Page 33 of Nanny for the SEALs

15

Rick

As I heardthe elevator click, I could have run after Stan, but I decided maybe it was too much for us all living under the same roof. Aunt Elizabeth was right; Katie was good with the twins. I hated the fact she’d lied, and I hated even more that Stan had gone to such lengths. It was as if his hatred had grown to another level. There was no denying Stan hadn’t felt anything for the kids from the start. The last thing he’d expressed was love for them. I suppose in a way, I should be happy that he tried to take care of them in some warped way.

Pete welcomed the twins with open arms, whereas Stan had the complete opposite effect. I should have moved out then, but I didn’t. Now I feel that I have to choose my babies over my brother.

“Do you think he’s coming back?” Aunt Elizabeth asked after putting the twins to bed. Pete said he would be back in the morning, so I could have gone to the club, but when he said we deserved a night off, I knew there was double meaning in his statement. We’d hired a nanny and a manager, so we should be working less, not more.

“Stan?” I asked to make sure we were talking about the same person. She nodded in agreement. “I doubt it, well not today. I mean, I saw him take a bag when he left. If he planned on coming back, he wouldn’t have taken one.”

She sighed as she sat down. “I hate you boys fighting, but you’re all old enough to make your own decisions. Whoever this nanny is, I’m going to stick around until tomorrow in the guest room to see her.”

I laughed. “I didn’t think of you as some sort of gossip.”

“Even though I’m only ten years older than you, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t speak to me with some respect. No, I’m not staying to gossip. I think she has got the three of you round her little finger, and I want to see what the fuss is about. There’s nothing wrong with that, and gossip has nothing to do with it. Curiosity maybe, but that’s all.”

I stared at her for a brief second, wondering why she threw me into the equation. Clearly, both Pete and Stan were infatuated with her, but not me. She didn’t know about the kiss since that day both Katie and I had kept it professional, and I could feel my face turning red as much as I tried to hide my emotion.

“Why do you say me? I mean, it’s my brothers who seemed to have lost all senses over Katie.”

“Really? Rick are you really that blind?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

I stood, feeling a twitch of hunger but not feeling like cooking, and slightly annoyed about her suggestion. “Yes.”

As I started to sort through the takeout menus, she came up beside me. “Hungry?”

“It’s just that since we met for lunch, you’ve spent more time telling me about Katie than you have about the twins. Katie does this thing… and she does that.”

I turned to face her, surprised at her observation. “Really?” I shook my head in denial. “I don’t talk or haven’t spoken about her that much?”

She chuckled. “Oh Rick, are you really that blind? You haven’t stopped talking about her. So, yes. Really!”

“Wow! I mean, she is the kids’ nanny.”

“No need to be embarrassed about it. It’s only natural. Someone comes into your life with a kind heart, and none of you boys have ever really lived with a woman, let alone children. Just all part of growing up.”

I choked, “But we’re thirty. Shouldn’t we have grown up a long time ago?”

“Perhaps? There’re no rules on life. Some people start at eighteen when they go off to college, or when they join the marines, others later in life. There’re no rules. Nothing for you to be embarrassed about. Oh, I wish I never said anything now.” She cupped her hands under my chin—the same thing Mom used to do when we were kids. I closed my eyes as the warmth of her hands filled my cheeks. Memories of the past, being comforted when we fell off our bikes or when we were teased after having new braces, flashed through my mind in a second.

“Good. Now that you feel better, can we eat?” she asked.

I laughed, thinking we had enough drama for one night. “Thai?”

She winked. “You read my mind.”

She was a creature of habit. The only takeout she ever ate was Thai—white rice and green chicken curry with prawn crackers. I didn’t have to ask her what she fancied eating because I knew. The one thing I loved about her was her accountability and knowing she was in NY for one night, I intended to enjoy her company as much as I could. Usually when she came to town, my brothers would be here, but I had her to myself. The twins were sleeping, and luckily, they usually slept throughout the night. I smiled as I ordered and she took out a bottle of red wine. Tonight was our night, it was a while since I had a meal with a woman alone, especially one as beautiful as my aunt.

---