Page 22 of Nanny for Grumpy Grant
I hesitate just long enough for him to catch it.
“Ivy,” I mutter. “Ivy Walker.”
Cole whistles, long and low. “Ben Walker’s little sister? The spitfire?”
I grunt. “She’s not a spitfire.”
“Oh, come on. I remember her—sixteen and already scaring off half the boys at the feed store. Didn’t she punch that kid Travis because he called her ‘farm fresh’?”
“Slapped,” I mutter. “And he deserved it.”
Cole laughs. “I liked that kid. Feisty. I’m definitely saying hi next time I see her.”
“No,” I say, too fast. Too sharp.
Cole blinks. “No?”
I clear my throat. “I mean—just leave her alone, okay? She’s not here for chit-chat. It’s hard enough to find someone good with Emily. I don’t want you charming her into quitting.”
His smirk falters. He squints at me. “Relax, man. I’m not going to proposition your nanny.”
“She’s not—” I stop myself. Exhale. “I just need this to work.”
He watches me for a beat, then shrugs. “Sure. Whatever you say.”
We eat in silence for a minute. I stare at my plate, not tasting a damn thing.
What the hell is wrong with me?
Cole meant nothing by it. Ivy’s not even his type. But the second he said her name with that easy grin, something twisted in my gut like a warning bell. It wasn’t about professionalism or stability or what’s best for Emily.
It was something else. Something territorial and irrational.
And completely unacceptable.
I take another bite of cold brisket, chew hard, and tell myself to get a grip.
She's the nanny.
That's it.
That's all she is.
Right?
I glance up and catch Cole still watching me with one eyebrow raised.
I exhale. “Just kidding,” I mutter, stabbing the last piece of potato. “Say hi whenever you like. She’s at the house everyday on weekdays.”
Cole grins like he’s just won a bet I didn’t know we were making. “Noted.”
I grunt and go back to eating, pretending I’m not already regretting it.
7
IVY
The door clicks shut, and the sound seems to echo through the house like a final punctuation mark. I stand there for a moment, listening to the silence that follows. Grant’s truck starts up, then fades down the drive until it’s nothing but a memory.
