Page 4 of Single Daddy Doctor Dreamy

“Yes, she’s gone,” I say, collapsing onto the couch. “But I think she might come back to haunt us.”

“She’s like a witch,” Miles says, his eyes wide. “An apple pie witch.”

I burst out laughing, the tension from the encounter melting away. Finn climbs onto my lap, and Miles sits beside me, both of them looking unusually innocent. “You two are trouble,” I say, ruffling their hair.

“We like you,” Finn says, snuggling into my side.

I smile, feeling a warmth I didn’t expect. Maybe this job won’t be so bad after all.

The sound of the front door opening draws my attention. Joel walks in, his expression unreadable. “Everything okay here?”

“Fine,” I say, though I’m sure my frazzled appearance tells a different story. “We had a visit from Mrs. Clarkson.”

Joel groans, running a hand through his hair. “Let me guess. She invited herself in, insulted the boys, and left you questioning your life choices?”

“Pretty much,” I admit with a laugh.

He shakes his head. “Sorry about that. She means well… sort of.”

“It’s fine. I can handle her.”

Joel’s eyes meet mine, and for a moment, the air between us feels heavier. “I’m sure you can,” he says softly. Then, as if snapping out of it, he turns to the boys. “I brought home stuff to make dinner. It will be ready in an hour. Go wash up.”

As Miles and Finn race upstairs, I can’t help but feel a flicker of unease. The way Joel looked at me just now… it was nothing, right? Just a moment of connection. Professional connection.

But as he heads into the kitchen, I can’t shake the feeling that things are about to get a lot more complicated.

2

JOEL

The sound of Miles and Finn’s laughter echoes through the house as I sit at the kitchen table, flipping through charts on my tablet. It’s meant to be a moment of quiet productivity, but my focus keeps shifting to the woman in the other room. Lucy Harper.

She’s been here for less than a day, and already the house feels… lighter. Brighter. It’s her laugh, mostly. Or the way she talks to the boys, her voice a mix of playful teasing and genuine care. I can hear them now, her playful banter with Miles over whether superheroes eat vegetables. She’s a natural with them, and I’m already wondering how I managed before she arrived. The boys seem to really like her and I’m hoping it goes better than it has with previous nannies who seemed to take pleasure in scolding instead of embracing the boys exuberance.

“Joel?” Her voice pulls me from my thoughts. I glance up to find her leaning against the doorway, a faint smile playing on her lips. “You’ve been staring at that tablet for ten minutes. Are you sure you’re working and not just pretending so you can avoid the chaos in the other room?”

Caught. I set the tablet down and lean back in my chair. “You caught me. I’m contemplating my life choices.”

“That’s never a good sign,” she says, stepping into the kitchen. “Should I be worried?”

“Only if you plan to bolt before dinner. The boys are already getting attached to you.”

“And you?” she teases, her blue eyes sparkling. “Are you attached yet, Dr. Anderson?”

I’m not sure how to answer that. She’s joking, but there’s something beneath her tone that feels like a challenge. I decide to dodge. “Too soon to tell. You’re still on probation.”

“Fair enough,” she says with a laugh. “But if I pass, do I get a medal?”

“A lifetime supply of gummy bears,” I reply dryly, earning another laugh from her. It’s contagious, and I feel the corner of my mouth twitching up despite myself.

She’s trouble. I knew it the moment she stepped out of her car, her blonde hair catching the light like some kind of halo. Aiden’s warning rings in my ears, but it’s hard to remember why I agreed to his terms when she’s right here, making this house feel alive again.

The laughter from the other room spikes, followed by a loud crash. My instincts kick in, and I’m halfway out of my chair before Lucy waves me off. “I’ve got it,” she says, already heading toward the living room. Her confidence is baffling. She’s been here for less than twenty-four hours, yet she’s walking into the chaos like she’s done it a hundred times before.

I follow at a slower pace, curiosity getting the better of me. When I reach the doorway, I find her crouched next to Finn,who’s sitting amid a pile of wooden blocks. Miles stands nearby, looking sheepish.

“What happened here?” she asks, her tone calm but firm. Finn clutches his stuffed dinosaur tightly and looks down. Miles, ever the bold one, pipes up.

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