4. Casey #2
I catch myself laughing at one of her dramatic retellings of a playground betrayal involving stolen crayons and realize, with a sharp twist low in my chest, that I feel happy.
The thought unsettles me more than it should.
I forgot what this felt like.
I correct myself quickly.
This is a job. Personal connections are dangerous. They can be stolen away at the drop of a hat.
The sound of the front door opening cuts through the kitchen.
Letty’s head snaps up immediately. “Daddy!”
She’s off the stool before I can stop her, socks sliding against the hardwood floor as she runs toward the hallway.
A second later, Adriano appears, one hand loosening his tie as he steps into the kitchen, his phone still in the other.
His jacket is gone, sleeves rolled neatly to his forearms, dark hair slightly less controlled than it was this morning, like he’s run his hands through it at least once during the day.
He lowers the phone the second Letty crashes into him.
“Daddy, I made a dragon, but it looked like a dog. Casey said we can fix it.”
“I’m sure we can.”
His gaze lifts to mine over her head.
A question.
A check.
“Good day?” he asks.
“Smooth as silk,” I reply. “She listened well.”
“She always does.”
Letty pulls back. “I don’t always listen.”
“You do when it matters.”
She considers that, then shrugs. “Okay.”
I step back.
Instinct.
Space.
Because this man takes up the whole room with his presence, and I like it. His heat, his scent, his energy changes the vibe.
“You’re all set for the evening,” I say, keeping my tone neutral, professional.
He watches me for a moment longer than necessary. “That’s it?” he asks.
I pause. “That’s the handoff. Letty has had a snack, finished her reading and letters, and dinner is in the oven. I made her meatloaf and mashed potatoes.”
Something flickers in his expression, gone before I can name it.
“Right. Thank you.”
I nod once and turn toward the annex before the moment can stretch into something I don’t want to define.
My rooms feel smaller when I close the door behind me.
Not physically. Just… contained, but the oppressive energy is gone, and that’s a relief.
I lean against it for a second, exhaling slowly, letting the quiet settle around me.
The day replays in fragments.
Letty’s laugh.
Adriano’s gaze.
The ease I hadn’t expected.
The distance I’m carefully maintaining.
It’s working.
It has to.
I change into something softer, pull my hair out of its tie, and sit on the edge of the bed with my phone in my hand for longer than necessary before I finally press call.
It rings once.
Twice.
“Tell me you’ve witnessed the mysterious, brooding Mancini in his natural habitat,” Isabella answers, her voice bright, familiar, exactly what I didn’t realize I needed.
A smile slips through before I can stop it. “I’ve witnessed it,” I say with a smile in my voice. Something about my friend always pulls me out of my head.
“And?”
“And he’s exactly as intense as advertised.”
“That’s not helpful. I need details.”
“He has a system. A schedule. A laminated personality.”
She laughs. “Oh my God, you like him.”
“I absolutely do not.”
“You’re already defensive.”
“I’m not defensive. I’m a professional.”
“Mm-hmm.”
I shift back against the pillows, letting myself relax into the conversation in a way I haven’t allowed all day. “Letty’s great,” I add. “Smart. Opinionated. Slightly terrifying.”
“That tracks. I adore that child.”
“She made me do the dragon voice before breakfast.”
“And?”
“I nailed it.”
“Of course you did, you little overachiever you.”
I laugh, for real this time, the kind that reaches somewhere deeper.
“It’s good to hear you laugh, Casey.”
“I forgot what that feels like,” I admit quietly.
There’s a pause on the other end. “Feeling like yourself?” Isabella asks.
“Something like that.”
“And him?” she presses gently.
I hesitate. Just for a second. “He’s… not what I expected.”
“How?”
I think about the way he moved through the kitchen, the way he caught the bowl without looking, the way his voice softened upstairs where he thought no one could hear. “Complicated,” I say finally.
Isabella hums like she hears more than I’m saying. “Be careful, Case.”
“I am. Believe me, I’m still nursing my wounds. The last thing I want is a romantic entanglement, no matter how swoony your brother-in-law is.”
“Good. And for the record, my offer to make Jasper’s weaselly little life a nightmare still stands.”
“Don’t waste your time. He isn’t worth it.”
“No, he isn’t, but you are. Have you heard from him?”
I think of all the unread texts on my phone and all the calls I’ve ignored and sigh. “He texts and calls a few times a day, but I ignore them.”
“You need to block his ass.”
“I know, but I’m worried if I do that, he’ll turn up. Jasper is very determined when he wants something. I’ve gone from being the safe little girlfriend on the side to someone he wants but can’t have. I don’t want to cause problems for Adriano.”
Isabella snorts. “Please. Adriano would eat him for breakfast, and you know it.”
“I do, but I don’t want him to know. This is my job, and I want to keep my disaster of a personal life out of it.”
“Okay, fair enough, but if he continues, then I’m sending Rossi after him and maybe a few of Nico’s men.”
“Izz, stop. I don’t want Nico involved. Jasper could cause problems for ISM. He has a lot of power and influence.”
“Maybe in L.A., but this is New York and our sharks have sharper teeth. Especially mine.”
“Be that as it may, let me handle this.”
“Fine… for now.”
It’s as good as I’m going to get for now. I just have to be careful what I say to Izz. She’s protective of those she loves, and I don’t want my drama landing on her doorstep.
“Now, back to Adriano. Does he sleep in a suit? Because I’m convinced he does.”
I look toward the door, toward the house beyond it, toward the life I’ve stepped into, whether I’m ready or not. “I’m not here for anything except the job,” I say, more to myself than to her. “So I have no clue how he sleeps. I’m on a male hiatus.”
“I know.”
But her voice carries just enough doubt to make something in my chest tighten again.
We talk a little longer, easier things, familiar things, until the edges of the day soften enough that I can breathe without thinking about it.
When I hang up, the room feels quieter again.
But not empty, not like before.
I set my phone aside and lie back, staring at the ceiling, letting the day settle into place.
I head to my small kitchen, check the fridge, and find everything I need to make grilled cheese.
Comfort at its finest. As I settle on my comfy couch and let the gooey cheese dribble down my chin, I reflect on my day and my conversation with Isabella.
This is a good job, a safe place. It’s the clean start I need to get my head straight and figure out my next moves.
I love being a nanny, but seeing my traitorous ex with his baby also made me realize I want a family, and this job doesn’t fit with that.
I’m almost twenty-seven, and I need a plan, but for now I have a safety net.
That’s all this is.
That’s all it’s going to be. This is not my forever. It’s my for now, and a pang lands in my chest.
I close my eyes before I can question that too closely.