THE TRICKSTER MAKES A MATCH

BRIA QUINLAN

SUGAR SKULL BOOKS

The Trickster Makes a Match

A Nocturne Falls Universe Story

Copyright © 2017 by the Bria Quinlan

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from the author.

This book is a work of fiction and was made possible by a special agreement with Sugar Skull Books, but hasn’t been reviewed or edited by Kristen Painter. All characters, events, scenes, plots and associated elements appearing in the original Nocturne Falls series remain the exclusive copyrighted and/or trademarked property of Kristen Painter, Sugar Skull Books and their affiliates or licensors.

Any similarity to real person, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author or Sugar Skull Books.

Published in the United States of America.

CONTENTS

The Brew Ha Ha Books

Foreword

The Trickster Makes a Match

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Epilogue

Also by Bria Quinlan

About Bria

THE BREW HA HA BOOKS

The Last Single Girl

Worth the Fall

The Catching Kind

The Proposing Kind — COMING SOON!

FREE prequel short story: It’s In His Kiss

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FOREWORD

Dear Reader,

Nocturne Falls has become a magical place for so many people, myself included. Over and over I’ve heard from you that it’s a town you’d love to visit and even live in! I can tell you that writing the books is just as much fun for me.

With your enthusiasm for the series in mind – and your many requests for more books – the Nocturne Falls Universe was born. It’s a project near and dear to my heart, and one I am very excited about.

I hope these new, guest-authored books will entertain and delight you. And best of all, I hope they allow you to discover some great new authors! (And if you like this book, be sure to check out the rest of the Nocturne Falls Universe offerings.)

For more information about the Nocturne Falls Universe, visit http://kristenpainter.com/sugar-skull-books/

In the meantime, happy reading!

Kristen Painter

THE TRICKSTER MAKES A MATCH

Minx Marksman--daughter of a Supermodel and a famous Rocker--wants nothing more than a normal, crazy-free life. One more nannying gig will earn her enough to achieve her dream of small cottage on the coast. That last job brings her to Nocturne Falls where she’s surprised to find out it’s Halloween everyday.

Not so much on the normal, but high on the adorable.

Baby Gus and Uncle Hottie—aka Tim Johnson--seem to be a walk in the park at first. The flirty infant and the nerdy, glasses wearing cutie grab her heart from the start. She’s falling fast for both guys, but she can’t help but notice that some things aren’t quite what they seem...

CHAPTER ONE

MINX

The average American eats the bottom of a candy corn first.

The sign greeting me was unexpected, to say the least.

I slowed the car to make sure my eyes weren’t playing tricks on me, but no. I really was staring at a giant pumpkin that read: WELCOME TO NOCTURNE FALLS—WHERE EVERY DAY IS HALLOWEEN.

Huh. Okay.

My boss had said it was a tourist town, but I hadn’t thought about what kind. I guess I’d expected antiques or something not quite so…unique.

I liked Halloween as much as the next girl. I could roll with that for a vacation, but this was definitely not what I signed up for, no matter how super cute that Dionysus Flair jewelry shop I just drove by was.

Weaving through the small downtown area, I was flooded with holiday festiveness of the Halloween variety. I half expected to be dive bombed by bats wearing little capes and fake fangs declaring that they vant to drink my blood.

A reality check was needed, so I pulled out my spec sheet on the new family I was going to be nannying for:

Nocturne Falls, small tourist town

Baby, specific age unknown

Uncle in custody

Live-in situation, term unknown

Halloween, not mentioned.

And I thought those unknown things would be the odd parts.

Instead, black, orange, purple, and green came at me from every direction. Even this early in the day, people were wearing cat or devil ears. The stores all had festive decorations in their windows that were so clever I had to slow down. Even the streetlights got into the act with their metal cobwebs artistically woven onto them.

And the street names! Who wouldn’t want to live on Trick’or Terrorace?

The town itself was adorable and exactly what I’d pictured in small-town life—sans the Halloweeny stuff. I couldn’t help grinning as I came across cafés and bookstores, antique shops and hairdressers lining the downtown streets. Everything I’d been wanting in life—only with the unexpected and not super-welcome side dish of oddity.

My caffeine-finding GPS told me to hang a right, and I drove down yet another tourist-focused street called Black Cat Boulevard.

After more tourist-attracting storefronts, I pulled into a parking space just outside a coffee shop cleverly named The Hallowed Bean. Some extra pep wasn’t going to hurt my adjustment to small-Halloween-town living.

Inside was just as cute as outside. I was beginning to wonder if people here ever suffered from Adorable Overload. The barista added to the café’s look with painted little flowers climbing up her neck that looked so real I wanted to lean over the counter and smell her.

But, when she handed me my chocolate muffin with a candy corn sticking out of the top, it was the only thing I wanted to smell.

Okay, so not quite the normal I had in mind. But, as I backed out of my spot, I couldn’t help but think that the adorable quotient might make up for the slightly off-centeredness.

And, now that I’d gotten grounded in the local flavor, I could move on to the most normal part: the job.

CHAPTER TWO

MINX

The average size of new houses built is now over 2,500 square feet.

My phone rang, and I glanced down to make sure it wasn’t my boss with more details about the job. Hopefully not canceling, now that I was here.

But no. It was worse.

It was my mother.

I hit accept and braced myself.

“Darling! I’m so glad you answered!”

“Hi, Mom. I’m driving, so I might have to go.”

“Minx, really. Another nanny job?”

Well, that didn’t take long. I was going to have to talk to Mom’s new personal assistant about what “for emergency contact only” meant.

“Your father’s band is just wrapping up a tour, and he’s meeting me in Morocco for a cover shoot. You should join us! It’s going to be gorgeous there.”

“I’m sure it will be, but I’m actually starting today, so…” I faded out as if I were full of regret.

Of course, I failed miserably at every acting class she’d sent me to, so I doubt I was fooling her.

“Minx, really. You just got out of that horrible situation where you could have died—”

Improbable.

“—and now you’re just rushing off to the next job.”

“Mother, I took almost five months off since I finished the last job. I didn’t even have to be involved in the investigation. Everything is fine. I’m looking forward to this new job.”

“Well, maybe your father and I will come see you. Where did you say you were?”

“I hadn’t.” For reasons. “I’m in the foothills of Georgia.”

“Oh dear. Why?”

“Because that’s where the job is.” And for reasons that had everything to do with my parents’ lifestyles and my childhood. New York? Not for me. Lovely small towns in Georgia with no paparazzi and perfectly normal, everyday non-celebrity folks…also, no FBI-infiltrating cults? Sign me up!

“Well, I doubt your father would be up for that.”

READ: No way in the world are we going somewhere that doesn’t include haute couture runway stores and Starbucks.

“I’m sure we can get together after this job, if you guys aren’t on the road again.” Maybe. My GPS told me to turn through a huge stone archway that read Asgard’s Gate and led into a small neighborhood of perfectly manicured lawns and oversize houses. “I have to go. I’m almost there. Love to Dad!”

I hit disconnect before the arguments could begin.

Two streets over, I pulled up to the house and couldn’t help but scowl.

This was not what I’d expected. Maybe I should have known, seeing as it was a gated community, but I’d just assumed it would be a cute normal-size house. In my head, it was one of those Arts and Crafts bungalows I’d seen online that were so popular in this part of the state.

This was not that.

This was also not normal. I wasn’t even sure I could call it a house.

It was definitely drifting into mansion territory.

Even my last employer’s…ah, estate-cough-commune-cough had houses smaller than this.

I parked my car in the drive and tried to figure out what door to knock on. Figuring on the front, I made my way up the flagstone walk and lifted an odd knotted snake-shaped knocker.

The door flew open, all but bouncing off the inside wall, leaving a tall, frazzled man holding an infant in his arms. His glasses were askew and half in the baby’s mouth, along with his dark, floppy hair.

“Thank goodness you’re here.” He shoved the baby toward me, leaving me standing on the stoop with a squirming child in my arms. “I’m lost. This is beyond me. I’m just an uncle. I underestimated the ability of a small human to annihilate everything in its reach—and beyond. Also, I completely overestimated my ability to care for it. Nannies. Nannies everywhere are superheroes. I believe that now. Marvel needs to make a movie about you guys.”

“Oh, I’m not a nanny.” I looked down at the pudgy face smiling up at me as if it understood the rantings of the floppy-haired man and took joy in the chaos it was causing.

“What?” I glanced up at the man again, taking in more than his panic this time.

He was tall and on the lean side—not quite skinny. His dark hair was a little overlong, falling into his eyes and curling at his collar in a way that said I need a haircut, not I’m a rebel with long hair.

But, it was the deep brown eyes behind slightly crooked glasses that made me smile. This guy was the exact opposite of every quasi-celebrity, sly power broker, or security guard I’d been dealing with for the last six years.

“I’m kidding.” I bounced the gurgling package on my hip, letting him play with the ends of my hair, not surprised when he tried to stick them in his mouth. “I’m Minx. I’m here to help.”

“Minx, as you are one, or that’s your name?”

“You’re in luck,” I said with a wink, as I took a step toward him, forcing him back into the house. “Because the answer is, both.”

“Oh, sorry.” He stepped back farther and waved a hand toward the foyer. “Come on in. I’m Tim. Johnson. Tim Johnson.”

Tim. That was a nice, normal name.

I liked it.

“It’s nice to meet you, Tim. I’m sure we’re going to be fine once we figure this all out.” I glanced down at the bigger-than-a-baby-not-quite-toddler bundle in my arms and smiled at him. He looked back up at me, sparkly blue eyes shining. “Why don’t we go sit down, talk through what you think you need, and we’ll go from there?”

Tim ran a hand through his hair again, ruffling it into an even messier mop.

“That sounds great.” He motioned to follow him. “There’s a sitting room in the back of the house that my sister had been using as a family room. All of Gus’s play stuff is there.”

I followed him down a long oak panel-lined hall to the back of the house. The sitting room was lovely with a window-lined wall at the far end that had French doors leading out to a large grass area walled off by tall shrubs. The room itself was comfortable with overstuffed couches and chairs, a fireplace along the inside wall, and an abundance of toys, a baby swing, and a playpen taking up about a fourth of the room.

I sat in one of the chairs, bouncing my new charge on my knee as I watched Tim drop into the one across from me, then spring back up. With another scowl, he pulled a plastic octopus from the cushion that neither of us had noticed before.

He set the toy aside, giving the little bundle in my arms a hard look as he lowered himself back down. It looked like he was going to accuse the smaller Johnson of something before he shook it off.

“So, this is Gus,” I said, smiling down at the baby, excited to have only one little person under my thumb. And no cult robes involved at all!

“Yes.” Tim leaned back, watching me with Gus. “Have you worked with children this young before?”

No nonsense. That was…refreshing.

“I have.” I ran through my credentials while I bounced Gus to keep his attention on not eating my hair or throwing a stranger-induced crying binge.

“That all sounds great.” Tim smiled for the first time since I’d arrived, the heavy, overwhelmed lines between his eyes smoothing just a tad, making him look closer to the early thirties I assumed he was. “I’m sure the agency told you I’m Gus’s uncle. His mom—my sister—is…flighty is a good word. I love her. I mean, I really love her, adore her even. But this was a surprise even for me.”

“Gus was a surprise?” It wasn’t unheard of for families not to be close, but to suddenly be the caretaker of a baby you didn’t know about had to be jarring. No wonder Tim was struggling to adjust.

“Well, yes. But I’d meant her handing him off to me and taking off was the surprise.”

That wasn’t winning Willow any sympathy, but still.

“Is there anything about this situation that will help me help you with Gus?”

“Wow, you’re better than a bartender.” He laughed, and I felt Gus shift toward the sound. “I don’t want you to think Willow was freeloading off me or anything. She never asked for anything.” He grinned, almost to himself. “She’s a hard worker when she has to work. She’d get a job, save enough to hit the road again, and be on her way.”

“First question: Your sister’s name is Willow?” Because Tim and Willow just did not jive.

He laughed and pushed his glasses up his nose again. “She’s actually my half sister. Our father was a little bit of a free spirit himself when it came to monogamy, if you know what I mean.”

“Oh, okay.” I guess that made more sense. “Is that what happened? She needed to hit the road and left her baby with you?” I was trying to keep the judgment out of my question. It wasn’t my place, but knowing what was going on would help me make the time Gus was with Tim the best it could be.

“No, actually.” Tim gave me another of those sweet smiles. “Although, I can see where you might get that idea. But, no. Willow was devoted to Gus when I got here. Confused, frustrated, lost, but she loved him…like one might love a puppy. Let me back up. Willow has always been great at finding a good reason to do exactly what Willow wants to do. I’m afraid this is no different.”

He stood and paced in front of the windows overlooking the back lawn.

“Willow called me last week and said she needed to see me. I was surprised she was in Georgia. She typically avoided the state like it was a prison she’d made a break from. But I agreed to come for a night.” He chuckled. “You never knew if she was going to show up in her own car or a limo…or hitchhiking. We hadn’t seen each other in person for over a year.”

“Thus, Gus being a surprise?” The idea of not knowing what was going on with my family was so foreign I couldn’t imagine.

Of course, half the time I found out from TMZ, but still.

“You can imagine my shock when I pulled in. I thought maybe she worked here, so I went to the side door and knocked. And knocked. And knocked. I finally went around front and rang the bell, and she answered the door with a baby in her arms. My first thought was, who gave her a baby?”

I laughed. As a nanny, I had that thought fairly often.

“But then I found out this was my nephew, and I just…” The look he gave Gus let me know that even with the scowl he’d had before, Tim was madly in love with this child. “We visited for a while; then Willow told me something was wrong with him. I was ready to drive her down to Atlanta that night.”

I could feel him building up his patience for the rest.

“So, Willow told me she needed his father ‘to fix this.’ I’m not even sure what’s wrong. I offered to hire someone to find the guy. That seemed like the smartest plan. If Gus had some kind of an illness, we should find this guy right away, I told her. She told me we could talk about it over breakfast. The next morning, I got up and she’d left me a note taped to the baby monitor in my bedroom that woke me up.”

“She just left you guys here?”

“Yup.” He shrugged, like this was to be expected. “It’s been five days, and I’m already at my wit’s end. I only had an overnight bag. I also need to get back to work but don’t feel like I can bring Gus with me to the office. Also, car seats seem to be miniature torture devices. Every time I put him in one, it’s a battle royale.”

I nodded in sympathy. They were a killer if you weren’t used to them.

“How long-term should we be planning for?” Because, this job could put me to the start-looking-for-my-cottage zone of savings, and I could move into Sanity Land.

“I don’t know. But I can’t see her just disappearing for years. She could be back tomorrow.” Tim gave me a weak smile, still apparently in shock that he was in charge of Gus. “But I need to be able to work. And that includes being in the office several days a week. An experienced nanny with your background was the only thing that made sense.”

Yup. Totally made sense.

“So, what else do you need to make this work?” Because an uncle taking over as a parent was going to be a big adjustment. “You have this job you have to get back to in Atlanta?” I prompted.

“Yes.” He nodded, almost visually putting himself back on track. “I mean, it’s the type of job that I can do better there, but for a lot of it I just need a desk and a computer.”

“What exactly is it you do?” Because, if I understood the client, I’d understand his needs for support. And I was trying to think of jobs that didn’t involve agents and managers and PR people and security and whatever strange addition came with the type of celebrity different people chased after.

He shrugged. “I’m the numbers guy.”

I looked at him, a small smile fighting to break out. Tim—cute, geeky, glasses-wearing needs-a-trim Tim—was an accountant?

How hot was that? I all but fanned myself. The guy used his brain and worked with numbers and held down a job long enough to be necessary in his office.

“That’s so cool.”

“Really?” Tim looked at me as if I might be a little nuts.

“Oh, yeah. Definitely.” I tried to dim my smile a bit. I didn’t want to be a stalker for hire. But really. He was too adorable for words. “I mean—”

I looked down to see what was suddenly stopping the cooing I’d grown accustomed to. Gus had a shiny men’s watch stuck in his mouth, a gurgle sliding around it with a fair amount of drool.

“No. That’s yucky. Yucky,” I said as I pulled it away from him. I wiped it on the baby towel draped over the side of the chair and tried to moderate my tone for the adult lecture part of this situation. “Tim, he can’t be allowed to play with things like this. It has tiny parts he can swallow, and watches, keys, phones—well, they’re germy.”

“I—” Tim glanced down at his own wrist, then scowled at Gus as if he’d been set up. “I didn’t give it to him. He’s a Houdini. Every time I think I’ve got things nailed down, he has them in his mouth. Germy is bad. I’ve been trying to keep him germ-free, but he’s a magnet.”

I smiled at him. New parents were bad enough, but an uncle? Poor guy.

“You’ll get used to it. I’m just glad you didn’t give it to him. Remember, tiny pieces are deadly.”

“Right.” He nodded and ran his hand through his hair, leaving it standing on end. “No tiny pieces.”

Tim stood, obviously trying to shake off the watch situation as I handed it back to him, drool and all.

I sat, Gus on my lap, looking up at the adorably befuddling accountant before me, thinking that he was the absolutely best thing I’d seen in forever. I kind of loved that his hair didn’t fall magically back into place like every over-coiffed guy I’d worked for before.

“You don’t have any tattoos, do you?” I asked before I had time to stop myself.

“Um, no.” Tim’s attention came back to me before I could make a run for it. “Do you?”

“Oh, well…yes.” I bounced Gus and tried to look like that was totally typical conversation to be having with your new boss.

“Oh. Okay.” His gaze locked on me as if he was suddenly trying to piece a puzzle together. But, without Google and some fancy Google-fu, I was a puzzle with a few pieces missing.

“Why don’t you show me Gus’s room, then mine, and I’ll unpack and start making a plan for the week.” I rose, giving him my most reassuring nanny smile. “You can figure out your work schedule and get your contact information for me to put on the fridge, and we’ll see what’s what.”

“Right. What’s what.”

Tim turned and headed toward the door. I was woman enough to admit my gaze might have dropped to check out the rearview of those khakis as he went. And, I was even more surprised to find that I liked what I saw. He may be an accountant, but he was definitely carrying around a nice, tight behind behind him.

I squelched that grin I felt coming on. This was a job. He was my boss.

Tim seemed far too decent a guy to make a move on the nanny—even if she wanted him to. Which, again. Job.

As I bounced Gus on my hip and headed up the winding staircase Tim motioned to, that was going to have to be okay. Normal meant playing by the rules, and I was really looking forward to a world where rules ruled.

CHAPTER THREE

TIM

Tim’s first thought when he opened the door had been, Thank goodness the nanny’s here.

His second thought had been, When did nannies get so hot?

Minx, a name he was having a bit of trouble adjusting to since she looked more like a Delilah or Jasmine, had swept in, teased him out of his bad mood, taken Gus, and was already getting their lives in order.

He glanced at the baby. That kid was more than a Houdini. He was a safecracker, jail breaker, pickpocket, and potential blackmailer all rolled into one. Tim wouldn’t rule out that he hadn’t seen a toy levitate its way across the room earlier…and right into Gus’s mouth. No matter what Tim did to try to keep things out of his mouth, they magically appeared there. It was like the little guy had magnets on the tips of his fingers. And the germs.

Oh man, now he could only think of all the germs he'd let get inside his little nephew.

This uncling thing was no joke. How parents did it 24/7 for eighteen-plus years was beyond him.

He was just glad the kid wasn’t on two feet yet—although, the way he crawled, Tim should probably get him a cape. The baby could go from zero to Mach 6 in under two seconds. One second he’s there, the next…not so much.

POOF. Disappearing baby. Crawling faster than the speed of uncles everywhere.

Tim felt himself take a huge breath as he followed Minx up the stairs, trying very hard not to study her very nice rear end as he did. It was just as neat and compact as she was. He was betting some nice squats went into the shaping of that rear. He glanced up at where Gus peeked over her shoulder, giving him a look that said, I see you checking out the nanny. Back off, bud. She’s mine.

Lucky Gus.

Minx had been pretty much the opposite of what he’d expected. He’d seen both Mary Poppins and Mrs. Doubtfire. He expected something closer to one of those. He’d also experienced nannies at their worst, so the fact that she was kind and professional was a plus. He’d had to give himself a pep talk before she’d arrived that no matter how hard it was, if she was a fruitcake or in any way harsh with Gus, she was out.

They’d go back to man-caving it while he figured out how to raise a baby until Willow got herself together.

But instead, he’d opened the door to a cute little power package of a whirlwind who swept in and set up shop—no funny business…except that tattoo thing.

“And you and I are going to be fast friends, aren’t we, Gus?” she went on above him, a constant stream of chatter that kept Gus burbling at her while Tim focused on more important things.

Like where her tattoo was? What type of tattoo would a girl named Minx have? He considered something with a strong motif, like a phoenix from the ashes potential. She didn’t seem like she’d be on to just get a little butterfly and call it good. It would have to be something memorable and important. He scanned the hem of her T-shirt, waiting for it to lift a bit so he could check for tattoos on her lower back.

“So—” Minx stopped at the top of the stairs, obviously unsure which direction to head.

“Um, yeah. This way.” Tim nodded his head toward Gus’s room and gave himself a good shake to get rid of the nonsense he was building in his mind. It was time to get in the game and leave the nanny to do her job.

Gus deserved to have a woman who was totally focused on him and who would keep him safe, happy, and healthy.

And Tim was going to make sure he got that.

