Page 3 of Knot Just Their Nanny
Susan sits down beside me, her hands folded neatly in her lap. “Yes. Change can be good, especially in a place like this. It has a way of growing on you.”
“It already has,” I say with a wistful sigh. I hope this job works out. I’ll be disappointed if I have to leave again.
“We want you to feel comfortable here,” Susan murmurs, suddenly a bit nervous. “Benjamin has been a bit resistant this morning, but he knows this is what’s best for him and Mia.”
I nod understandingly. “Yeah, I get it. It’s a tough situation, but I’m here now and I intend to make his life easier and to care for Mia with my whole heart.”
She smiles, but I can tell she is still nervous.
That doesn’t bode well.
I’ve met Benjamin only a couple of times, and that was online. He was gruff. But I put it down to being tired taking care of an infant all on his own. My entire interview process has been with Susan and Peter. Dozens of Zoom calls, and they drove down to London to meet with me in person the other week.
“Let me show you to your room,” Susan says, rising.
“Okay.” I smile and follow her up the stairs, her steps light on the plush carpet. I follow, my own footsteps muffled, a sense of anticipation building in my chest as we ascend.
We reach the top, and she guides me down the hallway, pointing out where things are—the bathroom, the linen closet, a small nook filled with books and games. But it’s the next door she opens that catches my full attention.
“Here we are,” she announces, gesturing toward the interior. “This will be your space.”
I step over the threshold into a cosy room bathed in the soft afternoon light. The walls are painted a calming shade of cream, and a comfortable-looking bed sits against one wall, complete with fluffy pillows and a knitted throw. A table and chair occupy another corner, a lamp casting a warm glow over them.
“Your room is right next to the nursery,” Susan continues. “It’s important that you’re close by, for Mia’s sake.”
“Of course,” I reply, already picturing late nights and early mornings spent tending to little Mia’s needs. “It’s perfect. I can’t thank you enough for thinking of everything.”
Susan smiles warmly at me, a look of genuine caring in her eyes. “We want to make sure you have everything you need.”
A moment later, Peter appears in the doorway, a suitcase in his hand and a box in his other arm, a friendly grin on his face. “Where would you like these?” he asks, looking around the room.
“Over by the wardrobe would be great, thanks,” I say, pointing.
He sets them down with care, taking a moment to ensure they’re not in the way. “I’ll grab the others.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it,” I tell him, feeling the warmth of their hospitality wrap around me like a blanket. “You’ve both been so welcoming.”
Peter nods, satisfaction etched in the lines of his face. “Well, we’re glad to have you here, Zara. It’s been a really tough time for Ben. Susan and I are helping as much as we can, but Sue still works part-time, and I have to get back to the practice; I’m a vet,” he adds in as if I didn’t already know that from our conversations. I nod interestedly.
“We would help more, but life?—”
“Of course!” I cut him off. “You absolutely don’t need to explain anything to me. It’s literally my job to help out with the baby, and that’s what you hired me to do. I’m here now, and you have nothing to worry about.”
Susan takes a small step towards me, tears in her eyes that make my heart break a bit for her. “I just wanted to say thank you again for coming all this way. We weren’t sure we’d ever find someone willing to take on the role.” She pauses, her gaze flickering away before meeting mine again. “After so manyturned us down, and we had to look further afield, well, it’s been tough.”
I nod, understanding the subtext without needing further explanation. Rejected alphas can be challenging, their presence alone enough to unsettle most. “I’m here now, Susan, and I’m not planning on going anywhere. Mia needs care and consistency, and that’s what I’m here to provide.”
The relief that washes over Susan’s face is clear and bright, like sunlight breaking through clouds. “Thank you, Zara. It means the world to us, truly.”
And then the alpha himself strides into the room, grim and almost mean. Benjamin Scott. His eyes lock onto mine like he’s trying to figure out a puzzle that he’s not particularly enjoying.
“Zara,” he says, the word more of a statement than a greeting. “You came.”
Well, fuck. Nice welcome, asshat.
“Benjamin,” I return evenly, holding his gaze. I remind myself that I’m here for Mia. “Of course, I did.”
He grunts almost in annoyance. His glare doesn’t wane, but I don’t look away. Something about his reluctance to have me here, even though he agreed to my contract, tells me he has huge trust issues with people sticking around when things get tough, and that doesn’t surprise me one bit. It also makes me sympathetic, empathetic, even, and I don’t take it personally. His pinecone scent hits my nostrils as he shifts his enormous frame, and I gulp as my stomach does a little flip. His alpha scent appeals to my omega in a way that has never happened before, and that is the absolute worst thing that could possibly happen right now.
