I crack one eye open. The sun smacks me in the face, and I groan, rolling away from the window and burying my face back into my pillow. I lay there, motionless, for another full minute before sighing and lifting my head.

"Why are you so bright?" I ask the sun then flop onto my back, staring up at the ceiling. After a bit of introspection, I grab my phone and check the time. It's 10:37. I ignore the unread text messages and drop my phone onto the bed and scrub both hands over my face. Sleeping in is still a new concept for me.

I used to be a nanny, up until two weeks ago. I worked for a European family for over a year. The family is German, and I studied the language while I was in college, so we had hit it off right away. Since I had gone to college to learn early childhood education, working with kids comes naturally to me. I rack up experience and certificates like it's my hobby, and when the Millers were hiring, I was the most qualified candidate.

The Millers had to return to Germany because Mr. Miller's job only required them to be in the United States for a year. I miss him and his wife, but I miss their children even more—Lauren, Emily, and Lucas. Two girls and their little brother, all three of them under the age of nine. I loved every day I spent with them, and I miss them every time I think of them. I had quickly become a part of their family, and we all cried when they told me they were moving back home.

I sigh again. After the Millers left, I was somewhat excited to have my free time back for a while. I had saved up a lot of money while I was working for them, and I had used the past two weeks as a stay-cation. My best friend, Penelope, and I had gone to the beach a few times and shopped in town, but mostly I lounged around my apartment catching up on Netflix shows. It's been relaxing and refreshing.

However, now I'm bored and need to get myself back out there. Penelope told me to get a hobby, but my hobby is taking care of children. That really is my favorite thing to do. I love playing and creating and being silly with them. I don't exactly know what to do when I'm not doing that, so I don't know how to structure my days without revolving everything around my job.

I force myself to get up out of bed and make myself a cup of coffee. I pull out my phone again and check my unread text messages. There's one from my mom asking how I'm doing, but I ignore it to deal with later. My parents and I aren't always on the best of terms. We all love each other, but we don't quite connect on an emotional level, which makes for stressful phone calls.

I see I have a text from Penelope asking if I'm around. I return her text then go back to sipping my coffee. My phone buzzes almost right away.

I look around my apartment and decide it's clean enough.

I send back a smiley face emoji and get myself a bowl of cereal, and realize I really need to go grocery shopping.

By the time Penelope shows up, I'm halfway through a bowl of Froot Loops. She lets herself in with her key and flicks on the light in the living room.

"Don't mind me, I'm just here to remind you to live," Penelope says, dropping herself into the other chair at the kitchen table. She looks around. "Damn, I forget you have no sense of style sometimes. This place looks like a barn, and a spaceship had a baby."

I try to imagine that, but it just makes me laugh. "I do have a sense of style! You just don't get it."

She smiles, looking at my cereal. "I know you haven't left your house in five days, so I figured we could get brunch."

I raise an eyebrow at her as I take a bite. “That’s nice of you, but I’m in the middle of brunch right now.”

"Kacee, that's not brunch. That's milk and sugar. It'll rot your teeth. Or brain," Penelope teases. She takes the bowl out of my hands and sets it in the sink, ignoring me.

“Hey!” I protest.

"Go put some clothes on," Penelope orders. "And brush your hair and teeth too." She gives me a wink.

I grumble as I stand from the table to head back toward my bedroom. I catch a glimpse of myself and realize I do look like a hot mess. Penelope smiles and watches me as I pass.

She stops me before I can make it to my bedroom. “Are you okay?”

“Just feeling lonely, I guess.” There’s so much truth in my words.

Penelope gives me a big hug. "Thankfully, I'm here!"

"Thank you," I tell her, really grateful she is. I go to my room and walk inside my closet. I stand there for a couple of minutes before asking Penelope for help.

"I love playing dress up." Penelope laughs and starts digging through my hanging clothes. "I'll find you an outfit while you fix that hair."

"Fine," I say. Penelope claps me on the shoulder and shoves me over toward the bathroom. I brush the knots out of my long, blonde hair and put it in a side braid. I brush my teeth again, wash my face, and then go back out to my bedroom to face whatever Penelope has chosen for me to wear.

"Oh, I don't know," I say when Penelope holds up a dress. It's the same color green as my eyes, nice and summery, but I'm not in the mood for it.

She hands me the dress. “You know it looks great on you, and you’ll feel better wearing it. Put it on. It’s hard to not be happy in a dress like this.”

I glare at her for another few seconds before surrendering and putting it on. I'm petite, just over five feet tall, and I have natural curves. The dress hugs every one of them. I look in the mirror and shift a little, checking out the back of my dress.

