Claiming the Nanny: Chapter 10

Kaitlyn

I stared at the floor. Silence, oppressive and heavy, lay like a cloak over us. Cynthia sat on the couch, waiting. We needed to talk, but words escaped me. Everything I wanted to say volleyed around my mind. In a tailspin, I took in a deep breath and an overwhelming need for comfort shuddered through me.

Brad’s words from earlier echoed in my mind. Tears welled up as I remembered him telling Cynthia that we should let her go. Live her life. Hire a new sitter for the kids. Memory of him saying that brought tears to my eyes. I didn’t want to lose what I’d just found, and I was terrified that was what would happen.

Soft hands cupped my knees. Thumbs rubbed my thigh, Cynthia smiled up at me. “From our first meeting, you drew us both into your warmth and kindness.” She brushed the hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear. “You were always impossible to ignore, angel. You captivated us, and we happily fell under your spell.”

Her words warmed me. Confirmed everything that was in my heart. My heart recognized her truth. A truth I’d recognized when I met them for the first time. Comfortable and welcoming, their house had always been home to me.

“Remember when Helena introduced us?” I nodded. “She told us she’d found the perfect babysitter for us. Brad and I were skeptical, at best. I mean, who could’ve been a better babysitter for our family than she...