Page 54 of The Nanny

“Okay.”

Sophie shakes her dad’s arm. “Can Aunt Iris come too?”

“Oh, I—” Aiden looks unsure. “I don’t know if she’d want to.” He shares a look with me, and again, I nod encouragingly. Aiden gives Sophie a thin smile. “I’ll call and ask if she would like to.”

Sophie is already chirping with excitement, her cereal forgotten as she asks me if she can go call Wanda and tell her about the trip. Aiden looks confused after I give her my cell phone and she runs off with it.

“I cannot stress enough how much she and Wanda hit it off.”

Aiden smiles. “Clearly.”

“They’re practically best friends now,” I joke. “I am being edged out as we speak.”

“I’m glad you took her,” he says. “That’s all she’s talked about this morning. It seems like she had a great time.”

“Wait till you meet Wanda,” I laugh. “You’ll get it.”

“Something to look forward to,” he notes. He looks worried then. “Is inviting Iris a terrible idea?”

I shrug. “Uncomfortable, maybe, but not terrible. It could be a good opportunity for you two to bury the hatchet.”

“Right,” he says absently, nodding. “You’re right.”

I take another bite of my cereal if only so I don’t have to look at him anymore, every second looking at his face meaning another few beats that my heart rate picks up. Was it this awkward before? Stupid question. Of course it was. It’s definitely more so now that I know he’s seen me naked though.

“I haven’t properly thanked you,” he goes on.

I peek up at him. “For what?”

“Just... for sticking it out with us. I mean, with Sophie, that is. She loves you.”

This part is easy, no anxiety attached to my feelings for the little girl. “I love her too. She’s such a great kid.”

Aiden nods, looking relieved. “I’m glad it was you that answered the ad.”

“Oh, well...” I swallow, feeling that familiar heat at the tips of my ears. “So am I. It’s been great.”

“We’re both lucky to have you, Cassie,” he goes on, making me flush further. “I hope you know that.”

He’s just happy you’re so good with his kid. Don’t get beside yourself.

“I... thank you,” I manage, hoping that my hair is at least covering my neck, which is growing warmer with every passing second. “Really.”

“I hope you’re still... happy here? You’ve seemed sort of quiet lately.”

Well, shit.

“Have I?”

“Maybe I’m reading too much into it,” he says, shrugging. “It feels like you’ve been... I don’t know. I thought maybe you were upset with me.”

“What?” This takes me by surprise. “I’m not upset with you.”

“Oh. It’s just that... it feels like you’ve been avoiding me since we talked.”

“I’m not upset,” I assure him. “I’ve just had a lot on my mind lately.”

Aiden frowns, something in his expression seeming like he wants to ask something more but can’t quite figure out how. There’s a wrinkle at his brow and a set to his mouth that doesn’t give me the slightest insight into what he’s thinking, and I worry in this moment that he somehow knows whatI’mthinking, that he can see right through my flimsy lies to the truth.

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