Page 7 of Nanny for the Firefighter

I hang up before he can ask more questions and stuff my phone back in my pocket.

At that point, Mason comes over. I meet his eyes with a forced smile and raise my brows to silently ask, “What’s up?”

“The tow truck is ready to take your car into town. The repair shop is closed for the evening, but it’ll open tomorrow.”

“Oh, okay. All right.” I fumble with myself, checking my pockets and realizing I don’t have my wallet because it’s still in the car. “I need my stuff.”

He gestures toward my car, and I head that way to get my wallet out. It’s impossible to get into the car, though, and I can’t reach my shit on the passenger side from the driver’s door.

“Dammit.”

Suddenly, Mason is behind me, and he nods toward the car. “Here, let me.”

I step back, and Mason wrenches the door farther open, his biceps likely straining, and then reaches inside for my little clutch.

He slides back out—and I definitely have to stop myself from checking out his ass—handing me the wallet with an easy smile.

“Here you go. Do you have anything else in there that you need?”

The question jogs my memory, and I point toward the back seat. “My suitcase?”

Mason gets it out through the front, handing it over to me with another smile that reads, “You’re welcome.”

I smile tightly, looking down at it. “Thank you. I guess…I’ll be going.”

Starting toward the tow truck to get a ride, I realize that the car still isn’t loaded up onto the back, so I’ll be waiting for a while before we leave.Shit.

“Are you going to your Mom’s?”

I shoot my eyes over to Mason. “Yeah. Umm…they’re waiting for me. Didn’t think I was going to get rear-ended.”

“The tow’s going to be another fifteen minutes at least. I’ll take you over after I drop the firetruck off at the station. Come on.”

It’s a nice offer. Something that he’d do for anyone, but my spine tingles at the notion of being in a car alone with Mason.

I feel like a dumb teenager again, and the part of me that had been wondering about Mason lights up—both terrified and intrigued.

But I really can’t keep Hudson and Mom waiting.

“Umm, okay. Thank you.” I smile a little bit more genuinely now. “Again.”

TWO

Bridget

I fiddle endlessly with my rings as Mason drives me back to the station in the firetruck. I’ve never been inside one before, but I can’t find it in me to be impressed right now.

I’m way too fucking nervous for that.

As far as elephants in the room go, this one is huge and not going anywhere.

My brain is churning over every little thing I want to ask, to say, but I keep my mouth clamped shut. I’m not about to be the one to break the silence.

What’s he been up to, though? Five years is a long time. Is he okay? Is he seeing anyone?

I have no idea what his life’s been like, and it’s not for lack of trying. Jai was not an understanding man, and he’d done something—likely threatening the guy—to get Mason to block me on social media.

No Facebook stalking that one.

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