Chapter 5 Flo #2
I feel the smirk appear on my lips, and I stare at Evan’s tense back as he makes his way down the cabin steps, all chiselled and powerful. “See you then, boss.”
He doesn’t turn around, but shakes his head, making me chuckle to myself. I can tell that if he doesn’t pull the plug on this, these two months here are going to be fun.
My fist rattles against the wood of Evan’s front door the next morning, and within a second, he pulls it open, dressed in a tight workout top and shorts.
My blues have a mind of their own for a second as they drift down his body to his tanned thighs, but I snap them back up before things get too weird.
Checking out my boss isn’t exactly appropriate, especially considering I’m trying to make a good impression, but I can’t help but notice the tiny tattoo peeking out from the sleeve of his T-shirt. But without my contact lenses, I can’t see the small, intricate ink too well.
“You’re early. Leo’s just finishing his breakfast in the kitchen,” he says, morning voice all husky.
I waltz in, ready to let Leo know about all the fun I have planned for him today, but the sound of Evan clearing his throat catches my attention and stops me.
“Call me if anything goes wrong, or you’re unsure about something.
I’ve texted you with all the emergency numbers you might need: mine, my sister’s, and Coach Darrell’s.
Leo doesn’t have any known allergies, but please don’t try him on any new foods without me here, just in case.
He has a habit of talking while he eats sometimes, so correct him on that. I don’t want him choking.”
I nod.
“He’s a little overexcited this morning, so please remind him to use his manners.
If he’s ever rude or doesn’t listen to you, put him on the naughty step and then ask him to apologise after three minutes, but I hope you won’t have any issues where you’ll have to do that. He’s usually a pretty polite kid.”
“No new foods. Don’t talk with his mouth full. Naughty step. I’ve got it.”
I’m unable to bring myself to laugh at Evan.
I’m not in his position. I don’t have a kid, and although some may say his fears are irrational and he’s overbearing, he has a child that he loves and cares about.
Perhaps when, or if, I have children, the same fears and worries will creep into my mind too, especially if I were to leave them in the care of someone I barely know.
“It’s all written out for you if you struggle to remember.”
The skin on my legs tingles as Evan looks at me, and not due to his good looks.
I didn’t sleep well, tossing and turning all night, because even though the mattress was the most comfortable thing I’ve ever slept on, the sheets felt like spines against my bare skin, and I’m not sure why.
My legs feel like they’re sizzling, but I put it down to spending too much time in the sun over the past couple of days.
“My sister, Gracie, will be coming back from a viewing sometime this afternoon, and then she can take over from you. It’s going to be hot today, so I’ve set up the paddling pool outside in case Leo wants to use it, but please don’t leave the water in there.
It attracts mosquitoes. I’m not sure if you cook, but I’ve prepared his lunch for him in case you don’t. It’s in the fridge.”
I nod with each instruction. “Sounds easy enough. And yes, I do cook, for future reference.”
Evan dips his chin. “Okay, I’d prefer if you didn’t take any photos inside my house, too, please. And definitely none of Leo.”
I shoot him a look that says Do you really think I’m going to do that? but judging by Evan’s cocked head and hiked up eyebrows, he needs verbal reassurance that I’m not going to.
“I have no interest in taking photos of the house or your son, no matter how cute he is. I already signed the contract your coach sent agreeing not to, anyway, so you’re welcome to sue me if you catch me.”
“Good. Thank you.”
Leo is sitting at the table in the kitchen alongside Donkey when we enter, digging into a bowlful of cereal, and as soon as he spots me, he grins. “Flo!”
“Swallow your food first, buddy,” his dad reminds him, tone laced with concern, wiping the spilt milk off the table using a wet cloth.
Leo does as he’s told and laughs as his father presses a big kiss to the top of his head, grabbing his duffel bag and slinging it over his shoulder.
“What are we going to do today?” he asks.
“Well…” My eyes slice over to Evan. “Ziplining is still an option if your dad—”
“No,” is his gruff response, making me chortle.
“I’ve got a few things in mind, bud, don’t worry.” I shoot Leo a wink, but his eyes aren’t on mine. They’re attached to my glucose monitor stuck to the back of my arm—a white circular patch.
“What’s that?”
“Leo, that’s rude,” Evan warns him, pinching the bridge of his nose. “That’s not something you just ask someone.” He turns to me now, mouth downturned. “I apologise."
“It’s totally fine.” I pull up a seat beside Leo and twizzle my arm so he can see the patch.