CHAPTER FOUR

MINX

In the average household, the majority of slip-and-fall injuries are women.

Gus’s room was not what I would have called the dream nursery.

Sure, it had everything it needed, but it obviously wasn’t put together months in advance with love and excitement. It made me wonder just how long he and Willow lived here before she took off to find his daddy.

“This is Gus’s room.” Tim stood in the door as I walked around, checking it for safety, security, and ease.

It had everything, it just felt—not specific. Like it could have been for any baby ever.

“There’s a closet there.” Tim pointed to a door in the corner, then to one on the other side. “And that is to a shared bathroom. Your room is on the other side. I doubt there’ll be a lot of arguments over shower time. Gus is pretty easygoing about that kind of thing.”

I turned and smiled at Tim, surprised when he all but stepped back.

“Wow, it wasn’t that funny.”

I think I was going to like accountant humor. No need to feel like at any minute someone was going to puke or be sexually assaulted or flash a body part I didn’t want to see.

“You wouldn’t believe the things my former clients passed off as humor.”

“Oh, well. I’m glad the bar is low.” He gave me that sweet grin, and I couldn’t help but stand there and smile back, completely dumbstruck by his mix of friendliness and that very fine behind. “Do you want to check out your room?”

He pushed the bathroom door open, and I froze.

It was gorgeous. Typically something left for the client. A walk-in shower with a waterfall system and a jet soaking tub. It all looked out over a lovely garden, with no other windows facing it.

“This is your bathroom. And,” he swung the far door open, “this is your room.”

I followed him through to the loveliest room I’d ever had.

It was all in shades of pale green, with a forest motif. The bed was a queen and sat high, snug in the middle of the space with so many pillows decorating it, I wanted to hand Gus over and nosedive into the coziness.

I walked through the room, trying not to touch everything, but was so ridiculously giddy over all this space for just me. This plush, beautiful feminine space that wasn’t a hotel room or a small square of a cubicle room in an attic or over a garage.

“Is it okay?” Tim asked, sounding a bit worried.

I turned, flashing him what I was sure was one of my happiest smiles. “It’s perfect. I love it.”

“Oh. Good.” He stuck his hands in his pockets and looked around, obviously a bit confused about what I loved so much. “I’ll help you bring your stuff in, and you can get settled.”

“Actually,” I tried not to blush. I didn’t want Tim to realize how insane my life had been but figured being upfront was probably best. “Right now, that’s all I have.”

“Just that duffel bag?” He nodded, looking a little panicked.

I nodded, realizing that was an odd way to show up for a long-term gig.

“I’m not planning on taking off on you or anything,” I rushed to assure him as I sat down on the bed and let Gus roll back and forth, sticking his little baby feet in his mouth, to his ever-loving joy. “My last job ended suddenly when my boss was…um, fired”—READ: taken in by the FBI— “and my clothes haven’t been sent on yet.”

“They just let you go and kept your clothes?” This seemed shocking to him, as if it wasn’t an everyday occurrence in nannyland.

“Gigs sometimes end suddenly.” I shrugged. Because, what was I going to say?

I just lost my job because I’d been taking care of the child of a religious sect that had been declared a cult but hadn’t left because I feared for the child’s safety and sanity?

Yeah.

No.

He frowned down at the carpet, as if it had something to say about this. Finally, he looked up to where I was sitting, one finger grasped by Gus’s little hand, and nodded. “We need to get you some things. You can’t just live out of that duffel.”

He headed toward the door purposefully and turned back. “Grab whatever it is we need to make this a baby-friendly trip, and we’ll head to the store.”

I watched him stalk out of the room, obviously on a mission, and couldn’t help but smile. I really liked his take-charge attitude.

Of course, if he wasn’t already prepared for outings, he had no idea what a baby trip could be like. I picked Gus up and headed back into his room to get his go-gear ready. I slid a little hat and jacket on him, found some matching shoes, and headed for the stairway, baby bag in hand.

At the door, Tim was wrestling with the pop-out carriage attachment that became a car seat—when done correctly, that is. When it flung itself open, Tim hopped back as Gus cheered him on.

“I’ve been afraid to go anywhere since my last run-in with the car seat.” He shrugged, looking a bit sheepish. “I’m not sure how to get the carriage thing to work with the car seat thing.”

“Not a problem. That’s what I’m here for.” I looked at the stroller and the car seat and did some quick math. “Why don’t we set it up in my car then since he’ll most likely be riding with me usually?”

“Oh. Right. Good.” Tim nodded and stood there, looking even more confused.

“Soooo…you can go get the base out of your car and bring it around front?” I assumed his car was in the garage since I hadn’t seen it in the drive.

“Right. Yes.” He turned to run and get it and tripped over the baby bag.

As he did, diapers and bottles flew everywhere, cushioning his landing—or maybe making it that much more excruciating.

“Oh my gosh!” I rushed through the front door, hoping I hadn’t already killed him by accident. “Tim, I’m so sorry.”

I bent over, letting Gus sit on the floor as I checked the bump where I feared Tim had hit his head on the banister. Gus sat, watching us as if he knew this was not the time to be playing around. But, as I glanced his way, he didn’t cry or get upset. It was surprising how calm he was since I’d reacted so extremely.

“I’m so sorry,” I said again as Tim sat up. “It’s not like me to leave things in the way. I could have sworn I tucked that against the wall when I set it down.”

I couldn’t believe I’d just almost killed my new boss. This was a disaster. I was going to be sent packing before I had anything to pack. And, it wasn’t like me. I was used to walking unfamiliar halls with a kid in my arms. Everything got tucked out of the way.

I stuffed everything back in the bag and set it aside before picking Gus back up.

“It’s okay.” He smiled. “I’m not known for my grace.”

“Oh.” I sat back on my heels, a hand slipping to Gus’s back where he rocked, watching us. “Are you sure?”

I waited for the tantrum—the adult one. But Tim just sat up and rubbed his forehead.

“Yup. We better head out, before I accidentally kill myself.” He gave me a grin and picked Gus up, leaving me free to hoist myself off the ground. “Good thing you’re driving, right?”

He handed me the baby and turned to head toward the back of the house where the garage door was—when he went right over the bag again.

Tim lay sprawled on the floor, glaring at the bag.

I stared at it, then him, completely horrified. “I put that aside. I’m sure I did. I’m so sorry.”

Gus started giggling and clapping his hands as if this was the most fun ever.

Tim did not look like he was having quite as much fun. He waved me off when he went to get up. “Don’t come any closer. I might accidentally kill us all.”

I stood, still waiting for the emotional fallout.

Tim stood, picking up the bag and slinging it over his shoulder. “I’m not letting this thing out of my sight.”

And with that, he turned and walked away.

When I realized that was the end of that, that there wasn’t going to be any big reprimand, I headed out to the car.

I had to be getting flustered by the hot accountantness that was my new boss. It wasn’t like me to leave a bag in the middle of the hall—not once, but twice.

“What do you think of that, Gus? He seems pretty cool, huh?”

Gus gurgled his agreement, smiling around the fist in his mouth.

“Right?” I left the stroller and jiggled Gus to keep his attention. “I mean, he totally could have been screaming at us still. But he just laughed it off.”

I opened the trunk so we could stick the stroller in so it would be ready to go.

I leaned in and whispered to Gus, “That’s so hot, right?”

I mean, the whole good guy thing? Who knew it was fan-yourself worthy?

Tim came jogging around the side of the house, the base of the car seat in hand.

“I hope you know how to install this,” he joked as he opened the back door. “I tried contacting a friend at NASA, but he said the specs weren’t clear enough for him.”

I handed him the baby and snapped the seat base in, locking it in place before adding the seat.

“Okay, slide him on in.” I turned around to find Tim holding Gus out and away from him with his hand under each of his little tiny arms.

Gus looked amused and oddly patient.

“Um, Tim. That’s not really how you hold a baby.” I smiled at him, trying to be reassuring.

“I figured that, but I’ve got a good grip on him this way. No accidents or anything.”

“Right.” I nodded, because that was a valid point in a guy kind of way. “But, you want to hold him so he’s more comfortable. Also, your arms are going to get tired.”

“Oh.” Tim looked down at Gus like he wanted to make sure he was happy and wasn’t really sure what to do about it.

“Try holding him like you would have carried your books in high school.”

This was the advice I’d been given when I was young, and it always seemed to work.

Well, always—until today.

Tim looked down at Gus, an edge of concentration on his face, and tucked him under his arm. Gus seemed to think this was all the rage, because he swung his little fists into Tim’s stomach as if he were banging on a drum.

“Okay, so maybe not like that.” I reached out, now afraid of dropping Gus since the subject had been raised, and pulled him up and into my arms. I cradled him—like books in my world—and realized he was going to be too big to carry like that long for Tim. “See, like this.” I held him up against my body and turned so he and Tim could get a look at each other over my shoulder. “He’s comfy. I’m comfy. No one is getting dropped. He’s easy to shift.” I moved him from one shoulder to the other. “And to tuck into his seat or stroller.” I turned and lowered him into his seat. “Plus, I always have his head protected. There’s very little chance that I’ll turn and walk him into something when he’s tucked up against me like this.”

“Right. No head injuries.” Tim looked as if he wanted to start taking notes.

“It’s going to be okay. You’ve got a nanny now and we’re a team.”

I buckled Gus in, checking and double-checking everything before making my way around to the driver’s side.

Tim hopped in, obviously not bothered at all to be letting a girl drive. No false machismo there.

“There’s an everything mercantile downtown.”

I headed that way, adjusting my mirror so I could see behind me and Gus. The radio played a song lightly in the background, and he kicked his little booty-covered feet to the rhythm.

“You didn’t have to come with us,” I finally said when it dawned on me.

It had just seemed so natural for Tim to help me load the baby into the car and head off to do some errands. So normal and everyday—so something I could not let myself get used to.

“Did you know the average American spends thirty-two thousand hours running errands?” I blurted out, falling back on old habits.

I was about to apologize for my weird non sequitur when there was a low huh from beside me.

“No. I did not know that.” Tim shifted in his seat so he could look at me. “But I’m not surprised. I mean, if you figure we spend one-third of our lives sleeping, errands seem like another low-productivity thing that would suck up time.”

“Yup, and average sleep even varies by day.” Because my first statement hadn’t sounded nerdy enough. “The average American sleeps the least on Fridays and the most on Sundays.”

This was, by far, my weirdest obsession.

It had begun when I was eight and realized that—because of who my parents were—I would never get to be an average American.

Well, not without hard work and research.

Lots of statistical research.

“Really? Talk about the weekend throwing off your sleep patterns.” Tim sounded genuinely intrigued. “I’m going to have to time myself and see if I can guess.”

I dropped my shoulder a bit, letting my hair slip down between us, because I was pretty sure my grin was way too goofy.

No one else had ever appreciated my average person facts.

We got to the gate, and he gave me directions of how to get in and out, where the sidewalk gates were, how to get to town, all as he pointed me back toward the highway where we’d find some type of general shopping plaza.

“Did you know that the iPhone is faster than the fastest computer built in 1985 with brand-new technology?” he asked.

“Really?” I knew they were fast, but that seemed incredible. “What type of computer?”

“It was called the Cray-2 Supercomputer.”

“Cool.”

Tim grinned at me, then went on to tell me average facts about technology. Some of them were definitely worth storing away for future pondering.

As his GPS told us we were nearing our destination, Tim pointed to the sign ahead, and I switched lanes to pull into a small parking lot. To get into it, we had to drive through a set of gates that looked straight out of a Transylvania vampire film.

“I just realized I didn’t take stock of what Gus needs.” I was already a nanny failure, day one! Tim was going to send me packing back to a crazy place where I had security guards run out to get that stuff and hating me for it.

This normal living wasn’t such a piece of cake.

“No problem. I downloaded a checklist the other night, and I’ve been tracking how much we go through on any given day and the brands we need. Check it out.” He showed me an app with Everything Gus as the file title.

How cute was that?

“And,” Tim went on, “I can even calculate how much we need to buy for a week based on past experiences in usage.”

I think I loved numbers.

Okay, maybe I didn’t want to be the one with the numbers, but I really loved to listen to Tim talk about numbers.

The Bottomless Cauldron seemed to be the one-stop shopping for the small town. It was clear they had everything a Target might have…on a much smaller scale. I only need a couple of days’ worth of play clothes, so everything should be easy peasy.

I hopped out, ready to run in and run out, but Tim was already preparing for a cross-country mission, it looked like.

He’d taken the Tim-assaulting baby bag over one shoulder as I ejected the car seat and switched it to carrier mode. Before I could even get it situated, Tim was reaching for it. “I’ll take him, right, buddy?”

Gus gurgled his approval, obviously considering a trip to the store a guys’ thing.

We headed toward the door, Tim watching everything with an awareness that made me wonder if he was ready to dive in front of a car for his nephew.

Inside, he grabbed a cart and glanced around before attempting to settle the carrier into the specially-made carriage. When he was done, I double-checked it because…NASA.

We stepped into the store, leaving the moderate normalness of the foyer behind, and into Halloween Heaven.

The front of the store was festooned in all things Halloweeny. Mostly small things like candy, basic decorations, cat ears, and Hobbit feet—the list went on. Everywhere I looked was a quick and dirty guide to celebrating the holiday.

“This is…” Tim glanced around while Gus craned his neck to try to see what Tim was seeing. “This is something else.”

“Yup.”

“Like, you couldn’t make this stuff up.”

“Right?” I said, trying to figure out if we’d find anything not orange and black. I could just picture Gus wearing jack-o’-lantern-covered diapers for the next however long.

And then I remembered we were here to get me clothing. A rush of holiday fear streaked through my body.

Before I could ask if there was a Target nearby, Tim was in action again.

“Okay, I’ll take Gus over to get all the baby stuff Everything Gus suggests we need, while you’re on making sure you have clothes for a while.” He tapped the app and brought up his list.

I looked at his mega list of baby must-haves and figured that, one, he didn’t need all that, and two, I’d be done way before him.

But, he was tapping away at his app, happily maximizing his numbers, so I just smiled and headed over toward the women’s section.

I searched for the ladies’ section (or in Nocturne Falls, the Witches and Sirens), weaving my way through the first three rows of more intricate costumes. There was everything from astronauts to zookeepers. I was beginning to give up hope—considering the fact that each day of the week might be a different costume (I was eyeing the 1950s airline attendant dress pretty hard) when I broke free and into the daily wear clothes.

Or, daily wear anywhere but here.

I grabbed a few skirts—jean, khaki, and cotton—a week’s worth of baby T-shirts in cute colors, underwear, bras, and a pair of flip-flops and called it good.

It was weird. I couldn’t wait to get back to the guys. Typically, even on the first day, I was taking my time where I got it.

When I came around the corner, I found Tim and a cart full of items standing in the middle of the aisle, Gus staring at the overhead lights like they were something out of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. And…her.

CHAPTER FIVE

TIM

Tim put the rubber duckies back on the shelf for the fourth time and gave Gus a glance. The baby’s arms could not be that long. How was he getting his hands on the little plastic guys?

Tim glanced at the shelf and pushed all the ducks back a few inches. Gus shouldn’t even be able to see them from there.

Unless he’d suddenly become able to teleport rubberized toys, that should do it.

With a shake of his head, he pushed the cart on, looking for the next thing on the Everything Gus app. They had diapers, a good mix of all things Gus was taking in as nutrition, and a new rubber ducky—but only one, not four—no reason to go crazy. He’d tried to get everything they’d need so another trip wasn’t necessary, because all the lugging and packing to get one baby from point A to point B was the equivalent of him moving to Europe.

With a shrug, he tossed a few more packages of diapers in the cart. Then some more bottles, because it seemed like bottles were a good thing to have. And baby towels. Should you wash those, or would Gus just get sick from using used towels?

Where was Minx?

He glanced at the app again and hoped he wasn’t missing anything.

“Well, hello there.” The voice was low and practically purring. Gus’s attention was caught immediately on whatever was attached to the voice behind him. “Who’s this little guy?”

The nice lady thought Gus was staring at her big blue eyes, but Tim was pretty sure he was already gauging how quickly he could snag her dangly earrings without her noticing.

“This is Gus.” Tim fought the frown he could feel forming as she reached out and touched Gus’s little hand.

He didn’t know where that hand had been. What if she was one of those people who didn’t wash after using the restroom? He reached behind him and grabbed some sanitizing lotion and tossed it in the cart.

“Hello there, Gussy,” she said, in a high, squeaky voice. “How are you?”

Gus looked at Tim as if to ask, What the heck is with this lady?

Tim shrugged, because he couldn’t really say, No idea, kid, figuring that might be rude. Also, it might seem odd, and he couldn’t risk someone thinking a deranged person had gotten his hands on a baby.

“And, Gus’s dad, how’s he doing?” The sudden change in her voice and smile had Tim glancing at Gus like he might have an idea how to handle this.

“Oh, I’m not—”

“No Mrs. Gus’s Dad?” she asked.

“No, well. Yes, but she’s, um…” he glanced around, trying to figure out how to explain Willow. Telling a stranger she wasn’t around right now sounded like something it wasn’t. He didn’t want to talk about Gus’s mom in front of him like that.

He’d been reading baby books, and they were all very clear about how intuitive children were.

He glanced at Gus again, giving him an encouraging smile, but the baby just looked back like, Dude.

“That’s okay.” She reached out and patted Tim’s arm. “I totally understand.”

“No, it’s not that.” Tim tried to figure out where this conversation had gone wrong, when he heard a voice calling down the aisle.

“There you guys are.” Minx came striding toward them, several things shoved in a basket and a pair of flip-flops in hand. The cavalry. “I figured you’d be on to snacks by now.”

“Oh, we were just chatting with…” He waved a hand toward the woman who was glancing between him and Minx.

“Nancy.” The purr was gone, left by a flat tone Tim couldn’t read.

“Right, Nancy. She was saying hello to Gus,” he added as a defense. Not that he was sure why he was feeling defensive, but that Nancy woman was still touching Gus, and he wasn’t sure if he was supposed to allow that or not.

“Nancy, nice to meet you.” Minx smiled and set her basket under the carriage section of the cart. “Tim, this is a lot of diapers.” She gave him a smile before glancing back at Nancy again and continuing, “He has an app.”

Some weird sort of female communication went on that Tim was sure he was missing and wouldn’t have understood even if he hadn’t, but Nancy gave a slightly soured smiled and strolled away.

“Geez, you and a baby alone for ten minutes.” She shook her head and put two of the packages of diapers back. “I’m going to have to remember not to leave you two alone for long.”

Tim wasn’t really sure what to say to that since he hadn’t invited the germ-carrying Nancy over to just randomly touch babies, so he just shrugged as if to say, What are you going to do?

He hadn’t gone out very often with Gus since the amount of prep to leave the house was more than he could have ever imagined. But when he did, he found that women loved Gus. They wanted to talk to him and touch him and even asked if they could pick him up.

Which was a firm no.

He’d seen those old TV miniseries where women went insane and stole babies to pass off as their own.

“What’s all this?” Minx asked, trying not to laugh at the twelve packs of diapers he had shoved into his cart as she put yet another package back.

“It’s what I’ve estimated we’ll go through in a week.”

“The average toddler only goes through eight diapers a day.” She was obviously doing some quick math in her head, because she gave him a look that clearly wondered how in the world he’d come up with this many packages for a week.

“Right.” Tim cleared his throat. “But, user error.”

“User error?” Minx looked at Gus, obviously trying to calculate how he could mess up using his diaper.

“Not Gus, me.” Tim glanced away, and she was pretty sure he was blushing. “Sometimes it takes a few tries to get it on right and make sure he’s comfortable. He kicks a lot. I don’t want to restrain him.”

He was pretty sure she gave him an awww before putting two more packages back.

“Don’t worry; we’ll get the user error down—and, think of this.” She gave him a blindingly reassuring smile and put one of the packages back. “You live in a mansion. There’s only so much room for diapers, and I’m pretty sure we’re reaching that point.”

She took over the cart, pushing it smoothly down the aisle and chatting with Gus at the same time. She told him about the T-shirts she was buying and how they were made for playing with babies and that they could get messy and it wouldn’t matter—just a constant stream of nonsense Gus adored.

They sped through the rest of the things on the list, and headed to the checkout as Tim followed along behind, dazed…and a bit smitten.

He was barely aware when they got to the register after making it past the screaming bats and waving ghosts of the extras that had magically appeared in the cart.

“Gus.” Tim had to put his foot down here and now. Gus might be feeling alone with his mom gone, but he wasn’t going to get away with all the spoils no matter what. “I said one ducky. Four is a no-go, buddy. You can have one. Pick.”

Minx looked at Tim as if he’d lost his mind, and maybe he had. But he knew he’d put those duckies back.

Gus glared, not happy with the apparent change in plans. There was a regular duck, a Viking duck, a blue duck, and a purple duck. Gus leaned forward and put a hand on the regular ducky and the Viking.

“Nope. No can do. You can have the other one day as a treat, but today you can have one.”

“Um, Tim…” Minx was standing there, looking at him as if she was going to take his purchasing power away altogether. “He’s a little young for a lot of this…first, the knowing he has to pick; and second, for getting these in the first place.”

Tim didn’t answer, just continued his stare-down with the baby.

“Oooookay then.” Minx picked up the blue duck and put it on the conveyer belt. “Blue ducky it is.”

Gus screeched like only a toddler could and waved the two other ducks at her.

“One duck, Gus.” Tim was adamant.