"I was thinking these shoes," Penelope says, holding out a nice pair of sandals, and I take them.

“Why bother dressing me up?” I ask. “Guys never talk to me anyways.”

"Getting dressed up is for yourself, not for anyone else so put the shoes on," she demands with a cheeky grin. "Where's your makeup case?" She's enjoying this a little too much.

"Bathroom," I tell her, sliding my shoes onto my feet. I adjust the dress again, then sit on the bed when she returns with my makeup. Carefully she puts a light layer of foundation on. I let Penelope work, keeping my eyes shut and thinking about what I'm ordering for brunch.

"Hey, wake up. I'm done," Penelope teases, and my eyes snap open. "I think you drifted a little."

"Maybe just a little," I admit with a grin. I stand and look in the full-length mirror on the back of my closet

“Who is this person?” I ask. Penelope rolls her eyes and laughs.

"My best friend," she says, confidently. "Let's go get ourselves something good to eat. I've been up at my brother's cabin for two days, and all he has is dried meat and apples."

"Your brother is weird," I tell her even though I have never met her mysterious brother. All I know is he's a widower, has two kids, and is paranoid enough to hide in the mountains for longer than I've ever known Penelope. I actually don't even know what he looks like.

"Yeah, you're telling me." Penelope snorts, leading me back through my apartment. "He's a handful. Always thinks he can do everything himself." She opens my front door and looks around the busy city street, then points across the way. "Wanna eat there?"

I look at the diner I used to stop at on my way home from the Millers' house every day. I haven't been inside since they left, and I realize now that I kind of miss it. "Yeah, sure."

We walk across the street, and as soon as we step inside, the cook behind the counter yells my names as soon as he lays eyes on me. "Long time, no see. You been on vacation?"

"Kind of," I tell him, shrugging. "I'm between jobs, so it's almost a permanent vacation." I smile.

“Let me know if you get desperate,” he says. “We could always use some extra help here.”

"Thanks, Matt." He points at an empty table and ducks back into the kitchen to continue cooking. Penelope and I sit and open our menus. I glance out the window at all the people walking the streets on this beautiful day.

"Sorry about your brother," I say, picking up the thread of conversation from earlier. "I know you miss him living close by." He lives up in the mountains, about an hour drive away, and we live in the city.

“Nah, it’s fine. I just get frustrated with him. Those kids are gonna grow up weird and uneducated if he doesn’t let them out of their shell.” Penelope puts her chin in her hand and skims the menu. “But he’s decided he wants to homeschool them.”

“Homeschool?” I repeat. “I didn’t know he knew anything about that. Was he a teacher?”

“No,” Penelope says with emphasis. “Not even a little bit, ever. The first kid he ever actually interacted with was his own daughter. He doesn’t know anything about homeschooling.”

I raise an eyebrow. “And yet he’s going to homeschool two children? That’s bold.”

“Yeah.” She looks up at me. “I told him it was stupid, but he never listens to me.”

"It is." I can't imagine trying to teach kids and not knowing anything about it. Seems like a disaster waiting to happen, one that could have consequences for his kids' future.

Penelope laughs, then stops abruptly and points at me.

“What?” I ask.

“You,” Penelope says as if recognition flashes across her face.

"What?" I ask again. "What're you thinking?"

“You should homeschool his kids.” Penelope smiles as if she’s proud of her plan. She thinks for a second as her smile widens. “Yeah, he agreed he should get help. I didn’t even think of you until just now, but you’d be perfect.”

"I thought your brother was a hermit who doesn't let strangers on his property."

Penelope waves me off with a laugh.

"He'll more than likely do an extreme vetting process," Penelope tells me. "But I can vouch for you since you're my best friend. He'd have to hire you because you're perfect for the job and you have experience. Plus, he knows I wouldn't recommend a crazy person."

I laugh but shake my head. “Penelope, I don’t know—”

"You have a degree in early childhood education," Penelope says. "You have all those certifications, including CPR and anything needed to homeschool little kids. You even have a nanny certification and nutrition training and experience up the wazoo. You'd be so perfect. There's nobody who'd be better for the job."

“Penelope. I just don’t know. What if he decides he doesn’t want anyone in his house? You said yourself he hates people.”

“You’re not people,” Penelope insists. “You’re my best friend and have been for a long time.”

“I don’t know about this,” I reply.

Penelope frowns at me. "You'd do an amazing job. I know you'd be perfect for my niece and nephew. Please. Pretty, pretty please." She's begging, and people are starting to look at us.

"But he doesn't even live nearby! He lives in the mountains. That's a long commute for me every day."

