Page 77 of Nanny for the Single Dad Cowboy
“Hey?” My voice cracks on the word. I step off the porch, meeting him halfway. “You scared the hell out of me.”
He gives me a small, tired smile. “I’m sorry, darlin’.”
The apology undoes me. Tears spill before I can stop them, my hands reaching for him as if to confirm he’s real. He pulls me in without hesitation, one arm wrapping around my waist, the other cradling the back of my head.
“Shh,” he murmurs into my hair. “I’m okay.”
But he’s not. Up close, I can see it—the blood drying at his collarbone, the way his body trembles just slightly from adrenaline.
“You’re bleeding,” I whisper, pulling back to look at him properly.
“It’s not mine,” he lies. Badly.
I can’t stop the panic from spilling into my voice. “What happened? Are you okay? Oh my God, let me see!”
He holds up a hand, calm and steady despite the adrenaline still clinging to him. “Tess… It’s just a graze. Nothing serious.”
I stop, staring at him, disbelief and relief warring inside me. “You’re bleeding! You could have—“
“Relax,” he interrupts, a small, teasing smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I’m fine. Nothing worth stressing over. And yes, I know it looks dramatic.”
I exhale shakily, running a hand down my face. “You really know how to scare a woman.”
He steps closer, brushing his thumb across my cheek. “Only when I care about her.”
My hands hover uselessly, wanting to touch, to check, to fix everything. “You need to clean up. You—“
He presses a kiss to my forehead, cutting me off gently. “I will. In a minute. But you should call Sienna, give her the good news. Let her know it’s over.”
The words—it’s over—sink into me like sunlight through glass. My chest loosens for the first time in what feels like forever.
“It’s over?” I repeat, just to hear it again.
He nods. “He’s gone. You’re safe.”
Safe.
The word feels foreign on my tongue. But I want to believe it. I do believe it, because it’s Jace saying it.
I nod, swallowing hard. “Okay. I’ll call her.”
Daisy bounces excitedly beside him, tugging at his hand. “Daddy! You’re okay! I missed you!”
He kneels to her level, ruffling her hair. “I missed you, too, kiddo. Never thought I’d be happier to see your face.”
I watch them, chest swelling, heart both light and heavy. They’re safe. He’s safe. I let out a shaky breath and step back, letting Jace head toward the house, Daisy already chattering to her uncles about how brave they all are.
When I close the door behind me, I finally let out the breath I’ve been holding. My hands still shake as I pick up my phone, dialing Sienna with trembling fingers.
She answers on the first ring. “Tessa? Tell me they’re okay—“
“He’s fine. They all are,” I cut her off, tears spilling again as I press a hand to my mouth. “They are home. He’s fine, Si. It’s over.”
There’s a pause on the other end, then her laugh bursts out, relieved and triumphant. “Finally! I knew they’d get him. Oh my God, Tessa, you must be a wreck!”
I exhale slowly, tears prickling at the corners of my eyes. “I was. I still am. But they’re all okay. Jace got grazed, nothing serious, but the mission… it worked. It’s over.”
Sienna squeals a little, full of relief. “Yes! That’s what I wanted to hear. Thank God. I don’t even know what I’d do if—“
