Page 70 of Nanny for the Doctor

We all laugh, and then Henry lets out a tiny sigh as he fiddles with the odd balls of flour and water he’s created.

“I wish you could be here every day, Mae. This was fun.”

He’s not wholly paying attention to what he’s said, but Mae’s eyes flick to mine as we both consider Henry’s words.

She smirks softly at me, her brow raised, and I smile back.

There’s something going on between us that isn’t just about sex. Webothknow it.

What would it be like to actually pursue that fully? Ever since the hotel, I’ve been thinking about it on and off, and I’m still completely stuck in a state of indecision.

I just don’t know. It all feels so fast and intense. I don’t remember feeling like this with Clara.

Of course, I didn’t meet her the same way I met Mae. And it’s not like Mae was a total stranger before nannying for me.

She’s Johnny’s baby sister. I’ve known her for years.

And I still can’t tell if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.

I can’t deny that waking up with her in the morning and spending my evenings buried between her legs are some of the best I’ve ever had. Plus, watching her with Henry is like watching two old buddies be silly together.

I adore it.

But this was absolutelynotthe plan. I’m swamped at work, and I hired a nanny because I needed to make this less complicated, not more.

All of this is just happening so fast; it’s too much like being on a roller coaster in the dark, unable to see the turns coming up.

Without control, anything could happen. I could lose Mae in any number of ways, and I’ll just be left here to deal with everything again.

I can’t do that to myself.

I’m not sure I’d survive it again.

I take the bowl of pancake mix from Mae and face the stove, pouring thick circles into a hot pan and focusing on flipping.ThatI can handle.

Chapter23

Mae

After being so disappointed last night, this morning with Henry and Reed was a very pleasant surprise. The flour thing had been a desperate attempt to get him to lighten up, and boy, did it work.

The raucous laughter filling the house was sorely needed by all of us, and watching Reed and Henry connect again threatened to make me cry.

Ugh. What’s up with me? I’m likely to cry over a Kleenex commercial at this point. Jesus.

Eating up the few pancakes that survived our impromptu food fight, I smile happily at Henry as he shovels forkfuls into his mouth, dripping with syrup.

“Slow done, dude, you’re going to choke.”

Finally swallowing the mass of pancakes, Henry reaches for his milk and washes it down. A massive burp rips out of him, and all our eyes go wide.

“Henry!” Even Reed can’t keep the laughter from his voice. “What do you say?”

“Excuse me!” He wipes his mouth with a napkin and sits back. “I’m full. Can I go play in my room?”

Reed shakes his head with a smile. “Yes, buddy. Just put your plate in the sink, okay?”

Henry snatches it up and runs it over to the sink before he dashes upstairs like his pants are on fire. I giggle, finishing up my helping of flapjacks and cleaning up after myself.

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