Page 30 of Knot Just Their Nanny
She stands back up straight, meeting my gaze with those deep-set eyes of hers that seem to look right into my soul. “I’m going to head to my room. It’s been a busy day. Goodnight, Benjamin,” she says softly before slipping out of the room.
“Night, Zara,” I reply. “Oh, and yeah, call me Ben.”
She giggles and nods once before she disappears.
I stand there for a while longer in the comfort of the nursery, lost in thought. There’s something about Zara that disrupts thebalance I’ve so carefully maintained since becoming a single dad. I’m not sure what that means or if it even means anything.
Once I’m sure Mia is settled, I reluctantly leave the nursery and head back downstairs, where I find Liam flicking through the TV channels.
“You and Henry concocted this grand plan, didn’t you?” I ask him as I slump into my favourite armchair, an old, squishy, maroon leather thing that Nicole hated with a passion.
He pauses momentarily, which tells me everything I need to know. “What do you mean?” he asks.
Sighing, I rub my hand over my face. “Thanks.”
He looks over at me and smiles. “Still don’t know what you mean, but anytime, bro.”
I nod, grateful to have these people in my life that, in my grief and despondency, I tended to forget about. It’s time I remembered and stopped feeling so sorry for myself and acting like a dick to everyone around me. That gives Nicole power over me, and if there’s one thing that I know, it is that she is dead to me. She will never be part of mine or Mia’s life ever again. That determination lifts the cloak of doom a tiny bit and I sit back with a smile as Liam settles on an old football match from the 1980s.
Chapter 18
Henry
Bright and early, I arrive at Ben’s house and instead of letting myself in like I usually would, I ring the bell. There is Zara to consider now, and she might not appreciate random alphas popping up in her face without warning.
The door swings open, and Ben, hair still tousled from sleep, gives me that look that says, ‘too bloody early for socialising’. But he steps aside to let me in, shaking his head with a mock frown. “You could have just walked in, you know.”
“Yeah, but then I’d miss the opportunity to see your charming ‘I’ve just woken up face’,” I jest, stepping past him into the familiar warmth of the house.
He rolls his eyes, but I catch the twitch of his lips fighting a smile. “Coffee?” he grumbles, already heading towards the kitchen.
Following him through, I sit at the island while he goes about making two mugs of steaming coffee. The silence between us is comfortable; we’ve known each other long enough that words aren’t always necessary.
As he hands me a mug, I decide it’s time to broach the subject that’s really brought me here at this ungodly hour. “So,” I begin,taking a slow sip to gather my thoughts. “How are things with Liam?”
Ben glares at me. “I know you two got together and concocted this plan. I bet it was your idea, and he went along with it.”
“No clue what you’re talking about,” I murmur with a soft smile.
Ben’s expression goes less hard. “Sure you don’t.” He takes a long gulp of his coffee, his gaze lingering on the mug as if it holds the secret to the universe or, more likely, just enough caffeine to kickstart his day. “You know,” he starts slowly, “having Zara around is not what I expected.”
“What did you expect?” I ask, genuinely curious.
He shrugs, a half-smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “I don’t know—awkwardness, tiptoeing around each other? But she’s a natural fit. Mia adores her.”
I nod, sipping my coffee. “Glad she’s working out.”
Ben sighs, lost in thought. “Yeah,” he says after a pause. “It’s nice having someone else in the house who gives a damn.”
There’s a vulnerability in Ben’s voice that hits me right in the gut. He’s my best mate and seeing him struggle has been tough. “Yeah. I’m still going through the statements, but with Liam here, things should ease up a bit?” I pose it as a question because I will deny all knowledge that we set Ben up. I’m sure Liam will as well.
Before he can answer, there’s the soft padding of feet on the stairs, and we both turn to see Zara entering the kitchen. Her hair is tousled from sleep, and her eyes are bright with that morning freshness that makes her look almost ethereal in the soft light filtering through. She is a looker, and her scent is as enticing as this steaming mug of coffee that’s still too hot for me to drink.
Ben’s face lights up in a way that’s both subtle and completely obvious at the same time. “Morning, Zara,” he says, his voice smoother than I’ve heard it in a long time.
“Good morning,” Zara replies, her voice soft, almost musical. She glances over at me and offers a polite smile. “Henry, right?”
“That’s me,” I say with a chuckle. “The early bird who apparently loves to torture Ben with unsociable hours.”
