Page 88 of Nanny for the Firefighter

Still, I don’t relish the thought of breaking that news because I just don’t know how he’s going to take it.

I don’t want to keep this from him, and it’s not like I’m trying to date Mason behind Hudson’s back. Though, I guess that’s precisely what I’m doing.

Nausea pulls at me. I don’t like keeping more secrets from either of them. The Jai nonsense is more than enough for one lifetime.

“Oh sure, you’re just hitting it for now. He’s not past booty call status.”

“Hudson Monroe,” Mother chastises, and I give them both a laugh.

“Yup, just a booty call.” I roll my eyes at Hudson, then sip more tea as I meet his gaze. “So don’t try to arrange some drop-in visit and expect to see him, all right? I don’t exactly ‘take him back to my place’ since I don’t have one. You know?”

“Fine. Fine. But you’re introducing us one day.”

Hudson points at me, and I just nod.

The waiter arrives with our food, and we all have a moment of collective refocusing, our deep conversation interrupted by the server.

Once they leave, I clear my throat and hold up my glass. “Besides, we’re not here to talk about me. We’re here to celebrate Mom’s good news. So cheers!”

“Cheers!” Mom calls out, and I can’t stop the laugh as all our glasses clink together.

Relief isn’t a strong enough word to describe how good it feels to know that she’ll be okay, and coming home like this has actually been excellent.

Aside from Mason, connecting with my mother and brother again and seeing his son live and in person, it’s all been fantastic.

Out of the corner of my eye, something moves by the tree that sits by the left corner of the patio. It’s gone so quickly, but my heart stutters because I think I saw a blonde man.

I swallow hard, staring at that corner intensely to see if he pokes out again.Has Jai found me? Has he been watching this entire time?

Familiar dread drips over me, and when I hear clinking behind me, I can’t stop myself from shooting around in my chair toward the noise.

It was just a server balancing dishes, but the feeling of someone out there watching me hasn’t disappeared.

My eyes find that tree again, and I could swear that the branches are in a different position now.

“Are you okay, hun?” Mom asks.

Flicking my attention back to the table, I swallow hard and nod, even as panic gnaws at my insides.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just…thought I saw something. Not a big deal.”

“They put vodka in your iced tea, sis?” Hudson jokes, nudging me with his elbow. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I shake my head, putting on my usual cheery smile. “Nope. No ghosts. Just my annoying big brother.”

“Haha,” he drawls, going back to his burger.

As I pick up mine, positioning it so that I won’t leak the topping everywhere, I try to let go of the thoughts about Jai.

He’s not here, Bridget. You’re fine.

I’m sure that I’m just being paranoid. And a bacon-bleu burger is just the thing I need to take my mind off it.

TWENTY-SEVEN

Mason

“So, would you like to come over for dinner? Mia has insisted that you be there.”

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