AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’ll let her know that you gave her credit.” I leaf through it. Each page is full of information, references, and credentials of a different potential nanny. I arch a brow at River. He forestalls me with a hand.
"My mom suggested that we'd need some help," he says, watching me closely. "Someone who can step in when you need to catch your breath or close your eyes for just a moment. Moms are great, but these nannies are reliable too. Plus, you might eventually decide to go back to work somewhere."
"River, this is..." The word thoughtful seems too small, too simple for the man who stands before me, always thinking ten steps ahead. "I don't even know where to start."
"We have time," he assures me, his voice steady and sure. "We'll find someone perfect, someone who will love our baby almost as much as we do. Perhaps several someones."
“Several? There’s only one baby!”
He shrugs and gives me a sly smile. “We’ll see about that.”
“You’re crazy.”
“I take it as a personal challenge to make it happen.” There’s a wicked glint in his eyes and he rubs his hands like a cartoon villain.
I can only shake my head.
I thumb through the glossy pages, each nanny's smiling face blurring into the next. Credentials in fine print swim before my eyes. Degrees in early childhood education, mastery of three languages, proficiency in infant CPR. I'm awash in a sea of qualifications, feeling the swell of decision fatigue.
"Look at this one," River says, pointing to a page. "She speaks Italian. Think of the lullabies."
"Maybe," I muse. "Do you think it matters more that they can cook or that they have a gentle soul?"
"Both." He grins, brushing his thumb over my swollen fingers. "But the soul part is non-negotiable."
"Your mom will want someone with a sterling silver résumé," I say, half-joking. But I also know the weight her opinion carries.
"True, she's got high standards," he admits. His tone is light but carrying a shadow of old expectations. "But she’s just excited. So is your mom. They’re going to spoil this little girl rotten."
"An army of grandmothers at the ready," I chuckle, closing the book with a
"Let's take a break, yeah?" he suggests.
I wrinkle my nose. “I needed a break as soon as we got in here.”
He tilts his head and stares at me dubiously. “Is this too much? I told you I would bring in a decorator to do all of this.”
“No way. I want to be able to tell our daughter that I did everything in her nursery.” I push some stray hairs back out of my face. “I do want to go sit down, though.”
We step out onto the porch and I grab a seat. My aching feet and the twinge in my back lessen as I sit back in the rocker. The salty breeze immediately kisses my skin. I inhale deeply and let peace begin to seep into my bones. My eyelids threaten to slide shut.
"Close your eyes," River's voice is a whisper.
"Already way ahead of you, baby.” I shut my eyes and the world goes dark.
I hear the soft clink of metal first. What is he up to? Then I feel the cool slide of a chain around my neck. My heart trips over itself, anticipation coiling tight. "You can open your eyes now."
I look down and gasp with delight. Dangling from the silver chain is a tiny flying saucer pendant that is studded with diamonds. I touch the pendant with a finger.
"River!" It's a breath, a laugh, and a sob. "It's perfect!!"
"Thought you'd like it," he says. He leans close and his words are a warm buzz against my ear. "A little bit of the extraterrestrial for my starry-eyed wife."
“Why today?”
“Today is the eleven month anniversary of you agreeing to be my fake fiancée.”
“Really?” I squint, doing quick math. “No, it can’t be.”
