Page 55 of Nanny for the Single Dad Cowboy
I hum in understanding. Beck has come so far—fighting his addiction, rebuilding his image to a town that hates him, and finding forever with a woman who adores and accepts him with all his flaws. As his big brother, I am very proud of him.
The intercom crackles, interrupting Beck, who was about to say something. Ella’s voice floods the line. “Hey Jace, you got a minute?”
“It depends on what you want,” I reply.
“You’re about to find out. Meet me in your office in five minutes,” she demands, hanging up before I can respond.
Beck smirks at me. “Good luck,” he chuckles, patting my back before swaggering off.
I sigh as I turn my wheelchair around and take the elevator down to the basement. I already know what Ella wants; she’s been hinting at it for days.
“Find someone permanent, Jace.”
“Tessa’s not staying forever.”
Maybe not. But the thought of someone else in that role, sitting at our table, helping Daisy with her schoolwork, reading to her at night? It makes my chest ache in a way I don’t want to name.
Ella sweeps into my office, a mug of tea in one hand and her laptop tucked under the other arm. Her boots squeak against the hardwood before she plops herself onto one of the chairs in front of my desk.
“You’re welcome,” she says, like I’ve already thanked her for something.
“For what?”
“For saving you the trouble of weeks of interviews.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Ella.”
She drops the laptop on my desk, opens it, and spins it toward me. The screen is filled with headshots and bios—young women,middle-aged women, even one man—all smiling too brightly for my taste.
“Nanny-slash-tutor applicants,” she says with a flourish. “I pulled the best candidates with solid credentials, clean backgrounds, and one even trained under Montessori. We can interview them before the week’s out.”
I stare at the screen. “Why the rush?”
She leans back, crossing her legs. “Tessa’s great, but she’s temporary. You said it yourself—she’s only holding the fort until we find someone better, and I have. So, let’s get ahead of it before Daisy gets too attached.”
Too late for that.
I scroll through the profiles anyway, forcing myself to look. Rebecca, twenty-nine, degree in early childhood education. Maya, thirty-one, bilingual, loves horses. Cara, twenty-four, experienced tutor, references attached.
They all blur together—neat smiles, polished resumes, lists of achievements that mean nothing to me. None of them are her.
Ella watches me, chin resting in her hand. “You’ve rejected six already.”
“They’re not a good fit.”
“For Daisy?” she asks, eyebrow raised. “Or for you?”
I shoot her a look. “Don’t start.”
“Oh, I’m already in the middle of it.” She sits forward, eyes softening. “Jace, I’m not blind. You light up when she walks into a room, and don’t think we’ve missed the hickeys you leave on each other.” She holds her hand up to stop me from interrupting her. “Daisy finally has a mother figure in her life since Opal passed, and I know you like that. You can keep pretending she’s just an employee, but we both know better.”
I shove the laptop shut a little harder than I mean to.
Ella sighs, tone gentler now. “You deserve to be happy too, you know. It’s not a betrayal to move on.”
Her words twist in my chest. I want to tell her she’s wrong, that love only brings loss, that getting attached only gives the universe more to take, but my throat closes around the words. It’s been seven years since I lost Opal, so maybe it’s time to finally move on.
Instead of telling her that, I just say, “Thanks for the list. I’ll think about it.”
