NANNY FOR THE SILVER FOX INSTA-DADDY

I high-tailed it out of town on the eve of the ‘big day’—right into the life of a hot firefighter…and his mysterious doorstep baby.

Now I’m playing house with my new boss—changing diapers, cooking dinner, and pretending I don’t notice how good he looks in his worn-out T-shirts and sleepy morning smiles. 

We act like a couple. We live like a family.

And every time I catch Will rocking baby Xavier in his arms, I fall a little harder.

You would think I’d be happy to wind up in his bed talking dirty... 

Unfortunately, that’s when my ex showed up, claws out, dragging the past behind him like a wrecking ball—and just like that, everything unravels.

I’m on the run again, with my heart shattered. 

But fate has other plans. A heartbreaking loss. A mystery solved. And an unexpected reunion leads to one last chance for me to stay and fight. 

“This looks great,” I said, picking up a hard-boiled egg and grinning. “Can’t wait to dive into your eggs.”

Her eyes flicked to mine, a playful smile on her lips. “Hope they’re hard enough for you.”

I nearly choked, shifting as my body reacted. Thankfully, Xavier chose that moment to roll onto his stomach, stealing our attention.

“Good boy! Look at you!” Anna clapped, her face lighting up. “He’s been working on that. He'll be crawling in no time!”

I watched her as she beamed down at Xavier; her freckles seemed to deepen, gathering warmth in the sunlight as she smiled. She looked so happy, so at ease. It stirred something deep inside me.

“Nice job, little man,” I said, though my eyes stayed on her longer than they should have. She was good with him. Really good.

“What’s the date today?” she asked suddenly.

“Uh...July something?”

She laughed. “Real helpful, Will. Never mind, I’ll check when we get home. I’m keeping a milestone journal for Xavier—like a scrapbook. Something you can give him when he’s older. You know, for when he turns 21 or gets married.”

A scrapbook? Not exactly what I’d expected, but the thought of her doing that for Xavier tugged at me.

“Sounds interesting,” I said, nodding. “I can't wait to see the finished product." Thinking further, I added, "How do you know when to stop? He’ll always have milestones.”

“Good point,” she said, smiling softly at Xavier. “I guess I’ll keep adding to it until you give me the boot. You'll have to carry it on.”

The words made my stomach lurch, hitting harder than I expected.

“Not sure how I’d manage,” I joked, forcing a smile. “I’m terrible at gluing things.”

She rolled her eyes, nudging me. “You can use tape.”

“And my handwriting’s awful.”

"Don't be silly. No one cares about your handwriting. It's the thought that counts."

"I'm bad at dates."

"Look at a calendar! There's one right there on your phone, you know?"

I don't want you to go anywhere. Shut up, dickhead. Don't say it. 

"I don't like looking at my phone."

“Oh, stop it! You’re being ridiculous.”

We laughed, but the mood shifted. Was I too obvious? 

 "I love all things Ashley Ellis, and this does not disappoint! Love the plot, great setting, and strong intense interesting characters."