Page 76 of The Nanny and the Beefcake
“Say that again,” Phoebe cooed. Little red hearts would have replaced her eyeballs if the child were a cartoon character.
“I’m just a boy?” Sebastian repeated, confusion marring his expression.
The little girl released a high-pitched squeal. “Say, hello, Phoebe, Princess of the Hot Dog Fairies, Bearer of Cookies, and Eater of Pizza.”
Sebastian sucked in a tight breath. “Um…”
Oscar came up alongside the flummoxed child. “You should just say it, Sebastian. She’ll keep asking you and asking you, and then you’ll think you’re ready to go nuts, and she’ll ask you again.”
Sebastian nodded. “Thanks, mate. What was it you wanted me to say, Phoebe?”
Phoebe looked ready to burst, but she held it together. “Hello, Phoebe, Princess of the Hot Dog Fairies, Bearer of Cookies, and Eater of Pizza.”
“Okay, here goes. Hello, Phoebe, Princess of the Hot Dog Fairies, Bearer of Cookies, and Eater of Pizza,” Sebastian repeated. “That’s quite a name!”
“I’m quite a woman,” Phoebe shot back, flicking one of her braids over her shoulder.
“Phoebe, why don’t you and Oscar show Sebastian around the park?” Penny suggested.
“We love this park. It’s got the best swings,” Phoebe chimed.
“I don’t have to call you by your title every time I want to talk to you, do I? You’re not American hot dog royalty, are you?” Sebastian asked with a crease to his brow.
Mischief twinkled in Phoebe’s eyes. “I sure am American hot dog royalty.”
“Sebastian, you can call her Phoebe, like we do,” Penny answered, biting back a grin.
Phoebe gave her soon-to-be Auntie Penny a dose of stink eye, then tapped her foot twice.
“Those taps better be foro-kay,” Penny chided, barely keeping it together.
Sebastian stared at Phoebe’s foot. “What do the taps mean?”
“Butt—” Phoebe began when Oscar wrapped his hand around her mouth.
“Yep, Phoebe was tapping outo-kay. Come on, Sebastian,” Oscar called, pulling the self-proclaimed pint-sized hot dog fairy princess along by one of her pink wings. “Phoebe and I can show you the swings and teach you how tap talking works.”
Sebastian looked down at his sketchbook. “Will you keep this safe for me, Libby?”
“Absolutely,” she answered, accepting the item.
Sebastian released her hand and ran off to play with Phoebe and Oscar. Libby watched the trio go, her heart bursting in her chest. Sebastian had pushed past his anxiety and embraced bravery. It was also reassuring to watch Phoebe and Oscar take to Sebastian so quickly. The boy stopped and spun around and waved to her. She waved back, then gave him a thumbs-up.
“Let’s grab a bench,” Char suggested.
Libby nodded, but not before staring at her hand and missing the warmth of Sebastian’s little fingers wrapped around hers. How could a little boy she’d known for less than an hour already own a piece of her heart?
They settled themselves on a bench not far from the play structure and looked on as Sebastian, Oscar, and Phoebe stood in a circle. Phoebe tapped while Oscar spoke, and a wide grin stretched across Sebastian’s face.
This is exactly what the boy needed.
“I adore that hot dog devouring tiny human,” Penny declared, shaking her head as Phoebe danced around the boys, tapping out God knows what.
“When Phoebe turns twenty-one, we’re taking her out for margaritas,” Char remarked.
“She’ll probably drink us under the table, then get arrested for hacking into the FBI database. She’s quite a little coder herself these days. She truly is Rowen’s niece.”
“Speaking of getting arrested,” Char said with a glint in her eyes. “How’s it going with Raz?”