"He has an extra room that you could use while you're there," Penelope adds. I give her a look, and she sends a text, then waits. "Yeah, you could be a live-in nanny," she says more to herself than to me.

"A live-in nanny?" I repeat, incredulously. That's typical, but knowing the way her brother is, it sounds like a bad idea waiting to happen. "This is all a little sudden, Penelope. I haven't even given you an answer, and neither has your brother."

"Evie and Jackson are really sweet kids." Penelope smiles. "Really, really sweet. They'd fall in love with you. And if you're nervous, just play it by ear and give it a chance. If you don't like him, or it doesn't seem like the right fit—just say so. But I'm confident you're a great match."

I eye her skeptically. "But what if he doesn't like me?"

Penelope sighs and reaches across the table taking my hands in her own. "He'd be an idiot not to, Kacee. Pretty please. I can't watch you rot in your apartment any longer. You said just the other day your only hobby is taking care of kids." She motions towards her phone. "Here are two kids who desperately need you."

I bite my bottom lip, considering her words. On the one hand, Penelope's brother seems strange as hell. The prospect of suddenly living with him is kind of daunting. But, on the other hand, I have been so bored, lonely, and out of sorts without anything to do. This really does seem like an amazing opportunity to get back into the swing of things.

"Okay," I concede, and she claps her hands with joy.

“Yes!” Penelope exclaims.

I hold up one finger. "Don't get too excited yet. This is on a day-by-day basis. Maybe hour-by-hour." I laugh, half-joking. "We can go up there and see from there."

“If you insist,” Penelope says. Her phone buzzes, and she picks it up with the biggest smile I’ve seen from her all day. “Great, you’re hired.”

“I’m hired?” I ask. Penelope laughs.

“On a day-by-day basis, of course,” Penelope tells me.

"Of course," I echo before the waitress comes over to take our orders. Penelope talks through our whole meal like she usually does, and I'm content to listen. It's what makes our friendship work. Penelope gets me to open up better than anyone, which is one of her greatest skills. By the time the meal's over, I'm feeling a lot better than I had when I woke up this morning.

"Alright, let's head up to Parker's cabin," Penelope says as we walk out the diner.

I look at her incredulously.

"What, right now?" I stop before crossing the street.

Penelope stops and raises a brow at me. "Did you have plans today?" She laughs knowing I wasn't going to be doing anything other than sitting around in my apartment again. "That's what I thought. Pack a bag, and I'll get the truck ready."

"You're so bossy," I tease her before going up to my apartment. I'm so nervous and have never felt this way when meeting a family, but it's all because of the stories I've heard about her brother.

I pack a suitcase with a week worth of clothes, knowing I'll need to come back to grab more things if I end up staying. I'll use it as an excuse if things start sucking.

The drive up to the mountains takes over an hour, but it's an enjoyable drive. The whole way, Penelope tells me everything she can about her niece, Evie, and her nephew, Jackson. As she talks, I find myself warming up to the idea of being a live-in nanny and tutor for these kids. They sound amazing, and I really miss working with kids and making a difference in their little lives. The city has also burnt me out, and the only people I really know are my parents and Penelope.

So, maybe living in the mountains will be a nice, refreshing change. I would have a place to live and kids to take care of which is precisely what I want. Penelope could come up and visit all the time since it's her brother. I would finally get to use my child education skills too. It really does seem like a perfect opportunity, except for the mountain man who hates everyone will be my boss.

We come around a bend, and I hear Penelope sigh. "We're here."

Her words break me out of my own thoughts. She points straight ahead at a large cabin sitting at the top of the hill we're chugging up. It looks really nice and homey and is surrounded by trees. It's solitary but has a comfortable vibe to it. Penelope parks the truck along the edge of the grass and steps out.

"Auntie Penelope!" I hear a small voice scream from inside the house. I see someone dart by the window, then the front door flies open, and a little girl comes sprinting out. "Daddy! Auntie Penelope's back!"

"Auntie Penelope!" another small voice exclaims. A little boy comes bolting out the front door, following after his sister. They look a lot like Penelope and presumably like their father. They both have dark hair. Evie's is in a braid down her back, and her dark eyes sparkle in the sun.

"Who's that?" Jackson asks, peering around Penelope at me. She swings her arm out and motions me forward.

"This is my best friend, Kacee. She's a nanny. She really wanted to meet you guys." Penelope steps to the side, allowing Jackson to look me up and down.

“Did Daddy say it was okay?” he asks, looking up at her.

The doorway of the cabin is abruptly filled by a large, brooding man. I have to tilt my head back to see his face at first, and when I do, I'm struck instantly by how handsome he is. I feel a strange, immediate attraction to him, something I haven't felt for anyone in a long time—something I haven't let myself feel for anyone in a long time.

