NORA
Theo slowed the car as we pulled up to a tall, sleek building in the heart of Manhattan on Saturday morning. Before I’d fully registered that we’d arrived at the building the Vanderbilts lived in, a man in a dark suit stepped forward, opening Theo’s door and then mine like he’d been waiting for us.
“Good morning, Mr. Archibald,” he said politely.
“Morning,” Theo replied easily, like having someone in a suit opening car doors for him was completely normal.
Which… after being part of the Vanderbilt family for so many years, it probably was.
I stepped out onto the sidewalk, smoothing my shorts as Theo handed his keys over to the valet before grabbing Charlotte from her car seat.
“I’ll just be a few minutes,” he said, glancing at me after grabbing her suitcase from the trunk.
There was a brief pause—like maybe he was deciding whether to invite me to go up with them.
But the last thing I needed was to follow him upstairs and have him explain why his daughter’s nanny was tagging along with him to the Hamptons, so I gestured to the lobby and quickly said, “I’ll just wait down here for you.”
No need to give his in-laws anything else to worry about if we could help it.
“Okay,” he said, something unreadable flickering across his expression for half a second. Then he gave a small nod. “I won’t be long.”
Taking Charlotte’s hand in his, they both headed inside, the doorman already pulling the door open for him.
I hesitated on the sidewalk for half a second. Then, deciding the humidity probably wouldn’t do my hair any favors, I stepped inside.
And I didn’t know what to expect from the building that the Vanderbilt’s penthouse was in but… the lobby was absolutely stunning.
All marble floors and soft lighting, with a large arrangement of fresh flowers sitting on a table in the center.
I hovered near the entrance for a second before moving toward the seating area off to the side with light-blue couches that looked like they belonged in a magazine.
“Good morning, miss,” the man behind the front desk said, giving me a polite nod.
“Good morning.” I smiled back, trying to look like I belonged there.
Like this wasn’t completely out of my element.
Because this… This was part of Theo’s world.
A part where people opened doors for you, parked your car, and remembered your name.
I tucked a loose piece of hair behind my ear, glancing toward the elevator he and Charlotte had disappeared into. And as I sat there, waiting for Theo to return, the last week replayed in my mind.
Things had been good.
Really good.
Sure, Theo and I had that small hiccup on Saturday morning when I’d gotten a little too in my head about the whole flower situation.
But then he’d told me he only saw Amanda as a friend, and since I didn’t actually like being dramatic and jealous, I decided the best thing I could do was believe him.
Since then, things had just been… nice.
I was still trying to figure out what living with Theo and Charlotte was supposed to look like, since I didn’t exactly have a packed social calendar these days. But even though Theo kept reminding me that I didn’t need to structure my life around a three-year-old, most nights I was there.
And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I’d never imagined that I’d be spending my evenings hanging out with a single dad and his daughter the summer after college, but the quieter lifestyle was actually really nice.
Wholesome and sweet and just kind of wonderful.
And the fact that I got to watch movies, play card games, or just sit and talk with Theo for an hour or two after Charlotte went to bed didn’t hurt, either.
A small smile tugged at my lips as I thought about the game of backgammon Theo and I had played on Thursday. It was a game I’d never played before, so Theo had patiently taught me how it went… right before absolutely destroying me.
Yep, that seemingly sweet father of a three-year-old was way more ruthless than I’d ever imagined, knocking my pieces to the bar at least ten times while full-on evil laughing.
Yep, apparently, sweet Daddy Theo did not go easy on beginners.
Which… I actually kind of loved.
Loved because it had been fun seeing that side of him.
The one where he let his walls down.
Relaxed and just had fun.
Which was definitely not helping the whole “crushing on my boss” situation.
Because the more time I spent with him, the more I liked him.
Which was probably stupid.
But also… kind of impossible to avoid.
Fifteen minutes later, the elevator dinged softly across the lobby. I lifted my head just in time to see Theo step out, his gaze sweeping the room before landing on me. And when he smiled, a light, fluttery feeling spread through me.
Because the way his eyes lit up, like he was happy I was here, felt way too good.
“Wanna grab lunch nearby before we hit the road again?” he asked as he walked over.
I pushed up from the chair, meeting his green-eyed gaze. “I’d love to.”