Page 52 of Nanny for the Firefighter

“Umm, I think I’ll go with the tuna salad wrap and a tea as well.”

Mom smiles. “Going with your old standby, too, huh?”

Shrugging, I give her a nod and lay the menu on top of hers so that the server knows we’re ready.

“Yeah, I know. I always have the same lunch. I can’t help it.”

My mother just grins all the harder, reaching across the table and taking my hand.

“I love it, honey. I’ve missed being able to go out with you. You’ve been gone for so long…I just wanted this. Ever since you’ve been home.”

“Me too. It’s nice to be out at brunch with you.”

The waiter comes and we give him our order. When we’re left alone again, Mom eyes me, and I pause mid-sip of my water.

“What?”

“If you missed me, missed your brother, why didn’t you visit? You know we would have taken you in if you needed a place to stay.”

And there it is.

I know exactly why I didn’t come home before, and she knows I don’t want to talk about it.

Still, how much longer did I think I was going to be able to put this off? Of course, my mom wants to talk now that we’re out and alone.

“Mom, I?—”

She frowns, giving me that look she’s so good at. “Don’t ‘Mom’ me. I’m well aware that you’re keeping something to yourself. Bridget, honey, you know you can talk to me about anything. I’m not going to judge you if that’s what you’re worried about.”

I sigh, slouching into the chair as my head spins.

Being judged is only a tiny portion of what’s keeping me from talking about this. Yes, I don’t want her to know how passive I’ve been in my own life, how much I let Jai control me.

But more, I don’t want her to be in danger. Jai knows about my mom, of course, but as long as she doesn’t look like a threat to his reclaiming me, I think he’ll leave her alone.

If she speaks up against him, though? I know precisely how horrible he can be.

“It’s not that I don’t think I can talk to you, Mom. It’s just…”

My words die off as I see that look in her eyes. My mom is worried for me, and I can’t say that she doesn’t have a reason to be.

The secret I’ve been holding onto for years burns in my chest, and I want more than ever to finally let someone in on it.

Jai kept me isolated while we were together, but that didn’t magically go away when I left. I’ve been on the run, never stopping or getting close to anyone.

It’s been exhausting—and lonely.

The waiter comes and gives us our food, and after we both take a few bites, I can’t stand the silence anymore.

“I left Jai on bad terms, Mom. It was rough.”

Her eyes meet mine, and I can see the sympathy beaming out of them.

“Oh, honey. What happened?”

With a long, shaky exhale, I take a sip of my tea, trying to ease the tension enough to keep going.

“I…I didn’t like who I was with Jai. I let him talk over me and boss me around. And he had no problem doing just that.”

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