Page 47 of Military Daddies' Nanny

Our girl.The phrase sends a little thrill through me, even as a niggle of doubt worms its way into my mind. Can she really be ours? All of ours? It seems too good to be true sometimes.

"Speaking of Nancy," Nathan says, as though reading my thoughts, "I wanted to run something by you guys. I was thinking...maybe we should look into getting a bigger place? You know, so we can all live together properly.

“Give Nancy a proper bedroom, not the one she has to make do with right now. Also save Carlos here the hassle of going back and forth to his apartment all the time. I mean, it already feels like he lives here full-time as things stand."

I blink, surprised. It's not that the idea hasn't crossed my mind, of course it has. But hearing Nathan voice it so casually, like it's the most natural thing in the world…

"You don't think that's moving too fast?" I hedge, even as a part of me thrills at the prospect. "I mean, we've only been doing...this...for a few months."

Carlos fixes me with a knowing look. "C'mon, Drew. You telling me you can picture your life without her in it now?"

I don't even have to think about the answer. "No," I admit quietly. "No, I can't."

"None of us can," Nathan agrees. "And it's not just us, either. Have you seen how the kids are with her? Jason's grades have gone up two letter grades since Nancy started tutoring him. And Bella...man, I don't think I've ever seen that girl smile so much."

He's right. The change in my children over the past months has been remarkable. They've blossomed under Nancy's care, coming out of the shells they'd retreated into after their mother left. The thought of Karen sends an old pang through me, but it's dull now. Less raw.

"I know what you're thinking," Carlos says, pulling me from my musings. "You're worrying that this is too good to last. That something's gotta give eventually, right?"

I sigh, scrubbing a hand over my face. "Can you blame me? I mean, what we have here, it's not exactly something you see often. Part of me is still waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"Screw that," Carlos retorts with feeling. "Since when has ‘the usual’ ever worked for us anyway? Look, I get it. You're scared. But Drew,hermano, listen to me. What we've got here? It works. Nancy feels something for all of us, and we all care for her. The kids are happy. Hell, I don't think I've ever been happier."

"He's right," Nathan chimes in softly. "I know it might seem crazy from the outside, but...we're family, Drew. You, me, Carlos. Always have been. And now Nancy's part of that too. Why shouldn't we make it official?"

I swallow past the lump forming in my throat, oddly moved. "You really think we can do this? Make it work long-term?"

Carlos claps a hand on my shoulder, dark eyes serious. "I think we already are,amigo."

And just like that, something slots into place inside me. The lingering doubts, the nagging fears—they don't vanish completely. But they recede, overpowered by the swell of love and certainty rising in their wake.

I think of Nancy, of her radiant smile, her big heart, and her endless capacity for good, the way she looks at each of us like we hung the moon. I think of my kids, happier and more secure than they've been in years. I think of the four of us, tangled together in a bed that should feel crowded but somehow never does.

This is it, I realize. This is everything I never knew I needed.

"Okay," I say finally, a grin spreading across my face. "Let's do it. Let's find a place big enough for all of us."

Nathan and Carlos whoop, pulling me into a group hug that quickly devolves into good-natured shoving. We're still laughing when Nancy appears in the doorway, Bella and Jason trailing behind her.

"What's got you boys so rowdy this early?" she asks, eyes twinkling as she takes in our antics.

I cross to her and sneak a peek at the kids who are distracted by their uncles. Unable to resist pressing a swift kiss to her upturned lips. "Just making plans for the future. Nothing to worry about."

She arches an eyebrow, clearly intrigued, but doesn't press. Instead, she herds the kids toward the table, reminding Jason not to forget his science project. I watch her, marveling at how effortlessly she's stepped into this role.Honestly, how did we ever manage without her?

In that moment, I make a decision. Tonight, I'm going to take Nancy out—somewhere nice, with candlelight and good wine. And I'm going to tell her exactly how I feel. How much she means to me, to all of us. How I want to build a life with her, unconventional as it may be.

The rest of the morning passes in a flurry of activity, making lunches, double-checking backpacks, and ushering everyone out the door.

Nancy is the last to leave, off to get groceries for meal prep. I pull her close before she goes, savoring the warmth of her in my arms.

"Have dinner with me tonight?" I murmur against her hair. "Just the two of us?"

She pulls back, surprised but pleased. "Why, Drew Johnson? Are you asking me on a date?"

I chuckle. "I believe I am. So, what do you say? Seven o'clock, that little Italian place you like?"

"It's a date," Nancy agrees, stretching up on tiptoe to brush a kiss across my cheek. Then she's gone in a swish of floral-scented air, leaving me grinning like an idiot in her wake.

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