The Daddy Box Set

After her bath, I changed her into pajamas, and we cleaned up her room. It was a nice wind-down activity that we did each night before bed whenever I made it home in time to put her down.

Then I tucked her into bed and turned on the glow worm nightlight on her bedside table. The moment her head hit the pillow, her eyelids grew heavy.

“Did you have fun today with Jess?” I asked.

“Yeah,” she said through a yawn. “She’s fun.”

“I’m glad you like her.”

“I do like her. I’m happy, Daddy.” She yawned again. “She says things a little funny though.”

“Maybe you could learn some of her phrases and have your own unique language.”

“That sounds cool,” she said.

“Do you want me to read to you?” I asked.

“Goodnight Moon, please.”

I grabbed her favorite board book from the side table and opened it. Even though she was fast asleep after the first time I read it, I read it again, slower this time to bask in the moment with her. I’d never get back each day with her so I tried to soak it up when I could.

Chapter Eight

Jess

The rest of the week went by in a flash, and by the time I knew it, Friday had come around. I wasn’t sure if Noah wanted me to work the weekend, but I wouldn’t have minded either way. Gina’s energy brightened each day. And even though I had been exhausted every night this week, I didn’t mind. It was the best three nights of sleep I’d had for a long time.

“All right, do you want a cut lunch today?” I asked.

Gina wrinkled her nose. “Cut lunch?”

I smirked. “It’s Aussie slang for sandwiches.”

“Oh!” she said. “Grilled cheese, please.”

“With tomato?”

“And bacon!”

This girl loved her bacon. She tried to get it at least once a day from me. It wasn’t my place to give her nutrition advice, but I tried to steer her in a healthy direction as much as I could.

“One piece,” I said, grinning.

“Okay,” she conceded.

“What time is Daddy coming home?” Gina asked.

“I’m not sure,” I said, plucking two slices of bread from the paper bag on the table. We’d bought the homemade loaf earlier that day from a local bakery. I loved their bread, and I was sure to get the Stone family hooked as well. “Why do you ask?”

“I like when he tucks me in,” she said.

I wasn’t sure if it was crossing a line, but Gina had opened the door. I wanted to know more about their lives before me. The other day, Noah had seemed a little remorseful of the previous nanny assignment, and Gina had told me the woman was older and couldn’t keep up with her. “Did he not tuck you in before?”

She shook her head. “I only saw Daddy sometimes. He went to work early and got home after I fell asleep. Sometimes I would wake up when he said goodnight. But not every night.”

Noah coming home around six each night this week either meant that he was checking in with me or he’d realized how hard he worked and made an effort to spend time with his daughter. I hoped it was the latter. By no means was I offended if he did want to check on me. Gina was his daughter, after all. And he’d just met me this week. I understood that protective nature. But I hated that she felt so sad about it.

“I want him to be around more,” Gina said.