Page 51 of Curvy Nanny for the Nerd

Monday morning was a long way off, but what I had to say could wait until then.

I knew she wouldn’t return on Sunday evening as she had been before everything went to hell between us, but when Monday morning rolled around I was waiting for her in the living room. “Toni, a word please?”

She froze, her expression unreadable as she nodded and stepped inside the living room. Wordlessly she took a spot in front of the fireplace, folded her arms and waited for me to say what I had to say.

“I’m not letting you out of your contract,” I began. “We still have six and a half months left on our agreement and you will see it to the end, otherwise I’ll be forced to ruin you and Serenity.”

Heat flared in her gaze and anger made her nostrils flare but still she said nothing for a long time. “That’s really what you want?”

“It is,” I lied easily. What I wanted was for her towant tostay here with me and Layla, to make a life with us. But she was trying to cut and run before I could make things right.

“Fine,” she shrugged and walked away without any argument.

My brows knitted into a frown. That didn’t make sense. Toni was a woman who argued simply for the sake of arguing yet she didn’t put up even a hint of a fight.

I’m immediately suspicious but I shook it off because my cynicism and suspicion is how I got into this situation in the first place.

She wasn’t leaving and I considered that a victory. A small victory, but one that gave me time to make it right between us.

Chapter 30

Toni

~One month later

I hated that I was still in Houston. Still working for Brady. Still keeping a distance the size of the Grand Canyon between us. I had to do it because if he got too close he might suspect the truth. This way I could feign exhaustion and head to my room for the night, where I scarfed down sandwiches and salads for dinner rather than risk a midnight run-in with my boss and billionaire baby daddy.

At least I had Layla and watching her grow into herself was a total pleasure. She was so smart and creative, so sweet and trusting with her heart. Her love. She was a talented little girl and every time I thought about her major milestones—first book published, first art show, high school graduation—my heart pinched. But this wasn’t my life. I was contractually obligated to be here for another few months, so I would be.

For Serenity’s sake.

I refused to let Brady do anything to damage her business, especially when she’d been nothing but good to me all these years. She didn’t deserve that so I decided to stay but the moment my obligation was complete, I would be gone. No matter what.

“Earth to Toni,” Layla said as she stood in front of me giggling like crazy.

I blinked and looked around the carnival grounds with a smile. Layla and I were celebrating her enrollment into school by enjoying a day at the carnival. We’d already stuffed ourselves full of funnel cakes, corn dogs, street food and cotton candy, and now we played so many carnival games I knew we’d both have calloused hands in the morning. “That was a close one,” I told her with a smile as she kicked my butt at the water gun horse races.

“I won!” Layla jumped up and down as if it was her first win and I couldn’t help but smile, couldn’t help the warmth that blossomed in my chest.

“You did. That means you get to pick the prize.”

She tapped her chin and stared at the oversized stuffed animals on display. Her gaze lasered in on an oversized giraffe and after a few trade-ins of other toys, she was engulfed by the giant giraffe. “You like it?”

“It’s great,” I told her honestly. “Exactly what I would’ve picked.” Except maybe not since I was the adult in this equation which meant I was responsible for carting Mr. Giraffe around the carnival grounds until we were ready to go.

We ate chili cheese fries with extra crispy bacon on top, which was incredibly delicious, and a horrible, bad, no good decision on my part because minutes later, heartburn made me feel like I was going to die. “Oh, shit.” I put a fist to my chest as if that alone would stop the impending death feeling.

“Toni?”

“I’m fine,” I assured the little girl. “It’s just indigestion. Probably from the spicy chili.” I smiled to make sure Layla wasn’t worried about me because it wasn’t her job to worry, but a second later I knew it was inevitable. My vision started to blur and not even a glass of fresh milk from a dairy stand helped.

“Toni,” Layla shouted as my legs crumbled underneath me.

She was at my side, screaming and crying while I could do nothing but lay there and hope like hell that me and my baby survived whatever fresh hell this was. “Okay,” I moaned weakly and patted her hair, hoping she understood that I would be fine.

At least I hoped I would.

When I wake up later, I knew I was in the hospital before I opened my eyes. The telltale sound of medical equipment, the low buzz of fluorescent lights and the steady hum of soft conversation surrounded me.How in the hell did I end up here? Where is Layla?That question made me bolt upright, where a wave of nausea sent me falling back against the bed. “Layla?”

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