“Ah-choo!” Mia’s little sneeze fills the air. She sniffles and climbs into my bed. “Daddy, I don’t feel good.”

“What’s going on?” I sit up, my head throbbing slightly as I do so.

“I’m so tired,” she whines. “And I keep coughing.”

I hold my palm against her forehead. Warm, but not too hot. “It feels like you might have a low fever.”

Mia collapses against the pillows. “I don’t want to go to school today.”

I rub her back. “Okay. You don’t have to. Jayne will be here soon, and the two of you can stay home together. Here. Get cozy. I’ll have Eddie bring you some juice.”

She wiggles under my quilt, and I put some cartoons on my television before dressing and heading downstairs. Eddie’s there already, and right after I send him upstairs with juice, I hear the front door open.

Jayne.

Pleasurable shivers travel down my back.

“Hi,” she says as she enters. She looks just as delicious as always—more, actually. Her hair is in two loose braids, which my fingers itch to take hold of.

“Mia is sick,” I explain.

“Oh, no. With what?”

“A cold, it looks like. Maybe with a slight fever.” I’ve hardly finished getting the words out when I sneeze. My head throbs again.

“And you are too, it looks like.”

Jayne comes right up to me and puts her hand on my forehead, like I did with Mia. Except, this time, the act is completely different. Our gazes catch, and Jayne quickly drops her hand and steps back.

“I just need to take something for this headache, and I’ll be fine.” I rifle through the cabinet above the fridge and find a painkiller to pop. No sooner have I taken two pills than I’m sneezing again.

“Here.” Jayne passes me the box of tissues from the counter. “Maybe you should consider staying home today.”

I press my fingers against my temples. I hate sick days. I don’t have time for them.

“I have too much to do.”

Jayne laughs. “When do you not have a lot to do? You run a giant company.”

That makes me smile a bit. “Good point.”

“Also, if you don’t take the time to get better, you’ll end up becoming even sicker, and then you’ll miss twice the work.”

“You’ve made your point. I’m staying home.”

I shoot one of my assistants a text, telling her what’s going on, and then set the phone on the table. I won’t be needing it today; a break would be really nice.

“I’ll go up and check on Mia,” Jayne says.

“Hold on.” I reach a hand out, stopping her, though we make no physical connection.

“Do you not need me today?” she slowly asks.

“No, I was…actually, yeah. Stay. Hang out with us. It’ll be fun—unless you’re worried about getting sick,” I add. “If so, you can go.”

“I’m not worried about that.”

“Okay. Great.”

“Cool.” Jayne nibbles on her bottom lip. “Um, so why don’t you go upstairs and I’ll bring you two some breakfast?”

“That would be nice, thank you.”

I make a beeline for the staircase before I can say anything else. I don’t know what compelled me to ask Jayne to stay home with us. Since Mia and I are both sick and won’t be doing much other than laying around, I’m perfectly capable of taking care of her myself.

You just want to look at her, I tell myself.

Mia’s right where I left her, except she’s taken the time to go to her room and retrieve her stuffed bunny. The orange juice sitting on the bedside table is untouched, and all of her attention is on the TV.

Shutting myself in my walk-in closet, I change into a more comfortable outfit and sit down in bed with her. Jayne appears within ten minutes, carrying a breakfast tray laden with fruit salad and pancakes.

“Wow. I forgot about that.” I nod at the tray. “Where did you find it?”

“In one of the bottom cupboards. Here, Mia. Have some oranges. They’ll help you get better.”

Mia eats a few bites but then lays back down, glazed-over eyes on the television.

“Let’s watch something we all like,” I suggest.

Mia groans.

“What about a nature show?” Jayne suggests. “I like animals, and I know you do too.”

“Okay,” Mia agrees.

Jayne gives me a shrug.

“Good enough,” I whisper so Mia can’t hear.

Jayne’s sitting on the very edge of my bed, looking uncomfortable. Which makes sense. This is my bedroom, after all.

Wait. If she’s so uncomfortable, does that mean she can’t help but think of the things that might go on in here?

“Let’s go downstairs and watch in the living room,” I say, my voice unnaturally loud. “The TV is bigger in there.”

Jayne bolts to standing. “Great idea.”

