Chapter Ten
Mya
“I’ve never been a nanny,” I answered. The thoughts were already whirring. First, he offered me a place to stay, and now, a job offer.
“You’ve babysat before? Had a brother or a sister?”
“I babysat a lot when I was a teenager and then some in college for extra money.”
Greyson nodded. He’d put on a shirt, which was a tragedy in my humble opinion, but it did nothing to diminish his handsomeness.
“Then this is just a bit more. It’s a live-in position.
My family has been on me about it. I’ve had so many babysitters and daycares and sometimes my brother and sister-in-law keep him for me, but they are about to have their own baby.
Benji needs more structure and schedule.
Someone we both trust. Benji likes you.”
“How do you know?”
Greyson’s smile faltered and while he was lovely when he smiled, his sadness reached right into my heart and tugged. There was something so beautiful about a man who showed vulnerability.
Jacob showed zero. Thought it made him less than a man.
What actually made him less of a man was hitting his girlfriend and making sure she had nothing, not even a sense of herself.
“Since Benji’s mom died, he doesn’t really talk to women.
My sister-in-law a bit and my mother but other than that, he is shy with those he doesn’t know well, and especially women.
That’s hard when most people in daycares and babysitters are women.
But with you…I haven’t heard him chatter on like that in a while. ”
“Really?”
He nodded.
“And I would live here?”
“Yes. That would be best. Sometimes I work late or have to go in early in the morning. But if you were here, then I could do that without worrying about finding someone or waiting for you to arrive. Plus, it’s more stability for Benji. He needs a woman around.”
Benji, not him.
“How about you think about it and let us know tomorrow? We can talk more about getting your car fixed then as well.”
“Sleep on it?” I said.
“Yeah. Best thing for a big decision, I think.” He stood and towered over me. “How about we get you to bed.”
I knew he meant me to my bed and him to his, but I tucked that moment away in my memory. “Thank you.”
We walked up the stairs side by side and then he led me down the hallway. He opened a door, walked in, checked left and right, and then let me enter. He brought my bags with him.
“Checking for monsters?” I asked.
Greyson smiled. A big one. Teeth and all. “Comes with the dad thing. Is there anything else you need?”
Goddess, he was so close. I was sure I was perfuming and that he could scent it, but I couldn’t have covered it up if I wanted to.
“No. Thank you, Greyson, for everything. I’ll think about the nanny thing.”
He nodded. And if I wasn’t mistaken, there was a bit of disappointment in his expression. “Good night, Mya. I’m glad you ran over my mailbox. Didn’t like that thing anyway. We’ve been needing a new one.”
That made me laugh. It was a sound I hadn’t heard much in the past few years.
Jacob laughing at me, yes.
Me laughing? Not so much.
“Good night, Greyson. And let me know if you need me to mail anything else until you can replace it.”
I went in and shut the door and leaned against it. I listened as his door shut as well.
It would be so easy to knock on his door and offer myself to him, but I was still cracked open from Jacob, and the last thing I wanted to do was bring my baggage to Greyson’s door.
He’d gone through so much. Losing his wife, who, clearly, had affected him. He loved her. Anyone could see that when he spoke of her. Then raising Benji on his own.
I took a shower, reveling in the hot water, then poured myself into the bed, exhausted head to toe.
Jacob must’ve been beside himself with anger when he found me gone.
Good. It was his turn.
I thought about Greyson’s offer. To live here. Be a nanny to Benji. That kid had a level of energy I’d never experienced, but he was a sweetheart and was really needing the love of a female in his life. A motherly figure.
There was no downside of the proposition, except for Greyson.
I was attracted to him like I’d never been before, to anyone. Not even Jacob. As soon as I could, I needed to get my hands on scent blockers and also heat suppressants, since mine would run out, but that would be easy.
Before my eyes closed, I had made my decision. We would have to talk terms, and I had some questions, but maybe something bigger than me brought me to this place. With Greyson and Benji.
Suddenly, I believed in Fate and the power of broken mailboxes and cars.