Page 8 of Curvy Nanny for the Cougar
“Keeton!” she calls, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Your children are climbing the shed again!”
From somewhere outside, Niels, one of the Pride, hollers, “Only the two oldest! The baby’s supervising!”
“Not helping!” she yells back, then turns to me with a warm, knowing smile.
Before I can say anything, a blur of movement rushes past her legs and I catch sight of Niels’ twins—Eliana and Ridge—waving wildly at my boy.
“Alex! Hurry up! We got the water balloons ready!”
“AND I MADE THE MUD TRAP!” adds the third one to toddle after them, little Talia, clearly thrilled about something borderline felony-level.
“Oh, great,” I mutter. “He’s going to be feral by pickup.”
Lena laughs. “He’ll have the best time. Our crew’s been asking for him all week.”
“I better start saving up bail money now,” I mutter, only half teasing.
“Oh stop! You’re doing the right thing, Dane. Letting him be a kid,” she says, and she’s grinning.
“Thanks, Lena, really, I mean it,” I tell her, glancing out toward the yard where the chaos is unfolding at full throttle. “You guys are seriously the best for this.”
Keeton waves off my gratitude. “We love having Alex here, and so do the kids. Plus, I figure it’s good for us to get in a bit of chaos before our newest addition joins the gang.”
He rubs his mate’s belly and winks at her. I can practically see their love, and it’s—disturbing.
“And hey, don’t look so glum. You’ll find your happily ever after someday.”
“Is that your polite way of saying I look like a lonely, sad sack?” I tease.
Keeton smirks, and Lena slaps him on the arm. “No! Of course he doesn’t mean that!”
“Yeah. Besides, you don’t look lonely. Just, er, broody. It’s the Cougar in you.”
“Right,” I chuckle. “That, or the fact I haven’t slept a full night since Alex learned the concept of 5AM wake-up parties.”
As Alex bounds back inside with Mr. Pickles clutched in his arms like a holy relic.
“Dad? Why’re you still here?” my boy asks, and I just sigh.
“I’m going, pal. Love you,” I tell him.
“Me too, Dad. Gotta go!”
And he’s out the side door again in a flash, leaving a trail of muddy footprints in his wake.
Lena leans in and says, “You know, you deserve some you time, Dane. You give that boy everything. Someone’s going to see that and want to stand beside you.”
I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Yeah, well, unless she’s got the patience of a literal saint, I doubt that’s in the cards.”
Shifting gears, I clear my throat. “Anyway, Keeton—I filed the final motion yesterday. We should hear back from the judge by the end of the month about the conservation easement.”
“Seriously?” His whole frame relaxes, and beside him, Lena reaches out to squeeze his hand.
“Thank you,” she says warmly. “And I meant what I said—you better go enjoy some you time this weekend. Alex is great. Okay, maybe a little muddy, but he’s happy and I guarantee he should sleep through at least the first night you have him back home.”
I glance toward the distant sounds of giggles and chaos. “Muddy? That sounds about right. Sleep through the night? Hardly.”
Lena just waves me off. “Go. Pitch your app. Win over the Summit. And don’t forget—if you come back without bagels, my mate’s unleashing the whole Pride on you.”
