Page 24 of Even Beneath the Stars

His grin widens and he pumps his sticky fist in the air. "Yes! Yes! Yesssss!"

"My fingers are ice cubes," Finn announces as we stumble into the Rockwell equivalent of a mudroom, tracking snow and slush everywhere.

"That’s because you refused to keep your mittens on, you little polar bear." I tug off his snow-caked boots.

"Mittens are for babies."

"Oh really? Then why do I wear them?"

"Because…" He scrunches his face. "Because you’re a girl."

I ruffle his damp curls. "Nice try, buddy."

We spent over two hours outside, and only came in because Finn’s lips were turning blue and I was losing feeling in my toes. After getting him settled with hot chocolate and a movie, I trudge upstairs to change, leaving damp footprints on the pristine marble.

Music drifts down the hallway. Xavier is home.

I pause outside his door, debating whether to knock and let him know about the cookies I put aside for him. My knuckles hit wood before second thoughts can kick in.

A beat of silence, then, "Who is it?"

"It’s Maggie."

Silence stretches out, broken only by muffled movement behind the door. My feet do an awkward dance, wet socks making gross squishing sounds on the hardwood. And just as I'm ready to bail and head to my room, the door creaks open a few inches. My words catch in my throat.

Xavier's frame fills the narrow gap, bare-chested in threadbare jeans riding south of decent. My gaze snaps north to his face after an embarrassing detour across those abs. His hair is messier than usual, like he's been running his hands through it, and his cheeks are flushed. Pretty sure mine are too now.

"I, uh, made cookies earlier. They're in the warming drawer if you want some."

Xavier's expression remains unreadable as he leans against the doorframe, one muscled shoulder pressing into the wood. "Great. Thanks."

I hate that even his casual slouch somehow manages to look graceful, all long lines and easy confidence.

A female voice floats from behind him. "Who is it, Xave?"

My eyes flick past his shoulder before I can stop myself.

Blonde. Gorgeous. Shirt…optional.

I drag my gaze back mid-eye-roll.

"Just Finn’s latest nanny," Xavier tosses over his shoulder.

"Latest? Wow. That much of a revolving door, huh?" Pretty sure he catches on that I'm not just referring to childcare here. I adjust my water-logged sweater. "Anyway, just wanted to let you know I made extra cookies. That's it. I'll let you get back to your... mid-afternoon pursuits."

Xavier's face doesn't even twitch. "Sounds good." The door clicks shut in my face. Everything about the past two minutes so predictably on brand.

I spend the rest of the day with Finn, determined to focus on the reason I'm here. We build an epic blanket fort, complete with cute little car fairylights thatcast rainbow shadows across our faces, and play Go Fish between rounds of practicing his letters.

"Can we have pizza for dinner?" Finn asks, coloring way outside the lines of his dinosaur picture.

"Sure, but you need to eat some veggies too."

"Brenda didn’t make me eat vegetables."

I shrug. "New nanny, new rules."

He watches me for a second with his big brown eyes. "Xavier lets me have pizzaandno vegetables. With chocolate milk."

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