Chapter 5
Iced tea shoots out of my nose, and I choke, leaving me coughing, sputtering, and with fire in my sinuses.
Delilah pats me on the back through my coughing fit. Izzy’s sister is just as kind and pretty as she is. How lucky they are to have each other. Their bond makes me miss Charlie worse than the usual crushing ache I walk around with.
“I’m sorry, you want me to what?” I finally ask, voice hoarse from iced tea nearly ending my life.
Delilah’s husband, Connor, I think, scoots his chair back from the table. “Harper, do you want to help me show Everly the garden?”
Pointed looks shoot across the table in all directions before the scraping of wood legs against the flooring fills the dining room.
“That’s a great idea. I think we should do some harvesting,” Delilah says. In a flurry of activity, people shuffle out of the dining room through the kitchen and out the back door.
“Be safe and listen, Everly!” I holler over the noise.
“Okay, Mama!” she shouts back, ecstatic to be doing literally anything with the group.
I’m left at the table with Izzy, Reid, Cecelia, and Greyson. The man’s eyes haven’t left me all evening. I’m too overwhelmed to feel any kind of way about it, but I have a strange sense of safety.
Perhaps it’s Lucky Spurs Ranch that gives me peace, or maybe it’s the man whose root-beer-colored eyes have painted heat across my entire body.
He’s alarmingly handsome. Copper brown hair is finger combed back from his rugged face, a bit longer on top than on the sides. He’s tan from time in the sun, presumably at the ranch.
I’m enamored with the small white scar hitching his top lip. I don’t know why but it’s the cherry on top of an already delectable sundae.
“Can we start from the beginning? It’s been a long day, and I’ve clearly missed some important details.” Greyson’s deep voice rumbles through the silence and a ripple of energy courses through me unexpectedly.
“Mia, do you want to explain, or should I share?” Izzy offers, her husband’s arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders.
“You, please.” It’s cowardly, but I’m too frazzled to remember what I have and haven’t shared today, and I don’t want to disclose anything new yet.
Speaking directly to Greyson, Izzy begins. “I was in town for my dirty chai, and I saw Mia and Everly sunning themselves on the library lawn. I invited them to join me at Bean she’s protecting my privacy without being asked.
“When I was finished and heading back to the car, I saw that they were finished at the library and offered for them to spend the day at the ranch. That’s why I needed your old car seat, to get Everly here safely.” She looks to me with eyebrows raised with gentle encouragement to take over.
“What I’m willing to share”—Greyson’s eyes snap to me, intently focused on whatever I’m about to say—“is that Everly and I need a fresh start. Swiftwater seems like a lovely place, but if we’re going to stay, I need to find housing and employment sooner than later.”
“Mrs. Ander…Cecelia,” I self-correct, “mentioned you need childcare, and while being a mom is the only experience I have, I work hard to be a good mom. Nannying would allow me to keep Everly close and not need to find childcare for her while I work. I haven’t figured out our living situation…”
Not sure what else to say, and wildly uncomfortable, I withdraw into myself and become very interested in the napkin on my lap.
“Greyson, we could easily help you convert Harper’s playroom into a bedroom, and either Mia and Everly could share a room, or I’m sure the girls would be thrilled to bunk together, giving Mia space of her own,” Cecelia suggests.
I dare a glance at Greyson. The muscles in his jaw are pulsing from clenching and unclenching his teeth. His breathing is slow and controlled, like he’s holding himself back. But oddly, I’m not instinctually afraid of him the way I’d be of Carter if he were to behave this way.
He suddenly scoots back his chair and quietly excuses himself. Izzy and Reid give me soft smiles and follow after him.
“Give him a minute, dear. Let him talk it through with his brother and Isabelle. This is a lot for him to process. He doesn’t do well with change,” Cecelia reassures, leaving the table to join her granddaughter outside.
Does anyone?
I shouldn’t be eavesdropping. For as many times Carter caught and punished me, it was often my only means of gathering information about his comings and goings. I needed to eavesdrop so I could properly plan my day to avoid as much of his anger as possible.
Despite barely meeting Greyson, I’m not afraid of him. I’m afraid of him not offering me the nanny position, swiftly crushing the rising hope in my chest that Everly and I will be okay.
They must not have gone far from the kitchen, because I can hear them talking without too much strain.
