CHAPTER TEN #2
“I don’t want to give them any possible excuse to cancel the inheritance,” Nash said, finally swinging his sexy gaze my way. “I’m not planning on continuing any of the relationships that I had previously. I’m fine maintaining that until the contract ends.”
I nodded, trying to swallow the plural “relationships.” I was dying to know how many fuck buddies he had on the regular. Not that I needed to know.
“Yeah, me too,” I hurried to add, so he didn’t think I was a total loser. Wanting to lighten the mood, I added, “Celibacy is fine when there’s this much money on the line.” Didn’t matter that celibacy was standard operating procedure for me, even when I wasn’t getting compensated for it.
“Mm.” His lips curled up at the corner, but I couldn’t read his expression. There was so much behind this man’s eyes, and I was only scratching the surface.
“Mommy?” Mia’s soft voice broke through our couch convo. She appeared at the threshold between the living room and the kitchen, her hair mussed from her nap. She spotted Nash and tucked herself closer to the wall, going shy.
“Hi, honey. Come on out here.” I stood from the couch and walked her way, beckoning her toward me. “How are you feeling?”
“Sick,” she said, but with her three-year-old lisp, it sounded more like thick. Her gaze was stuck on Nash as I smoothed her hair.
“I want you to meet a friend of mine,” I said softly. “His name is Nash. Nash, this is Mia. Say hi, baby.”
Mia partially hid her face against my body as she murmured a quick hello.
“Hi, Mia. It’s so nice to meet you.” Nash leaned forward on the couch, his voice gentle. “Do you help take care of all these plants with your mommy?”
Mia’s eyes lit up and she nodded vehemently. “I water them with her and we take good care.”
“I can tell. I’ve never seen so many awesome plants before.” Nash was locked into this convo with Mia, and I could tell she was lapping up the attention. “What’s your favorite one?”
Mia seriously considered the question before spinning around and pointing at the pothos. Nash grinned, nodding.
“That one is really cool,” Nash agreed.
“She’s my special helper, that’s for sure.” I smoothed her hair, smiling down at her. “She knows just how to water the succulents too.”
“I’ve never been able to keep those alive,” Nash admitted with a laugh.
“There’s a trick to it,” I told him. “If you’re lucky, I’ll teach it to ya.”
Nash’s grin turned mischievous. “I didn’t realize I should have written succulent secrets into the contract.”
“Mommy, I’m hungry,” Mia whispered loudly, pulling on my sleeve.
“That’s right.” Nash clapped his hands together and stood. “I’ll get dinner started. Mia, do you like noodles?”
Her eyes lit up and she nodded.
“What about chicken?”
She nodded again.
“Great. I think you’re going to love what I’m making for dinner tonight.
” Nash headed into the kitchen like he owned the place, and Mia and I followed behind, a little starstruck.
I could barely believe my eyes—Nash Nightingale filling my tiny kitchen, unpacking groceries, and discussing the menu with Mia.
"So we have chicken, pasta, and vegetables," Nash said, laying everything out on the counter next to my windowsill herb garden. "What do you think, Mia? Do you like smoked paprika or are you more of a plain eater?"
Mia crinkled up her nose, then looked up at me for confirmation.
“Definitely plain,” I said, kissing the top of her head. “This girl loves a good butter pasta.”
"Butter pasta happens to be my specialty.” Nash jerked his chin toward my basil and thyme plants. "Can I borrow some of these?"
"Of course. That’s what they’re there for.”
“Wasn’t sure if that fell under the succulent secrets clause,” he replied as he began pulling open drawers and poking around. “I do need a knife though.”
“Oh yes. Over here.” I headed for the only drawer he hadn’t opened yet. “Can I at least help?”
“You already are helping,” he said with a quick smile. “I’ll let you know if I need anything else.”
As Nash prepared dinner, I marveled at how easy he made things look.
Mia had questions about what he was doing, which led to an impromptu countertop theater performance where he introduced every vegetable and their various personalities.
