Page 42 of Knot Just Their Nanny
No Caller ID
Blinking rapidly, I think back to when I swapped the SIM cards, knowing I did it correctly and didn’t mistakenly put the old one back in. I know I didn’t.
Did I?
Mia’s squawk interrupts my panic, and I shove the unanswered phone back into my pocket as I push the door to the nursery open gently and pick Mia up, offering her comfort as well as myself.
There is no way Eddie could’ve found my new number. No way, so I’m being paranoid. It’ll be some scammer trying to get my card details or my PIN numbers off me.
Busying myself with the baby, I push it to the back of my mind to deal with later. Right now, Mia needs attention and she is making it known she is not a happy girl. I check her temperature, still too high, and set about trying to make her more comfortable.
As Mia settles against my chest, her tiny breaths becoming more even, I feel that tightness in my heart easing. She smells like baby powder and warm milk, a comforting scent that makes it easier to forget the rest of the world.
After a few moments of rocking her gently, I lay her down in her crib with all the tenderness of a bubble floating onto a blade of grass. She looks so peaceful, and I smile softly.
Taking a deep breath, I start to make my way back downstairs. I can hear Henry clattering around in the kitchen and Ben’s low voice joining in with some comment that brings forth a hearty chuckle from Henry.
Stepping into the kitchen, Henry glances up from where he’s pouring boiling water into mugs. “Just in time.”
I manage a smile and nod as I slide into one of the stools. Ben is leaning against the counter now, arms folded over his chest, avoiding my gaze. Good, because I just can’t right now.
“Thanks,” I say as Henry places a steaming mug in front of me. The warmth from the cup seeps into my hands, and it feels like liquid comfort sliding through my fingers. With a grateful sigh, I take a careful sip, letting the familiar taste of the tea ground me back into the present moment.
As I sit there, sipping my tea and trying not to think about No Caller IDs or unexplained early heats, I’m suddenly aware of the silence that has descended upon the kitchen. It’s as if Henry and Ben are both waiting for something to happen, something to break the tension that’s so thick you could spread it on toast. Did Ben tell Henry about the incident that shall not be named in the nursery earlier? I feel my cheeks heat up, and then I notice the marked shuffle back of the two alphas as my scent intensifies, and I try to cool myself down with thoughts of Eddie. That’s like being doused in arctic water.
Liam’s return interrupts the tension as he bursts back into the house like a rainbow after a downpour.
He comes to a halt in the kitchen doorway. “What?” he asks, looking at each of us.
His eyes land on me for a beat longer than the others, clearly sensing the disarray of scents and the awkward energy in the room. He blinks innocently, the corners of his lips curling into a playful smile.
“Looks like I walked into a right drama,” Liam says as he ambles over to us, grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl and tossing it casually into the air before catching it.
I roll my eyes but can’t help a half-smile, despite everything. “No drama here. All peace.”
He takes a bite out of his apple, crunching loudly in the silence. “It’s just been one of those days.”
“You could say that again.”
Liam walks closer to inspect my injury. He reaches out tentatively as if asking permission which I nod to, and then his fingers gently probe around the bump. “How’s the egg?”
“Fine. Not quite so throbby.”
“Good,” he murmurs.
I smile and pull my phone out of my back pocket to check the time and then lay it on the island in front of me. “I’d better get dinner started.”
“No, we’ll just get something from the chippy,” Ben says as Henry makes this strangled noise and shakes his head.
“Stick to the basics,” he mutters. “I’ll help with dinner.”
“Thanks,” I say with a smile and move around to see what we can make. Turns out we don’t have much except the fixings for a pasta. “I’ll have to go shopping tomorrow,” I say.
“Liam and I will go after work,” Ben says. “You’ve got Mia, and I don’t really want her going out around the shops if she’s not feeling well.”
“Okay,” I say. “I’ll make a list.”
My phone buzzes again and makes a dull thud against the wood as it vibrates.
