Page 85 of Nanny and the Beast

I look at my oldest friend.

There’s only one thing in this entire world that gets under his skin. Her name is Gabrielle.

“You like to pick on me, but we have identical issues,” I say. “When was the last time you were in a relationship?”

“I love women,” he says. “I just haven’t found the right one yet.”

“Bullshit,” I say. “You had a string of girlfriends for most of your life. And then you met Gabrielle. Even though it’s been a decade, you haven’t been in a relationship since.”

The smug smile fades from his lips when I say her name out loud. He even loses interest in the packet of chocolate-covered almonds, which is something that never happens.

“She meant nothing to me then,” he says. “She means nothing to me now.”

His face turns sullen as he stares out of the window. Now, he’s the one who’s lost in his head.

I never knew Gabrielle in person. Alaric met her when I was deployed in Afghanistan. He hides behind a mischievous face and his friendly persona, but I know he hasn’t let go of that woman. It’s beenyears, but he still has feelings for her.

I’ve never seen him talk about another girl since.

“You still have it bad, huh?” I ask.

“I don’t want to talk about this,” he says, still not meeting my eye.

“What, you can dish it, but you can’t take it?” I ask, grinning at him.

He stands abruptly and walks away from me. He hides his face from me, but I catch the way his eyes glisten.

Whatever happened between Gabrielle and him might have been a long time ago, butthe wound is still raw. I rarely ask him about her, so I wasn’t aware that he was stillso hung up on her.

“Alaric, come back here,” I call out.

“I need to get some work done,” he says, locking himself in a private cabin.

“I think that’s the first time I heard you say that sentence.”

“Hilarious,” he calls out.

I want to ask him if he’s okay. If our roles were reversed, Alaric wouldn’t leave me alone.

I like to brush things under the rug and push unpleasant thoughts into a box in my head, but Alaric doesn’t operate like that. He’s in touch with his emotions. He lets himself feel things.

With a sigh, I stand and walk toward the private cabin.

“Open the door, Alaric,” I say. “Let’s talk about it.”

“I don’t want to talk,” he replies. “I’m working. I have so many emails to go through.”

“Okay, now I’m really worried,” I say.

“Go away, Klaus.”

I know from experience that it will take a little more coaxing.

“The flight attendant just gave me a box of chocolates,” I say. “It’ll be fun to try them together.”

The door clicks open. I walk inside the cabin.

“I lied about the chocolate,” I say.

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