Page 74 of Nanny for the Doctor

I nod. “Sure. Why not.”

“Whoo! I’ll get dressed.”

Henry sprints back up the stairs, and I follow at a much slower pace. I’m still in my pajamas, after all.

As I find some jeans and a shirt, I think about all those classic shooting games I used to play. Maybe they’ll have a few of those there, and I can blast away my stress via some zombies or something.

Once we’re changed, I drive Henry to Time Out and agree to let him spend the entire day there. It’s going to cost me a fortune, but the idea of going back home sounds about as fun as going to the dentist.

Sure enough, there are several shooting games, and Henry and I go crazy on all of them. He’s having a ball and quickly hyped up on sugar from the unfathomable amount of junk food available.

Unfortunately, no matter how many zombie heads I shoot off or how many ropes of licorice I eat, the simmering frustration and regret continue to burn through my gut like an ulcer.

Johnny and I have never truly fought before. I hate it.

I hate everything about how this morning went down. But I shouldn’t be surprised, right?

Just another case of bad fucking luck for Dr. Reed Finnigan.

At this rate, making it to Monday is going to take a freaking miracle.

Chapter25

Mae

My fingers ache from where the plastic digs into them as I carry these heavy-ass bags of takeout. Nervous tension lingers in my veins, and I really hope this works.

I set the bags down on the porch and ring the bell. After only a few seconds, Stevie opens the front door, and I retrieve the food, holding it high.

“A peace offering. To make up for yesterday.”

She offers me a gentle smile, taking the bags and sighing. “That was a lot, Mae. I had to hold Johnny back from actually swinging.”

I frown at her, then bury my face behind my hands. “I’m so sorry. That…that sucks. Please forgive me?”

Stevie walks me down the hall to the kitchen, where Johnny is seated at the table. She presents my offering from Johnny’s favorite Asian place and then wraps an arm around me.

“It’s not me you need to be worried about.” Only I hear the comment, and then she excuses herself to give me and Johnny a moment to talk.

“Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in.” Johnny glares at me.

“I’m sorry, okay? Really, I truly am. I didn’t mean to start seeing Reed behind your back.” I tentatively sit down across from him.

“It’s not like you tripped and fell on his lips, Mae.”

“I…” I slump in my chair, sighing out my embarrassment. “No. I didn’t trip. But I didn’t exactly plan for it, either.”

He exhales hard. “Then what happened?”

“I’m not sure. Except...” I don’t want to tell him this next bit, but I know it’ll help him understand. “I’ve had a crush on Reed since I was a teenager. Ever since the first time you brought him over. And I know you saw some of that.”

Johnny’s eyebrows shoot up. “I just assumed it was a crush. Like all teen girls.”

“It was! At first, anyway. But then I kept running into him and he needed a nanny; I was constantly around him, in his house, no less, one thing led to another.”

I sigh, hanging my head where I bury it in my hands. “I should have told you. I know. I’m sorry.”

The nauseous feeling from yesterday has never truly gone away, and as I sit at the table, the smell of Chinese food makes it worse.

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