Nora
Theo, wearing a crisp blue suit, opened his front door on Monday morning to let me in just a few minutes before six. “Hey,” he said, running a hand through his neatly combed hair, looking far too awake for this hour. “You have no idea how relieved I am to see you. Thanks again for helping me out.”
“Of course,” I said, stepping inside and glancing around the quiet entryway. The faint scent of coffee lingered in the air, and golden morning light filtered through the front windows, casting everything in a calm, peaceful glow that made the house feel instantly welcoming.
“Charlotte usually sleeps until around seven,” he said, closing the door behind me. “Sometimes seven-thirty if I’m lucky, so you can just hang out until then. Take a nap if you want.” His gaze flicked briefly to my curled hair and mascaraed lashes. “I’m guessing you’ve been up for a while already.”
“Only since five,” I said with a small smile.
“That’s when my alarm went off, too,” he said, an amused smile lifting the corner of his lips. “But if you want to sleep in later tomorrow, feel free to just get ready here. Seriously. I know it’s early.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Not that I actually planned to show up looking like a zombie. I might’ve agreed to babysit at the crack of dawn, but that didn’t mean I wanted my best friend’s sexy older brother to see me in full bedhead glory.
Some illusions were worth maintaining.
“Anyway, how about I give you a quick lay of the land before I head out?” Theo said, leading me into the living area just off the entryway.
“This is the living room,” he said, gesturing toward the open space. A large TV hung on the wall above a low console, and two cozy-looking couches faced each other across a soft gray rug. Family photos lined the wall—most of them of Charlotte, all curls and grins.
“Charlotte’s got plenty to keep her busy down here,” he said, motioning to the small bookcase tucked in the corner. “Those are her quiet-time toys. Books, puzzles, things that keep her entertained without turning the place into a disaster zone.”
“Very nice,” I said, smiling as I took it in. It was tidy but still had the soft edges of a home built around a kid.
“But she’s got a playroom upstairs with way more stuff.
” He gave a short laugh, running a hand through his hair.
“Anyway, in the afternoons, she can have an hour or two of screen time, so don’t feel bad about turning on a movie.
She doesn’t nap anymore, so…” His voice softened, the exhaustion in it barely disguised.
“I know how necessary that break can be.”
And something in the way he said it made my chest ache a little. Like, maybe he hadn’t had much of a break himself lately.
He led me through to the kitchen next, flipping on a few lights as he talked.
The space was stunning—bright, airy, with white cabinets and marble counters that gleamed even in the early morning light.
A farmhouse sink sat under a wide window overlooking the backyard, and the stainless-steel appliances looked like they belonged in a cooking show.
“Here’s the fridge and pantry,” Theo said, opening the sleek doors to reveal neatly organized shelves.
“Charlotte loves pancakes when I’m home on the weekends, but there’s fruit, yogurt, toast, cheese, and cereal.
I wish she liked eggs, but she’s not a fan.
Maybe you’ll have better luck, though. If you make them for yourself, she might try a bite. ”
“I’ll see what I can do.” I laughed softly. “I used to be a picky eater, too. Turns out, it wasn’t always the actual food items, more that my mom just wasn’t that great at following recipes.”
“That could definitely be it.” He chuckled, the sound deep and warm. “I only really make fried eggs for myself, so maybe you’ll know some more kid-friendly styles to try.”
“I do make pretty good scrambled eggs,” I said.
“Perfect.”
He glanced around the kitchen, as if deciding whether there was anything else he should show me.
When he stepped past, a hint of his cologne drifted toward me—rich and woodsy, with something clean underneath.
And if I hadn’t already found the man attractive, that scent alone might’ve done the trick.
No wonder he won cases. Half the courtroom probably lost their train of thought when he walked by.
“I think that’s about it for down here,” he said, his voice dropping a little as he motioned toward the stairs. “Come on, I’ll show you the rest before Charlotte wakes up.”
I followed him up the curved staircase, careful not to let my shoes creak on the hardwood.
“That’s Charlotte’s bathroom.” He pointed toward a bathroom off the landing. “She’s pretty much potty trained now, so as long as you remind her to go potty every hour or two, I think you should be fine there.”
“That’s nice,” I said, remembering how Lucy had talked about cleaning up a few accidents when she’d babysat her niece in the past.
“And this,” he said, gesturing to a white door next to the bathroom, “is where my little princess sleeps.”
“So, I should be careful not to disturb her, right?” I chuckled.
“Not unless you want to risk waking a dragon instead of a princess.” He winked, causing my heart to flutter for some reason.
He led me farther down the hall before pausing in front of an open doorway. “And this,” he said, a hint of amusement in his voice, “is the moment you find out just how overboard I’ve gone in the spoiling-my-daughter-rotten department.”
“It can’t be that bad…”
He shot me a self-deprecating look. “You might want to wait before you say that.”
When he pushed open the door, my mouth fell open.
“Wow,” I breathed.
