Page 152 of The Nanny

One side of my mouth tilts up. “Did you know that no two lip imprints are the same?”

“That feels like one I’d want to test.”

I press up on my toes, closing my eyes as I brush my mouth against his. “I missed you too.”

“If you want to make it up to me,” he says as he pulls me closer, “move back in.”

I can’t even pretend that my heart doesn’t skip a beat as my lips curl in a grin. “Are you offering me another job?”

“No.” He shakes his head, leaning in so that his lips hover inches from mine. “I’m offering you my whole damned life, if you want it.”

Everything inside me lights up like a sparkler bomb going up in a flare, my skin tingling and my heart pounding and all of my senses going into overdrive in what I can only describe as pure happiness. I know there is more to talk about, more to say, but I think there will be time for that later. I think right now I can revel in the fact that we’re here, and that he still wants me—even after everything. Right now, that’s more than enough.

I pretend to consider this. “Will you be making pancakes?”

“I will not be making pancakes.”

“Hmm. Well, in that case...”

He smiles as he pulls me in for another kiss, and I melt into it,my heart doing a happy little dance as I feel that hole in my chest quietly close, like it was never even there. I realize then that it wasn’t so much of a hole, but a piece that was missing—and it was right here, with them, just waiting for me to pick it back up.

“Oh,” he murmurs, still half kissing me. “In case it wasn’t clear...” His lips press against the corner of my mouth, and I can feel his smile there, like it’s imprinted on my skin. “I love you too.”

I’m sinking into his kiss again, mentally calculating how long we can get away with making out downstairs before Sophie comes to scold us, and at that thought, I feel a mild flicker of panic. I push Aiden away, looking at him seriously. “We can never,evertell Sophie how we met.”

Aiden laughs, already pulling me in again. “Whatever you say, Cici.”

I’m sure that later we will have to figure out this whole kissing thing; I know that Sophie will insist on keeping it to a minimum, as is her way, but I think tonight we get a free pass. It’s not every day that you find love because of a booby cam. I think that warrants a few celebratory kisses. I can already hear the jokes Wanda will be making. There’s no way she willeverstop talking about this.

Strangely... I find I absolutely don’t mind.

I’ve refreshed the page a thousand times.

It sounds exaggerative, but it has to be true.

But my brain can’t seem to comprehend the idea of her just being... gone. Without a trace.

I mentally calculate the number of days between this one and when I last spoke to her—and it makes my chest hurt, realizing how many there’ve been. They’ve all blended together this last month, and with everything that’s happened...

I should have said something.

I could have said anything, anything to let her know I didn’t mean to stand her up.

But I didn’t, and now she’s gone.

I don’t even know her real name.

EPILOGUE

Aiden

ONE YEAR LATER

Stop refreshing,” I laugh. “It’s not going to change in five seconds.”

Cassie shoots me a look from the kitchen counter, an adorable pout at her mouth as she glances at the laptop screen again. “They said the results would be posted today.”

“Right, but we have no idea what time. You’re going to drive yourself crazy checking obsessively.” She brings her thumb to her mouth to bite at her nail anxiously, and I pat the couch beside me. “Come over here and sit with me.”

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