Page 68 of The Billionaire's One-Night Stand Nanny
But I was thirty-six. A responsible adult, or so everyone told me. I chugged a glass of water, then another, then got a third for beside my bed. I didn’t need my head to hurt tomorrow. The pain in my heart was misery enough.
CHAPTER32
Flora
“Okay,friends, that’s all for today!” I called out over the sound of the bell and two dozen ten-year-olds shuffling papers and picking up conversations and arguments that had been dropped fifty-five minutes ago.
“Bye, Miss Connelly!” a girl squeaked.
“Bye, Olivia, see you tomorrow,” I said to her back as she ran out the door of the classroom and into the hall. “Walk, please!”
I was meeting my sister this afternoon. I’d been making an effort to see her more. Partially it was just to fill my time, but also, I wanted to spend that time on her. She was family, and she was the best friend I had besides Edie. I turned to my desk, gathering my papers, stacking them neatly before slipping them into a folder to take home with me. We wouldn’t stay long, it was a Thursday night, and she had to get up even earlier than I did tomorrow to get her pastries delivered to her clients before all of Midtown was clogged with grey-suited businessmen. She’d been right about the biscotti, and her business was doing well: she had a steady roster of offices she delivered to. Ryan’s was one of them. I’d put their logo on the website I helped her set up. I’d thought about clicking the button onhiscompany website, the one that said Leadership, just to see if his picture was there. I hadn’t. I saw enough of his face at school. Or his features, anyway.
Knock, knock.
As if summoned, they appeared in the doorway of the classroom. Warm, sparkling brown eyes and a soft smile.
“Hey, Maddie.”
“Hi, Miss Connelly,” she said, sneaking over the threshold. It had taken three months, but she was finally falling out of the habit of calling me by my first name. It was more appropriate for student and teacher, but it still sounded weird to me. Distant.
“Did you want to chat, or did you just drop by to say hello?” I asked, putting the folder back down on my desk. It hurt sometimes to look at Maddie and see Ryan’s face looking back at me, but I always,alwayshad time for her. We talked about books, mostly. The kids in her class, P.E., normal student stuff.
“I have to go,” she said today, “but I just wanted to let you know I wore the skirt we made to the party.”
I took a breath, blinking rapidly for a moment. “The engagement party,” I said, trying to keep my face from betraying my emotions. I hadn’t forgotten it. I hadn’t known the date, and the not knowing had nagged at me: had it already happened? Had Ryan brought the pretty, elegant blonde woman of my imagination who he’d taken on a date? After many miserable nights contemplating every part of it, I had convinced myself that he had. He would have asked her, of course–he wanted a date badly enough to consider takingme, thenanny–and she would have said yes. Who would ever consider saying no to someone as… toRyan Walker? No, they’d definitely gone to the party together.
Had he kissed her?
Had he taken her home?
Had he smiled at her, like he’d smiled at me?
“Yeah, and everyone loved it,” Maddie said, grinning.Right. The skirt.
“I’m sure they did,” I smiled. Everyone lovedMaddie. “I bet you looked beautiful, just like your mom.”
She nodded, looking down at her feet in a rare show of shyness. “Thanks, Miss Connelly,” she said. “That’s all. I just wanted to let you know. My mom is waiting for me, but have a good weekend if I don’t see you tomorrow!” She was halfway out the door when she skidded to a stop. “Oh, wait! Do you think you might want to come ice skating in the park with me and my dad this weekend?”
My heart broke a little, as it always did around her. “I’d love to, Maddie, but…”
She shrugged. “Maybe next time?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Maybe.”
She was already gone.
I grabbed my bag and my grading and headed out. It was cold outside, and I pulled my coat around me tighter. I’d have to start remembering my hat and gloves. The coffee shop my sister and I were meeting at was just around the corner from my school, since Hazel’s work kept her mostly in Manhattan now, and I was thankful for the cozy, coffee-scented warmth that enveloped me when I finally pushed through the door and into the tiny shop. I’d beaten my sister here; I looked over the display case of food as I waited in line, then placed my order. A vanilla latte for myself, a cappuccino for Flora…
“And a slice of spice cake,” I added impulsively. Hazel had sounded excited about something in her texts, and even if the cake here was probably not as good as hers, it felt nice to share a piece of cake when you were celebrating something. Or did I just want sugar after seeing Maddie? Either way, cake was cake.I can afford it,I thought, lifting my chin. My bank account was flush. The new job paid well.
Hazel arrived at the tiny two-top just after the coffee and cake, with rosy cheeks and a big smile.
“Flora!” she exclaimed as she took off her black knit gloves and shrugged out of her coat. “You didn’t have to buy my coffee. Unless you’re trying to bribe me to hang out with you more.”
“I’m notthatdesperate. To hang out with my little sister? Ugh.” I rolled my eyes at her, and she laughed.
“Good, because your bribe isn’t going to work. Here.” She pulled her phone from her pocket, tapping with her thumbs, then set it down on the table and looked up at me expectantly. “Check your phone.”
