Page 38 of Always Be Mine

“You’re saying that Lucy has a boyfriend and is bringing him around Meri?”

“What? Boyfriend?” The word hit him like a brick to the chest. He really did need to get a hold of himself. “I didn’t say that. I don’t know if he’s a boyfriend or not, I just…” He blew out a breath and inhaled slowly in an effort to calm himself.

“You like her.”

“I like her as ananny.She’s doing a great job with Meri.”

“You’re sure that’s all it is?”

No. He wasn’t sure. But Craig could very quickly see that it would be easier if that’s all it was.

“Yes,” he lied. “That’s all it is.”

Chase was silent for a moment, but finally he nodded. “That’s good. Because you don’t need it to get awkward when she moves in next week.”

“Next week?”

Again, his brother groaned. “Don’t tell me you forgot?” He held up his hand. “No. Don’t tell me that because I don’t want to know and it doesn’t matter. But Mya is moving in next week, so sort it.”

“Mya?”

“I don’t know what’s wrong with you, little brother, but you need to pull it together. I told you about Mya. She’s the chocolatier I hired. Part of the agreement was a place to live. Lucy needs to move out. You have a week to break it to her.” He shook his head. “Or maybe I should say, you have a week to wrap your head around it and be sure that things aren’t going to get awkward with your nanny because you can’t afford to lose her. You know that, right?”

Lose her?

She’d only been in their life for a week, but already Craig noticed the difference in Meri. She loved having Lucy around and the way she’d woken Meri up that morning…it was incredible. Never mind the meals she was cooking and the organization she’d already tackled in their home.

And her smile.

Her presence.

The way the energy changed when she was in the room.

No. He couldn’t lose her. Not when he was just starting to find her.

“I can’t lose her.”

He hadn’t realized he’d spoken aloud until Chase grabbed his arm and looked him dead in the eye. “Because you need to fulfill Dad’s requirements, Craig.That’swhy you can’t lose her.”

Shit.

“I know.” He shrugged off Craig’s touch. “Don’t worry. I know what’s important.”

He wouldn’t lose Lucy, because he was going to keep his feelings to himself.

A date probably might have been a better option than going back to her empty short-term rental on a Friday night.

Despite what she’d told Craig, the only date Lucy had arranged was cuddling on the couch with Garfield. And the moment she’d changed into her sweats, poured herself a glass of rosé, and the big orange tabby cuddled up in her lap, she knew she’d made the right decision.

Not that there’d been a lot of options on the table.

She’d only been in Trickle Creek for just over a week, and besides Craig, Meri, and their family, the only other people she’d met were Krysta and Kane.

For a split second, Lucy entertained the idea of calling Kane and taking him up on his offer for a drink. Ultimately, as much as she might like a little male attention, and despite her best friend’s theory that she needed to have some rebound sex to put Ross out of her mind once and for all, the idea just didn’t appeal.

At least not enough to convince her to get off the couch, get dressed, and put makeup on.

“It’s hard work looking after a five-year-old, Garfield.”

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