“I’m not saying anything’s wrong with her, I don’t know anything about her. I wasn’t expecting to walk in with a fucking job offer today,” Greyson bites out.
“I know, and we’re sorry for springing this on you,” Izzy soothes. “It all happened so fast, but things lined up perfectly with your needs and hers.”
“Just seems too good to be true. The perfect nanny doesn’t just fall into my lap.”
“We know, it took Olivia forever to find the six you ran off,” Reid says.
“Fuck off,” Greyson grumbles with no heat.
“Listen,” Reid starts. “I don’t pull the family card often, but you know damn well this family would never put Harper in even a hint of danger. It goes without saying I trust Isabelle with my life, and she loves this family. If she has a good feeling about Mia, you can trust her.”
I have to blink away the tears gathering from Reid and Izzy’s unwavering trust that I’m a good enough person to take care of Greyson’s daughter.
On feather-light feet, I make my way back to the kitchen and try to compose myself or at least prevent myself from crying.
Footsteps grow louder as Greyson returns to the table. He sits across the table from me, leaning back in his chair. Reid and Izzy take a seat at the other side of the table, out of the way, but there for support all the same.
“Is this something you’re interested in doing?” Greyson’s deep rumble sends goosebumps down my arms. When I don’t immediately answer, he continues.
“Harper lost her lifelong nanny about a year ago to old age. Since then, the Lucky Spurs Ranch family has been pitching in while I work. The instability’s wearing on her, I can tell.
If you’re serious about staying in Swiftwater, and are comfortable with it, I’d like to hire you as Harper’s live-in nanny. ”
I want to jump up and down shouting “yes!” but I sit silently, twisting my fingers. When something seems too good to be true, it usually is. I’ve already learned that lesson the hard way once and it led me here. I can’t explain it, but I feel deep down this is the right decision.
“Yes, please. I think I’d like to accept,” I say meekly. This is the first job I’ve had since I was in high school; I don’t know what I’m supposed to say or do next.
“Alright. If you and Everly are comfortable sleeping here tonight, give me tomorrow to run it by Harper and get the playroom cleaned out for you. If this works out, I’ll order furniture as soon as possible.
For the time being, the sofa in the playroom folds out into a bed. It’ll have to do for now.”
“Of course. Take your time. I’m just grateful we don’t have to sleep another night on the bus.” Three sets of eyes burn my face, and I realize too late I’ve let one of my secrets slide.
Greyson scrutinizes me, but I don’t feel judged, I feel seen. Like he doesn’t want us to sleep on the bus any more than I do.
“Alright, then. I’ll be back tomorrow, and we can discuss this further.” Greyson and Reid head to the front door, snagging their cowboy hats on their way out.
Izzy comes to sit beside me at the now empty dining table.
“I don’t know your circumstances, and I’m not asking you to tell me.
But as a woman who’s lived most of her life in fear, I just want you to know you’re not alone.
You don’t know any of us yet, but if you believe nothing else, please believe Greyson’s a good man.
He would never hurt you. He’s the kind of man predators run from. ”
I nod, unable to look up or form any intelligible response. With a smile Izzy heads out back with the rest of the group.
Am I doing this? Moving to a middle-of-nowhere town? Taking a job on a whim? Living with a man I met not even two hours ago?
Charlie, what should I do?
I must’ve zoned out because the next thing I know, Greyson’s returned and is whisking Harper out the front door and Everly’s clinging to my leg crying that her best friend is leaving.
“It’s okay, baby. It sounds like Harper will be back tomorrow.” My consoling does little in the torrent of her tantrum.
“Will…she…be…here…for…breakfast?” she gasps through heaving sobs.
“You know, little one, she just might be! Sometimes she eats at home before she comes over, but more often than not she wants to eat here with us.” Cecelia’s soothing voice does the trick, as does her claim.
Checking the time and counting the hours until breakfast has everything to do with Everly’s excitement—and nothing to do with my new boss.
“Mia.” A distantly familiar voice rouses me from a restless night of sleep. I practically jump out of my skin when I open my eyes to Cecelia in a foreign room.
“Oh, dear. I’m sorry. I tried calling for you and knocking but you must’ve needed your sleep.”
The burn of exhaustion in my eyes remains no matter how many times I blink.
“It’s okay.” I look to the spot next to me to rouse Everly but find the bed empty. “Everly!” I choke.