Gus was annoyed.

Minx was a little worried about the sanity of the Johnson men.

Just as she was beginning to wonder if they’d have this standoff all night, Gust turned and gave her the yellow ducky before holding the Viking out to Tim.

“Thank you. I’ll remember this is the other one you like.”

Tim leaned over and kissed his little head as she paid for her clothes.

Minx glanced around, expecting odd looks from the cashier and other guests, but no one seemed to think the exchange was in the least bit odd.

When the older man behind the counter rang Tim up, he gave him an approving smile. “Good for you, son. Hold your ground. Especially with our young ’uns here. They need a strong hand.”

Minx just shook her head. So far, normal wasn’t as normal as she’d expected.

CHAPTER SIX

MINX

The average American eats forty-six slices of pizza a year.

By the time we got home from errands, we were all beat. The boys were cranky—both of them—and I was beginning to think I could gnaw my way through a piece of wood and not notice the lack of flavor.

I took Gus up to his room, Tim following behind us with all our purchases in tow. It was something of a novelty to have my boss carrying packages, but I wasn’t going to fight him on it. Of course, we didn’t have “people” to do that stuff.

It was kind of nice to just have the three of us bumping around this big house. No security or personal assistants or any other type of extras making noise and putting everything off schedule and off-kilter.

And, privacy. I was liking it.

While Tim put away the many, many packages of diapers he bought, I found Gus’s bath things and started to fill his tiny baby bath in the bathroom tub. It was the perfect night to let him splash around and play with his new rubber ducky.

His one new rubber ducky, since Tim had demanded the others go back while he gave the baby the side-eye. I chatted with Gus, and he gurgled his adoration back to me. At the same time, I couldn’t help but listen to Tim finish his tasks and head downstairs.

I wasn’t afraid to admit I was a little disappointed he was already heading off on his own. I shouldn’t have been. His job wasn’t to entertain me. But, part of me had hoped he’d hang out and give us a chance to get to know one another better.

“And so”—I finished the story I was telling Gus about the billy goats and the troll—“he fell right off the bridge, and the billy goats were safe to go home whenever they wanted.”

Gus and I clapped our hands together to celebrate the end of the story and that billy goats everywhere were safe for another night. I lifted him out of the bath, letting him soak me with his splashes as I wrapped him in a huge super-soft towel. And, because I could and he was adorable, I gave him a little zurbert on his tummy. Gus patted my cheek as if I were the adorable one.

I was falling fast for this kid.

“That was one of my favorites when I was young.”

I turned to find Tim leaning against the doorframe, watching me and Gus finish his bath. My heart skipped a quick beat at the sweetness of his smile and the closeness of his person. I loved that he was there. That this was all so normal. I gave myself a shake, shutting down my imagination pronto.

He shrugged and went on. “It was just potentially gruesome enough to enthrall me.”

“Such a boy.” I shook my head at him as I swung Gus around to bring him to his room for bedtime prep.

Tim just gave me a smile and shook his head as if to say, Of course, I’m a boy. I couldn’t help but noticing that myself and felt a blush right up my cheeks.

He gave me just enough room for Gus and me to pass, brushing the tuft of hair on the top of Gus's head off to the side as we squeezed by.

When I stepped into the nursery, there were two plates set out with slices of home-baked pizza and glasses of sweet tea. On top of a small children’s table. I grinned at the idea of Tim sitting at one of those tiny little chairs to have dinner.

“I thought we could eat together up here while we settled Gus in for his first night with the new nanny.” Tim looked to Gus, as if making sure this was okay with the baby, then added almost apologetically, “He’s had a lot of change lately.”

I couldn’t get over how different this was from most of my other jobs. Not only was the boss bringing me dinner, but he actually cared about how Gus adjusted to a new person. The parents I was used to figured one nanny could hand the kids off to the next...if they stuck around that long.

“I think that’s a great idea.” I couldn’t help but give him my best smile. And then I felt myself blushing again.

I had to watch out. I was afraid my little crush on the boss was going to become way too obvious. Day one: How to make a fool of yourself?

Fall for the boss seemed right up there with wear your skirt inside out and tucked into your panties.

“How did your first day go?” Tim gave me a smile as he bit into his pepperoni slice.

“You were there for the whole thing.” I wasn't really sure what to say beyond that. “How do you think it went?”

“Well, you didn’t set anything on fire or misplace the baby, so I’d say you’re doing pretty okay.” He held up his glass in a mock toast to me. “What do you think, Gus? Should we keep her?”

I glanced over to the swing where Gus sat watching the two of us around the ducky he gummed with an intensity people always mistook in babies for actually paying attention. But, when he had our attention, he clapped his hands as if in agreement.

“See? There you go.” Tim gave a decisive nod of his head, as if that settled it. They were keeping me. “I thought I’d head into the office tomorrow and clear up a bunch of things that were pending before this surprise life detour happened.”

Tim looked at me as if I might panic.

“That sounds like a great idea. Gus and I will be just fine.” I reached out and patted Tim’s hand where it rested next to his plate.

New parents were always the most worried, and even though Gus wasn’t a newborn, Tim was brand-new to the gig.

“This is why you hired me.” I gave him my patented I’m the Nanny You Want smile. “Trust me, we’ll be just fine.”

“Okay, then.” Tim stood and collected the plates, glancing around to make sure everything was in its place. I liked that about him; the orderliness of his life was settling. “I guess I’ll leave you to get ready for bed, then.”

Since Gus seemed as interested in the new nanny in his environment as I did the new environment, I carted him around while I washed my face and changed my clothes, chatting with him the whole time. He was definitely a baby who liked to hear the sound of someone's voice. No quiet for this little guy. When I was all set, I grabbed my Kindle off its charger and was ready to read my new Kristen Painter book for the evening. I brought Gus into his room to put him down for the night.

Only, I was in for a bigger surprise than I expected.

“Tim?”

“Oh, hey. Just getting ready for bed.” Tim stood in the middle of the room wearing a pair of striped pajama bottoms and a white T-shirt, showing me more than I’d gotten to see earlier. I probably would’ve enjoyed this slightly disheveled nerdy guy getting ready for bed thing more fully if he wasn’t getting ready for bed on the floor of the nursery.

“Tim, were you planning on sleeping on the floor in here?” I tried to keep the shock out of my voice—just a normal question. Asked in a normal way. To a normal guy.

Doing something utterly, adorably absurd.

“Well, yeah.” He unfolded a blanket and laid it out on the floor, lining it up with his pillow.

I wasn’t really sure how to address this type of separation anxiety. I mean, I was used to the occasional parents being a little nervous the first day they drove away and left the new nanny alone with the kids. But this seemed a wee bit extreme.

“Have you been sleeping in here every night?”

“Yeah. Of course.” Tim took Gus from me and settled him in the crib, walking through all the motions like a pro. I was surprised to see how comfortable he was with the task. The two of them seemed to have a ritual down that worked and they were both comfortable with. I watched, only slightly amused at the idea that Tim’s ritual ended with him sleeping on the floor.

“Did you know they have YouTube videos to teach you how to put kids to bed correctly?” He seemed completely amazed by this. As if the height of civilization was reached because YouTube taught him how to tuck his nephew in.

“Now I do.” I came into the room, way too aware that I was in my pajamas and light robe… And braless. But I had to figure out what was going on. “Did the YouTube video tell you to sleep on the floor?”

If so, I foresaw me tracking down YouTubers to make some very angry comments.

“Oh, no.” Tim looked confused about whether he could let himself settle into his comfy nest or not, so I sat down at one of the little chairs at the table again. This seemed to give him the signal it was okay, and he plopped down next to the crib. “But see, he escapes. Every night.”

“Gus?”

“Yeah. Gus.” Tim said it as if I were the one that wasn't making any sense, not the grown man who was sleeping on the nursery floor every night. “Every night he gets out. And the only way to keep him safe is to sleep in here with him. I also think he started singing in his sleep.”

I glanced at the baby. He didn’t even know how to speak yet.

“So, Tim.” I slid down and sat on the floor next to him to try and get on his level, reminding myself that new parents worry. “You're probably exhausted. I mean, not just from sleeping on the floor.” I continued before he could interrupt. “You’ve got a lot of changes going on, and there’s a lot of new worries with a baby in the house, but you don’t have to sleep on the floor. Gus is not getting out of the crib.”

“Oh, yes he is.” Tim said it with such surety that it was more of a statement than a disagreement.

He was sure that baby was getting out of the crib.

I was sure that if the baby wasn’t in the crib, Tim hadn’t put him there.

But, you couldn’t tell overprotective parents anything. Time to throw down with some logic.

“Okay, so how about we have an experiment?” I asked, knowing that a guy as addicted to logic as Tim would be intrigued.

“What kind of experiment?” He glanced at Gus, obviously not willing to put what he saw as the boy’s safety at risk.

Which, really? Was that not sigh worthy?

“We’ll put Gus to bed. Then you’ll go to bed—in your room. I’ll go to bed in my room. And, we’ll both have baby monitors. If Gus gets out, we’ll know for sure it’s not new parent exhaustion—which is incredibly common.” I patted Tim’s hand again, trying to reassure him that I wasn’t judging. That this was normal. “I’m betting all of us will still be tucked in come morning.”

He gave a look at the crib, obviously worrying the plan would put Gus at risk. If it wasn’t so incredibly sweet, it would seem crazier. But, I’d seen new parents do things that seemed completely insane to rested, less stressed, not-caring-for-small-humans people.

“What if he gets out?” he asked.

“I’m a really light sleeper. You can’t have my job and not be. If he even wakes up and starts chatting to himself, I’ll know.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’ve been doing this for six years. The one thing I know is what wakes me up.” I stood, offering my hand to pull him up. “He’ll be fine. You’ll see.”

I scooted Tim off to his room, baby monitor wrapped tightly in hand, and headed to bed…hoping we’d all get some rest.

CHAPTER SEVEN

MINX

The American Toy Hall of Fame has only 62 members. The rubber ducky became one in 2013.

The next morning, Tim peeked in as he was leaving for work and I was getting Gus—and ducky—out of the crib, where he’d stayed all night. Of course, I’d taken ducky away because he was too hard to spend the night with Gus. I didn’t want any accidents. But there he was.

I needed to tell Tim about keeping only soft toys in there at night, for safety’s sake.

I pulled out a couple cute outfits, trying to pick just the right one.

“Blue with a green frog or green with a yellow dump truck?”

Gus looked them both over before gurgling at me.

“I agree. Dump truck set it is.”

I got him dressed and set him back down in the crib to finish getting myself ready. I put on my yellow T-shirt, amusing myself that it would go with the dump truck on his green one.

Only, when I got back, he was in the little blue outfit.

I glanced around, thinking I must have put the green one away instead of on him. Weird. I’d never done anything like that before. But, I’d been awake all night, worrying about Tim worrying about Gus. I figured I’d be woken up by the uncle sneaking in to check on him, and I didn’t want to sleep through it.

The last thing I needed was Tim thinking I slept through an attempted kidnapping.

But, all had been well.

Apparently, someone needed a nap…and I wasn’t talking about the kid.

When we were all set, I double-checked the stroller, knowing we were heading into unfamiliar territory.

Diapers, snacks, sunblock, a hat, a blanket, the rubber ducky—which was apparently the new go-to toy even on dry land—and we were ready to hit the road.

“Okay, Gus! We’re going to town!” I locked the door behind me and pointed the stroller down the manicured walkway to the sidewalk. “This is going to be super fun. We’re going to see a whole bunch of cool stuff.”

Gus clapped his hands, obviously onboard with my excitement.

“Your Hottie Uncle Tim is at work doing smart guy stuff,” I added as I turned us toward Longboat Lane. “Let’s just agree not to tell him I call him that, okay?”

I waited for Gus’s giggled agreement and went on, chatting about everything we walked by, where we were going, the flowers we passed, the dogs that barked. Basically, if we saw it, I chatted about it, and Gus bubbled up cheerful-sounding responses.

The walk to town was about fifteen minutes, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

It was quiet and peaceful. There was no need to worry about paparazzi or the FBI or any of the other nonsense that had become part of my daily life on the jobs I usually took.

The closer we got to town, the more unique everything became. The colors went from normal to orange and black, then purples and pinks started to show up. The vibrancy was in sharp contrast to the cozy, small-town feel, but it totally worked.

We stopped for a bit in the center where a gargoyle statue protected a giant fountain and overlooked most of the downtown from his perch.

I sat on the edge, chatting with Gus and watching the world go by when he squeaked and pointed, clapping to get my attention. When I glanced behind me, his rubber ducky was floating around in the center of the fountain, making its way in a big circle.

“Gus! How did he get in there?” I jumped up, trying to figure out how I was going to get the favorite toy back. “Good call on the floating thing, buddy, but I don’t know how we’re going to get him to come home now.”

I reached out, seeing how close I could get to snagging it.

“Come on, ducky. This way.” I swear, as soon as I said the words, the darned duck turned its back on me and floated in the opposite direction. I almost expected to see him grow rubber legs and start paddling.

I glanced around, looking for a way to get the duck back. This had to be the cleanest town I’d ever seen. There wasn’t even a tree branch available for the rescue mission. Beside me, Gus watched the duck with rapt adoration. Every time I thought the floating yellow mocker would get close enough to snag, it veered away.

“Darn it, duck.” I reached out again, just barely missing as it practically teased me, floating almost within reach and then back out again.

Gus laughed and clapped more. This was a joy for him. Maybe we could just hang out and watch the duck all day. But, after about fifteen minutes, I’d had enough—and I needed caffeine and food. After another attempt at getting the duck with just my arms and wits—I did what any desperate woman would do.

“Okay, Gus, let’s not make a habit of this,” I told him as I slipped out of my flip-flops. “I’m pretty sure this could get me arrested or something.”

Wouldn’t that be a beautiful irony? Getting arrested for rescuing my charge’s rubber ducky from a fountain after some of the stuff I’d seen over the last several years. I can just imagine the call to my boss. No, Tricia, it wasn’t the drugs or potential abuse I witnessed that brought me down. It was a rubber ducky.

I dipped one foot into the water, not happy about the chill that rushed up my leg. “Kiddo, you’re going to owe me big-time for this.”

Gus giggled, and I heard a deep grumbling sound that sounded like laughter behind me. Glancing around, I figured it must be summer thunder.

Not what I needed.

I waded, the water coming up to my knees, toward the place where the water swirled in a bit of a centralized circle, and glared at the duck as it veered away again.

“Okay, duck. If you’re not in my hand in the next ten seconds, you have a new home,” I threatened.

As if by magic, the duck turned again and floated right to me, bumping against my knees and then just sitting there.

“That’s more like it.” I scooped him up and worked my way back to the edge, climbing out and putting my flip-flops back on.

I dried the duck off and put it in the cup holder of the stroller.

Gus obviously didn’t like that, kicking his legs and making an unhappy sound to prove it.

“You can have this again when we’re settled at the café, because I’m not risking another body of water coming along.”

We walked along, heading back to the café I’d stopped in yesterday when I’d arrived. I couldn’t help glancing in all the little shops and enjoying the clever plays on names.

I was definitely getting used to—or at least becoming immune to—all the Halloweening going on.

When the town was this cute and this cleverly done, it was fairly easy. We passed shops with names like Boo Wear and a law office called Devil’s Advocate.

Each one was giggle worthy. I made up stories for Gus as we went about the secrets happening behind the doors of The Cat’s Tale bookstore and Howlers—a biker bar Gus seemed particularly interested in.

But, peace reigned again when I spotted The Hallowed Bean, the café I’d been to the first day. Caffeine made the day go by in the right direction.

The menu for the day had seventeen different pumpkin spice drinks. At this point, I wasn’t even surprised.

I ordered a Caffeine Guillotine and Egg and Cheese Screamwich to eat. I glanced around at the adorable café, knowing I’d be spending more time here if all the beverages were anywhere near as good as the décor.

Luckily for us, there was a small table for two shoved into a corner by a window that fit the stroller out of the way comfortably.

I took out the jar of the small starter food I’d grabbed from the fridge for Gus this morning, with a note that I was going to check on blending some things myself. There was no sense in feeding Gus this pre-made stuff with the time available to blend it myself. Especially now that his uncle had become a germ-obsessed parent.

“What do you think, Gus? Bananas? Peas? Do you have a favorite?” He just nodded along, either in agreement or humoring me. We’d find out the first time I tried to feed him something he didn’t care for.

“I’ve been doing more blending lately,” a voice said, coming from my right. “She’s loved the blend of banana strawberry.”

I glanced up to find a woman in her mid-twenties with a small stroller next to me.

“Hi.” She smiled and motioned to the table next to us. “Do you mind if I side park?”

“Oh, no. Of course not.” I shifted Gus’s stroller so he was more parallel with the table and they could fit there as well.

She settled in, turning her stroller so that she could see the little girl inside, but also so that Gus and the girl were able to see one another. They immediately started baby babbling with one another, the adults completely forgotten.

“Chalice makes friends everywhere we go.” The woman grinned at her daughter and took a sip of her drink. “She’s my in with adults, too. I’m Calla.”

She offered a hand, and I couldn’t help but like her straightforwardness.

“Minx,” I said, amazed. This would not happen in a city where people worked so hard to not see you.

“Minx, nice.” She smiled and left it at that. Which was a pleasant change from the comments I typically got. “So are you guys new here?”

“I am. Gus is a local.” I grinned as his head swung toward me at the sound of his name. “I’m the new nanny. I just started yesterday.”

“Wow, yesterday, and you’re already out and about.” She smiled, making it clear she was just teasing. “Where were you before this?”

I hated this kind of question. People couldn’t help but be fascinated by stories of rich and famous—not because of anything more than a normal curiosity about people who were so different than most of us. I was afraid if I shared, I’d be put back into the not-normal slot, but I was also a horrible liar, and keeping a fake story straight seemed like a horrible idea.

“I was actually in Nevada with a family.”

“Nevada? Huh.”

“So,” I cleared my throat, looking to not kill the conversation, “how long have you lived here?”

“Oh, I’m a lifer.” She laughed as she reached over and wiped the baby bubbles of the little girl’s face. “Born and raised. First generation, but still.”

“First and second,” I waved toward the kids, then noticed that Gus had his ducky. “Hey, did I give you that ducky again?”

I hadn’t had a chance to wash it since it was in the fountain, and there he was, happily gumming away at it.

“He really loves this duck,” I told Calla as I took it and wiped it down before ceding battle and giving it back to him.

“So, you’re new to town. It must be quite an adjustment.” There was a question inherent in her statement.

“So far, so good. The tourist aspect is really interesting. I hadn’t expected that, I guess. I’ve been looking forward to the small-town experience after all my travel.”

“Oh, we definitely have the small-town thing down.” She laughed and glanced around. “I could tell you something about everyone in here. There are no secrets in a small town—well, not many. But, I guess that all depends on where you live, too.”

“Where you live?” I asked, because I was really not interested in dealing with a place that had politics based on socioeconomics. I was tired of the rich and the famous—even if the rich was by a different standard.

“Oh, you know.” She leaned in and gave me a little wink. “The people in the know, and those who aren’t.”

“Oh.” I smiled back at her. So this was just normal town gossip.

Gossip I could deal with.

“Are you here for the full run?” she asked.

“It depends. Gus’s mom had an emergency, and she’s out of town. So I’m here to help his uncle take care of things while she’s gone.”

Calla nodded like this made sense, and then turned to study Gus, a thoughtful look on her face.

“So, his dad, what is he?” she asked.

That seemed like a weird question, but, small town—probably something people ask.

I was just so used to everyone knowing what my bosses did—and dodging questions from the presses—that the idea that people ask seemed weird.

“I don’t know. Tim, his uncle, hasn’t met Gus’s dad yet.” I tried not to sound defensive. It wasn’t Tim’s or Gus’s fault that Willow was a free-floating spirit who was acting more than a bit irresponsibly about her baby.

It was hard not to judge. She had called Tim in, and there was no one more responsible or safe than him.

My phone rang, surprising me out of my thoughts. It wasn’t “Roll On” or “She Was” (by Marksman’s Men, of course) so it wasn’t my parents—which meant it was safe to check it.

Tim’s name popped up on the screen, and I was surprised at the little flutter I felt rush through my stomach.

“Hello?” I answered, and Gus waved at me as if he knew who I was talking to.

“Hey, Minx. It’s Tim.” He paused, as if I may need to process who he was before going on. “I decided to work a half day at the office and figured I’d take you and Gus to lunch.”

I glanced down at my half-eaten sandwich and made a game day decision. Stuffing the sandwich back in its wrapper, I glanced around for the trash.

“Sure, Gus and I would love to have lunch with you. But, we’re already in town. We took a walk.” Gus squeaked up at me as if he wanted me to add something. Unfortunately, my skills in Fluent Baby were still underdeveloped. “Gus says he’s looking forward to seeing you.”

“I’m nearing town now, so I’ll just meet you at the café.” Tim cleared his throat and said, “I’m looking forward to seeing Gus, too.”

Before I could try to read into that, he hung up.

“So, the boss is on his way, huh?” Calla grinned eyeing my wadded up sandwich. “Sounds like he’s a real PITA.”

I could feel the blush rising up my cheeks and figured there was no way out of this.

“Um, he’s very nice.” I defended Tim’s honor.

Gus looked up, his little gurgles stopping as he gave Calla a look. I reached out and gave his little booty-covered foot a squeeze to let him know she was teasing. He was incredibly sensitive.

