Page 138 of Worst Nanny Ever
“What will Ollie think about us?”
“He already knows how I feel about you,” I say with a grin, “and he told me he doesn’t mind if we’re friends too. I think he’ll be happy. But there’s something I have to do first.”
“Oh yeah?” she asks, giving me a quick kiss.
“I’m going to need to watch those videos of the Moroney Movers and Shakers while I fold your clothes.”
I forwardthe videos of the Moroneys to Rob, who needs a reason to smile too. It’s both adorable and hilarious to listen to Hannah sing about the importance of brushing your teeth daily. They were genuinely talented, and it makes me want to meet Connor and her dad. Thanksgiving’s coming up quick, but maybe we can find a last-minute flight to Boston to join them for the holiday too. Maybe Liam will come, too, and it can be a Moroney reunion.
We text Dottie, who confirms “dear Ollie” is already asleep after drawing star charts with her. She insists she’ll have him ready for school in the morning, because fate “knew” he’d be staying over. It turns out her grandson is exactly the same size, so he won’t need to wear today’s clothes tomorrow.
Hannah and I head back to my house and make love in my bed, slowly, thoroughly before falling asleep in each other’s arms. It’s been a turbulent day, full of really low lows, and impossibly high highs, and I’m toast.
But before our alarms are set to go off, someone rings the front doorbell—four times.
Hannah and I both sit up, immediately alert, and exchange a worried look. It’s a look probably all parents know: what if something happened to him? What if he’s not okay?
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” she says. “It’s probably a rude neighbor.” But she gets out of bed and opens my dresser drawer, throwing me a thermal shirt before she starts whipping on the change of clothes she brought.
I pull on the shirt, then tug on a pair of shorts. “I’m going,” I say, kissing the top of her head as she pulls on a skirt. “I need?—”
“Go.”
I run to the front door and throw it open, and instant horror buckets through me. It’s Lilah, holding a stuffed koala and a bunch of balloons as if she’s throwing herself a party. She looks fresh and dewy, like she didn’t just step off a plane, so she probably got in last night.
“What the fuck?” I say before I can stop myself.
She gives me a scathing look. “Have you been swearing in front of my child?”
Her child.
Her child?
Rage grips me first, followed by fear. Because she’s obviously here to take Ollie away from me.
I remind myself of the emergency custody order. My lawyer walked me through this. He said I don’t have to let her leave with Ollie, and in this case, I can’t.
“No, and he’s not here,” I say as Hannah emerges from the back of the house wearing the outfit she brought—a soft blue-green sweater and a flowing white skirt. “He’s staying with a friend for the night.”
It would probably be smarter to pretend Hannah’s just a friend, or to introduce her as the nanny, but I don’t owe Lilah any explanations. I wrap my arm around my woman.
“I see,” Lilah says icily.
“You didn’t tell me you were coming,” I say with an equal dose of frost. “You said you’d be impossible to contact for the next few weeks.”
“Are you going to invite me in?” she asks, brushing her hair back over her shoulder. It’s an old move, meant to show off her neck and long, glossy hair, but I’m completely immune to her now.
I step aside and gesture for her to enter.
Lilah walks in, glancing pointedly at Hannah. After I shut the door, she says, “Don’t you think it would be better to send her on her way? We have to talk about Ollie’s future.”
I tighten my grip on Hannah. “Then I can think of no better person to be here. Hannah’s been helping me with Ollie. School lets out right when I go to work. She’s been spending afternoons with him.”
“I thought you got him a nanny?” Lilah scoffs.
“He did,” Hannah finally says, sweet as sugar. “Iamthe nanny.”
“You’re sleeping with your nanny, Travis? How cliché.” Her comment is directed at me, as if Hannah doesn’t exist, and I clench my jaw, trying to get myself back under control. I don’t want this to devolve into some ugly court battle that goes on for months. Maybe years. If I can’t avoid it, I will absolutely go that route, but it would be better for everyone if we can settle things peacefully.
