Page 75 of The Nanny Goal

I cup her face in my hand. “Careful, solnishko. You wouldn’t want me to think you might be jealous.”

“I’m not your…” She make a frustrated little growl in the back of her throat.

I lean in and brush my lips against hers ever so lightly. “You are, sunshine.” I whisper. “And you always have been.”

CHAPTER24

EMERY

Alexei doesn’t try to corner me—or kiss me—again for the rest of the day.

He and his father spend the afternoon moving everything of his parents’ downstairs to the basement apartment, which I have to admit is better for them—it has a walk-out side door, which is easier for Maria to go to her follow-up appointments. She has a calendar full of them. Next week she will start an outpatient rehab program that will last for months.

Alexei’s parents need quiet, and stability, and I need to get over myself.

I move into their old bedroom upstairs, which has a bigger bed than the daybed in the library, and a proper dresser and closet, both of which were emptied for me to use.

It will be easier to be this close to Inessa, I can see that.

I make dinner for everyone, then Alexei tells me he has bedtime covered, and the rest of the night is my own.

I take the opportunity to escape up to the third floor and get a long workout in, exhausting my body in an effort to ignore my racing mind.

Just as I’m making some notes in my fitness app, a text message from my brother flashes at the top of the screen.

Then again.

And again.

I swipe out of the app and groan, because Forrest has started a new group chat with me and Alexei, and he’s named itMy Hamilton Fam.

Forrest

Dinner tomorrow, yeah?

I guess we need to include Mom and Dad, too

Em Bear, can you cook? Is that imposing too much? We can order in, but I’m guessing you guys don’t want to take Inessa to a restaurant.

Full disclosure, I arrived at that conclusion because I’m banging this single mom

TMI

Oh no.

I can’t decide if I want to scream or laugh.

Another buzz.

I’m starting to think I’m the only one in this conversation

Bueller? Bueller?

I push to my feet and check the time—it’s almost ten. Inessa is probably asleep, but Alexei might be trapped next to her.

Emery

Hey, lay off the mass texting, some people are putting toddlers to sleep

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