Page 72 of Nanny for the Bossy Billionaire

“Probably? As in you do not know?” Reid pauses then raises his voice. “Do you see what I’m saying? These quacks don’t know what the hell they’re doing.”

“We are not moving her,” comes Mom’s voice. “We aren’t idiots, we know there’s something going on between you two. I’m sure you feel some sort of entitlement to her, but we are her parents, and we have decided she isn’t going anywhere.”

“Why is everyone yelling?” I say. My voice is so low and raspy that the words barely come out of my mouth. However, they hear me; I know because there is a sudden pause then a flurry of activity around me.

Reid is suddenly by my side. He takes my hand and says, “Naomi, are you awake?”

On my other side, Mom says, “Sweetheart, can you open your eyes?”

“Can everyone please give me some room?” the voice I am unable to identify says.

I hear Reid and my parents shuffle away from me.

Seconds later, someone is opening my eyes with their fingers and flashing a light directly into my pupils. I can’t say it’s a pleasant sensation, but it jolts me right up. I force my eyes open with as much energy as it probably would’ve taken me to run a marathon three days ago.

A copper-haired young man in a lab coat is hovering above me. “Naomi, do you know where you are?” he asks.

“Hospital,” I rasp.

“That’s correct. I am Dr. Gavin Owens. You were in a car accident yesterday and were brought here. You sustained some injuries which I will explain to you later, but you are fine.”

The doctor takes a step back and Reid and my parents crowd around me again.

Reid takes my hand again, but this time he brings it to his lips and kisses it. Tears flood down his face. “I’m so glad you’re awake. I was so worried.”

“I’m fine,” I say.

I’m pretty sure my parents are weirded out by Reid’s outburst. I shift my eyes to them, expecting to see them scowling at us, but instead, they too are crying what appear to be tears of joy.

Dad wipes at the tears on his face. “I think it’s your life’s mission to keep us on our toes.”

Mom blubbers through a laugh as she too wipes the tears off her face. “I guess the more things change the more they stay the same.”

If I had the energy to laugh with them, I would, but since it’s taking everything I have just to lay here with my eyes open, that’s what I do. I fight sleep for the next couple minutes, but eventually slumber wins out and I’m pulled under.

I don’t knowhow much time has passed, but the next time I wake up, sunlight is filtering into the room when my eyes flutter open. I raise a hand to shield them from the rays as I squint.

The fact that I have enough energy to lift my hand is a good sign.

“Hey,” Reid’s voice comes to me from a chair by my side. “Should I close the windows?”

“Please,” is all I have to say before Reid is rushing around the room drawing curtains.

When he’s shut all of them, he returns to my side and says, “How are you feeling today?”

“Much better.”

“Good. Let me call the doctor. I’m sure he’ll want to examine you.”

He starts to leave but I grab a hold of his wrist. “Please, don’t go yet.”

“Of course…”

“Thank you.”

He sits back down in the chair he just vacated and takes my hand. We sit in silence for a while.

“Where are my parents?” I ask.

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