Page 46 of Nanny for the Bikers

I hold up my hands in mock surrender. “Hey, that was just a bit of fun. Ayla’s different. She’s...special.”

The words slip out before I can stop them, and I feel my face heat up. Damn it, when did I turn into such a sap?

Clay’s grin softens, and he claps me on the shoulder with his free hand. “I know she is, man. Trust me, I know.”

Looks like Teller and I aren’t the only two with a bit of a crush on the nanny. This isn’t going to be good.

24

AYLA

The gravel crunches beneath my sandals as I step out of the truck. The cool breeze has little effect on me because of all the skin covered up by the sweater dress I have on. There’s more people than I would have imagined, and I can feel myself getting nervous.

As we make our way across the sprawling yard, the savory scent of barbecue mingles with cheerful laughter and upbeat music. People mill about, lounging in lawn chairs and tossing footballs. Children race by, their giggles carried on the breeze.

I hug Piper a little tighter to my chest, feeling her wiggle with excitement at the festive scene.

A blur of movement catches my eye, and I look up to see a figure hurrying towards us, waving enthusiastically. It’s a woman with a curly pixie cut that fits her round face extremely well, a kind smile, and a pregnant stomach so round that it looks like she’s about to pop any day now.

“You must be Ayla!” She exclaims breathlessly as she reaches us, eyes sparkling with warmth. “I’ve heard so much about you! I’m Jamie.”

Her energy is infectious, and I find myself smiling back, some of the tension easing from my shoulders. “All good things, I hope,” I joke, shifting Piper in my arms.

Jamie laughs, a bright, musical sound. “Good things, good things. You’ve got these boys wrapped around your finger from what I can tell.” At that, the boys start excusing themselves, clearly not wanting to engage in all of the girl talk.

Heat rushes to my cheeks. “I wouldn’t have guessed.”

Jamie waves a dismissive hand. “Let me see this little angel.”

She steps towards me, bringing her face level with Piper’s. Piper, usually shy around strangers, leans forward in my arms, giggling as Jamie coos and makes silly faces.

“Oh my gosh, she’s adorable!” Jamie reaches out to gently pinch Piper’s cheek, her eyes soft with adoration. “Look at those chubby little cheeks. I could just eat her up! It’s exciting to know I’m about to have one of these.”

“When are you due?”

“A couple of weeks.” She rubs her stomach affectionately. “Here, come on, I can’t stand for too long.”

Jamie leads me towards a weathered wooden bench nestled beneath a sprawling oak tree, its gnarled branches casting intricate shadows across the ground.

“I’ve known those boys since they were knee-high to a grasshopper,” Jamie chuckles, settling onto the bench andpatting the space beside her. “You wouldn’t believe the mischief they used to get up to.”

Intrigued, I ease myself down next to Jamie, adjusting Piper on my lap. “Oh, do tell,” I grin, eager to learn more about the men who have so quickly become a part of my life.

Jamie’s eyes twinkle with mirth as they launch into a story. “There was this one time, when Teller and Clay were about seven or eight, they decided they were going to build a treehouse in the woods behind the farmhouse...”

As Jamie weaves the tale, I find myself transported back in time, picturing a young Teller and Clay, all scraped knees and gap-toothed grins, as they scramble up a rickety ladder with armfuls of scavenged lumber. I can almost hear their laughter ringing through the trees, followed by the inevitable crash as their haphazard construction comes tumbling down.

“...and there they were, covered head to toe in mud, splinters sticking out every which way, but grinning like a pair of Cheshire cats,” Jamie finishes, shaking her head fondly at the memory.

I clutch my stomach, tears of laughter streaming down my face as I imagine the scene. “Oh, my goodness, they sound like quite the handful,” I gasp, trying to catch my breath.

“You have no idea,” Jamie smirks, leaning back against the rough bark of the tree. “But you know, even with all the chaos and the mischief, those boys have always had the biggest hearts. They’d do anything for the people they care about. That’s actually something I wanted to talk to you about.”

I notice how serious her face gets and can feel my heart pounding faster. “Yeah?”

“Are you just working for the boys?” She asks, cocking her head to the side. “Or is there something going on?”

Her question catches me off guard, and I start bouncing Piper unconsciously, my mouth suddenly going dry. “I…um…”

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