“Ohhh…” Calla set her coffee cup down. “Nice is code for hot, isn’t it?”

I glanced around, afraid the entire gossiping small-town café was listening in now.

“Um, no. He really is very nice.” And hot. But I didn’t need to tell her that. I glanced down at her ring finger to make sure it was covered. Yup, married. That made me feel a little better.

“Nice and hot.” She laughed. “No need to lie. I can tell. It’s okay. You think your boss is hot. It’s like a perk of the job. You might as well get some eye candy while you play with Gus here, right?”

“Um…” I was so not sure how to answer that.

“Don’t worry.” Calla laughed. “I’m just teasing you. But, I’ll watch out for your hottie and let you guys have some hangout time when I see him come in. I bet he’s all Mr. Masculine, right? Tough guy with a heart of gold? Ohhh! Is he a biker? The Biker and the Baby—that could be his romance novel trope.”

I wasn’t really sure what to say to that. I’d always been around married guys or guys I wouldn’t want anything to do with. This was something different, and having Calla tease me about it made my crush feel all the more real, for some reason.

The door opened, and I fought to not glance up.

“Don’t worry. That’s not him.” Calla took another sip of her coffee and watched the new person. “Although, he is looking around like he’s meeting someone. He’s kind of nerdy, I mean, tall and cute—but nerdy. He’s—oh.”

“What?” I asked, still not turning around to look.

“He’s coming this way.” She shot me a grin and a wink. “Geek chic, huh?”

I blushed again as I glanced behind me to where Tim wove between the tables. He raised a hand in greeting and smiled as Gus kicked his feet, trying to get his uncle’s attention.

“Very Clark Kent,” Calla said under her breath as Tim straightened his glasses. “I wouldn’t mind seeing his cape, now that you mention it.”

“Calla!” I shushed her before Tim reached us.

“Hey.” He reached down and smoothed out the blanket around Gus’s legs. “Hey, buddy. How’s the duck today? Taste good?”

“That duck is going to be the death of me.” I couldn’t help but turn a glare on it, since my feet still felt a little weird from wading in a public fountain.

“Really?” Tim laughed. “Death by rubber ducky, news at eleven?”

“Don’t joke. That duck is smarter than some people I know.” Which, sadly, wasn’t a lie.

“Hi, I’m Calla.” Calla stuck her hand between us, giving me a grin as she did. “You must be Tim.”

Tim glanced between us, as if wondering how Calla knew his name.

“Um, yes.”

“The boss.”

“Well, I guess.”

“Of Minx.”

“That is Minx.”

“Tim, the boss of Minx.” She put it all together, as if this was helping me in some way.

“Right.” Tim glanced my way as if to say, What’s up with the crazy woman?

“Anyway, Minx, great to meet you.” She started packing up her things and tucking them into the diaper bag hanging from the stroller. “Chalice and I go for walks every morning at nine, if you guys want to join us.”

“Oh, that sounds great.” I glanced down at Gus, who seemed to be having some intense conversation with Chalice, and wondered if there really was a secret language of babies we unlearned as we grew up. “We’d love to.”

We both glanced down at the kids, only to see that Chalice had Gus’s ducky. Or, I thought she did, until I saw he still had his comfortably wrapped in a pudgy paw.

“Well, aren’t you clever!” Calla leaned down and kissed Chalice on the head. “She’s very good already about making connections.”

I nodded. Apparently ducks were all the rage this year.

Calla and I exchanged information, and she headed out the door with a quick wink my way as Tim shuffled chairs and tables to join us.

“She seems nice,” he said as he settled into his seat. “A little weird, but in a nice way.”

I was suddenly feeling very protective of Calla. She was the first person who had reached out to me, had offered in some small way to be my friend.

Growing up, my parents’ fame had kept me in a world where you never knew who was your friend and who was just jockeying to be in the right circles. Then, when I graduated and moved on to nannying, it wasn’t like the mothers were rushing to be friendly—and the fathers were best to be avoided, just for appearances.

And, because I was busy protecting the kids and the parents’ reputations, I didn’t get a lot of girlfriend opportunities.

“She is nice,” I insisted, suddenly afraid he might not want me bringing Gus to hang out with someone he thought was weird.

“No, she seems nice.” He gave me a sideways grin as he picked Gus up out of his stroller. “Nothing wrong with a little weird, is there, Gus man? No, there’s not.”

Gus reached up and patted both Tim’s cheeks, knocking his glasses a bit sideways—all out of love, obviously.

“Oh, good.” I glanced around, feeling like I should say something else.

“Are you hungry?” Tim asked while he continued to bounce Gus on his knee.

“Um, I could eat something small.” Since I had thrown half my sandwich away so I could spend time with you—best eight-dollar waste ever. Not that waste was good, but…yeah.

“Great. Do you know what you want? I’m starving. This commute thing is hunger making.”

“Driving your car made you hungry?”

“Yup.” Tim laughed as Gus tweaked his nose. “It’s tough work dodging those semis and texting teenagers.”

I watched the two of them, both acting as if they were reunited after years instead of just a few hours, and felt my heart flip over and land with a splat in the puddle of emotion I’d been fighting off from the beginning.

I had a hard, dark feeling it was a losing battle.

Tim went and ordered us food, bringing it back to the table while I fed Gus. He’d been so busy talking to his new friend, Chalice, that I hadn’t fed him before. I was glad for something to focus on.

We made small talk, with Tim leading the conversation. The warmth in my chest grew because his questions weren’t geared toward learning about my employers but about learning about me.

I found myself wanting to admit to him who my parents were and trusting that Rock Star and Supermodel weren’t a distraction or a game changer. That I’d still be just me. Just Minx.

And I wanted to tell him about my dreams. The things I wanted…the things I never told anyone. About the house on the coast in New Hampshire and the classes I wanted to take and the quiet life where no one asked anyone in my sphere for an autograph. I wanted to tell him about my family and my parents and the crazy lifestyle that came attached with them.

I wanted to tell him about my last job and the investigations and my fear that if I left the insanity the kids would end up in custody.

I wanted to tell him all the things.

And yet, I didn’t.

Not because Tim wouldn’t have listened and been encouraging.

But because he totally would have.

But because I was afraid. It was a justified fear—the job would only last so long.

And so I smiled and nodded and listened to him telling me stories about Willow when she was younger so I’d know Gus’s mom and thought, One day I’ll find this.

I’ll find this.

One day.

We walked around town, enjoying all the sites. It was obviously a dream come true for me and Gus.

Me, because I was loving all the small-town appeal. I couldn’t help but enjoy the people politely greeting each other by name, the small talk happening on the corner, the way everyone seemed to know the same things and people. I loved all of it. I even liked the tourist aspect once I got used to it.

Gus, on the other hand, was enthralled by all the colors and costumes. He cooed his interest at just about everything. And, the town loved him right back.

Every woman we passed couldn’t help but be swayed by his flirtatious self and his cheeky grin. Most just smiled and nodded as we went, but occasionally one would stop to talk, asking questions about registering Gus for their SCA Academy.

He seemed a little young—and had a nanny—so I wasn’t really sure what the point of that would be. But each mother we met seemed to insist that it was necessary.

Each time Tim just nodded and smiled, promising to look into it. Then gave me a reassuring you’re the boss look each time as they walked away. The fact that I was more than just a set of eyes to keep on the kid was a revelation. That he saw us more as a team…it was heady.

We started to pass an adorable little shop with jewelry in the window, and I had to go in. Of course, I had a perfectly good reason. My mother’s birthday was in a few weeks. She was like a small child with gifts, so something unique was the perfect thing for her.

“Do you guys want to wait out here?” I asked as Tim readjusted the stroller’s sun canopy for the four hundredth time to make sure Gus was hidden from the dangers of sunshine at all times. “There looks like there’s a lot going on in there Gus could make an adventure out of.”

Tim glanced into the shop, nearly paling at all the little stands and displays.

“I’m not even sure we’re safe out here. Maybe we should cross the street.” I thought he was kidding, but he glanced around as if there were a safer part of the sidewalk to retreat to.

The abilities for chaos he attributed to Gus kept astonishing me.

“I’m pretty sure you guys will be okay.” I patted him on the arm, trying not to linger too much on the lean muscle I could practically feel flexing under my hand. “I’ll be right back.”

Tim stood, pushing his hair out of his face and adjusting his glasses. “Okay…”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be right back.” And with that, before he could worry more, I slipped into the shop.

“Welcome to Dionysus Flair,” a voice called from behind a tall display. “I’m Topaz.”

I glanced around, looking for the source, but all I saw were creative displays that had an odd sense of organization to them.

Before I could get any farther into the store, a head popped out, following the voice. “Is there anything special I can help you find?”

The woman connected to the voice—and the head—was tiny. She had long hair, braided in intricate patterns around her head, with pointed little ears looped with silver hoops sticking out. She was, in a word, adorable. Just like everything since I’d arrived.

I was really beginning to love this town and all its eccentric residents. So far, the oddities were nothing that took away from the normalness of small-town living.

“I was just looking for a gift for my mom.” I glanced around, wondering where to start and thinking I shouldn’t have come in when I had two guys waiting for me outside.

“Oh, I love gifts!” She all but clapped her hands as she came around the display to meet me. “Do you know what you want, or do we get to shop around?”

Usually a sales clerk inserting herself in my shopping like that would annoy the snot out of me, but with Topaz it just sounded like so much fun that I couldn’t help but be excited, too.

“Something chunky and fun but classy.” I hoped that didn’t sound insulting. Some people hated the idea that anything they had wasn’t classy.

“Okay. That’s a good start.” She gave me a bright smile and walked me toward a counter. “Are you thinking necklace? A set? Maybe a fun bracelet?”

I tried to run through all my mother’s typical accessories in my head. She seemed to lean toward statement pieces, one big piece that she centered everything else around.

“I’m not sure. Something that stands on its own, that adds to a look without being the look.”

Crystal and I were pretty much opposite ends of the fashion spectrum. I was all about saving my money and being comfortable. She was all about the statement of things. Of course, she was paid to look amazing, and I was paid to not let children swallow small pieces of metal, so there was also that.

“Great, and what’s your mom’s name?” she asked, as if this were a normal part of the shopping experience.

I told her and answered some basic questions before letting Topaz start leading me around. Glancing around, I was surprised to see how many things I’d wear myself, but Topaz gravitated away from those, naturally. She seemed to understand from just my short answers what wouldn’t work.

“Crystal…Crystal…” Topaz walked the floor, glancing from display to display, whispering Crystal’s name as if a piece would jump out at her. Her hand passed and then stalled over a display before she said, “Crystal?”

I glanced down at the chunky necklace she’d paused over. It was a gorgeous piece of aquamarine. I was in love with it immediately. But it didn’t feel like a home run for a gift.

“Maybe,” I said, glancing around and wondering what else they had.

Topaz took the necklace off its display neckline and placed it on the little velvet tray she had. She continued around the store, nearly whispering to the jewelry. I had the oddest idea that she was actually talking to the jewelry, making the stones whisper back. I glanced at displays we passed, and nothing seemed to fit what I wanted, so I followed along after Topaz, waiting until I saw a piece that shouted Crystal or until Topaz showed me something else.

We made another loop around the store with me trailing behind, seeing things that were maybes—like the necklace she had in hand, close but not quite it. She kept chattering to me and to the jewelry and asking questions about my mom.

Is she neat, whimsical, serious, successful, does she like what she does, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

After a moment, she stopped at another display, one busy with loud colors and metal work that felt like it passed slightly into gaudy. I was about to tell her there was nothing there that Crystal would like, when she picked up a delicate butterfly in silver with small accent stones in different colors on the wings that was all but hidden by the louder pieces.

Topaz smiled down at it as if she’d been looking for it the entire time. “There you are.”

She leaned down as if truly listening to it, and whispered, “Crystal?”

After a moment, as if she got the answer she wanted, she held it out to me. “What do you think of this?”

She laid the fine, delicate piece of work in my hand, and I fell in love. I could picture the piece in one of Crystal’s flowy scarves or pinned to one of her minimalist tops—it would match or counter whatever she had. It had a quiet strength to it that belied its beauty.

“Yes.” The word slipped out as I stood there, admiring the fine workmanship, before I remembered to ask about the price. “Oh, I’m not sure this is in my budget.”

“Oh, I’m sure it is,” Topaz smiled and walked me to the register in a bit of a shopping daze.

As she was pulling out a book to find a price, the bell over the door rang, and Calla breezed in.

“Hey! Chalice saw Gus out on the sidewalk with your Clark Kent, and I had to come in and see what you were buying.” She rushed over to the counter, and it was as if we’d been friends forever the way she oohed and ahhed over my potential purchase. “Topaz always finds the perfect gift.”

I refrained from saying the perfect gift would have the perfect price, because I was really hoping that it would work out.

“You’re still out and about?” I asked, since Tim and I had been in town for about two hours now.

“Oh, no.” Calla grinned as she picked up piece after piece on the counter, smiling at each. “Chalice and I went to my mother’s, and we were just walking home now. But…jewelry, am I right?”

“Wait, where’s Chalice?” I asked, suddenly wondering about the worst possible scenario.

“She’s hanging out with Gus and your guy.”

“Not my guy… Also, maybe not the best plan.” I thought of Tim and his week of sleeping on the floor “Just in case.”

“Pfft. A guy like that can’t be anything but reliable.” She held up a dragon breathing rubies. “What do you think of this?”

“It’s stunning, “I said as I turned to try to peer at the window at where I’d left Tim adjusting the stroller so Gus wasn’t looking into the sun or breathing in fumes directly from the road or any other potentially hazardous situation.

He was shifting both babies so they could see each other, but neither was in direct sunlight.

Calla glanced out the window and laughed. “He’s worse than the vampire parents!”

I grinned, laughing at the comparison. I’d never heard the phrase before, but the sun was a killer these days now.

“Okay!” Topaz popped back up from behind the counter with a little book. “Oh, hey, Calla. Looking for a gift?”

“Nope, saw Minx and had to find out what she was getting.” She looked at the butterfly in an equally delicate velvet-lined box where Topaz had placed it back on the counter. “Oh, are you getting this? I’ve been in love with it forever, but Topaz said it wasn’t for me.”

“It’s not.” She grinned and pushed the dragon a bit closer. “The dragon, though…”

“Is that why it’s sitting out?” Calla laughed and pinned it to her shirt. “Chalice would have this in her mouth in under four seconds.”

I nodded along, knowing that babies and jewelry were like opposite ends of a magnet.

As Calla tried on piece after piece, Topaz named a price for the butterfly that seemed absurd, and absolutely the number that I’d had in mind when I’d come in the store.

“Seriously?” I figured there must be some mistake. “Do you want to check again?”

“Nope. That’s the price. Right there in the book.” Topaz started wrapping up the gift, closing the box and putting a ribbon artistically around each corner.

In a daze, I handed her my card and waited for her to charge the gift.

“Don’t worry.” Calla patted my arm and grinned. “Everyone feels this way the first time Topaz finds them something. Just go with it.”

There was no way I was not going to go with it. Especially considering I’d just gotten a piece of art at an insanely good price and knowing that the average piece of jewelry is marked up 300 percent.

“Thank you so much.” I grabbed the purple bag with its bright pink bow and held it as if I feared she’d take it back. “I thought I’d just run in and come back later, since the guys are waiting outside.”

Calla waved a hand absently toward the window. “I’m sure they’re fine.”

I wish I were as sure.

But, when we got outside, Tim and the babies had company.

“Oh, geez. That’s Jez. We don’t want her anywhere near your Clark Kent…or the kids, of course.” Calla rushed forward, swooping in as I tried not to growl at the woman. “Jez, so nice to see you. And look, you’re surrounded by our adorableness.”

I followed Calla, smiling as she rushed forward. Apparently, I’d landed the right friend when I’d arrived in town.

“Hey, guys,” I said as I approached them behind Calla. “What’s going on?”

Tim had picked up Gus and was holding him close, slightly turned away from the woman’s hand, which was on his arm.

Tim’s arm, not Gus’s.

Gus’s I might have been okay with.

I swallowed a second growl, completely surprised at my reaction even though it was becoming more and more evident I was a wee bit possessive of my new boss.

“We’re just hanging. Gus wanted up.” Tim looked defiant, as if someone was going to tell him he couldn’t hold his nephew.

“Okay. I have his sling packed, if you want to put him in it.” Which would probably just add to the overall adorableness going on.

“No, we’re good. We guys are just hanging out.” Tim smiled down at Gus, and the look of love reflected in the little guy’s eyes almost had me tearing up. “Of course, I’m having to share him with his new girlfriend.”

Calla’s friend Jez giggled, and we all glanced at her—me purposefully dropping my gaze to glare at her hand.

“I think he meant Chalice,” Calla put in, her voice dry of humor.

“Right.” Jez didn’t sound like she believed this—but I was pretty sure Calla was right.

I glanced down at Chalice and even she seemed to be doing the baby-glare thing at Jez. So, we were all in agreement. That was good. It was one thing to be growly, it was completely another to be backed by your new BFF and two babies.

With a stiff smile, Jez turned and walked away—but not before giving Tim an overly friendly smile and an equally friendly squeeze of his arm.

“That woman.” Calla glared after her like she was going to come back if not watched closely. “The way she prances around, you’d think she was a siren or something. But no, she’s just a normal everyday witch.”

I laughed at Calla’s downplay of a word I wouldn’t want Gus learning too soon.

“Well,” she huffed, before turning back to me and giving me an apologetic smile. “That wasn’t the first impression I’d like you to have of Nocturne Falls.”

“But it wasn’t.” I could feel the grin spreading on my face. I was feeling so happy and welcome and…at home. “You were. And you were perfect.”

“Oh.” She grinned, blushing a little. “Well. That’s nice.”

She stood there smiling for a moment. Because I was getting the idea that Calla thought she was subtle and didn’t have a restrained bone in her body, she glanced at Tim and back before giving me a little wink. “See you tomorrow for our walk!”

And with that, she was gone.

I watched her stroll down the street, waving at people and chatting away with Chalice. It was nice to have plans and a friend. This small-town thing was growing on me even more quickly than I’d anticipated. Except for the women touching Tim part.

“I’m tired of all these women touching Gus.” Tim was pulling a baby wipe out of the package and washing Gus’s hands. “Don’t they know they have unfamiliar germs on them?”

Germs were not my biggest worry. The average human hand had over 300,000 genetically distinct bacteria on them. One healthy adult was not going to kill Gus.

“I can’t leave you alone anywhere without women hitting on you.” I’d meant it to sound like a joke, but I could hear the annoyance in my voice. I was hoping Tim couldn’t.

Although, Gus gave a little giggle, and I’m not sure, but it definitely felt like he winked at me.

I was not in a winking mood.

“The ladies certainly love Gus,” Tim said as he wiped down Gus’s other hand.

Gus immediately stuck them both in his mouth.

“Um, I don’t think it’s Gus the ladies are loving.” I watched Tim pack the wipes away and made a mental note to hide them from him. “Also, I think it’s okay if someone who doesn’t have an obvious illness touches Gus. It helps build up his immune system.”

I made a mental note to double-check the statistics on immune systems and the average baby.

Tim was frowning at the wipes now as if they’d betrayed him. I had to remind myself that he was an insta-father. He didn’t get to go to any of the classes or read the books. His overprotectiveness was endearing but was going to probably kill him and Gus in the long run.

“I don’t see why they all need to stop to say hello to him.” Tim bounced Gus to keep his attention focused as I turned the stroller toward home and headed us back to the house. “It’s not like he can talk back. And they just stay. I get stopping to see him because he’s the best-looking baby around, but okay. You saw his handsomeness, move on.”

I glanced up trying to gauge just how serious he was, figured every new parent thought their baby was the best looking, and just smiled to myself as Tim and Gus checked out each other’s hotness.

We reached the edge of the downtown area and turned to walk up the small hill to the neighborhood, cutely named Asgard’s Gate.

My gaze may have been checking Tim’s hotness out as well, so who was I to judge?

“Maybe it’s not Gus they’re admiring,” I hedged as we walked along, keeping my gaze straight to not meet Tim’s eyes.

“Why else would they be stopping to talk?”

I finally did glance over, a bit surprised that he sounded serious. “You, Tim. They’re stopping to talk to you.”

At this point, I figured there was no need to hide my annoyance since Tim seemed more oblivious than the average man.

“Pffft.” He rocked Gus as he made the sound, raising him over his head and giving Gus a little shake that made him giggle. “No. They’re here to see this guy.”

I just looked at him, the long lines of his body, the sharp angle of his jaw, the hair that I was going to have to cut myself at this rate, the glasses that almost hid gorgeous dark brown eyes, and a smile that made my heart beat faster than pushing twins uphill on a windy day in a twenty-year-old carriage.

He had no idea how appealing he was. Solid, steady, secretly handsome.

The women might have stopped to meet Gus, but I was betting they stayed to woo Tim.

And I was suddenly not okay with that. Job or not. Tim wasn’t going to be sucked in by some baby-using floozy.

I doubted someone as solid as him would want someone as wispy as me, but no matter what, I’d protect him from the baby-floozies of the world while he and Gus were in my care.

The rest of the way home, we chatted. I got to hear about Tim’s day and his commute and how much he missed being able to see Gus. I promised to send him pictures and videos of our day tomorrow.

He asked me about my mom and the gift and the last time I saw her.

It was the nicest afternoon I’d had in a long time.