“I have a condition called type one diabetes, so this little sticker on my arm helps me check that my blood sugar isn’t too high or low.
My body’s a little different from yours, Leo, so where you can eat whatever you want when you want, I have to be careful because I could get really sick. ”
Leo flutters his eyelashes, taking in every word.
I pull out my phone, flashing him the screen, showing the app connected to my monitor. “This here tells me what my blood sugar is like, and whether I need to do something to fix it. Makes it a lot easier for me.”
“Does it hurt?”
“No, I have to inject myself to keep my blood sugar where it’s supposed to be, and it’s a pain in the—” I stop myself before I curse—” butt sometimes, but it doesn’t hurt.”
“Could I get it?”
I shrug. “I mean, maybe, but you can’t catch it from me, if that’s what you mean.”
“Can you still play with me?”
“Of course I can. Diabetes isn’t going to stop us from causing trouble.”
Leo giggles, diving back into his cereal as he sways from side to side with excitement. Meanwhile, I get up and set my bag aside.
Evan follows my movements and stands behind me in the doorway, so his son can’t see him, and he lowers his chin, eyes flicking between Leo and me.
“I appreciate you explaining that to him.”
I nod and smile.
There’s uneasiness in his gaze, a vulnerability to his expression, but as soon as it appears, it’s gone, replaced by that scowl I’ve convinced myself is his face’s resting state.
He’s hovering.
“He’s safe with me, Evan.” I use his name as a comforter. “I promise I’ll call you if anything goes wrong, which it won’t do.”
“He’s very important to me, Flo.”
“I know.”
He sighs, eyes fixated on his son for just another second, and the door clicks shut as he exits with a forced flat smile, taking his musky scent with him.
Leo replaces him, showing off his milky baby teeth, all pearly white. “What should we do?”
I motion to his empty bowl of cereal. “Let’s clean up your breakfast first, and then we can do anything you want.” I pull my notepad from my bag, along with my large reading glasses. “I’ve made a list of things we can do this summer, and I have a feeling you’re going to love them.”
Perhaps I shouldn’t be sharing this with him yet, getting him all excited and promising him the best summer of his life since Evan hasn’t actually given me the job permanently. But as long as nothing goes wrong, he has no reason not to hire me.
I genuinely want to give Leo a summer he won’t forget because it seems no other nanny has managed that for him yet. And I can already tell the kid deserves it.
“Don’t you think the fort’s big enough, bud?” I blink at the line of kitchen chairs placed on the main house’s porch, thick, fluffy blankets draped over the back of them to create some oddly shaped, droopy fort.
“No! We need more chairs!”
This kid is full of energy. He reminds me of myself when I was young. I was always bouncing off the walls, eager to be active and up to mischief. It’s probably why we get on so well.
It makes me wonder why Leo’s mom isn’t in the picture.
Of course, I wouldn’t overstep the boundary by asking, but who would give up a kid like this?
For what reason? I understand parents don’t always get on and don’t always stay together—mine didn’t—but it makes me wonder what happened for Leo’s mom to leave.
“I don’t think your dad has any more chairs we can use, Leo.”
His bottom lip droops, and he studies his creation, unimpressed by its size. It causes my heart to melt, and my eyes drift over to my cabin.
“Wait there,” I tell him as I rush over to it, reemerging a few seconds later with my two kitchen chairs in hand.
Leo’s grey eyes shine with excitement as he fist bumps the air, exclaiming a loud, “Oh, yeah!” He takes the chairs from me and lifts them onto the porch, though I help him without him realising, and arranges them in line with the others, tugging the blankets to drape over them as well.
“Happier?” I question, stepping back and studying the fort, crossing my arms over my chest and humming.
Leo copies my actions, crossing his arms just like me and humming, which makes me laugh. “It looks so good! Dad might let me sleep in it tonight!”
“Yeah, good luck getting him to agree to that.”
The voice makes me jump, and I turn to see a dark-haired woman poking her head out of her silver car as it creeps down the gravel pathway, before stopping, parking and hopping out. She pulls two large shopping bags full of what appears to be meat from the backseat.
“Remember what happened last time you and your Dad slept outside?” The dimple on the left side of her face deepens as she laughs.
Gracie—I assume. She has the same steel-like eyes, and I now realise she’s the woman from the photos I’d seen the first day I showed up here. She’d been wearing sunglasses in the photographs, but looking at her now, there’s no denying she’s related to Evan.