Page 25 of Nanny for the SEAL

Nausea crawls up the back of my throat, and I sigh. I hate thinking about this. I know that Daisy has a…“different” life than other kids, but I want her to feel normal, not like she needs special treatment.

“Ivy has been great with Daisy. Trust me. I made sure to watch them play and everything. Hell, Ivy’s the first person aside from me who’s been able to get Daisy to laugh.”

Amy stands up from the chair, walks over, and puts her hands on either side of my face. She’s always been a rather touchy-feely kind of person, and I try not to flinch at the contact.

“I just worry about you. After thatlastnanny, ugh! You could have both been really hurt thanks to her actions, and I don’t want to see either of you get hurt. Ever.”

Taking Amy’s hands and holding them between us, I smile, my brows going up as I try to make my words really sink into her brain.

“I know, Amy. I do. Everything is fine. It’s great even. It’s only been a few days, and already Daisy seems happier, and I’ve been able to work uninterrupted, which means I get done sooner. It’s a win-win.”

She still frowns, her nose crinkling as she pulls her hands away. I think she might actually give me some space, and she does step back, but not without straightening my already straight tie.

“Alright, whatever you say, Xade. But don’t say I didn’t warn you when something happens.” She turns back to face me as she stands near the door. “And you know that I’d be happy to take her with me and John any time.”

I can’t deny that she’s been more than helpful on the babysitting front, and I should probably cut Amy more slack. She’s a single parent, too, divorced, but still.

“Thanks, Amy. I’ll be sure to reach out more. We should take the kids somewhere soon.”

“We should!” She claps her hands together, then hikes her slim purse up higher on her shoulder. “Well, I need to get to the office, but I’ll text you. And remember, I’m a phone call away whenever you need to talk or have a night out.”

Forcing a grin, I nod, and Amy takes off.

I’m not sure why I always feel awkward around Amy since Maeve died, but I do. We’ve known each other for ages, but now…I don’t know.

It’s like whenever I’m alone with her, I feel like Amy is…flirting with me? No, I’m sure that’s all in my head. She was best friends with Maeve, and Amy isn’t like that.

“How’s it going in here? Did you want me to bring you some coffee?”

I’m shaken from my thoughts by Ivy’s voice, and I straighten up as I walk toward her, where she stands on the threshold of my office.

“No, thanks. I’m all good. I already had three cups.”

“Careful there, buddy. You’re going to be more jittery than a hampster on crack.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “Ha, how about a switch to water?”

Ivy nods, and I follow her out into the kitchen. When we get there, I head to the fridge to pull out a bottle of water while Ivy hangs back in the living room.

There’s a beat of silence, and when I turn around, I can see Ivy’s expression shift. She’s looking over the mantlepiece again—where the few pictures of Maeve sit—and her lips curl between her teeth.

“What is it?”

Ivy sighs. “I’m sorry, I just…who was that? She’s…quite the character.”

That forces out another laugh, and I join Ivy in front of the mantle, raking my eyes over the memories captured in photographs.

“That was Amy. She’s an old friend from college. She likes to drop in sometimes. She…she was very close friends with Maeve and me. When she passed,” my throat closes for a second, and I’m forced to swallow, “umm, Amy helped out a lot. She was there for me when I was dealing with the aftermath. She’s a single mom, so she understood a bit of what I was going through with Daisy because of her son, John.”

“Oh,” Ivy’s eyes go wide, that pretty green color lighting up as the sun hits them, “okay! That makes so much more sense now.”

I can see tension bleed from Ivy’s shoulders as she nods slightly.

“I saw her on the doorstep. She, umm, seemed confused about why I was there.”

Huffing out a breath through my nose as I consider my words, I wag my head from side to side. “Yeah, she didn’t know I hired you. She’s…protective. Amy was very upset that the previous hire stole from me.”

“As she should be, and it’s actually kind of sweet. She’s clearly a good friend. I’m glad you have someone who understands a bit of what you’re going through.”

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