Page 42 of The Nanny is Off Limits

“He said like four words to her, one of which was his name. He didn’t even give her a chance.”

“Well—” Elianna starts before River interrupts, pointing at me.

“And tell herwhy, Row.”

“River…” I glare at him before I look at Elianna who seems to be waiting for an answer. “I just…wasn’t interested.”

“You’re never interested! There has to be someone that catches your eye,sometime.” He nudges Elianna. “Tell him to stop being old,” he whispers loudly and I scoff in response. “Alright, my Uber should be here in a sec. I’m leaving my car here; I’ll swing by in the morning if I have time,” he says before he waves at me and then he’s out the door.

Elianna stares after my brother before she turns back to face the television. “Did you think she was attractive?” she asks without looking at me and I’m surprised by her question.

“Why do you ask?”

“I just mean maybe he’s right and you should give her a chance. If there’s an attraction.”

“There wasn’t,” I tell her.

“Are you sure?”

“Trust me, I know when I’m attracted to someone.” I give her a look I hope she can read before I stand up, not wanting to go any further down this road and risk being right back where we were on Sunday. “Goodnight, Elianna.”

After I dropped SJ and Isla off at school, I found my mind drifting to Rowan. I know I told him I wasn’t sure if we could go down this road, but can I just ignore whatever I’m feeling for him,forever?

I’m putting a load of laundry in the washing machine when my phone rings and my mood is instantly lifted when I see who is calling. “Hey, Dad!”

“I figured I should call you since I haven’t heard from you in a month,” he says with a hint of humor though I know he’s mostly serious.

I roll my eyes at the guilt trip I’m used to ever since I moved to Maryland. “It’s been like a week.”

“Same difference! I just wanted to check on you. How are you?”

“I’m good! What are you up to today?”

“Same old. It’s a nice day, so I’m about to go hit a bucket of balls with Jeff,”he says in reference to his neighbor.

“Sounds like fun. How’s my niece?” I ask because my father doesn’t go longer than a day without seeing his granddaughter, Eloise.Who my dad refers to as Little Ellie, and I love it.

“She’s good, but you haven’t talked to your sister?”

“Not for a couple of weeks,” I tell him.

He lets out a disappointed grunt and I steel myself for the incoming lecture. “What’s wrong this time?”

“Nothing?”

“You’re not in a fight?”

“No?” I respond, like the tension between me and my sister is something that could be reduced to something as simple as one fight.And my dad knows that.

“I hate when you two aren’t talking. You should call her.”

“Phone works both ways, Dad.”

“You’re the oldest, El.”

“That argument is so tired! She’s twenty-two! At what point does being three years younger than me stop absolving her from any responsibility?”

He huffs and I already know what’s coming next.More about how the rift is somehow my fault.“Don’t start, Ellie.”

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