Page 48 of Nanny for the Protector

I felt sick. Lisbeth had been adamant about holding onto her last name when we got married. I didn’t mind and didn’t push her, even though I’d doodled the name “Lisbeth Taves” once or twice.

Now she was going to be Lisbeth St. Pierre, just like that?

I slammed the laptop closed and pushed myself out of my chair. “Fuck.”

“Hey, Wesley. Calm down.”

I started to pace, remembering the phone call from the weekend I had ignored. She tried to warn me. But if she cared enough, she could have left a fucking message. “What the hell am I going to tell Lucy?”

“You don’t have to tell her anything. She’s six. She’s got other things on her mind.”

I ran my hands over my face. “This is the last thing I need, Jenson.”

“It’s okay, man, relax.” Jenson came over to me and touched my shoulder. “I wanted you to hear it from me before you went out and started hearing it through the rumor mill.”

“People are already talking about it?”

Jenson nodded solemnly.

I looked toward the door of my office. I hated to imagine everyone whispering about me. Getting into my private life. “I think I’m going to take off early today.”

“I think that’s wise. Take as much time as you need. I know it’s…” He trailed off. He didn’t know. How could he, when his life was so picture-perfect with his wife and children and mine was so…convoluted?

“Thanks for telling me.” I shrugged off his hand. “I’ll be in tomorrow.”

“Or not, you know. Take the time you need. Be with your daughter and —”

“I’ll be in tomorrow.” It came out harsher than I meant it to. “We’ve got work to do on Readly and I can’t afford to be…elsewhere.”

I collected my things, threw on my coat, and walked out, mumbling a goodbye and not waiting for his answer.

§

I walked into my house, midday on a Thursday. I rarely saw the light this way, streaming in through the blinds, creating an ethereal feeling to the space. “Hello? Cara?”

Silence.

I sloughed off my coat. “Anyone home?”

Still, nothing. That was for the best. I was sure Cara was working on something for her daycare center or out running errands. I had the slimmest amount of hope she might be there, though. I could have used her smiling face to calm me. Even if I’d made things complicated.

My heart had not stopped racing since I’d heard the news about Lisbeth. I was unsure why. I’d worked very hard over the years to get over her. Therapy and time were the most beneficial. And yet, as soon as I heard she moved on, I was spiraling.

I didn’t want to be with Lisbeth. I was long past that stage.

But knowing she had moved on while her little girl grew up with little more than a phone call on her birthday? What kind of life was she looking to start with this Yves St. Pierre character?

I needed to get the anxious energy out. I could get past this, but I needed to focus. I decided to go for a run and lift some weights down in the basement workout room, which I rarely used because of how much time I spent at the office.

I went up the stairs two at a time, stripping my clothes along the way. Totally alone, I could have walked naked around the house if I wanted. It’d been years since I’d done something like that. In my bedroom, I rummaged around for some running shorts, but couldn’t find any.What the fuck?I couldn’t remember the last time I’d worn them.Must be lost in the laundry room.

I started back down the hall, naked except for my boxer briefs, on a mission to find my running shorts.

But suddenly, the bathroom door swung open and Cara emerged, balancing cleaning products in her arms.

As soon as she saw me, she screamed. All the bottles and rags fell from her arms except for the Windex, which she clutched in her left hand like a weapon.

“It’s just me! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

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