Page 44 of The Wolf's Plus-Size Nanny

He opens his eyes, and there’s a softness in his gaze that makes my heart clench. “I don’t want her to be confused,” he says quietly. “Fiona deserves stability. I don’t want Casey’s sudden appearance to mess that up for her.”

“And it won’t,” I assure him, though I’m not entirely sure if I’m trying to convince him or myself. “We’ll figure it out.”

He nods, and for a moment, we just stand there with the weight of the day pressing down on us. I can tell he’s exhausted, not just from the mission but from the emotional rollercoaster that Casey’s arrival has brought. I reach out, grazing my hand against his arm, offering silent support.

“Why don’t you go check on Fiona?” I suggest gently. “I’ll make sure Casey’s settled.”

He hesitates but then nods, giving my hand a quick squeeze before he heads down the hall. I watch him go, my heart aching at the sight of his slumped shoulders. He’s carrying so much right now, and I wish I could take some of that burden off his back, but there’s only so much I can do.

I turn back to the guest room, steeling myself before I step inside. Casey’s eyes flutter open as I approach, and she offers me a weak smile. “Thanks for letting me stay,” she says, her voice rough and thin. “I know it’s… complicated.”

I force a smile, trying to keep the judgment out of my eyes. “It’s fine. We’re just glad you’re safe.” I don’t mention that she’s the last person I expected to see, or that the sight of her with Jack makes something ugly twist in my chest. Instead, I busy myself with adjusting the blankets, fussing over details to keep my hands from shaking.

Casey watches me, her gaze lingering in a way that makes me uncomfortable. “Jack seems happy,” she says, her tone casual but probing. “You must be good for him.”

I glance up, caught off-guard by the statement. There’s a slight tilt to her lips, something that could be a smirk or just a remnant of pain. “He’s a good guy,” I say simply, not wanting toget into the complexities of whatever this is between Jack and me. “He deserves to be happy.”

Casey nods, her expression softening. “I’m glad he has someone like you,” she admits, and for a moment, her vulnerability peeks through. “I didn’t handle things well. I thought leaving was the best thing for Fiona… and for me. But looking back, I just… I screwed up. Big time.”

I don’t know what to say to that. Part of me wants to tell her she’s right, that she did screw up and that Fiona deserved better. But another part of me, the part that’s learned to navigate the gray areas of life, understands that people make mistakes. Big ones. Ones they can’t always take back.

“It’s not too late,” I offer cautiously. “You’re here now. You can still be part of Fiona’s life, if that’s what you want.”

“I do,” she whispers, her voice breaking. “More than anything. I just hope Jack can forgive me.”

There’s a pang in my chest at her words, and I can’t help but wonder where I fit into all of this. I’ve been there for Jack and Fiona, been part of their little world, and now Casey’s sudden reappearance feels like a threat to that. But I can’t let my insecurities dictate how I handle this. Jack needs support, not someone clinging to what-ifs.

“I think he will,” I say softly. “But it’s going to take time.”

Casey gives me a grateful look, and I step back, letting her rest. I close the door behind me, my mind racing. This wasn’t what I signed up for when I decided to stay in Green Lake, but life has a way of throwing curveballs when you least expect it. I just hope I’m ready to catch this one.

I try to swallow the lump in my throat as I step into the living room, leaving Jack and Fiona behind. The door clickssoftly shut, but the weight of everything doesn’t ease. I take a deep breath, letting it out slowly, but the tightness in my chest remains. Jack’s got his hands full, and maybe it’s better if I’m not constantly hovering around, watching from the sidelines as he tries to make sense of the mess Casey’s arrival has stirred up.

I’ve never been good at standing on the sidelines. Not when it matters.

So I do the one thing I can think of: I give them space. The next few days, I spend more time with Piper, Jane, Riley, and Lenny. We spend hours at Piper’s place, drinking coffee and cocktails that are always too strong, talking about anything that isn’t Jack, Casey, or the tangled web of feelings I’m caught in. I laugh at their jokes, try to let their lightness seep into me, but there’s a part of me that’s always somewhere else—wondering what’s happening back at Jack’s, wondering if Casey’s weaseled her way into more than just the guest room.

“So, what’s holding you back?” Jane asks one afternoon as she watches me from across the table. “You’ve got a free ticket back to Stardust Hollow whenever you want. What’s keeping you here?”

I glance up from my mug, trying to buy time as I think of a good answer. “I’ve got things here,” I say, but even to my ears, it sounds flimsy. I haven’t exactly set down roots in Green Lake. Sure, I’ve been staying with Jack, and there’s Fiona, but those things aren’t permanent. They never were.

“Come on, Sonya,” Riley cuts in, nudging my arm with his elbow. “We miss you there, you know.”

Lenny nods, leaning back in his chair. “Yeah, forget about your ex and his cronies. Who cares about what they think? They’re not the ones who matter.”

But it’s not just the people. It’s the whole damn place. Stardust Hollow is where I fell apart, where everything went wrong, and I can’t help but feel like going back would be like stepping into the past, like I’d be picking up right where I left off. And I can’t do that. I don’t want to.

“It’s not just that,” I finally admit. “It’s not just about the people or the gossip. It’s… complicated.”

Jane raises an eyebrow. “Complicated how? Because it sounds like you’re just making excuses, Sonya. If you want to stay here, that’s fine, but don’t lie to yourself about why.”

I shift uncomfortably, feeling their eyes on me, waiting for an explanation I’m not sure I can give. Because deep down, I know the real reason. It’s not Stardust Hollow that’s the problem—it’s Jack. It’s this little life I’ve started to imagine with him, with Fiona. It’s the way I’ve fallen for him, slowly and completely, without even realizing it until it was too late.

But now, with Casey in the picture, all those daydreams feel like they’re slipping through my fingers. I’ve seen the way Jack looks at her, the concern in his eyes, the history that lingers between them like a shadow. He’s trying to do right by Fiona, trying to keep things together, and maybe that’s why I’ve been able to stay this long. But with Casey around, there’s a chance for them to be a family again. A real family.

And where does that leave me?

Chapter 24 - Jack

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