Page 3 of Single Daddy Doctor Dreamy

“Uh, yes. That’s me. Lucy Harper.” I hold out my hand, but she’s already peering past me into the house.

“I’m Mrs. Clarkson, your neighbor. Welcome to Everwood.” She thrusts the pie into my hands. “Apple. Homemade.”

“Thank you,” I say, trying to keep my tone polite.

“So, how long have you known Dr. Anderson?” she asks, leaning in conspiratorially. “The whole neighborhood’s been buzzing about him hiring another nanny. Such a handsome man, isn’t he?”

I feel my cheeks heat. “We’ve known each other for a while. Family friends.”

“Interesting,” she says, her eyes glittering with intrigue. Without waiting for an invitation, she brushes past me into the house. “My, what a charming place. You will need to be a miracle worker if you expect to keep it tidy with those boys running around.”

“Oh, um, well…” I trail off, unsure how to respond as she pokes her head into the living room and clicks her tongue at the sight of a pile of toys in the corner.

“I see they’ve made a mess. Typical boys.” She turns back to me with a tight smile. “I imagine it must be quite a challenge. Miles and Finn can be… spirited, can’t they?”

Before I can reply, a shriek echoes from upstairs. Mrs. Clarkson’s eyes widen as Miles comes barreling down the stairs, a superhero cape trailing behind him. Finn follows, giggling madly, clutching his stuffed dinosaur.

“Boys!” I call out, trying to inject some authority into my voice. “Don’t run on the stairs. Someone is going to get hurt.”

Miles skids to a stop in front of Mrs. Clarkson, his grin faltering when he sees her. “Oh. It’s you.”

“Charming,” Mrs. Clarkson mutters, adjusting her pearl necklace. “Hello, Miles. And Finn.”

Finn ducks behind me, peeking out cautiously. Miles, ever the bold one, crosses his arms and says, “We don’t like you. You yelled at us when our ball hit your rose bush.”

Mrs. Clarkson gasps, her hand flying to her chest as if he’d just accused her of a heinous crime. “Well, young man, perhaps you should be more careful where you throw things!”

“It was an accident,” Miles retorts, his lower lip jutting out. “And your roses were ugly anyway.”

“Okay!” I interject, desperate to diffuse the tension. “Let’s all calm down. Mrs. Clarkson was just bringing us a pie.” I lift the dessert as if it’s a peace offering.

“Yes, a homemade apple pie,” Mrs. Clarkson says, her tone frosty. “Though I must say, it seems wasted on such… unruly hooligans.”

Miles glares at her, and I can practically see the gears turning in his mischievous little mind. Before he can say something else, I jump in. “Thank you so much for the pie, Mrs. Clarkson. I’m sure it’s delicious. Would you like a slice before you go?”

“Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly,” she says, waving a hand. But instead of leaving, she perches on the edge of the couch, her sharp eyes scanning the room. “You know, I always wondered how Dr. Anderson manages. Such a busy career and two boys to raise. It’s a wonder he hasn’t completely lost control.”

I force a smile. “Joel does an excellent job. The boys are wonderful.”

Mrs. Clarkson sniffs, clearly unconvinced. “Well, let’s hope you can keep them in line. Previous nannies haven’t had much luck with that.”

Another shriek rings out, this time from the kitchen. Finn has apparently decided to climb onto the counter in pursuit of a bag of cookies, and Miles is egging him on. “Go higher, Finn! You can reach it!”

“Excuse me,” I say to Mrs. Clarkson, rushing into the kitchen. I manage to catch Finn just as he loses his balance, pulling him safely into my arms. “What are you doing?”

“I wanted cookies,” Finn says, his voice small but unapologetic.

“They’re for after dinner,” I say firmly, setting him down. Miles snickers, but his laughter dies when I give him a pointed look. “And you, no more encouraging your brother to do dangerous things.”

Mrs. Clarkson appears in the doorway, her arms crossed. “See what I mean? Spirited.”

“They’re just being kids,” I say, trying to keep my tone light. “It’s all part of the fun.”

“Fun,” she repeats, her eyebrows rising. “Well, I suppose you’ll learn soon enough. Good luck, dear. You’ll need it.”

With that, she finally takes her leave, but not before giving me one last scrutinizing look. As soon as the door closes behind her, I let out a long breath.

“Is she gone?” Miles asks, peeking around the corner.

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