Page 24 of At First Flight
Fuck, thinking of the dock as I park the car in the garage using the code for the automated door, I realize I’ll have to call someone to install a fence in the backyard. I don’t want the kids wandering back there without me.
I’m so not made for this job, but I’m their best shot right now.
As I load the grocery bags across my arms, because I spend enough time in the gym that I do not want to make more than one trip, my phone buzzes in my back pocket.
I don’t have time to take in my surroundings as I slip the bags onto a bench in the attached mudroom and answer the call, recognizing the personalized ringtone I have for my best friend.
“Hey, they arrive yet?” Talon asks before I get a chance to greet him.
“No, a few more hours. Hoping I can get settled in a bit.”
“When’s the nanny going to arrive?”
“Not sure. The paperwork said around lunchtime.”
“Think she’s going to fangirl when she sees you? Rory saw more magazines with your ugly mug plastered on them in the store today.”
The mention of that damn article immediately stifles any of the calm I’d been feeling before. I had no idea how one simple article naming me the world’s hottest billionaire bachelor would change my life. Since the article launched, I could barely walk down the street in Miami without being recognized. At least here, no one seems to identify me outside of my name. The real estate agent had been far too happy to sell a house to a Harrington.
“I think it’s going to be okay. At least I hope so. I don’t have many options right now.”
Talon pauses for a beat, then says, “Yeah, I know. We’re here for you, man. I wish you could have brought them to Tennessee. Mom and GiGi would have been tickled to be with the kids.”
“Yeah, but you know that guardianship rule. It’s hard enough to navigate, with Oliver getting ready to start kindergarten and Evelyn needing a preschool. Seemed like a better choice than having to fight the state for custody right now.”
The entire thing had been a mess. There I was, trying to bury my sister while the state had said the kids had no reference to a birth father. Their birth certificates had been blank. And there was no way in hell I was letting my parents take guardianship of the kids. They screwed up Gen and me enough even though they had barely been around.
“Maybe you and Rory can visit after the baby?”
“You know we will. Alright, she’s asking for more pickles and ice cream, so I need to make a grocery run. I’m here, Dean, anytime.”
I end the call with my best friend and send a thankful prayer to the heavens that Talon is in my life. I can’t imagine how screwed up I’d be if it weren’t for him and his grandma, GiGi. The spunky older woman never met a challenge she wasn’t afraid to take on. That included me when I would visit during school breaks with Talon.
Putting away the groceries, I take a couple of minutes to get the lay of the kitchen and first floor.
The home had been unfurnished when I signed on the dotted line, but it didn’t take long for the real estate agent to track down an interior designer to tackle the home before I arrived. Money always talks.
Once everything has been put away, I make a simple sandwich with the deli meats Claire helped me pick out, then take a quick wander through the house. The primary is on the main floor, along with my office, and the kids’ rooms are upstairs. After speaking with a therapist about the kids and how I could help them while they grieve, she suggested allowing them to share a room for a while.
Popping my head into the first of the bedrooms, I find two twin beds on either side of the wall. One with a pink duvetand the other with a blue. The walls are neutral ivory, and a dresser is against the wall. The decorator lined a shelf beneath the window with books. It was nothing overwhelming, and I instantly loved it.
Happy with what I’ve seen so far, I take the steps to the third floor, where the designer set up a playroom. I notice the camera in the corner so I can check on them while I’m working even though I suppose that’s the nanny’s job.
Speaking of the nanny, the sound of a car coming down the driveway has my heart racing. I’m inviting this person into my home to help take care of the two most important people in my life.
Was I freaking nuts?
It was too late to back out, so I finished my sandwich and opened the front door to stand on the porch and hopefully greet my new nanny. Talon’s call from earlier filters through my thoughts, but I toss them aside. She comes highly recommended, even if she recognizes me and my billionaire status.
The first thing I notice is the out-of-state license plate, as if the nanny is driving a rental car. I’ve already ordered an SUV to be delivered to the house later this week, so hopefully, I can convince this woman to return her rental and drive the larger vehicle. It has the highest safety protocols. Nothing short of perfect for my niece and nephew.
The slight glare off the windshield as the car comes to a stop in front of the house means I can’t make out the person inside, but something inside my chest prickles in awareness. Something I hadn’t felt since the day I hopped on a plane toward Scotland.
“Lila?” I ask as her long blond hair, the same shade of gold that I remember, comes into view.
Someone must be playing a cruel prank on me because, as she stands to her full height, her beautiful face renders me speechless.
“Is this some sort of sick joke?” she says, her feet pounding against the gravel as she makes her way toward me. “If you wanted your credit card back, you didn’t have to stalk me!” she shouts as she approaches the steps.
