow through, here is this woman who already gets along with my kid and can help me out.

The timing of this all makes my stomach twist.

I shove a hand through my thick hair as I narrow my eyes at her. “You have to understand something. I’ve never had someone else watch my kid before, besides my parents or a close friend. Yesterday was the first day it happened and I let a stranger do it. That choice alone is making me question my sanity. But something is telling me to trust you, and I know my son loves you because he hasn’t stopped talking about you since. So I think I’d be stupid to look anywhere else. Are you alright with me performing a background check and running your fingerprints?” I know the captain at the sheriff station will have no problem doing that small favor for me.

“Not at all. I know this must be scary. Believe me, I never imagined becoming a nanny for someone when I moved out here…”

“That explains why you’re from New York, because of Piper.” I snap my fingers in recollection, putting her ID from yesterday and her connection to Piper together. Forgive me, my brain is all over the place right now.

“Yes. But I know how hard it must be to put your trust in someone else to care for your son. I promise I’ll do my best. But your kid won’t make that hard at all. When he started telling me all about the human body yesterday, I was amazed,” she says, clasping her hands over her heart while she widens her eyes and bats her eyelashes.

“Oh, don’t worry. You’ll get that same spiel every day from now on. I get that information so often, I could probably teach a class on that, now.”

“He’s amazing. And I promise to make sure he eats a well-balanced diet, gets exercise, and doesn’t get away with bloody murder. I can’t stand children who have never been disciplined.”

“Well, my parents have helped me a lot with that. But don’t be fooled. He can be pretty manipulative. And he knows how to put on the puppy dog eyes and the sad lip. One time he told me, ‘You know you want to tell me yes because I’m so cute!’”

“Oh my God!” Rachel laughs, and then sits back in her chair, much more at ease than she was when she sat down initially. “That’s hilarious!”

“Hilarious, but true.” I sit there for a minute, wondering if I’m certifiably insane for making this decision so quickly, but I really have no other options at the moment. Sitting up tall, I reach across the table to shake her hand. “Okay, Rachel. Let’s do this. If you’re sure…”

She pops up from her seat and smiles like she just won the lottery. “Yes! Thank you, Luke! I won’t let you down, I promise.” She rushes over to my side as I stand, anticipating her to shake my hand, but she lunges for me and wraps her arms around my torso, hugging me like she’s clinging on to me for dear life.

And I’m completely caught off-guard—not only because I didn’t anticipate a hug, but because the feel of her pressed up against me is making my dick harden. Fuck. I can’t think of her like that. No. She’s going to be my son’s nanny. She’s just a beautiful woman who is helping me out in a time of need. Her stunning smile and bright green eyes will not deter me from the understanding that ultimately, I’m her boss. I can do this. I can ignore this woman. Hell, I’ve been doing that to every other woman on the planet for almost five years—because none of them are my wife, Rachel included. I can’t think of her that way. It isn’t fair to Hannah.

When she releases me, I step back a few feet and reach for her hand again. “Okay. How about you come by tonight to watch him during my night classes? It will give you time to become acclimated with his routine in the evenings, and then tomorrow I’ll need you from eight to four. I can have my attorney draft up a contract agreement for you to sign later this week and then this weekend you can move into the guest room. I need to move a few things and clean, but I’ll have it ready for you by Sunday.”

“That sounds perfect. Thanks again, Luke. I’m so excited!” She squeals before reaching for her phone. “Can you text me your address?”

Retrieving my phone from my coat pocket, I shoot off a text to her and watch as she intercepts it.

“Perfect! See you later!” She throws her coat on, grabs her drink, and then rushes out of the door, leaving me in the dust of her energetic display of excitement.

Holy shit! I just hired a nanny… and a beautiful nanny, at that. Somehow, I don’t think this is going to work out the way I want it to.

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