When we got back to the house, Tim opened the front door with his keys and pulled the stroller inside…and stopped.

“What?” I asked.

He glanced around, as if something seemed odd, then turned to me, a bit of color rushing up his cheeks.

“I…” He handed me Gus and stuck his keys back in his pocket. “Um, I forgot my car.”

It took me a moment to realize what he meant, and then I burst out laughing. I’d been having such a lovely time that I had forgotten his car, too.

“I just was enjoying you guys so much…I mean, enjoying seeing Gus, right. Gus and I haven’t been apart in over a week.” Tim’s gaze dropped to Gus in my arms, then rose to meet mine again. “And you. I really enjoyed seeing you.”

Oh.

Before I could come up with something witty and charming to say, Tim had slipped back out the front door and was headed to town to get his car.

“Your uncle may be more adorable than you, but let’s not tell him that, okay?” Gus patted my cheek in agreement. “Let’s get your stuff all put away and ready for tomorrow’s outing so we can play with Uncle Tim when he gets home.”

Because I knew I was going to need to make the most of every moment I had with him. With both of them.

CHAPTER EIGHT

TIM

It wasn’t like him to be so forgetful.

Tim jogged down the path, glad for the moment. He needed the space, and it was just great to be moving. He’d have to consider when he could start running outdoors again. He should have bought a running stroller. Gus would like the rush of wind. But, he’d kept thinking, Willow would be back any second.

Now all he could think was, Don’t let Willow come back soon.

He’d spent most of the morning at the office in meetings with his teams, trying to get all the stuff that was better handled in person up to speed. But his mind kept slipping back to Nocturne Falls and Gus…and Minx.

His mind definitely kept slipping to Minx.

Her name fit her. She was small but curvy. Her thick chestnut hair was a wave of silk that made him want to tangle his hands in it. And her laugh—every time she laughed, he wanted to just bask.

What a stupid word, but it was true. She was like the sun, and her laughter and smiles and infectious happiness made him want to turn into her warmth whenever he was near her.

She was so comforting about all the things he didn’t know about Gus. He could see how funny she thought it was that he was sleeping on the floor of the nursery, but she hadn’t made him feel bad. Just sent him on his way, letting him know she had this under control now.

Of course, he wasn’t sure she was aware of just how sneaky Gus was.

He’d started reading the data on babies, and he understood that the things Gus was pulling off were way out of his capabilities.

It figured that if his nephew was a prodigy, it would be in all things troublemaking.

He’d keep an eye out while Minx got up to speed on that stuff just to make sure.

Keeping an eye on Minx—or, um, for Minx—wouldn’t be a problem.

There was no way she didn’t have to deal with her bosses constantly hitting on her. He’d told her she was safe there with them, and he wasn’t going to cross any lines. But, it was going to be hard. He wasn’t just attracted to her body—although, those compact curves were definitely an attraction—he was attracted to her. He hadn’t wanted to be around a woman this much since he’d been an even skinnier and more awkward college student.

He finally got back to his car in the lot next to the small downtown grocer. It made sense to grab some things while he was here. He headed into the store, completely unsurprised to find the first two rows were Halloween candy. Wandering around, he found the items he’d been looking for.

Minx had asked about tea that morning, and all they had was coffee, so he was going to grab a nice box of tea for her. Only, there were about four million types of tea. Who knew this? What happened to tea or coffee? Period. He struggled over what to get: black, green, white, oolong…the list went on.

In the end, he played it safe, getting five different types and hoping he’d found at least one she’d love.

Then he grabbed some steaks, figuring even he could grill a nice meal. Add a couple baked potatoes in foil, and it would be sweetly rounded out. He was a guy, but he knew women seemed to eat green things—so, salad-in-a-bag it was!

You know what would be good? Brownies. Brownies were always good, and he’d noticed that Minx had sweets at the café when he got there. He wasn’t against getting in on her good side by feeding her sugar habit.

He glanced at the flowers near the baked goods as he picked out the most decadent brownies he could find.

Flowers might be pushing it. He had to remind himself this wasn’t a date. She was the nanny. The hot, funny, smart, caring nanny who could probably date a guy who wasn’t a skinny computer nerd.

He set the flowers back in their bucket and headed home. He’d just have to enjoy the time he had with her until it was over.

He drove back to the house, forcing himself to not speed since he kept wondering what Minx and Gus were doing. He pulled into the garage and made a note to find the other door opener for Minx so she could park inside if she wanted to.

When he opened the kitchen door, he could hear laughter echoing down the back hall and calling to him. He’d never walked into his apartment and felt the sudden ease that rushed over him at the sound of the giggles.

It was like he was coming home for the first time, even though this wasn’t his house—and they weren’t his family.

He shook the thought off and set the grocery bags down before heading to the back sitting room.

He couldn’t help but find himself delighted—and what guy was ever delighted—by what he found.

Minx and Gus were sitting on the floor, playing with one of the toys Gus seemed most drawn to. Colorful blocks of different shapes that got fit into matching slots. Minx held each shape up, saying the name, rolling it around so he could see each side, as Gus nearly fell forward reaching for each. Sometimes he put them in one of the slots (occasionally the right one, even) and sometimes he just stuck them in his mouth.

You’d think the world was peppermint flavored the way he put everything straight in his mouth.

“Hey, guys.” Tim tried to keep his gaze fixed on Gus, but it kept slipping toward Minx and the way she lit up when she smiled. “I brought home steak for dinner. I’m going to go throw it on the grill if you’re starting to get hungry.”

As soon as he said the words, he wondered if steak was the right choice. The last woman he dated only ate dry chicken and lettuce.

Not that he was dating Minx.

“Oh, steak on the grill. Nice.” She hopped up and leaned over to pick Gus up, showcasing the way today’s skirt slipped over her rear and down her legs. “We’ll bring our swing in there and watch Uncle Ho—Tim make us dinner, sound good, pumpkin?”

To get his mind off of his nanny, Tim went to the other side of the room, keeping his eyes fixed on the baby swing, and carried it behind them to the kitchen. As Minx set Gus up in his seat, a front row seat to their non-date, Tim started pulling stuff out of the bags.

“Oh, I got you some tea,” he said as nonchalantly as possible. “It’s in that other bag.”

Minx glanced at the bag, probably wondering why tea took up so much space. He wasn’t going to defend his five boxes…or maybe he was.

“I didn’t know what to get,” he said as he turned to put the salad bag away. “I figured you can never have too many tea options.”

“Oh, these are wonderful.” Minx’s words ended with a happy sigh.

Tim couldn’t believe he’d won her over with tea. That was certainly better than champagne—not that he was trying to win her over he repeated to himself.

“You didn’t have to do this.”

He straightened from the fridge, pleased that she was happy about his little gift. “It wasn’t a big—”

In her hand, Minx had the bouquet of flowers he’d put back. And not the normal-size one, the ginormous, who buys this size one.

“Oh.” Tim glanced at the flowers, then at the bag they’d come from.

He was one hundred percent sure he hadn’t bought flowers. Sure, he’d wanted to buy them, wanted to see her face light up like that, but he hadn’t dared. He’d drawn the line. He was her employer and he didn’t want her to feel weird.

Also, she probably dated rock stars and famous guys who had women throwing themselves at them.

“These are beautiful.” She stuck her face deep in the petals, inhaling like it were a drug. “No one’s ever bought me flowers before.”

“No one?” he asked, shocked and a little embarrassed he hadn’t bought her flowers, either—or at least he was pretty sure he hadn’t.

“No.” She smiled up at him like he’d brought her the deed to a small island, not just some mysterious plants. “Thank you.”

“Oh, well.” He cleared his throat, thinking fast on his feet. It had been a mistake, but he’d wanted to buy them, and they made her happy, so why kill that joy? “You’re welcome.”

Just as he said it, the silent baby in the swing started clapping as if he’d done an amazing trick.

And, Tim was beginning to wonder if he really had.

CHAPTER NINE

MINX

The average American woman has two heartbreaks before finding love.

Flowers.

He got me flowers.

I tried not to get all gushy about it, but no one had ever bought me flowers before. I couldn’t believe we were sitting there, over steak and wine, chatting about life and getting to know each other—and between us were my flowers.

Well, they were kind of huge, so they were more off to the left so we could see one another.

It was the sweetest thing. That, and the fact he’d brought home enough tea for three months’ worth of mornings because he wanted to make sure I had what I liked.

How could I avoid falling for a guy like this?

My mother had always said that’s how it happened for her. Love at first sight. I couldn’t help but point out that a large number of women felt that way about my dad, seeing as he was a rock star. Also, vice versa on the men-slash-mom thing.

Just like when Frazzled Uncle Hottie opened the door and handed me a baby. I’d been done for then that first day, baby in hand. No flowers needed.

Not that I’d ever tell him that. I really loved the flowers.

I gave myself a shake. This wasn’t a date. This was dinner at home. On the other hand, he’d bought me flowers and a present and cooked—was it a date?

Could I just blurt out “Is this a date?” and see what happened?

Bad plan, Minx. Bad, bad plan.

“And so that’s how I ended up back working in Atlanta.” Tim smiled over his wine glass at me, and I realized I’d probably missed some mighty important information in Tim Land. I should probably Google him later or something. “How’d you get into nannying?”

“I love kids,” I responded with my typical answer—the one people expected. And then I realized, that’s not the answer I wanted to give. “No. That’s wrong.”

“You don’t love kids?” Tim looked a bit confused, and I imagined him locking Gus away with a pile of baby wipes and safety equipment while he evacuated me from the house.

I laughed at the idea, and Tim, taking my laugh the wrong way, relaxed a bit.

“I mean, I do love kids, but that’s not why I became a nanny. I didn’t even know I loved kids when I started.” Which sounded much odder out loud than in my head. “The truth is,” I glanced at Gus hoping for some encouragement, “my parents are kind of famous,” I started, afraid of where this was going to go.

“Really? As in, I’d know who they are famous?” He looked intrigued, but not in that way some people get when they hear the word famous.

“Probably. My dad is Rod Marksman, and my mom is Crystal Skyes.” Every guy in the world knew at least one of them.

“Your mom is Crystal Skyes?” he asked, a bit amazed. “I loved her in Beach City Summer.”

Oh.

And now I just had to ride out the comparisons. The “she’s so pretty, tall, stunning, talented, sexy…” whatever it is that guy had latched onto.

“Cool. But that doesn’t exactly point a straight line to nannying.” He left it out there, not quite a question but looking for an answer.

I tried to think of a way to explain it that didn’t sound like Poor Little Rich Girl syndrome. While I was thinking, Tim’s hand flipped over and he laced his fingers around mine, making me feel like he was protecting me, putting me in a safe place to talk.

“It was weird growing up with two famous parents. You hear these kids say all the time, ‘oh, it’s the only thing I knew so it always seemed normal.’ That,” I said, giving a sharp point of emphasis, “is a crock.”

“Yeah, it seems like it would be.” He gave my hand a little squeeze. “I always knew the parts of my family that were a little not normal and that’s normal-not-normal normal…or whatever.”

Awww. Look at him empathizing.

“I had nannies to travel with us because of my parents’ schedules. They were just…busy. And focused on their careers. An extra pair of hands was good, but they loved me. It wasn’t like my mother stopped loving me when she realized I wouldn’t be a great beauty like her.”

“I think you’re beautiful.”

My gaze had drifted away, but it snapped back to Tim’s face as soon as I heard the words. He looked almost as surprised to have said them as I was to hear them.

“Oh.”

“I mean—” He pulled his hand back, and I immediately missed the warmth of it. “You are. It’s just, I don’t want to, um…make you uncomfortable.”

“Oh,” I said again, because, obviously. “You don’t. You aren’t.”

“Okay. Good.” He cleared his throat, an endearing move I was beginning to recognize as his I’m Uncomfortable move. “So, nannying?”

I tried to focus on the story, but I was losing the thread quickly with my focus on the man.

“In the beginning, I’d planned to just take that one job. Just the one to get my own money, find a place, and figure things out. Then the one job fed into the next, and the next, and…”

And then I’d I felt trapped. But that sounded so wrong to admit.

“Then what?”

“Well, it was all I knew how to do. But, this last job—” I shuddered, remembering the last day when the FBI stormed what I had come to realize was more of a compound than a commune. “And things started to feel out of control like when I was young…”

“What kind of things made life feel out of control when you were a kid?”

“The normal stuff for a kid traveling with a rock star and supermodel. Never knowing where you are, waking up in different places, not feeling safe with their friends around…what you’d expect.”

I wondered how much I should share, but when I looked into Tim’s eyes, I saw no nosiness or pity. Worry, yes. Interest in me, sure. But nothing that makes someone start buying tabloids.

“To be honest, it was the weird stuff that really stressed me out—the unknowns. My parents had some weird friends, and it just felt like they always brought the crazy with them.” I shuddered a little, remembering some of it. “What adult artists see as avant-garde, kids can see as plain scary. I remember waking up in some villa one night and finding a clown walking a peacock down the hallway outside my room. It freaked me out.”

“Honey, I think that would freak me out now.” He even looked a little freaked out thinking about it.

“Right, so, imagine all the stories you’ve heard about rock stars on the road or diva supermodels and their entourage. All true. Actually, probably downplayed for public consumption. Now imagine you’re six and stuck with living in that crazy circus with no way out and no one who would make life seem normal.” I looked up and smiled at him. “Except, sometimes, maybe the nanny. If they weren’t there for the free travel or hoping to side step into the lifestyle, they might be there for you. But, because of our lives, they typically were only there for about six months. Six months I felt safe.”

Tim glanced away, obviously trying to say the right thing in the right way. “Did you feel unsafe a lot?”

“I didn’t realize I did until my mother sent me to therapy when I was thirteen.”

“Why did she send you to therapy? Did something happen?” The concern overflowing from him made my heart sigh with relief from the lack of judgment.

“Besides being a teenager? No. But, my mother had her therapist on speed dial. That was part of their world. My mother told me, as she sent me in the first time, that it was great. It was a time that everything was just about her, and that now I had that, too.” I laughed, because only my mother would say that. “The irony that everything was typically all about her was completely missed.”

Tim laughed kindly, not a bit of malice in the sound. “I think your mother and mine sound more and more alike all the time.”

“Oddly, the therapist was actually concerned after my first visit. I was underweight, overexposed, and off the charts anxious.” It dawned on me as an adult that many of the questions she’d asked after we got to know each other were geared toward figuring out if I was safe in my current situation.

“Really?” he asked. “How anxious?”

“Enough that I walked out of her office with a prescription in hand.” It had been a really dark time for me. I hadn’t realized just how dark until I’d escaped it. But, that was a place—and a world—I never wanted to go back to. If I’d learned anything, it was that stability was too important to my mental health to let go of.

“And what did your parents do?”

“They thought it was funny.” I remember them laughing it off, saying that it was bound to happen sooner or later, since everyone they knew was on something—legal or not.

“Oh, honey.” Tim’s thumb rubbed over the back of my hand, a soothing swish-swish, swish-swish. “You know that’s not normal and that it’s okay, right?”

“Yup. And so, all I want in life now is calm, predictable, and normal. You’d think that wouldn’t be too much to ask, right?”

After Brother Tomas’s compound had been taken down, I’d taken a break, struggling with my own returning anxiety and depression until I could handle the job again safely. Now, here I was, five months later, in a town that celebrated Halloween 24/7.

“I think you can have anything you want—and that might be aiming a bit low, but it’s a good start.” He shook his head at me, as if wanting something everyone else grew up with was the weird part. “Did the medicine help?”

“Mostly.” I stopped, suddenly afraid. No one knew the rest of the story.

I was afraid to tell him. It was too soon. We still lived in a world where depression was either an evil, ugly thing or just affected someone who wouldn’t suck up being sad for a little while.

Tim was more sensitive than that, but… Yeah. Not ready.

“I love my parents.”

“That’s great—I do, too. Well, my parents. Not yours; I’ve never met them. But, I quasi-loved them as a teen, so there’s that.”

“Right, they’re really great. But—” I couldn’t figure out how to say this without sounding horrible.

“Ahh.” Tim nodded. “A bit controlling? Thought you’d want what they want, so they’d use their own motivators to try to get you to do what they thought was best?”

I sat back in my chair, flummoxed. No one had every understood before. Especially no one who hadn’t seen that life firsthand.

“Yes. Exactly.”

“I have a bit of experience with that myself.” He sipped his wine, then poured us each another small bit. “My mother and your mother are, apparently, cut from the same cloth.”

I raised my glass, a toast to COCM—Children of Controlling Mothers.

“So, you found a job that you were uniquely qualified for, that allowed you out from the influence of your family, but that forced you to stay in a world you didn’t think was for you.”

“That’s it in a nutshell.” I sipped the wine, a peace slipping over me at the idea of someone just getting it. It happened so infrequently. Tricia was the closest person to it, and she didn’t get it.

“So, why stay with it?” he asked.

I wasn’t sure how to start. “No one has ever asked me that before.”

“You can start wherever you want.” He gave me a smile, one of encouragement and support without even knowing what it was that I wanted.

“Okay. I want normal.” I nodded my head, trying to make that sound like some big, unachievable goal I was chasing. “I want to have a home and settle down. I was thinking I could go to college, buy myself a little house up on the coast of New Hampshire, and just figure things out from there. Maybe get a dog. I never got to have a pet before. Just, something that doesn’t involve anyone who is rich, famous, or powerful. Normal. I just want normal.”

It sounded stupid. I glanced own at the remains of my potato, all the inside buttery goodness gone, just the shell sitting there mocking me, asking me if I knew there was more to life than buttery goodness.

“That sounds…” He paused, and I was afraid he was looking for a way to politely tell me I was a spoiled, selfish brat. Instead, he smiled that slightly crooked smile I was falling for. “That sounds really nice.”

“It does?” I asked, afraid he was humoring me.

“Yup. I’m not sure what anyone would want more in life than that. Maybe a job you love—and I’m already lucky in that department—so, you sound like you have a pretty good plan.”

We sat there, just sat for a moment, his smile the focus of everything for me, until a tiny snort came from the right where Gus had fallen asleep in his swing.

I guess both of us were waking up.

CHAPTER TEN

MINX

The average person has over 1,460 dreams a year.

I shot out of bed at the sound of screeching so loud it echoed through the connecting bathroom and over the baby monitor.

Rushing into Gus’s room, I hurried to the crib, afraid of what I’d find after that ungodly sound. But, Gus lay there, still and silent. So silent that after that noise I feared for the worst and checked his vitals. He was sucking on his ducky again—which I was pretty sure I’d taken away for safety. I grabbed it, double-checking everything, and had just assured myself Gus was sleeping soundly when Tim rounded the corner of the door, rushing into the room.

“What was that?” he shout-whispered at me as he got to the crib in three long strides. “Is he okay?”

“Yes, he’s fine. I have no idea what that was, but even his heart rate is normal.” I turned to reassure Tim that everything was okay but instead ended up gawking.

He was in the same pair of men’s pajama bottoms, but this time missing from his evening ensemble was the white T-shirt. Instead, he stood there, shirtless, hands braced on the edge of the crib in a way that made each and every lean muscle stand out in relief.

I was definitely in danger of drooling.

“I...um…heard him—Gus, him—and came.” Good communication skills, Minx.

“Me too.” Tim turned to face me, his mouth open as if he was about to say something else, when I felt the sweep of his gaze along my entire body.

It was then that I remembered I wasn’t wearing much either. Just my sleep cami and boxer shorts.

“You’re um…” He stopped, cleared his throat, and looked away. “You’re not worried. He’s okay?”

I took advantage of Tim’s gentlemanliness to blatantly stare.

A girl has to take advantage of these situations when they appear, after all.

It was the first time I’d seen him without his glasses, and his eyes were an even richer brown than without the slight reflection on the glass. So deep and dark you’d want to sink right into them.

Instead, I kicked my own butt back into nanny mode.

“No. He’s fine. Maybe just a bad dream.” Which made me sad. Babies shouldn’t have anything bad to dream about.

“Okay, so.” His gaze came back down to meet mine. “I know you think I’m foolish, but I’m going to sleep on the floor in here tonight.”

“I don’t think you’re foolish. I think it’s cute…but unnecessary.” I reached out a hand to pat his arm, then thought better of it with all that arm-shoulder-chest nakedness going on. “You have a nanny, and she’s right through that door. Gus will be okay. Everyone has bad dreams, but look at him now.”

We both looked down at the little guy, who had no idea he’d caused so much commotion.

Part of me thanked him for his oddly-timed screams that lasted only until we got here—and then let me focus on Tim.

“Are you sure? I mean, maybe he’d gotten used to sleeping with me in the room. And, with his mom gone, maybe he needs someone here?” Tim sounded like he was the one who needed to be here.

“I think he’s okay. I think it’s really great you’re willing to be here, but I think tonight he’s done with the screaming. I see a peaceful night’s rest for him—and for you, if you go back to your bed. You have a commute tomorrow, don’t forget.”

He finally nodded and drew his gaze away from Gus—and let it fall along the outline of me.

“I have to go,” he said and turned and walked out, leaving me to watch his retreating shoulders and rear end as a very nice way to finish out the night.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

TIM

When the phone rang, he thought about not answering it.

He couldn’t believe what an idiot he’d been. First accidentally forcing Minx to go on a date with him—including baby chaperone—without even asking her out. Then to gawk at her in that tiny, tiny pajama set she’d been wearing last night.

Curves? Understatement.

