Page 1 of Stealing Forever

PROLOGUE

Three months ago

“I quit, Mr. Lane. I’m sorry.”

“I—?” My nanny is quitting? I haven’t even been home for thirty seconds. Hell, I’m not even one step inside of the front door, my heavy backpack’s still slung over my shoulder and there’s mud caked on the bottom of my slides that I haven’t had a chance to kick off yet. “What?”

My bag hits the floor with a heavy thud, and I scrub my hands down my face in frustration, or maybe it’s exhaustion. Probably both, it’s been a damn day.

She pushes off the couch to her feet and folds the blanket she’d been sitting under. “I’m sorry. I know this is abrupt, but I didn’t want to lose the courage. I just can’t do these late nights, and I know the season is starting soon, so you’ll be traveling. I’m just realizing this isn’t the gig for me.”

Fuck. It took me weeks to find Liza—now I’ll have to start all over again.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I nod curtly. “Understood. Any chance you have a referral for a replacement?”

A friend? A family member?Fucking anyone?

“I’ll put some feelers out. I’mreallysorry, Mr. Lane.”

“It’s fine,” I grumble. It’s not fine, but what else am I supposed to say?

She bends over in front of me to pick up her purse by the door, and I avert my eyes, glancing around my living room instead.

“What time did she go to sleep?” A glance at my watch tells me it’s nearing eleven. No wonder Liza is quitting—I told her I’d be home by nine. She isn’t a live-in nanny, and I’m sure my constant tardiness drives her crazy. In my defense, I warned her prior to her taking the job.

She smiles, shifting her hand to curl around the strap of her bag as she readies herself to leave. “Seven-thirty sharp. I did a load of her laundry earlier, but didn’t wash her stuffed animals since she wanted to sleep with Snug-Bug. I also bought new berries at the market today, and they’re washed and ready in the fridge. Your credit card is on the counter.”

“Thank you, Liza.”

“No problem. Sorry things didn’t work out on my end.”

“I understand.” Do I, though? She’s only been with us for two months. Sure, my time management sucks, but when she interviewed to nanny for a single dad she should have known. Unfortunately, things have been a lot busier than I anticipated they’d be when I hired her, but I’m gearing up for my first year asheadcoach.

And although I’m no spring chicken at thirty-six years old, I’m the youngest the Bridge Point Bears have ever had. Which is why I’ve been pulling such long hours to prove myself, not only to the managerial staff, but to my team.

Because goddamn, do I have my work cut out for me with these guys.

Opening the front door, I hold it for her. “Thanks for everything.”

“Please tell Sailor I said bye.” She gives me a small wave, then walks out the front door, never once looking back.

I watch and make sure she makes it safely into her car parked on the street, then shut the door. Slumping against it, I mutter a curse.

Finding a nanny to work for a single dad is hard enough—I know what it’s like for women these days, and I don’t fault them for being leery of men.

Hell, if I were female, I’d be cautious, too. So the second they learn there is no missus, half of the candidates lose interest in scheduling an interview to meet me and my three-year-old daughter.

Then, it’s a game of Goldilocks to find the right fit for us.

Ireallydon’t want to go through this again, but I have no other choice.

Sailor deserves far more than a revolving door of babysitters, she deserves someone who loves her and will give her the best care, day in and day out, when that person can’t be me.

And I’m determined to find the perfect woman for the job, no matter what.

“C’mon, Sailor, Daddy’s going to be late!” The clock on the wall taunts me, reminding me we should have left ten minutes ago. My meeting with the Bears’ execs is in less than thirty minutes, and I need to make it across Bridge Point in the next twenty.

“But I want Snug-Bug!” Sailor stomps her little foot on the ground, her arms crossed with a sour look on her face.

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