Page 15 of Adrift

Period.

End of story.

I reach out and gently pull Arman’s tight little fist and place a kiss on his hand, making him giggle. “It was good. Uneventful, I suppose. I was looking forward to seeing this little guy.”

“Come on in.” Darian locks the door behind me before gesturing to the large living room with a dark wood cathedral ceiling and a massive gray stone fireplace that spans almost an entire wall.

My gaze finds a few pictures of Darian and Sonia on the heavy wooden mantle before taking in the rest of the room. The decor is understated and cozy, with nautical highlights in blues and whites. I can’t help but wonder if my sister designed it or if it’s changed since her death.

Arman babbles around his teether, taking me out of my thoughts, and I turn to face Darian again. He seems to be watching my movements, tracing my face with his intense hawk-like gaze, like he did when I was in his office a couple of days ago. His face gives nothing away, but I catch the quick stroll his eyes take down to my lips and neck before lifting back up. His eyes seem to widen as if he’s surprised himself, as if he’s whispered a secret he shouldn’t have.

I clear my throat, hoping the heat over my chest and neck doesn’t rise to my cheeks. “This is a beautiful home. How long have you lived here?”

“Just about a year.”

My brows pinch. “A year?” I look around, noticing the chef’s kitchen with black marble countertops and maple kitchen cabinets. This house was meant to be a home for a growing family. “You mean–”

“Sonia never lived here.” Darian adjusts Arman in his arms. “We were actually in a slow process of moving into this house from our other one when her water broke. But after the funeral . . ..” He gives Arman a kiss on his temple, seeming to take a breath to cover his emotions. “It’s just been me and him. My mom occasionally spends the night in the guest bedroom, especially when I’m having a hectic week at work.”

I heave out a breath. “Wow. I had no idea.”

I can’t decide how I feel about not being able to have more insight into my sister’s personality through her decor. All I had to go by for the longest time–until Mom cleared it of everything representing Sonia–was her teenage bedroom. A part of me was hoping to find a little bit more of her here.

Darian gives me a tight smile before nodding to my roller bag. “Leave that here; I’ll come get it later. Let me show you around.”

As I start to follow him, Arman raises his hands toward me, asking me to hold him. I gasp with a smile. “You finally remember your Rani masee, little man? I bet you’re wondering if I’ll give you another sip of my Sprite–” I blanche at the sight of Darian’s eyes bulging out of his head. “Er, water,” I correct myself all too late as I lift my nephew out of Darian’s arms. “Another sip of my water.”

Shit, this nanny gig might be going belly-up before it even has a chance to start.

“Rani.” Darian’s voice is a warning, but I definitely notice the same twitch on his lips I’ve seen before. He can’t decide how concerned he should be, and I’ll take that as a win.

“Okay, so I gave him a sip of my Sprite when Karine brought him to see me last month. It was just once, and only because he kept trying to pull the can from my hands. I thought I’d just give him a taste. You’ll be happy to know, he didn’t even like it!”

I can feel myself revving up to babble. I know it because Darian’s unrelenting stare has turned the knob on my anxiety to the orange zone, and it’s what I do when I’m nervous. “But Darian, that was when I was just his cool auntie. I mean, I’m still his cool auntie, but now, I’m also his nanny, and I have strict principles as his nanny, as I do in life.”

“Strict principles . . .” Darian repeats as his dark eyes devour my building nervousness. The bastard seems to like making me squirm under his dark stare.

“Yup. I have strict principles in life. For example, I always wear pink on Mondays. Hence why I’m wearing this pink gingham button-down over my shorts.” I look down at said outfit in explanation. “It helps Mondays feel a little cheerier. I also wear glitter eyeshadow on Fridays because it brings a festive vibe to the weekend.”

“I see.”

“Yup. My face is my mood ring. It’s part of my principles to not make anyone guess what I’m thinking. My face will say it all if my mouth hasn’t said it already.”

Darian lifts his chin but melancholy highlights his features. “Your sister was the same way . . .. Her face had a language of its own.”

“I suppose we got that gift from our mother.”

Arman snuggles into my neck and I give him a kiss on his cheek, feeling a bit calmer before I address Darian again, “Anyway, I don’t want you to worry about this little guy, okay? He’s in good hands.”

Darian’s eyes linger on me for a long moment like he wants to say something. As if he wants to convey so much more with that one look, but then he thinks better of it and turns his head to the rest of the room. “Let’s start with the kitchen.”

We walk through the kitchen, with Darian pointing out where the cups and plates are before we walk through to the dining room. A full wall of windows behind the large, raw-wood dining table and elegant white chairs showcases a forest of pines and an expansive deck. The view is absolutely breathtaking.

“Wow, there can’t be anything better than having a cup of coffee in the morning with a view like this,” I state, my gaze lingering on the koi pond past the covered hot tub.

Darian nods. “Or a protein shake, yeah.”

I inhale sharply. Did he just say ‘protein shake’? Oh God, maybe I should have done some reverse questioning before I took on this job. It’s already unsettling enough to endure watching him be so fit and beautiful, but doing so without coffee? I might as well gouge my eyes out now.

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