He’d just about forgotten how to think and had to make a hasty retreat to not do something stupid. Like grab her and kiss her right there in front of Gus…not that Gus would care, since he was asleep.

And a baby.

But, Tim was afraid he was letting his imagination—and lust—get the better of him reading into something that was maybe one-sided.

It was time to capitulate his good intentions. He needed to get Minx out of the house and one on one. Something where he could see if together—without Gus—they made sense.

He’d loved listening to her talk about her childhood and making decisions that got her out from under the control of her parents. He’d definitely seen a kindred spirit in her with that. He loved his mother… He tried not to add the but on to the end of that sentence.

From the kitchen, he could hear Minx puttering around with Gus upstairs. He’d really hit gold in the nanny department, too. Gus adored her, and it was obvious the feeling was mutual. If they’d sent him someone Gus hadn’t taken to, well, he didn’t know what he’d do, but it wouldn’t be keep her on.

Even if he was potentially falling in love with her.

He froze, his coffee halfway to his mouth, replaying that last thought.

He was falling in love with her?

No.

Minx’s laughter drifted down the hall as she carried Gus toward the kitchen, and he shook his head.

Yes.

Yes, he absolutely was. He stood, waiting for her to come into the kitchen so he could get his morning fix of Minx, and boy, did it deliver. Like a shot of adrenaline, rushing right to his heart.

She was freshly showered and wearing another one of her little brightly-colored T-shirts and a skirt. Gus was happily chewing on the ends of her hair…which, maybe he should buy her organic hair products…but…

He glanced at her again, and the only thing that came to mind was: Yes.

“Good morning.” She flashed him a smile before she turned to put Gus in one of his many, many swings. “We’re all better this morning after our nightmare. All slept off and happy. Isn’t that right, big guy?”

Was it his imagination, or was she not looking at him?

She walked around the counter, eyes on the cabinet with the mugs in it.

“I just need to make myself a to-go cup of tea, and we’re off to walk with Gus’s girlfriend.”

She still wasn’t looking at him. Maybe she was really upset about last night and the whole we’re-half-naked-in-the-nursery thing. But, nothing happened—except him retreating like a lunatic.

He glanced around, looking for something to keep her home with him, even though she had plans and he had work. He was being ridiculous. But, a date—that was a good idea. He needed to ask her out, make it clear it was a date. Maybe take her somewhere outside the prying eyes of Nocturne Falls, because small-town living had already caught up with them, apparently.

He was trying to figure out what to say when the invitation he’d stuck to the fridge flew off and landed on the counter next to him. A little squeal caught his attention as he picked it up, and he could have sworn Gus winked at him.

Tim downed his coffee, realizing he might need to caffeinate more in the morning after baby emergencies.

Glancing at the invitation, he realized this was the perfect opportunity to ask Minx out. Women loved to get dressed up, right?

And it wasn’t as if he had a choice. It was a command performance, as far as his mother was concerned.

He turned toward her, where she stood staring at the kettle.

“Um, Minx?” He tried not to act like he was sixteen again, but his nerves were definitely jumping.

“Yes?” She slid a glance at him out of the corner of her eye, and he tried not to flex when her gaze slipped down his chest.

It was just the little bit of reassurance he needed.

“I have to go down to Atlanta Saturday night for an event.”

“Oh.” She turned and glanced at him, a little crease between her eyes telling him this wasn’t going the way he expected. “I guess Gus and I will just hang out here for the night.”

Tim tried not to frown at her as he tried to figure out if this was a polite dodge, or she was just assuming that of course she’d watch Gus. She’s the nanny.

“Actually.” He cleared his throat. “I was wondering if you’d like to go. With me. As my date.”

“Oh.” She set her tea down and gave him her full attention. “You mean, with you-with you?”

“Yes.” He waited as she looked at him a long moment. “Unless you don’t want to. You don’t have to. It’s not like I’m your boss making you go out with me. Although, it kind of sounds like it, doesn’t it—but it’s not. It’s just me, asking you if you want to go to this thing at my mother’s house. But if you don’t, that’s totally okay. No problem. No pressure…just, yeah.”

He faded out as he watched the smile on her face grow.

He was an idiot.

A big one.

“Yes,” she said, as he was turning away. “I’d love to go with you Saturday.”

He grinned down at her, loving the way she blushed and glanced away. Just a bit shy, even as she was completely sure of herself.

He sipped at his coffee as he watched her feed Gus and get them packed to go.

He’d never thought he could love his life as much as he did. But now he had Gus, and maybe, if Saturday went well, he’d have Minx, too.

Saturday couldn’t come soon enough.

CHAPTER TWELVE

MINX

The average woman spends over $100,000 on clothes in a lifetime.

“So, he just asked you out in the kitchen?” Calla grinned as she maneuvered Chalice’s carriage around a tree stump.

“Yup. I thought he was asking me to work Saturday, but he was asking me out.” I couldn’t believe it.

I’d woken up, afraid I wouldn’t be able to look at Tim without seeing him in just his pajama bottoms again…and that would lead to lust…which led to drool…which was just embarrassing.

But, instead, he’d asked me out.

Hopefully not because of the drool.

Calla stopped in the middle of the bike path, bringing her stroller to such a quick stop that Chalice looked up as if to say, What’s going on?

“Why are we walking?” She turned around, pulling a perfect mom-three-point turn to head back toward town. “We should be shopping. You need a dress.”

Crud. I hadn’t even thought of that.

“What type of party is this?” she asked as I fell back in step with her.

“Some fancy dinner thing his mother gives every year. I think it’s for a charity, because he mentioned hiding his checkbook.”

“Okay.” Calla veered into town. “I know just the place; we’re going to make you gorgeous.”

“On a budget.”

She gave a sharp nod. “We’re going to make you gorgeous on a budget.”

One could only hope.

But, I had more things to worry about than a dress, if I was being honest.

“I think it’s a bad idea. I hate to leave Gus alone for the night. I mean—he’s just getting used to us. And how would I find a babysitter in one night?” I looked down at where Gus and Chalice baby-babbled to one another, the smile creeping on my face undeniable. “I could bring him, right? I mean, he’s Tim’s nephew—but maybe Tim’s mother wouldn’t like that.”

I didn’t want to go into the private details, but seeing as Tim and Willow’s dad had passed away and Tim’s mom was not Willow’s mom…maybe not the best plan.

There were too many unknowns here for me to guess.

“You’re seriously thinking about this?” Calla’s shock overrode my planning.

“Yes. It’s my job. I’m not sure how the nanny can go out with the boss.”

I wasn’t sure if the nanny should go out with the boss. Was I letting my wants override good sense?

“Of course you should go out with him! Just the way you guys look at one another is all buzzy and stuff. And I can’t believe you’re thinking of bringing Gus with you.” She leaned over and smiled at the kids. “Of course he’ll stay with us that night.”

“I can’t ask you to do that.” Even though now I really, really wanted to.

“You didn’t ask. I offered. And, Chalice offered, didn’t you, sweetheart?” She leaned over the front of her stroller as we rolled to a stop in front of a secondhand store. “We’ll have a great time, just us girls and our hottie, Gus.”

I laughed at the idea of that, although, with how women seemed drawn to the Johnson men, maybe that wasn’t so far off the mark.

“Gus and I thank you. As long as Tim doesn’t have any issues with it.”

And, I was really, really hoping he didn’t.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

MINX

The recommended average first date is 1.5 hours long.

Butterflies.

They were beating an insane and desperate rhythm in my gut.

The dress I’d gotten from The Resurrected Hemline secondhand store felt more questionable when I didn’t have people (and babies) encouraging my purchase. I glanced down at my cleavage—which I’d never paid much attention to as long as it fit in my T-shirts—and wondered if maybe, just maybe, it was a little too much skin.

The downstairs bell rang, and the busy chatter of Calla hummed up the stairs. Before I knew what she was up to, she was in the doorway, baby-free.

“Um, where are the kids?” Since the entire reason she was coming over was to babysit, this seemed like a relevant question.

Tim had been okay with the situation, weighing the options carefully, interviewing Calla, and calling her references.

Calla had taken it all in stride, finding Tim’s overprotectiveness admirable instead of borderline annoying like I feared she might.

“Downstairs with Tim. I wanted to help you get ready.”

“I’m basically ready.” I glanced around, wondering what else there was to do. Dress was on. Shoes were on. Lip gloss was on. Hair was up… “Do you think I should put on a sweater?”

“In what world is a sweater going to go with a floor-length red satin gown?”

“In the one where my boobs are going to fall out and embarrass Tim in front of his family?”

“If Tim is any type of guy—and he is, even if he’s a bit dorky—embarrassed would not be his first thought if he saw your boobs.” She glanced down at where I had creatively bound my chest into a bra and some fabric tape, and grinned. “I don’t think it would even be my first thought.”

“Okay, that’s it—I need another dress.” I glanced at myself in the mirror, feeling like a short Jessica Rabbit, minus the va-va-voom.

“Too late, cupcake.” She pulled me toward the door, handing me the clutch she’d loaned me as we went. “You look great.”

“Are you sure I don’t look like a really expensive call girl?”

“If you do, then it’s really expensive. Like, men would have to pool their money to buy you.”

I stopped in the hall, wanting to turn back, but oddly more worried about what she’d just said.

“You know, that’s even more disturbing.”

“Yeah.” Calla nodded. “After it came out of my mouth, I thought, Not the best call, there, Calla. On the upside, Tim has already paid for you.”

“Again.”

“Right. I’ll stop talking. You look great.”

I wasn’t sure how reassuring Calla was, but she was right about one thing—there was no changing or backing out now. Hopefully I didn’t embarrass Tim by being absolutely overdressed.

I came around the corner into the kitchen, where he stood talking to both kids as they kicked in matching swings. My doubts about the dress vanished completely.

Actually, every thought in my head vanished as I caught a glance of him standing in front of the kids, running his hand over his usually floppy hair as he’d tamed it back with gel. Nothing too slick and un-Timlike. Just something that gave him a more sophisticated vibe—that went with his very sophisticated suit.

I couldn’t help but stare. He was the sophisticated businessman dressed for a night on the town.

“Don’t drool.” Calla leaned in and whispered. “It will stain the satin.”

Tim turned, catching our undertones of chatter, and froze, his gaze running down my red dress in a way that told me he had no problem with va-va-voom.

“You look amazing.” He stepped toward me, hand out as if he wanted to touch me, see if I was still me.

“You look pretty darn great yourself.” I winked at him, trying to lighten the moment because I thought I was going to keel over and faint with my inability to breathe.

He stuck his hands in his pockets, a move so negligent of the gorgeous threads he was wearing, that it made me wonder how often he got sucked into an occasion like tonight.

Just as I was about to cross the room, Chalice slapped her hands down and upended her yogurt.

“No!” Calla shouted as she rushed forward, waving her arms.

By some miracle, none of it landed on Tim. He ran his hands down his sides, checking the suit and grinned.

“Close call.” He winked at Calla, who was giving her daughter the evil eye. “Not her fault. I shouldn’t be playing with them as we’re walking out the door. I guess I was just lucky.”

“Yeah, lucky.” She laughed as she rounded the counter to grab a towel. “Or my magic fingers saved your night.”

Calla waggled her fingers at him, and I half expected her to say POOF.

“Sure.” Tim nodded, as if that’s exactly what had happened. “Thanks to you and your magic for saving the night.”

Calla gave him a funny look, and I was about to ask what was so funny, but—Tim smiled at me, and all thought was lost.

“Ready to go?”

I nodded. My grin was obviously dopey, because Calla gave me a not-so-subtle eye roll as we left.

The drive there was like a date unto itself. Tim entertained me, letting me flip through his preset buttons and judge him. He had country and classical and some talk station that was all about money and laws…which, no.

Then I made him listen to my favorites—all pop, because I wasn’t completely over rebelling against my rock roots.

Then we talked about anything that came to mind. It was the easiest conversation I’d ever had. Since I’d met him, I’d felt at ease with Tim. But this first date thing—I thought it would be nerve-racking, but it was pretty great.

So great that I didn’t realize nearly an hour had gone by as he started maneuvering down some back roads with ginormous houses.

When I say houses, I’m pretty sure a few were former plantations.

“We’re just cutting through here, right?”

“Cutting through?” he asked, giving my hand—which he’d held the entire time and was the nicest thing ever—a squeeze. “To where?”

“Your mom’s?”

Tim laughed, as if this were funny. “No. We’re almost there.”

I tried not to panic, but this was a totally different kind of wealth than I was used to. And, I was feeling a little blindsided. Tim had never mentioned he came from money. Obscene amounts of money.

“Am I dressed all right?” I asked, suddenly more nervous than I could have expected.

“Yes. You look great.” He turned to give me a smile as he slowed to pull into a drive, passing through a huge gate.

Maybe she’d rented the place for her event. That made sense. But, still.

“I mean, I look appropriate. Like, red satin? No one is going to wonder if you bought me or something.”

Tim all but drove off the gravel drive when he did a double take at me.

“Minx, you are a beautiful, classy woman,” he said, giving my hand a little squeeze. “No one would think I could afford you.”

“Tim!” I’d been almost relaxed at the first part, but now I was just not feeling it. “Oh my gosh. You need to let me out. Let me out right here.”

“In the driveway, halfway to the house?” He sounded incredulous.

“Yes. I’ll…I’ll wait for you here.”

“Minx, what has gotten into you?”

“I can’t go in there looking like a high-end call girl.” I thought about just jumping out of the car. How hard could a tuck and roll really be? Angelina Jolie did one in that Mr. and Mrs. movie in a dress, right?

“Hey.” Tim pulled the car to the side of the drive and put it in park. With smooth movements, he took my hand so I came around to face him. “Hey, I was kidding. You said call girl, and I thought we were joking. You look gorgeous. Every guy there is going to be completely stunned that you’re with me—not to mention jealous.”

“You’re just saying that so I don’t sit out here with the ducks.”

“Mother doesn’t have ducks. Too low class. Swans.”

“Are you serious?” The panic was rising again. “I’m a duck. I’m just a duck!”

“Minx, you’re the most swannish swan out there.” He took my other hand in his and rubbed his thumb over the back, calming me down. “You’re beautiful and smart and funny, and you have the best heart of anyone I’ve met. You come from fame and wealth, but you’re solid and true to yourself. You don’t need any of the things so many other people chase after. You understand contentment and joy. That is what a swan is. All those things. All those things are you.”

Before I could even recover from those words—those beautiful, wonderful words—he eased forward, his lips brushing mine gently, softly. I leaned in, needing to feel him, to drown in his kisses. The rest of it didn’t matter. Just Tim.

Before I knew it, it was over. He was pulling away and setting me apart.

“So.” He cleared his throat, and I couldn’t help but smile at his tell. “No more of this. My family has money. Apparently, a lot of it. But, I’ve made my own way working. We’re not so different in that way, are we?”

“No,” I said, falling a little more in love with him right then. That he could look at me and think we were alike—him with his classy, Southern upbringing on a freaking plantation, and me in the back of a tour bus with who knows what going on—then, no, we weren’t that different.

He had, after all, followed his math nerd passion out into the world to do his money guy thing.

I leaned over, sweeping a kiss across his lips, trying to keep it light enough that he couldn’t read into it how hard and fast I’d fallen for him.

“Okay, then.” He gave a decisive nod—no throat clearing now.

I grinned. We could do this. We could be an us. So what that I was about to meet his family and see the life he was from? So what if there would be “dating the help” comments? So what that he came from money since he didn’t live in it?

We just had to make it through tonight and we could go back to being just us—and Gus—when we got home.

I tried to brush away the idea that Gus and Nocturne Falls didn’t belong to us, to either of us. But it sat there in the back of my head. I knew Gus needed his mommy, but I needed Willow to give us a little more time, even as I doubted her more as each day went by.

But, I knew I wasn’t just falling in love with Tim. I was falling for Gus also, and no matter what happened, I saw heartbreak in my future.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

MINX

The average girl…has never been to a ball at a plantation.

We pulled up to the house and—yes, it was a plantation mansion. The columns alone were awe-inspiring.

“Don’t look at the house like that,” Tim whispered, before getting out and coming around to open my door, handing his keys to the valet on the way. “It’s just a house. It might even be smaller than that thing we’re staying in in Nocturne Falls.”

I glanced around. Just a house. I’d been in larger, maybe even nicer. My mother’s friends were women who loved to show off their money and taste. So, old money versus new money—it was all just rich people showing other rich people that they were rich.

I took the hand Tim offered and slid out of the car, straightening my wrap as I did. I let myself, just for a moment, lean into him and feel his strength and heat and presence.

We climbed the low-riding marble stairs to a grand, double-door entrance that was held open by two footmen…um, guys.

We stepped into a foyer with a grand staircase climbing up the middle and splitting each direction at the first landing. Very Gone with the Wind. I was questioning satin for hoopskirts.

Tim led me toward what appeared to be the main room, keeping a low profile to dodge behind what was an honest to goodness receiving line.

We’d almost made it by…almost.

“Timothy.” The voice came from just inside the entryway where a beautifully distinguished woman held court.

Tim leaned down and whispered, “Ready?” and I realized that we weren’t even going to get inside before I had to face the band.

“Mother.” Tim didn’t let go of my hand as he leaned down to kiss her powdered cheek. “You’re looking as lovely as ever this evening. And you obviously outdid yourself.”

“Thank you. I see you didn’t bother to cut your hair.”

“No, I didn’t.” Tim gave her such a cheeky grin that I had to stifle a giggle.

“Well.” She sniffed a bit as he grinned down at her. “At least you’re here. And not late. It was nice of you to come all the way down. I know you’ve taken on responsibilities that aren’t yours.”

“I’m enjoying getting to spend time with Gus,” he responded in a way that made it clear to anyone with a bit of self-preservation that the discussion of Gus was off the table.

“I suppose you would. You have much too soft a spot for that woman.” She raised her head a notch, obviously meaning the statement as a challenge.

“That woman is my sister, so it’s completely normal for me to have a soft spot for her. Just like the one I have for you.” There was nothing soft about the way he said it. This was obviously a different Tim than I was used to. He was drawing a line in the sand and making it clear that her behavior was beyond the mark and that only his soft spot was allowing her to continue on. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’ll allow you to get back to greeting your guests.”

“You haven’t introduced me to your friend.” I felt the cold seep into my bones as her gaze swung my way. “Aren’t you darling?”

“Mother, this is Minx.”

I was eternally glad he didn’t mention I was the nanny. I could just see what dating the help would get him—and me.

“Minx. What a unique name.” She gave me such a cold smile, I wished I’d had that sweater after all.

“Mother—” Tim chided as I spoke over him.

“Thank you.” I smiled back. This was something I knew. I’d watched this game played far too many times between my mother and her model and actress friends. “My mother is a very unique woman.”

Because, I didn’t name myself. No use blaming the kid for the stupid name.

“She must be. Trust me, this family is familiar with hippies.” This was obviously another dig at Willow and her mother. Tim’s line could only be so thick when it came to dealing with his mother in public.

I suppose I wouldn’t really love the woman who had been my husband’s lover just as I was marrying him, either. But, displaced anger, anyone?

I gave Tim’s hand a squeeze. If I couldn’t handle his mother, there would be bigger problems in my future. But, knowing that he would handle her for me was an eye-opening relief.

“Oh, I don’t think anyone would mistake her for a hippy. Actually, it’s rumored that Herb said she was the most exquisite example of classic beauty of her generation.” I gave my sweetest smile. “Obviously, I got my looks from my father. Unfortunately, I didn’t get his talent.”

It was apparent that Mrs. Johnson was realizing that her son had brought someone as his date, she just couldn’t figure out who.

And since I was only the daughter of someones, I never really considered it myself. But, arsenal? Yes, please.

“Well.” Mrs. Johnson cleared her throat, proving where Tim got his tell. “I guess when you grow up in that atmosphere, you do name your children a little differently.”

“You named me Ashley,” Tim spoke up beside me.

I turned, looking up at him with such a smile that he paused when he looked down at me. I was about to say I wasn’t laughing at him, but he knew—he just knew. Because we were, whether his mother liked it or not, becoming an us.

“And you left my hair long. It was horrible.”

“It’s a family name.” His mother sniffed and took a sip of her champagne. “You should be proud of your heritage.”

I could tell this was a lifelong argument. And, as someone who grew up in the most liberal of houses, I could see where the issues might be. Especially knowing how much Tim loved his free-spirited sister and her son.

“Yeah, not wanting to be mistaken at ten for a girl or a civil war general, I’m more than happy going by my middle name. Which,” he gave his mother a smile that was obviously meant to placate her, “was very kind of you to name me after your grandfather.”

Both Johnsons had stiffened, facing down one another with those polite Southern smiles glued to their faces.

“Tim, you had asked me if I wanted to dance,” I said, trying to break the standoff.

“He did?” his mother asked, incredulous.

Oops. I’d obviously misstepped with that escape plan.

“I did.” Tim wrapped his hand around my waist. “So, if you’ll excuse us.”

Without further excuses, Tim turned me and headed toward the ballroom—they had a ballroom in their house—where a string quartet played.

“I hope you have closed-toe shoes on.” He laughed as he swung me into the waltz they were playing. “I’m a horrible dancer. Mother actual gave up on my learning and just shifted to fencing.”

“Oh my gosh.” I laughed up at him, so happy to be in his arms that he could squash my toes all he wanted. “Fencing? Seriously?”

