Page 24 of Nanny for the Damaged Ex-SEAL

I push the door open, but I don’t go in. "I'm off to work. I'll pick Ethan up later. There's lasagna in the fridge if you're hungry. If you don't want that, there’s other stuff."

"Alright. Thank you."

I shut the door and jaunt back downstairs, out to my car, and off to work.

I stay at work until a few minutes to 4 p.m. so I can go pick up Ethan. When I get there, I'm five minutes late.

"You're late, Daddy."

"I know, and I'm sorry," I say as I take his school bag off his back.

He scrunches up his cute face. "You always say that whenever you're late."

"That's because I'm sorry."

He shrugs and goes to get into the front seat.

I stop him. "No, you ride in the back."

"Just this once. Daddy, please?"

"No, it's not safe."

I open the back seat door and belt him in.

"But Ashlyn says their dog sits in the front seat."

"That's their dog. You're not a dog, are you?"

"I could be."

"Because you want to sit in the front seat?" I ask.

He laughs.

"And who's Ashlyn?"

"My friend."

"Your girlfriend?"

"Nooo, Daddy. I'm too young for that."

"Oh my God. I can't believe you have a girlfriend," I say, and shut the door.

He laughs out loud. "Nooo. I didn't say that!"

I settle behind the steering wheel and fasten my seat belt. "Well, that's what I heard."

"You're a joker, Daddy."

We pause at a stoplight, and I turn to face him. "There's someone waiting for you at home."

"Who?"

"Guess."

"Spiderman?"

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