Page 2 of Nanny for the Doctor

“Fucking worst last day.” My words come out with a lisp, and I sigh. “Really? This has got to be a record or something.”

I love helping kids, but this last job was something else. And sure, I don’t know who I’ll be nannying for this time around, but that’s how it can be with high-end clients, especially if they’re putting in a call at the last minute.

I just hope whoever it is will be less of a jerk and they finalize the details soon.

Between the Jones’s later-than-stated nights out, to their constant excuses for their monster children, I’ve had it up to here with problem child setups.

After a few moments, the tiredness overwhelms me, and I lay back on the bed. That’s when the doctor finally comes in, staring intently at his clipboard.

“Hi, I’m Dr. Finnigan. It sounds like you took one heck of a fall, Ms. Marrington. Wait. Mae?”

I struggle to sit up, but when I do, I come face-to-face with my brother Johnny’s best friend, Reed. It’s been a few years since I’ve actually seen him because he’s been a bit MIA being a busy doctor and all, butdamn.

Images of the thirtysomething guy I knew back then don’t do justice to the handsome hunk of a man standing before me. I even like his scrubs.

Reed is somehow even more gorgeous than I remember, and I have quite a long memory when it comes to him. I mean, hell, I’ve been crushing on the guy since puberty.

“Reed?You’remy doctor?”

“It would seem so.” He chuckles and sets down his clipboard at the end of the bed, shining a light in my eyes.

The penlight is annoying at best, and all I want to be looking at is Reed’s beautiful hazel eyes. The way the colors swirl, a little bit of blue, a little bit of green—it’s mesmerizing.

“You fell?”

“I was bested by a pair of demonic twins.” I flinch back from the light, my eyes watering.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“I’m a nanny and the six-year-olds I was taking care of, up until today, actually, are terrible. And I like kids. Like, a lot. But those boys? Yikes. Squirt guns indoors are not a good idea, but they’re so spoiled by their parents.”

It occurs to me that I’m rambling too late to stop myself, and I feel a bit like I’m drunk.

“That’s right. Johnny mentioned you’re a nanny. Kids usually love you. Can you follow the light with your eyes?”

“Most of the time, they do.” I try to follow Reed’s blinding device, but everything still feels off, and now that the adrenaline has worn off, I’m exhausted.

“So two six-year-olds got the best of you? They did good, even managed to give you a fat lip, complete with a lisp.”

“Yeah, ha ha. I couldn’t manage the kindergartners. You’d be doing just as well as me if you had to juggle dinner, laundry, and twins with a love of chaos.”

He tries to hide his smile by looking at his notes again, and I roll my eyes. I can see the dimples in his cheeks, and everything suddenly feels hot.

This is fabulous. I sound like a boozer and must look just terrific. Why’d it have to be Reed?

“Okay.” Reed steps back and addresses my ankle. “Let’s see about this.”

His fingers probe the side, and I yelp as pain shoots through me.

“Fudge ripple sundae!” I hiss in a breath. “Please don’t do that.”

Reed laughs, the sound making me feel that much more intoxicated. “Fudge what?”

Heat warms my cheeks as I realize I’m still censoring myself, like I do around kids. “Trying not to swear.”

“Don’t hold back on my account. I know your brother, remember?”

Oh, I remember, all right. You have no idea how often I would stare at you while you hung out with him.

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