This family became more and more a walking cliché of Southern old money everywhere I looked.

“Yup. I loved the idea since I was a King Arthur freak. I was convinced I was going to grow up to be the archeologist who found Camelot.”

“What happened?” I tried to hide my wince as Tim caught the edge of my toe on that last turn.

“Giving sharp, pointy objects to klutzy young men—not the best plan.” He grinned as I laughed, obviously what he was hoping for. “The coach suggested I might like running.”

“And?” I asked, wanting to know everything about him, and know it now.

“I loved it. It was everything I’d been wanting in a sport.” He shrugged when I laughed. “No one was trying to kill me. I didn’t have to throw or catch anything. And, it was quiet. So quiet. Just me and the road or the trail. Time to think.”

The waltz changed to something else, and Tim spun me to the edge—clipping my toe again—and stepped us off the floor.

“Was the damage worth the escape?” he asked as he led me back to the main room.

“It was wonderful.” I smiled up at him, letting him see the truth of it. It had been wonderful, no matter how well we did, because it was with him. Just being with him was all I needed.

We stood there, as out of the way as we could get, just smiling at one another.

“I told you you look beautiful, right?”

“Yes.”

“And, that I think you’re just as lovely in your little skirts and T-shirts?”

“You didn’t exactly say that.”

“Oh, how remiss of me.” He grinned and swept a kiss over my temple as he pulled me a bit closer. “And that I’m never as happy as when it’s just you and me—and Gus?”

“No, I don’t believe you mentioned that.”

“And that I just want to leave here and convince you to do wicked, wicked things with me on our free night with a babysitter?”

“I’m fairly sure I would have remembered you mentioning that.”

“And that I’m fa—”

“Timothy!” A heavy hand came down on Tim’s shoulder, making me want to scream Noooooooooo!

It was easy to see that Tim obviously felt the same way as he closed his eyes, giving my waist his hand was wrapped around a quick squeeze, before turning a bit to greet the older gentleman who had intruded on our very private moment.

“Senator, how are you?” he asked, obviously annoyed.

“Fine, son, fine. You’re looking well.” His gaze slid toward me in that way that every woman knows—just polite enough to not call out. “And what’s your lovely friend’s name?”

Tim, bless him, wasn’t the oblivious man you feared to have by your side when an icky old guy made subtle moves.

“This is Minx.” No introduction, no setup. Just my name.

For a moment, I was offended by it, but then I realized that, no. Tim was being protective. Not giving the man an opening or ammunition. It was odd watching him run interference with these crazy people all night.

I was used to crazy, but not this type. It was like everyone had an agenda and you couldn’t guess what it was.

In my world, you always knew what it was. There were only three options—fame, money, and sex—and honestly, I’d learned that the sex was typically just a brush with fame, so maybe there were just two.

“Minx, charmed.” He held out his hand, leaving me no option but to shake it. “I’m Maxwell.”

He said this as if I should know who he was, but I couldn’t think of a senator who was named Maxwell. Of course, I’d been out of communication at my last job—and out of the country for most of my youth, so…

“It’s nice to meet you, sir.”

“Sir?” He laughed a deep, uncomfortable sound that felt more like a prop than an emotion. “Now, doesn’t that make me sound old?”

I wasn’t sure how to respond to this, especially since he was still clutching my hand.

Tim fixed this by reaching out his own hand, since the senator guy hadn’t shaken it yet. “It’s good to see you. Is Mariam here with you?”

“Oh, the old bag? She’s in with The Ladies figuring out which one of the spring chicks they’ll invite to join the charity circle this year.” He winked at me like this was a special inside joke between us. “Too much charity circling out there. But, gotta keep the women busy, don’t we now, Timothy.”

“Sure. Busy hands, etc., etc.” How the man did not hear Tim’s sarcasm was beyond me.

“Speaking of, when are you going to give up that hobby company and run for governor?” he asked. “We need more people like you in politics. I’m more than glad to donate to the cause. I was talking to your mother about it just the other day at the club. She was saying how you were definitely considering the opportunities for office. It’s what your father wanted.”

Beside me, Tim stiffened.

I tried not to react, but this was definitely getting out of hand. The money and the plantation were enough, but now this? People were pushing him to run for governor? How in the world did I not know this? How had he said we were the same? No one would want me anywhere near politics.

And, what was he talking about with the company?

“Tim, what exactly do you do?” I asked.

He turned, sensing that something had just gone horribly wrong besides having to put up with the creepy older guy.

“I’m the numbers guy at my company,” he said, as if this was a discussion we’d already had.

“Ha!” The senator guy, not realizing he was unwanted and unwelcomed, slapped Tim on the back again. “Timothy here’s being modest. Always has been. His company is a multi-million dollar startup. He does the numbers, alrighty.”

“Wait,” I said, waving a hand at Senator-whatever without looking away from Tim. “You own the company?”

“Well, yes. I started it after college, and it just kind of became a thing.” He studied me as if he wasn’t sure why being a successful entrepreneur was a bad thing.

“What company?”

“My company.”

“And the name of that company would be?” I asked, fearing that it was something like, say, Google.

“EverApp.” He said this in such an offhanded manner that I thought for a moment he was kidding.

“EverApp?” I glanced up at him, trying desperately to not angry sweat through my dress. Sweat stains on satin were unhidable.

“Um, yes?” He glanced over to the guy who either was or was not a senator. But was getting no help there as the man slowly backed away. “I’m not sure why you’re looking at me like that.”

“Really?” I asked, not sure if I was sure he was not sure.

“No. I’m not. I’ve been confused for the last two hours.” He went to run his hand through his hair and must have remembered the gel, because he dropped it to his side, fisting it there.

“I’ve told you all about my life. About growing up with rich, famous parents. That all I wanted was something normal. That rich and famous is outside the realm of where I want my life to be.” He started to interrupt, and I cut him off. “You asked me out knowing all this, knowing that you were not only rich by legacy but also started and own one of the most famous tech companies. I feel—”

I stopped, trying to figure out how I felt. I looked up at him, my nerdy, germaphobe, funny, goofy, caring Tim, and felt a bit blindsided.

“Let’s get out of here.” Tim took my hand and guided me through the crowd back to where someone had taken my wrap.

I was still trying to figure out how I felt, what this meant, when he placed me gently in the car, all but buckling me in before hurrying around to the other side.

As we drove back down the drive, a profound sense of relief washed over me, leaving behind a tension I hadn’t known I’d felt along with the oversize historic mansion I would have loved a tour of…as a visitor, not a guest.

“We’re going back to Nocturne Falls?” I asked, because I wasn’t sure what else to say.

“No. We’re going to my place.” Tim stared straight ahead, no subtle glances or handholding this time. “We’re going to work this out. You’re going to see where I live and how normal it is. If we have to go to my office, we’ll do that. We’ll look in my closets and you can count how many very normal white button-down shirts I own—sans cufflinks. We’re going to sit on my boring guy leather couch, and we’re going to talk.”

“Oh.” I’d never had a guy tell me he was taking me back to his place to talk.

I mean, I’d had guys invite me back to their room to chat, but I always knew what that meant. And, as someone who couldn’t trust the motivations of almost anyone I met in my parents’ worlds, that was just not an invitation I was going to take up.

And now, I’d found a guy I wanted to go to his room for a, um, chat, and he wanted to talk?

But, he was right. I turned my head to watch the world go by, watching the houses get closer together and the street lights turn into functioning utilities and not just pretty fake oil lanterns.

We pulled into a tall, modern-looking building’s parking garage, Tim going right to a numbered spot and parking with ease. He sat there, both hands still on the wheel with his thinking face on.

All I wanted to do was lean over and muss his hair and kiss him silly, to make him look like my Tim again. The slightly awkward, more than slightly nerdy, very, very good man. I needed to rein in this lust and focus on reality.

“Wait there.” He hopped out of the car and came around to open my door. “This is my parking garage. I have two spots but only one car. I don’t think I need another car. Maybe someday I’ll need another spot. But not another car.”

I melted a little at the look he gave me. What kind of girl melted at the idea that she might one day get to park in a certain parking spot?

I took his offered hand to assist me out of the car as I attempted to set the lust and the falling aside. I’d be rational. Reasonable. I’d be—

Tim pulled me right out of the car and into his arms.

I let myself fall, fall right into him, the momentum the excuse I wanted to be in his arms. I told myself just a moment, laugh it off, but as I started to pull back, his hand slid up my back, soft and silky over the red satin I’d hated just a few hours before. It tangled in my hair, pulling my head back so our gazes clashed fast and hard, like the breath wooshing out of my body.

His lips brushed against mine, sure, firm…not the awkward accountant-type kiss I would have expected when I’d first met him. This kiss was hot and sure and so delicious that my heart may have completely given out with another moment of it.

He eased back, his lips sweeping once, twice, across my own again. Before I could lean forward, coax him back, he dropped his hands and stepped back, taking my hand in his again.

“And now, we’re going upstairs to talk.”

I followed along, slightly dazed, my hand in his to the elevator at the end of the garage.

“I live on the fourth floor. There are six floors, so there’s nothing special about that.” He stood, watching the numbers over the doors light up. One. Two. Three. Ding.

We stepped out, and he turned us to the right. There were two doors on each side, a small but elegant hallway.

“This is my apartment. I do have someone clean every other week. But that’s because I’m a guy. And lazy when it comes to cleaning.” He cleared his throat. “I may have called them and asked them to come by today, just in case.”

I lowered my head and smiled at his running narrative. It was putting me at ease like nothing else could. The lock clicked, and the door fell open.

“This is my condo. I own it. I bought it years ago, and although it’s true I could buy something bigger or fancier or more expensive, I like it here. It’s close to work, and it’s all I really need.” He flicked on the lights in his small foyer and glanced around, probably wondering what it was I saw.

I saw contentment.

Tim had obviously made this a home, a sanctuary. It was neat and uncluttered, but with fine touches that showed the personal side of him and welcomed you into his life.

Large leather furniture, a huge flat screen, windows looking over the city in the distance. It was a lovely apartment. And, it wasn’t oversize or luxurious. It was just very nice.

Like its occupant.

“This is my kitchen.” He pulled me farther in, showing me a very nice kitchen. “I don’t do it justice. I feel guilty making Eggos in there instead of real breakfasts, but every time I consider taking classes, I chicken out.”

“Why?” I asked, before I could stop myself.

He shrugged. “I don’t really feel like learning how to make a bunch of food and then having no one to cook for.”

Oh, I knew that feeling. That Is it better to just stay how I am because of where I am? feeling.

“That,” he pointed at a door next to the kitchen, “is the bathroom. And then the guest room. That’s my bedroom. It has its own bathroom but nothing crazy. No seven faucet waterfall showers or Jacuzzi tubs. Just a normal bathroom. For a normal guy.”

“Aren’t you going to show me those?” I asked, starting to feel like yes, this was good—this was normal. But more importantly, this is what I wanted.

“Maybe later.” He gave me a smile so heated, I felt it through my skin.

“Oh.”

He pulled me around and led me to the couch, where he waited until I sat and then asked me what I wanted to drink. As he poured our wine and pulled some crackers and grapes out to place on the plate, I glanced around again.

There was no way the guy here was living an old-money life or even a new-money life. He was comfortable and happy and content. It was a home, not a showpiece. It was all so very him.

He came back and joined me on the couch, setting the wine and food on the coffee table so he could slip an arm around me.

“Why did you tell me you were just a numbers guy?”

I felt him shrug as I rested my head on his shoulder, already knowing that I was going to finish my fall tonight.

“I just always think of myself that way. I don’t get to design as much as I used to,” he said wistfully. “I’m mostly just okaying stuff and running numbers and keeping everyone on track. I kind of miss the whole ‘will we pay our bills this month’ thing.”

“You set this up without family money?” I couldn’t believe it.

I mean, I guess I could. I wanted to make my way without family money. But I hadn’t started an internationally successful company.

“Yup. You can’t imagine the strings my mother has attached to it.”

“Actually, I can.”

I saw suddenly that he was right, that we were the same. In all the important ways and beliefs, we matched. It mattered, and I was thankful to know that going in.

“I want you to know…what I was trying to say earlier is…” He cleared his throat, and my heart sped up. “I wanted to tell you that I’m falling hard for you. I don’t want to put any pressure on you at all, but if you’re not into the life I have, I need to know.”

The muscles under my hand had gone stiff and anxious. To be honest, I was feeling the same way. I was so afraid that one wrong word would have him running.

“If I wasn’t?” I asked, because, what if…what if things change? What if outside of this perfect moment it’s not as good?

“Then we compromise where we can—if that’s what you want.” He shifted so he could look down at me. “I can’t get rid of my parents. You can’t get rid of yours. Neither one of us is going to throw money in a furnace just to get a little closer to the average tax bracket if we inherit anything. But, this is the life I want. I’m hoping it’s the one you want, too.”

“Are you sure we can’t get rid of our parents?”

“Yes. Too high profile all around. But, I can promise you one thing.” He winked at me as he leaned in to whisper. “I will never, ever run for governor.”

My laughter tickled my throat and barely escaped as his lips came down to brush against mine.

“Can you see it? Can you see us making this match, making these crazy lives just a little more normal for both of us?”

I could. And I couldn’t wait to start.

So this time, I kissed him.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

MINX

The average couple is together 14.5 months before getting married.

The next morning, I woke up, wrapped in Tim’s sheets but sadly not Tim.

I opened my eyes, glad for the drapes, and studied his room—the dark, classic furniture, the very large bed, the en suite with a shower I should probably jump in. The scent of coffee tickled my nose, and I knew he’d have made tea for me as well.

Tea would be good. A morning kiss would be better.

I sat up and…waited.

I’d packed an overnight bag, but with all the craziness last night, I’d forgotten it. It was still down in the car.

I guess I’d just have to make do. Sliding into Tim’s button-down shirt, I was glad for my height, if not my figure. I got almost all the buttons done, and it was long enough to practically be a dress.

Wandering into the kitchen, I found Tim there, dressed for lust in just his pajama bottoms.

There was a teapot on a little tray, and he was just finishing pouring his own coffee. I wish I had a camera.

“Hey,” I said, trying not to surprise the man holding steaming cups of liquid.

“Hey.” His voice was low and intimate. A new layer to it that gave me goose bumps up one arm and right down the other. “I made you some tea.”

He watched me pad barefoot into the kitchen, right up to him, and—before I could reach for the tea, he’d set it aside and I was back in his arms.

It was as though the entire world melted away, was insignificant when I was there. His kisses this morning were different, more sure, more possessive. If I’d doubted that my hot beta nerd was anything more than a hot alpha guy in private… Well, let’s just say, if I were sharing, you’d be taking notes.

I was just thinking how I might not need my bag yet…seeing as Tim had backed me up against the fridge and was kissing his way down my neck…when his phone rang.

“Ignore it.” He kissed on.

The voice mail sounded, and then my phone rang.

“Ignore it,” he growled, taking my mouth so I couldn’t argue with him.

Not that I was planning on it.

I was more than ready for him to take me back to bed—or wherever—when his phone rang again.

Tim dropped his head on my shoulder, taking a deep breath, and brought his gaze up to clash with mine.

“We can’t ignore it, can we?”

I shook my head, trying to clear it more than agreeing with him, but he’d already reached for his phone.

“What?”

Wow. Not my normal easygoing Tim right now.

“What?” he asked this time, sounding a bit more concerned. “You keep breaking up. Can you repeat that? Okay. We’ll be there in about an hour. Just…we’ll be there. Okay?”

We drove the ride back in near silence. Tim was a mix of so many emotions I probably couldn’t name them all. He focused on the road as if we could beep and all the cars in front of us would disappear. That he could get us there in record time if only…

We’d been in a rush since he’d hung up, stunned. There were no more kisses in the kitchen. He had only turned to me and said, “Willow called.”

Both of us kicked into high gear to get showered, dressed, and on the road as quickly as possible.

Once we were in the car, I felt like I could distract him with some questions.

“What did they say? Is Willow okay? Is she on her way home?” My heart fell at the idea that I could be on my way today. Off to a new job, somewhere hopefully not far from Tim so that we could continue figuring out what this was.

And Gus. Would Willow let me see him when I was here? Would she stay here? She wasn’t the first parent I wondered if they were capable of taking care of the child when I left, but she was the first one I took this personally.

“They just said Willow called and she said not to worry.” Tim shook his head, as if not surprised Willow would think worrying about her was the biggest concern with Gus in the picture. “They said they tried to get a return date for her…but the phone kept going in and out. It was weird.”

“Okay.” I reached out and took his hand, pulling it from the steering wheel he gripped with an intensity that would leave his hands aching. “It’s okay. We’ll get home—back, and figure this all out.”

He nodded, letting me pet his free hand as he drove, chilling out a bit as we got closer to Nocturne Falls—and closer to figuring out what the heck was going on.

Tim didn’t even bother pulling in the garage. Just drove right up the drive and pulled in behind my car. I hopped out before he had to decide if he needed to slow down to open my door or not.

We rushed in to find Calla, the kids, and her husband, Rond, sitting in the living room, the kids just starting to doze off.

Gus made such cute welcoming gurgles when we rushed in, that I paused in my concern and hurried over to pick him up off the play mat he was rolling back and forth on.

“Hey, buddy.” I kissed his little head, breathing in his special baby Gus scent.

When Tim’s arm came around me, I realized this is what I wanted. Gus reached out to Tim for his kisses, too, and his uncle swept him up, giving him a bounce before kissing his head and leading us both over to the couch.

“What did Willow say?” Tim asked, his intensity ratcheting up about twelve notches.

“What Tim means to say is, thanks so much for watching Gus. We really appreciate it. We hurried back because he couldn’t hear you on the phone. Is everything okay?” I said, nudging him with my leg.

“Yes, of course. That’s what I meant to say.”

“We didn’t mean to worry you, but we had some realizations after Willow’s call, so we wanted to make sure we could all sit down and talk about them,” Rond said.

“Is it about my guardianship, because, if it’s a problem, I’ll make it permanent. I wouldn’t mind that anyway. Willow can be flighty, and if Gus living with me makes this better, that’s not a problem. Willow can live with us when she wants to.”

I smiled up at Tim, so proud of the man he was. I pat his leg to let him know that I was there with him, agreeing with his offer.

“It’s more Gus’s other issue that we thought would be the best thing to discuss,” Rond said.

“His other issue?” Tim asked, looking down at where Gus had conked out in his arms.

“We thought you knew.” Calla glanced at her husband, more concerned than I could explain. “But then we noticed some things around the house that weren’t baby proofed.”

“What?” Tim sat up, nearly waking Gus as he did. “I had a checklist. What did I miss?”

“Oh, you didn’t miss anything. Well, nothing normal. But the problem is, Gus isn’t a normal baby, is he?” Calla said it gently, like we might go on the defensive of how we were caring for him.

“He’s a handful,” I said. “But haven’t seen any developmental issues or health concerns since I got here.”

I glanced at Tim, who was holding Gus in such a protective fashion that my heart leapt. He’d go to the mat, take down anyone to protect those he loved.

“Do you know where his parents are?” Rond asked, obviously trying to steer us back toward whatever path they’d wanted to discuss.

“Not at the moment,” Tim replied. “Willow, my sister, went looking for his father. But he’s not listed on the birth certificate, and we can’t figure out who owns this house. She just said it was hers for now and to stay here until she came back with Gus’s father because there was something wrong with him.”

“Wrong how?” Rond asked.

“I don’t know. I wanted to bring him back to Atlanta right then for tests, but she said she had to find his father first. That without him that wouldn’t matter.” Tim looked down at Gus and kissed his fuzzy little head. “And the next morning, without a word, she was gone.”

The couple traded looks that had my stomach dropping. They knew more than they were telling us, and I’d seen enough couples do that silent communication thing to know something was coming.

Something we wouldn’t want to hear.

I reached out, needing to be brought into the circle so I could hold up my boys. Tim’s hand met mine halfway and clung.

“First off, Willow is fine. She’s…” Rond glanced at Calla as if he was afraid to continue but did anyway. “She seems to be enjoying her adventure. She did ask after Gus once she told us she wouldn’t be back soon because of looking for his dad.”

I tried not to get angry, but Gus deserved to be loved and the primary focus of his mother. I was doing the judge’y thing again.

“There’s nothing wrong with Gus that a few years and some guidance won’t help. He’s not sick or anything like that. I’m sorry if you’ve been worried this whole time.” Calla looked at her husband helplessly. “I didn’t know. How could I not have known?”

Rond pat her hand where it rested in his. “How could you have?”

“They laughed at the vampire parents joke. They didn’t think anything was weird when I talked about other witches. They just said they’d talk it over when we told them to get Gus into SCA. For goodness’ sake, Chalice made a rubber ducky magically appear!”

“Wait,” I cut in. “What are you talking about? Are you saying Gus is a witch?”

Instinctively, my free hand came out to wrap around Gus, shielding him from anything evil that might try to get at him. Tim’s hand stiffened beneath mine.

“No.” Calla shook her head. “I thought he was. That would be easier, probably. But, no. Gus is not a witch.”

I took a deep breath. I’d been panicking there for a moment. My new friend—my first real adult female friend—and I thought she was going to go off the deep end there.

“He’s a trickster.”

And there she went. I leaned into Tim, needing to feel his solid strength and gather from it. Plus, I had no idea how he’d react to this. Please don’t let him view this as an attack on Gus. I’d never be able to rein him.

To my surprise, Tim stayed calm, studying the couple across from us.