A few minutes later and we’re congregated in the living room, piles of pillows and blankets on the couch. Mia lays her head in my lap, and I prop my feet on the coffee table. With Jayne curled on the other end of the couch, things finally feel comfortable.

We watch one movie, and then another. My brain feels like it’s melting by the time Jayne suggests we play a game.

“Candy Castle, Candy Castle,” Mia chants.

“Candy Castle it is.” I pull the board game out of the closet in the corner of the room.

We play one game. Two games. Three. Surprisingly, it’s fun. There’s a lot of joking around and laughing. The noises of the house become pleasant white noise: Ray blending and chopping in the kitchen. Eddie puttering around, coming in and out of the back door.

Everything feels nice. Normal.

Is this what it would be like to have a family? One that contains more members than me and Mia?

I surreptitiously watch Jayne as she rolls the dice and claps over a high score. A family life is something I’ve given little thought to in the last few years. My parents are still happily married, so I know it works out well for some people.

It just didn’t for me.

“Your turn, Mia,” Jayne says.

Mia falls against the couch cushions and sighs. “I’m too tired.”

“Aw. Come here.” Jayne wraps her arms around Mia and pulls my little girl into her lap. Mia goes willingly, snuggling up close to Jayne, her bunny forgotten on the coffee table.

My throat tightens at the sight. All of Mia’s previous nannies were good with her, but my daughter never took to anyone in quite the way she’s already taken to Jayne.

Her mother used to hold her that way…on the days when she was sober and home.

My eyes burn, and I quickly look away. “I’m getting some tea. Anyone want anything?”

“I’ll get it for you,” Jayne says.

I don’t turn to look at her. “No, no. It’s fine.”

Ray has just left, and Eddie is off somewhere, which means I have the kitchen all to myself. I put the kettle on and lean against the counter as I wait for it.

What was going on back there? Watching Jayne and Mia cuddle, I felt something I haven’t in years. Such warmth—I haven’t been in love in… Shit. Maybe ever.

Mia’s mother and I didn’t have the traditional happily-ever-after love story. We were only together for a couple months before she became pregnant. Not for a second have I ever regretted my daughter’s birth, but there were other things about the situation that caused me pain…things I don’t like to think about.

Footsteps make me look up. Jayne is in the doorway, casting an uncertain look my way.

“Mia wanted an apple,” she says.

“Right. I’ll get it.” I move for the fridge, but she’s faster, already taking an apple out of the drawer and reaching for one of the cutting boards on the island.

“She likes it—”

“Cut into slices with cinnamon sprinkled on it.”

“Yeah.” I lean back against the counter and watch her cut up the apple. “You’ve learned a lot in only two weeks here.”

“It’s my job,” she says simply.

“Mia likes you. A lot.”

I don’t miss the way her hands still on the cutting board. “I like her, too,” Jayne says, voice barely above a whisper.

You fit in well here.

The words are on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t say them. I don’t even know why. Maybe I’m one of those guys you always hear about who are impossible when it comes to opening up. Maybe I’m no good with feelings or with loving anyone who isn’t my daughter.

So then why can’t I get this stunning, red-headed nanny off my mind? How come I think about her night and day?

“The water is ready.”

“Huh?” I ask, just as the kettle’s shrill whistling hits my ears.

I kill the stove and pour the water into the waiting cups. “You heard that?”

“Yeah. You didn’t?”

“I was distracted.”

“By what?”

Now, it’s my turn to freeze. I take my time turning away from the counter and coming to face Jayne. She stands at the island, everything still except for her heaving chest. I don’t need to be an expert at reading body language to know what’s going on. She wants me as badly as I do her.

For a brief second, I consider closing the space between us. It wouldn’t take more than a few strides.

But then I think of Mia, and I remember what it is I have to lose here. I screwed up with the last three nannies, and that can’t happen again.

“I should get this to Mia.” Jayne plates the apple and sprinkles some cinnamon on it. I realize I never answered her question.

“I was thinking about how good you are with Mia.”

“Oh.” Jayne’s eyes widen slightly.

“We’ve never had a nanny that she gets along with this well.” My voice cracks on the end part. I already feel like I’ve said too much, gotten too close to confessing everything.

“She’s a special little girl,” Jayne whispers.

I can only nod.

She takes the apple slices, leaving me alone in the kitchen with my thoughts once more.