Because inside the toy room was every little girl’s dream come to life. It was almost like that moment in Beauty and the Beast when the library doors swung open and Belle saw how many beautiful books the Beast had, only with a lot more pink. So much pink.
Shelves lined the walls, packed with books, puzzles, dolls, and an almost dizzying assortment of toys. A pint-sized play kitchen stood proudly in one corner, complete with plastic cupcakes cooling on the counter, while a sprawling dollhouse claimed the other.
“See, I told you it was a lot.” Theo gave a sheepish grin when he caught my expression. “I might have a hard time saying no to her. Especially since she only has me now.” His voice softened. “Plus, her grandparents are also really great at spoiling her, too.”
“Well,” I said, meeting his green eyes, touched by the tenderness in his tone.
“I’d say she’s lucky to have a dad who loves her so much.
” Though at the same time, part of me wondered if Charlotte ever got overwhelmed by it all.
It was nice… but also a lot to manage. In fact, I was surprised the room looked as good as it did.
“Charlotte usually takes her baths in the evenings,” Theo said, his voice low as we stepped around a pink tea set abandoned mid-party.
“So when she wakes up, if you can help her pick out her clothes and do her hair, that’d be great.
” He looked back at me. “Do you have any experience doing a little girl’s hair? ”
“Just my own when I was in elementary school,” I said with a small laugh. “But I’ve done hair for my gymnastics friends before competitions, so I think I can figure it out.”
“Her hair’s kind of curly like yours,” he said, giving me a once-over, his eyes flicking briefly to my curls. “I’m sure whatever you do will be much more impressive than what I’ve managed. I’ve basically mastered two styles—pigtails, or pigtails with braids.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “She always looks very cute whenever I see her.”
“Thanks,” he said softly. But the word carried a hint of fatigue beneath it. Like he really was doing his best—but maybe sometimes it still didn’t feel like enough.
He sighed and glanced around, as if trying to remember whether there was anything else he should mention. Then he nodded toward the hallway, and we stepped out of the toy room.
As we passed another doorway, I caught a glimpse of a king-sized bed through the cracked door, the sheets slightly rumpled.
Most likely the primary bedroom.
Theo’s room.
Curiosity tugged at me before I could stop it. Most of Theo’s house so far had been pretty tidy, but what about his space? Was it neat and orderly, like the rest of him seemed to be? Or were there signs of chaos—a pile of unfolded laundry, a half-empty glass of water on the nightstand?
He and Alisha had built this house together before Charlotte was born. Did the room still carry her touch? The soft throw pillows she might’ve picked, the faint trace of a scent that wasn’t his? Or had he changed things since she’d passed… made it his own?
What kind of art did he have on the walls? He seemed the studious sort. Did he have stacks of books on the nightstand?
With how nice the house was, he probably had a really nice primary bath. Had he and Alisha shared a large closet? Or did they each have their own?
I didn’t know why I was suddenly so curious about where he slept, but would it be wrong to peek into his private domain after he left for work?
No. I shook the thought away, heat prickling my neck. Probably not the best way to start the week.
Unless Charlotte ran in there, of course. Then it wouldn’t technically be snooping.
Theo led me back downstairs, his footsteps quiet against the hardwood. “I told Charlotte you’d be here when she woke up,” he said, pausing by the kitchen counter. “So she should be expecting you.”
He reached for a sleek black wallet, pulled out a credit card, and handed it to me.
“This is for any activities you might do with her this week—the zoo, swimming, whatever sounds fun. And if you want to take her out for lunch, that’s cool, too.
She enjoys having things to look forward to.
Makes the day go by quicker and gets her out of the house. ”
“Sounds great,” I said, tucking the card carefully into my bag so I wouldn’t lose it. “Does she like the park?”
“She loves the park,” he said, a hint of a smile softening his professional edge.
“There’s actually a playdate group the old nanny used to take her to.
I think it was on Tuesdays around ten. One of my friends takes her twin daughters there, so I’ll double check.
But it should be at the park just a few blocks away, if you want to take her there tomorrow. ”
“That sounds perfect.” I smiled, relieved since I’d been wondering how I’d keep a three-year-old entertained all week on my own. Knowing she already had a little social circle would give us both something to look forward to.
“All the emergency numbers are here.” Theo pointed to a paper stuck to the side of the fridge. “If you need anything from me, feel free to just text. If I’m in court or can’t answer right away, my secretary Linda’s number is there, too. She can usually help.”
“Sounds good,” I said, nodding.
He glanced around once more, then grabbed his keys from the hook. “Okay,” he said, exhaling as he grabbed his leather work bag from the counter. “I hope that’s everything.” He checked the time on his watch. “I better head out.”
I followed him to the front door.
“Thanks again, Nora.” He hesitated just long enough to meet my gaze again. “I really do appreciate you helping me out this week.”
“No problem,” I said. “I’m looking forward to it. It should be fun.”
“I’m glad you think so.” He gave a faint, tired smile.
Then after saying goodbye, he disappeared out the door to the garage.
The door clicked shut.
And just like that, I was alone with a three-year-old.