Page 69 of Nanny for the Damaged Ex-SEAL

He nods his head. “She’s so tiny. Why is she so tiny?”

“Because she’s a baby. You were tiny like this, too, when you were a baby.”

His eyes widen and he looks up at his dad, who nods to say yes. Ethan is raised off the floor by Connor and cuddles in beside me. He puts his hand to the baby’s head and runs just one finger over her curly hair.

The baby looks at him and makes a grimace that almost looks like a smile.

He smiles back at her. “She’s good. I like her.”

Connor chuckles. “I think she likes you, too.”

Epilogue

Aria

Connor’sarmsarewrappedaround me. He’s lying on the sofa and I’m lying on his chest. It’s been almost a year since we had an addition to the family. Ethan and Ceci are on the floor playing with their toys. Ceci is drooling all over the toy in her hands, while Ethan is singing and dancing for her. She raises the toy up to stick it in her mouth.

“No, don’t put it in your mouth,” Ethan says to her.

She looks up at him and giggles. Ethan giggles too and sits back down.

It’s heartwarming to watch them with each other. It’s heartwarming to see how obsessed he is with her and how much she adores him. She smiles whenever he’s around, and the minute he walks in the door from school, she tries to get up to go welcome him, though she can’t walk well just yet.

Connors rubs his hand on my back. “He’s such a good big brother.”

“He is. The other day, he asked if he could babysit her by himself. I had to tell him he’d have to wait until she’s bigger. He adores her.”

“And I adore you. I adore our whole little family.”

I raise my head to look at his now-bearded face. “I know.”

He laughs. “It’s a given.”

I stretch to reach his face and kiss him.

My phone rings on the stool at the edge of the sofa. Connor stretches his hand backward to get it for me.

“Hey Bria, I haven’t forgotten. Brunch tomorrow with the kids, right?”

“I know. But I’m calling to cancel. I’ve got an impromptu work trip. My colleague, who was supposed to go on the trip, got sick, so now I have to go. I’m so sorry. I’m leaving on Monday, so I have tomorrow to get ready and I have a lot of work to do to make up for the time I’ll lose at the office.”

“It’s fine. We’ll see you when you come back. Have a safe trip.”

“Thanks, Sis. Kiss the little ones for me and tell Connor I say hi.”

“I will, bye.”

Connor takes the phone from me after I’ve ended the call and puts it back on the stool. “No more Sunday brunch at Bria’s place?’

I shake my head on his chest. “Nope. She’s got a work trip.”

“That means I’ve got you for the whole day tomorrow,” he says, and grabs my butt.

I wriggle out of his arms and fall on the floor. He reaches for my arm, but I spring up before he can catch me. He gets up and I duck behind a chair. He tries to grab me, but I duck again and run to the dining area.

“Run, Aria!” Ethan shouts.

Ceci is excited and clapping her hands as I try to dodge her dad.

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