Page 10 of Knocking up his Nanny

“That’s so kind of you,” I say gratefully. And I mean it. I feel tears touch my eyes. A few hours ago, I was screaming at a vending machine about a snack worth a dollar. A few minutes ago, that snack was all I had to look forward to. And now he’s giving me this. It’s definitely the best date I’ve ever been on.

“I told you I’m not a sleazebag,” he says with a sheepish grin.

“I believe you,” I tell him. Then I glance at the time. “I’ve really got to go. But I hope I’ll see you again.” I move over to him and press a small kiss against his lips. Oh, God. I hope it’s not the last time I kiss him. I hope this dinner isn’t a goodbye gift.

“Silver Mountain is a very small town,” he says, kissing me back. “I’m sure we’ll run into each other soon enough.”

“Well, I’ve lived there my whole life and I’ve never run into you before.” A small ache of anxiety begins in the pit of my stomach. What if I never see him again? The thought is incredibly depressing. That would certainly push me closer to contacting the convent and becoming a nun. Or is it an abbey?Get thee to a nunnery, go.I think that’s from Hamlet. One of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies. How will our story end, I wonder? In tragedy or comedy? Or is it already over, before it’s begun?

The mysterious stranger wraps his arms around me, securing me in a firm hug. “We will meet again, Juniper. I promise.”

The use of my full name gives some gravity to his words. So, I nod, and exit stage left.

Nothing else I can do.

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