Mia was enthralled—and to be honest, so was I.
When I asked how he got to be so good with kids, he revealed he’d spent a few summers as a camp counselor back in Ohio.
After she’d dissolved into a fit of giggles from his third rendition of the carrot mistaking himself for a bell pepper, I felt something dangerous bloom in my chest.
This was beautiful. This was heartwarming.
This also wasn't what I'd signed up for.
Nash wasn't supposed to be good with my daughter. He wasn't supposed to look perfectly at home in my tiny kitchen, making Mia laugh while helping prepare dinner like we were a real family.
And what made it even more poignant was realizing that Mia and I had never experienced this—a man helping in the kitchen, being part of our little family unit, even for just one evening.
Nash's phone buzzed, and he glanced at it while stirring the cooking pasta.
"Well, well, well," he said, his tone shifting back to normal. "Haley just posted something."
I came up behind him to look at the screen. The post was a photo of a question mark with the caption: "Getting some VERY interesting tips about a certain billionaire and his Cinderella...stay tuned!”
"Great," I muttered. “Do I have some evil stepsisters I’m unaware of?”
"Actually, this is perfect," Nash said. "Let's give her some content."
"What do you mean?"
“Let’s show the nosy influencer just how happy we are.” He swiped the phone into camera mode and his meaning clicked into place.
“Okay. Hang on though.” I turned to Mia, smiling softly as I said, “Can you go dig your princess coloring books out of your closet? I want you to make us a pretty picture.”
Mia yipped with excitement and ran off to her bedroom.
“Okay, let’s make it quick.” I didn’t want Mia to see us being lovey-dovey and get confused. “What should we do?”
Nash looked around for a moment and then positioned me in front of him at the stove. He brought his arms around me to bracket my body. “Now stir the sauce,” he said into my ear.
I wasn’t proud of the heat that flushed through me. Had anyone ever made a command to stir sauce so sexy? I prayed my cheeks weren’t pink as I moved the wooden spoon around the pan. His body pressed against my back as he held up his phone.
"Smile like you're happy," he murmured against my ear.
The warmth of his breath on my neck sent shivers through me. In the phone's camera, I could see us reflected—Nash tall and solid behind me, his arm around my waist, both of us smiling like we were madly in love, background bursting with the green sanctuary I'd created.
For a moment, I let myself imagine what it would be like if this were real. If Nash really had come home to help with dinner; if this were our life together, if Mia had a father figure who did vegetable theater.
The thought hit me so hard I almost dropped the spoon.
"Perfect," Nash said, pulling back. Cold air wrapped around me and I straightened, trying to compose myself. I didn’t want those thoughts in my head anymore, and I certainly didn’t want Nash to guess that I was feeling anything other than professional about this arrangement.
“Done,” Nash said a few moments later. He showed me the photo with the caption: "Home is wherever she is.”
Within minutes, the likes and comments started pouring in. Heart-eye emojis, comments about how cute we looked together, people asking when the wedding would be.
"That should keep Haley busy," Nash said, sliding his phone back into his pocket.
But I was still thinking about that moment—the fantasy that had felt so real I could almost taste it. I was supposed to be protecting my heart, protecting Mia's heart. Instead, I was letting myself fall into a daydream where Nash Nightingale and I were in love.
"Here it is," Mia announced proudly, her arms spilling with princess coloring books.
“Oh good. I’ll get you set up in the other room,” I said, abandoning my post at the stove. Nash nipped at the sides of my waist as I scooted past him, which sent sparks skating beneath my skin.
I clamped my mouth shut before I could react. It felt so natural and intimate. Yet we’d already taken the picture…
While I helped Mia spread out her crayon collection and pick the ideal picture to color for Nash, I focused on the bitter truth.
By the start of next year, Nash would go back to his billionaire lifestyle, and Mia and I would go back to our quiet life.
This was all pretend, even when it felt more promising than anything I'd ever experienced.