Page 75 of The Nanny and the Beefcake
Sebastian opened his eyes. “I put my energy into it. Could you feel it?”
She nodded, not sure what to say when a sharp knock on the window had her nearly jumping out of her seat. She turned toward the sound and spied a little girl with a hot dog headband and pink fairy wings fluttering in the breeze.
“Libby, you’re at the park,” Phoebe Gale announced. She jammed her finger against the window at Sebastian. “And who’s that?”
Oscar ran to the car and held up his Polaroid camera, framing a shot. “Hi, Libby! You’re in the Lamborghini car club, too. That’s awesome! And you’ve got a kid now.”
These two were a riot.
Penny and Charlotte joined the kids, and their attention bounced from the car to the child in the back. Her friends stared at her as if she’d arrived in an alien spacecraft while Oscar and Phoebe stared in the window at Sebastian like he was an exotic animal on display at the Denver Zoo.
“These people look a bit dodgy. Is it safe to exit the car?” Sebastian asked, his nose touching his side of the glass opposite Oscar.
She could feel the waves of anxiety coming off the kid. “Yes, these are the friends I told you about. They seem excited to meet you. But before we get out of the car, try this. It’s called a mudra.” She raised her hand and touched her index finger to her thumb. “This is called the gyan mudra. It helps you feel calm.”
Okay, that was a rudimentary description for the yoga practice that had been used for thousands of years, but she didn’t have time for a grand explanation.
Sebastian raised his hands like a mini-Buddha and copied the pose. “I feel better, Libby.”
“I’m glad, honey. Now, take a nice big breath and let it out slowly.”
The boy complied. “Am I doing yoga?”
“You are. How do you feel?”
Sebastian returned his attention to the children outside his window. “I feel better, but I’m still a little nervous.”
She smiled. “It’s okay to be nervous. Being a little nervous allows us to be brave. Are you ready to get out of the car? Are you ready to be brave with me?”
The child inhaled, then exhaled a slow breath like a seasoned yogi. “Yeah, I’m ready to be brave, Libby.”
They exited the car and were met by a barrage of hellos.
“Madelyn texted us. She said you were on the way here. Welcome to Team Lamborghini,” Penny teased as they embraced.
“We’re so happy to see you. You must be Sebastian Cress,” Charlotte added, pinning the boy with her emerald gaze.
Sebastian glanced around. “Can I hold your hand, Libby?” the boy asked.
Understandably, he was still a bit nervous.
She took his hand in hers, and the connection between them solidified. She spent more than half her life taking the twins by their usually sticky hands, but this was different. Instantly, she understood this was exactly where she was supposed to be.
Charlotte grinned at Sebastian. “I’m Charlotte Ames, and this is Penny Fennimore. And the kids are Phoebe Gale and Oscar Elliott.”
Phoebe and Oscar inspected Sebastian closely.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Phoebe. You, too, Oscar,” Sebastian said with a slight shake to his voice. He tucked his sketchbook under his arm as he reached out to shake Phoebe’s hand. But the little girl stood there, frozen in place.
“Phoebe, are you okay?” Penny asked.
Phoebe stared at Sebastian, wide-eyed. “Say that again, new kid,” she whispered.
“What would you like me to say?” the boy asked in his crisp British accent.
Phoebe gasped. “You sound like Harry Potter…and you sound like your dad. But more like Harry Potter. Are you a boy wizard?”
Sebastian looked himself over. “No, I’m just a boy.”