"Hello," I say when nobody speaks. I can't stop staring at Penelope's brother.

"Who's this?" he asks Penelope like I'm not even here. I step forward and hold out a hand.

"Hi, Mr. Jacobson. I'm Kacee Reynolds. It's nice to meet you," I say politely with a smile. He looks down at it like he wishes I'd vanish into thin air. I let my hand fall back to my side when he doesn't take it.

"It’s Parker," he barks. He turns to Penelope, dismissing me. "What is this?"

"You need someone to teach the kids. Kacee is a great candidate," Penelope explains. "You're not a teacher, Parker. There are methods and strategies for teaching small children certain things and Kacee is qualified to do that for them." She motions back to me. "She actually has a degree in childhood education and has so many certifications, Kacee could probably teach you a thing or two. She knows everything there is to know about being a nanny and homeschooling children."

"I already told you,” Parker growls. “I'm not hiring anyone."

I glare at Penelope, but I don't dare say anything to get in the middle of this family feud.

"Look, Parker. It doesn't matter what you told me," Penelope snaps.

I fight the urge to get back into the truck and drive away without her.

"My niece and nephew deserve to have a real education. I told her what you needed and she can help. She's qualified. I cannot overstate how qualified she is for the position."

I wish I could fall through a hole to the Earth's core. Things are so tense, and awkward, and to make matters worse, I can't help how attracted I am to him. He's more muscular than I was envisioning, his sharp features emphasize his size. However, I'm kinda pissed Penelope dragged me all the way up here when he apparently didn't agree to this situation. Parker moves closer to Penelope and seems even more significant when standing next to his little children.

"I can do fine by myself," Parker fires back. Penelope glares at him with her arms crossed over her chest, unmoving.

"You're not all by yourself, though," Penelope argues. She glances down at the kids. Jackson looks petrified while Evie looks curious. "Why don't you two go inside with Kacee while I talk to your dad, alright?"

"Okay," Evie says, holding her hand out for me. Parker glares at me but doesn't say anything as I step around him and let the kids lead me into the house.

I pause in the doorway, then turn back to face Parker. I don’t know where I get this burst of strength, but I ride it anyways. “I’m sorry if you weren’t expecting me. I didn’t mean to surprise you or anything.”

Parker looks at me, then turns away, effectively brushing me off. I try not to feel upset as I continue following Evie and Jackson into the cabin. Once in the living room, I try to hide my frown, then glance down at the two kids standing in front of me. They're looking up at me like they've never met another person before.

"Hi," I offer.

"Hi," she replies with a smile. "I'm Evie. I'm six." She motions to her brother. "This is Jackson. He's my little brother, and he's five."

“Hi,” Jackson offers. I grin at him and lean down to shake his hand, then Evie’s.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” I say. “Sorry if I upset you. I didn’t know you weren’t expecting me.”

"That's okay," Evie says, shrugging as if it's no big deal to her. I realize she's probably the mouthpiece between the two siblings. "Daddy doesn't like visitors." Evie giggles while covering her hands over her mouth.

“I’ll be gone soon enough, I’m sure,” I tell her with a smile.

“I hope not,” Jackson says. He glances over at his older sister.

“We like when Auntie Penelope visits,” Evie explains. “Are you really her best friend?”

"I am." I smile. They both look excited, and Evie reaches out a hand for me to take. I do, and the little girl leads me to the couch.

"Don't worry about Daddy," Evie tells me. "Sometimes he just gets mad or sad at people. But he's really nice."

"That's good," I say. I can hear Parker and Penelope arguing outside, but I settle for pretending I can't. I look around the living room and notice the high ceilings and the lit fireplace. The couch is worn-in and comfortable, and I can see the kitchen from where I'm sitting. Jackson sits down on a woven rug on the floor in front of the fireplace while Evie jumps up onto the couch to sit next to me.

"What do you kids do for fun up here in the mountains?" I ask, figuring it's a safe enough question to start with. Evie and Jackson turn to each other excitedly.

“We play games!” Evie exclaims, already starting to climb off the couch. “Do you want to play one?”

“What kind of a game?” I ask with a chuckle.

“A board game!” Evie tells me. “We have all sorts of board games in the closet. We play them every day. Do you want to?”

"Sure," I say in agreement, and Evie sprints to a closet set back against the farthest wall. She digs around for a bit while Jackson hops around excitedly. I glance back at the door, wondering with a little bit of dread what's happening on the other side, but instead of worrying, I turn my attention back to the kids. I can tell they're craving interaction outside of family and less than five minutes with them, I already know I want to be the one to stay and help them. If only Parker allows me to.