“You’re saying that Gus, my nephew, is a mythological Norse creature?” he asked, voice steady as the man.

“Not all tricksters are Norse, you have to understand,” Calla rushed on. “Tricksters have been known to come from many backgrounds, but with his coloring, Norse is an excellent guess.”

She beamed at Tim as if he’d answered a difficult trivia question correctly and won a million dollars.

I was trying not to freak out. These people were serious. They thought that Gus, our little Gus, was some type of troublemaking demi-god.

“No.” I all but took Gus from Tim to run from the room with him. “No. Gus is just a baby. And this is ridiculous.”

“He is a baby, and a really cute one at that.” Calla smiled at me. “But he’s a baby trickster. I thought when we met that his mom must be a witch since he and Chalice hit it off so easily. But it became apparent that wasn’t true while I was sitting. He’s a tricky little one, aren’t you?” She leaned forward to give Gus a little grin, which he loved. “And the more we realized he hadn’t been bound, the more we realized you two—both of you—might not know what was going on.”

“That’s it.” I hopped up. “That’s enough. There is nothing wrong with Gus. He is a perfectly normal healthy little boy. And this has gotten out of hand. I don’t know if you think this is some type of joke or something, but it’s not funny.”

“Minx.” Tim stood, put Gus on his hip, and wrapped his other arm around me. “It would make a lot of things make sense.”

“What? How can you even say that? There’re no such things as tricksters and witches.”

“Excuse me.” Calla stood, looking more than a little insulted. She glanced toward the swing nearby where Chalice slept peacefully, as if she didn’t want her daughter to witness my insanity. “There most certainly are.”

“And you know this how?” I couldn’t believe I’d walked into a madhouse. My first real friend was not the kind woman I thought she was. She was a horrible joke player, breaking my heart.

“Because I am one.” Calla spoke so calmly, it gave me pause. “And Rond is a sorcerer.”

I stared at them, frustrated, annoyed, and a little scared.

“Minx, let’s sit back down.” Tim pulled me down next to him, and handed me Gus, probably to keep my calm.

I cuddled the little guy, trying to block out any idea that there might be something paranormally different about him.

“Let’s back up a little.” Calla smiled as reassuringly as she could when we were both obviously not happy with one another. “Nocturne Falls isn’t just a tourist town. It’s a haven for supernatural people.”

I snorted, not just at the supernatural people thing, but at the whole idea.

“Minx, please.” Calla gave me such a look of disappointment that I settled back into the couch, ready to listen.

Tim wrapped his arm around me again, pulling me to him. It had only been one day, but he was my center point, my north compass point. He and Gus.

“The town,” Calla continued with a pointed look, “is a place where those of us who are perhaps a little different than what Minx is ready to consider normal at the moment, can live our lives peacefully and without worry about ending up at the wrong end of a witch hunt. A literal witch hunt. And so, the founders created this safe haven with a way for people to live out openly and make a living…and to also bring some joy to the world. I mean, Halloween every day? So many people come here and have a wonderful time that it’s a ball to be involved.”

“That’s it. A witch founded the city to not be burned at the stake?” I knew I sounded horrible, but this was too much.

“Actually, no.” Calla was obviously not trying to hide her annoyance at this point, either. “A vampire. To be specific, a family of them.”

Beside me, Tim let out a huh.

“You’re not buying this, are you?” I glanced up at him, pulling Gus a little closer.

I glanced away, checking out the room and wondering if I could make a run for it. Would Child Services put Gus in my custody if I told them his uncle had gone insane while his mother was away?

Tim glanced at me, tightening his arm around my shoulder, probably anticipating my escape attempt. “It makes an odd kind of sense.”

“What?”

“I guess, well, the way I grew up, it doesn’t surprise me.” He shrugged one shoulder and shifted to look at me, to hold my attention. “Growing up in that house you saw—”

“Plantation. Let’s call a spade a spade.” My annoyance was focused at everyone but Gus at this point.

“That actually helps my point.” He grinned at me, this confidence something I was liking before it was focused on me. “You see things, hear things. Experience things. There’s stories and myths—a lot of stuff that can’t be explained any other way than through the paranormal. And Willow was always drawn to that. I swear, the one summer she was allowed to stay with us, the whole estate went a little haywire.”

“That makes sense,” Calla added. “People who are sensitives often draw as much as are drawn to.”

I glanced around, realizing I was the only one not buying into their theory at this point. Even Gus had woken up and was paying attention to the conversation as if he understood every word.

“You’re saying, just to summarize, that Willow is a sensitive and that she draws paranormal people to her and that she then met Gus’s dad, had an affair with a demi-god, had a baby trickster, and moved to a town filled with paranormal creatures?”

“Except for the insulting part of calling us creatures and that we prefer supernaturals, yes, pretty much that.” Calla crossed her arms, and I realized that for her, this was real. She wasn’t having the humor the human thing anymore.

“Okay, prove it.” If we could just move past this, we could get back to all the good stuff, the normal, happy life with Tim. And Gus, for as long as we were able to keep him.”

“Prove it?”

“Yes. You’re a witch. Prove it.”

“That seems kind of rude, Minx.” Tim gave me a disapproving look, and all I could think was, I’m the one being rude?

“No, I understand.” Calla glanced at her husband, who gave her a little nod. “Okay, what would prove this to you?”

“Can you…levitate?” I asked, trying to think of something obvious.

“Oh, geez. That’s exhausting. Can’t you think of anything else?” Calla grinned. “And, don’t say disappear. That’s nearly impossible for someone at my level.”

“Fine.” I glanced around the room and saw a pillow propped up in one of the chairs. “Can you make the pillow come over here?”

“Just make it come here, anyway I want?”

“Yup, obviously using your powers. Not going over there and getting it.”

“Sure!” I watched as the pillow lifted off the chair and shot across the room—right between our two couches and took out a lamp on the end table.

“Oops.” Calla shrugged. “I didn’t say I was good at this. Sorry, Tim.”

Tim shrugged, looking amused. “Not my lamp. And whoever this guy is who put us in this situation, he deserves to lose a lamp.”

I stared at the shards of glass on the floor around the pillow. My hands shook as I rubbed Gus’s back, afraid the noise would have freaked him out. But, he and Chalice just looked around like this all made sense. Of course pillows were flying around breaking lamps.

Of course they were.

I glanced from one adult to another, each looking at me with different expressions. Calla with a bit of righteous pride, Rond concerned, and Tim…hopeful. Hopeful that I’d believe and be okay with it.

“Are you kidding me with this?” I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. My entire future as I’d dreamed it and let myself believe in was falling apart before my eyes.

Normal life. Normal family. Normal small town. Poof. Gone.

I walked to the window, looking out at all the overly-manicured houses and feeling my heart dive to my toes.

I couldn’t fight what I’d seen, and to be honest, there was some relief in knowing that Calla wasn’t lying to me.

“Minx, it makes an odd sort of sense. The escapes, how he gets his hands on things, the fact that he must really hate that green T-shirt and love those rubber duckies.”

I glanced over my shoulder to where they all looked at me expectantly. What did they want me to say? That I was willing to trade one type of crazy for another?

I didn’t think I could. I’d spent twenty-five years trying to earn my way and break out of it so I could live a quiet, normal life.

“Maybe we should give Tim and Minx some time to chat about this and take it in.” Rond stood, taking Calla’s hand and leading her toward the door. “We’re ready to talk about some ways to help you handle Gus and his learning curve when you’re ready. We typically bind toddlers’ skill sets with a rune until a certain age, depending on a lot of things. It will make this all a lot easier. We’ll set up a time to discuss that later.” He offered his hand to Tim as Calla went and scooped up a napping Chalice.

There was more discussion and polite small talk, but I tuned it all out as I watched Gus clap his hands and grin up at his uncle.

I was falling for them—both of them, but I couldn’t imagine my life being a series of spiraling magic-making trouble. He was cute as a baby, but I assumed things would get weirder the older he got—and then, probably just as I accepted it and fell completely, Willow would come and take him away.

And all I could think was, Minx, you are not emotionally cut out to handle this.

I thought back to my anxiety and what it had spiraled into. How I was walking a line of darkness and fought through my depression with a plan to escape not only it, but my family and the craziness that came with them.

The anxiety…maybe, maybe I could have taken that on again for my guys. But, the dark pit I’d climbed out of? No. I wouldn’t be a good caretaker if I went there again.

And, I feared going back into it more than anything.

That was the thing about nannying I hadn’t explained to Tim: There was always an escape hatch.

Those people treated you as expendable, but that meant they also expected you to leave at the drop of a hat. I was able to balance everything because of that.

But with love, there was no leaving. I wouldn’t be able to walk—and I wouldn’t be safe to stay.

“Come on.” Tim steered me toward the stairs, keeping his thoughts to himself for the time being. “Let’s put Gus down. He’s dozing off. They must have partied hard last night.”

I followed them up to the nursery where Tim put him down for his nap.

I stared down at him, sleeping so peacefully that I couldn’t imagine anything different—even knowing better.

“Calla gave me some links to read up on tricksters and told me how they handle small children with what might be deemed difficult learning curves.” He talked on, giving me more info about what someone as small as Gus would grow up into. “I always knew he had a wicked sense of humor. And the escaping? He’d get out and then just sit there watching me sleep.”

Tim was taking this in stride, as if he was relieved Gus was different.

“They said to expect his teen years to be insane.” He laughed. “I mean, can you imagine troublemaking genes and hormones and just the fact that he’s Willow’s son all let loose at the same time?”

Tim leaned over to look at Gus, the love so sure in his gaze. “He’s going to be a handful all right, but he has a good heart and his first best friend and a town that will support him. He’s going to be just fine.”

I could feel the tears working to escape as my throat clogged up.

I couldn’t do this. I loved them both a little now. I couldn’t stay until I loved them a lot. I wouldn’t make it. I needed to be out in the normal world, making my way and living quietly. I couldn’t sign on for the type of chaos Tim was talking about so casually, as if having absolutely no certainty in your day-to-day life being smooth was okay. As if I hadn’t already lived through it during my teen years.

Oh, sweet heartbreak. I had a choice, and it was a horrible one…but…

“Tim?” My heart was breaking, but all I could think about were those years I felt lost, anxious, defeated, and depressed. When things had gotten so unstable that I’d thought of any way—any way—to escape. “Tim?”

“Yeah?” He turned my way, and I saw the moment he realized something was really wrong.

“I’m sorry.”

“About Gus?” He grinned, already probably making plans in that super smart brain of his. “So, he’s going to be a little bit of a rascal. It’s not like we didn’t already know that.”

I glanced down to where Gus’s eyes had opened, and he stared at us through the crib bars. I was going to miss him. I tried not to get attached on jobs—and with the jobs I took, it was pretty darn easy—but this time…it was like my heart was breaking already.

I stepped over to them, looking down at Gus first and then back up at Tim. He was everything I wanted…only he came in a world I was deathly afraid of. I couldn’t return to chaos and unpredictability.

I pressed my hand against his cheek, feeling the scruff he hadn’t taken the time to shave as we’d rushed home—no, back. Back to Nocturne Falls.

“I can’t stay,” I felt the words like sharp thorns in my throat as I said them.

“What?” I could see in his eyes he knew what I’d meant, but he just needed to push, feel the denial.

“I can’t stay. I can’t be a good addition to you guys here.” I glanced down at Gus and felt a wave of love so heady wash over me that I thought I’d lose my feet for a moment. “I won’t be good for you guys. That anxiety and the depression—it could come back in a situation like this and…and—”

I sucked in a breath, trying not to cry.

“Hey, hey.” Before I could stop him, Tim’s arms came around me. “We’ll be okay. They talked about all the ways to make this as normal as possible. I know that’s important to you, and we’ll make this work.”

“I can’t, don’t you see? I just can’t take the risk.” I looked down at Gus, my heart exploding in my chest. “It’s not just about me now; that would have been hard enough. But since you’re taking custody of Gus, I have to be able to know I’ll be a solid, good mom figure…as his nanny.”

I blushed at the end, trying not to let Tim see how much more I wanted to be.

“And for you,” I rushed on. “I can’t risk that I could go to that horrible, dark place again. You can’t run a business and care for Gus and watch out for me.”

“The hell I can’t.”

My head whipped up at the power in Tim’s voice.

“We’re a family now, and that’s what families do.”

I didn’t have the heart to tell him that no family I knew of did that—including either of ours.

“I love you.” It was nothing less than the truth.

Tim’s shoulders dropped, and he grinned. “Good, because I love you, too.”

“I love you with my whole heart—and that’s why I need to leave.” I took a step back, then another. “For you, and Gus. To make sure I stay sane and that you guys stay okay.”

I turned and fled into the bathroom to get to my room. I’d grab my keys and…and that’s it. That’s all I needed. The rest could be sent or replaced, but with my heart breaking into pieces so small I might never find them, I just needed to get out of here.

As I went to step into my room, the connecting door slammed shut in my face, a near miss. I stepped back and into something hard and warm.

Tim’s arms came up to catch me.

“Whoa.” He turned me slowly, checking me over as if I might have been damaged.

I tried to raise my gaze to meet his, but the tears were starting to come. I’d held them back so long, and then, when I’d thought I was clear, they fell, just as he grabbed me.

“That was close.” He glanced at the door. “Come on, let’s go back out and sit down. We’ll talk this through.”

“We can’t. There’s nothing to talk through.” I was sure of it. I was a bad bet.

“Minx.” His voice was so soft it drew me in, brought me closer. I felt myself begin to lean in and had to stop.

“No. Really.” I moved to leave through Gus’s room and—Slam. The other connecting door closed.

I stood staring at it, shocked. What the heck was going on?

Behind me, Tim started to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” I demanded, my annoyance momentarily slowing my tears.

“Well, that’s that. I don’t want you to leave. And apparently,” he gestured toward the door, “Gus doesn’t want you to leave, either.”

“Are you kidding me?” I grabbed the knob and gave the door a hard push. “No, no way. You open this door right now, mister. Do you hear me?”

I pounded on the door, a dark rage blinding me with fear.

Behind me, the laughter started. And kept going. And when I turned to glare, it just continued. Tim eventually had to double over to breathe and end up sitting on the toilet seat. If only I’d left it up.

“He’s not going to let you go.” He reached out, taking my hand and pulling me into his lap. “And neither am I. You wanted compromises, we’ll find them. We’ll take care of each other. I’ll do everything I can to make our home as normal as paranormal will be. You’ll feel safe and loved—I guarantee you that. And you’ll take care of me and Gus, because that’s what we do. We’ll buy a house, not a big monstrosity like this one, and get you into whatever college program you want. And Gus will get that rune so we don’t end up spending the first three years of our marriage locked in a bathroom.”

“Marriage?” I asked, dazed, trying to keep up.

“And no one will ever make you feel like you’re going to get blindsided. Gus loves you, too, and he’d never hurt you.”

“My parents love me,” I mumbled, half-defiantly, half-defensively.

“Your parents are a different species. More different than Gus could ever be. They’re…well, they’re your parents, but they sound selfish and narcissistic. And neither of those things describe our boy.” He brushed his hand up into my hair and pulled me down for a quick kiss. “Are you afraid I won’t love you any more if you have depression?”

“You’d have to deal with me…and would Gus be safe?”

“That’s not what I asked.” Tim gentled his touch, and I realized he wasn’t letting me go until we’d talked this out.

“Maybe. You might not.”

“I can tell you I will. I’ll love you no matter what.” He rested his forehead against mine and sighed. “I’ll love you even if you leave us. And that would hurt far more than helping you and finding more compromises to make our home safe and happy.”

“But what if I can’t take care of Gus?” Because that scared me even more than my own fears about stepping back into a potential circus life.

“You will. And if you can’t at some times, we’ll make a call. I hear you can call these agencies and they send people—qualified people—to help you take care of your children.” He laughed, enjoying this far too much. “You may have heard of them. They’re called nannies.”

“Ha, ha.” I snuggled in deeper to his hold, letting myself start to believe.

“And, honey, your parents sent you to therapy because it was chic. You can go now, if you want. Or we’ll talk about it later.” He pulled me closer. “You never have to worry about letting us down, because we hold each other up. That’s what we do.”

“I don’t want to leave you guys.” I choked back another sob, trying to get myself under control.

“Then don’t.” Tim squeezed me to him. “Stay here with us, and we’ll make everything work perfectly. No pressure, just compromises…and lots of love.”

I closed my eyes, fearing the worst still, but figuring if anyone could make a crazy world sane, it was my sweet man, Tim.

“Say yes, to all of it.”

I finally raised my head, letting myself meet his gaze head-on, and saw the uncertainty and hope and love and knew there was no other answer. And so I gave him the only answer I had.

“Yes.”

EPILOGUE

The Average Minx falls in love with the Average Tim every day…and it’s beyond average.

It’s amazing.

“Minx!” Tim shouted from the front door, still unused to our much smaller house.

“I’m in the kitchen,” I called back.

I closed my textbook and slid it aside. I’d just started my first semester taking classes in child psych. I’d realized that with all I’d seen, there were a lot of kids out there I could relate to who lived in their own world of crazy. Maybe, like when I’d started nannying, giving back would help me stay me.

“They came!” He rushed into the kitchen where I’d been spread out at the counter. “They came, they’re signed.”

“Oh! Oh, let me see.” I grabbed the papers and closed my eyes for a second, pulling the envelope close to my heart, a little afraid to open it.

“It’s okay. It’s everything we offered. She said yes to all of it.” He wrapped his arms around me, still a year later my favorite place to be. “We’re officially Gus’s parents.”

I tried not to start crying, but the tears started seeping out.

“And she’s okay…with everything?”

“Yup. She actually sounded relieved. I think to her, she sees it as the best of both worlds. She gets to know and love her son while knowing he’s taken care of, and she can continue to be her. She’ll be able to visit whenever she wants. We have the in-law bungalow out back for her. She can stay a day, or if I can convince her, move in permanently and help us raise Gus. Gus will know she’s his birth mom from the start. It’s all there. It might be a little different, but if we’re not capable of handling a little different, no one is.”

“I was so afraid,” I whispered. I couldn’t imagine our little guy out in the world without the guidance of people who understood him. With no one watching his back like we would.

And, the rune was great, keeping things in line—although sometimes frustrating poor Gus because he’d try to do something he shouldn’t. But still, he needed to be here where he could learn to control his abilities as he grew up.

“Is she coming home soon?” I’d wanted her to move in with us, to stay all the time.

We’d met once, briefly, when she’d come to tell us about Gus’s dad confirming everything we’d suspected. She and Tim were flip sides of a coin. Where he was serious and nerdy, she was intuitive and a bit flighty. The love between the two of them was palpable. You could tell that when it came to family, they were it for each other. And, when we met, I felt that each of us welcomed the other into theirs as well. But, the next morning we woke up, and she was gone.

I’d hoped—I’d hoped she’d stay and be part of the family. She and Gus could have lived in the little house and been so close.

But, she said, this was for the best. I didn’t argue because it’s what I wanted…and I agreed. After meeting Willow, I knew she was lovely, but I thought if Gus was with her I’d constantly be afraid she’d forget and leave him in a restaurant or something.

“It doesn’t sound like it. The note says she’s leaving for Thailand and plans to study trickster philosophies of Southeast Asia.”

“So?” I asked, just wanting to make sure.

“So, you are legally Gus’s mom. And, as agreed, so is Willow, who will be home whenever it is that Willow decides to come home.”

He grinned down at me, his heart clearly mine.

“Let’s go tell Gus!” Grabbing my hand, he pulled me down the hall to where Soma—our nanny via a Nocturne Falls agency—sat playing with Gus on the floor, slotting blocks in their slots.

“Hey, buddy!” Tim swooped in and picked him up, something Soma had had to get used to.

Apparently, she’d expected some hands-off parenting…and fewer baby wipes.

“Guess what!” Tim said as Gus smacked both his cheeks. “Today, I’m your dad!”

Gus looked at him, his eyes getting big as if he understood and pointed at Tim. “Dadad?”

“Yup. Dadad.” Tim looked at me over his head and smiled. “Come here, Mom, and hug your boys.”

ALSO BY BRIA QUINLAN

BREW HA HA Books

It’s In His Kiss (FREE Prequel)

The Last Single Girl

Worth the Fall

The Catching Kind

The Proposing Kind — COMING SOON!

Things That Shine - A Crossover Brew Ha Ha /Double Blind Story

Bria’s YA set RVHS Secrets

Secret Girlfriend

Secret Life

And YA Standalone

Wreckless

ABOUT BRIA

Quirky Girl and all around lovable klutz, Bria Quinlan writes Diet-Coke-Snort-Worthy Rom Coms about what it's like to be a girl and deal with crap and still look for love.

She also writes books for teens that take hard topics and make you laugh through your tears…or maybe cry through your laughter. Some people call them issue books. Some people call them romantic comedies. Bria calls them what-life-looks-like. 

Her stories remind you that life is an adventure not to be ignored.

If these things are important to you: she’s a RWA RITA, Golden Heart, & Cyblis nominee as well as a USA Today Best Seller, and natural blonde represented by the awesomely amazing Laird Lauren Macleod of the Clan…. Oh, wait. Of Strothman Agency.

Want to hangout? Check her out here:

briaquinlan.com/

Table of Contents

Copyright

Table of Contents

The Brew Ha Ha Books

Foreword

The Trickster Makes a Match

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Epilogue

Also by Bria Quinlan

About Bria