Page 14 of At First Flight (Coral Bell Cove #1)

I don’t have time to take in my surroundings as I slip the bags onto a bench in the attached mudroom and answer the call, recognizing the personalized ringtone I have for my best friend.

“Hey, they arrive yet?” Talon asks before I get a chance to greet him.

“No, a few more hours. Hoping I can get settled in a bit.”

“When’s the nanny going to arrive?”

“Not sure. The paperwork said around lunchtime.”

“Think she’s going to fangirl when she sees you? Rory saw more magazines with your ugly mug plastered on them in the store today.”

The mention of that damn article immediately stifles any of the calm I’d been feeling before.

I had no idea how one simple article naming me the world’s hottest billionaire bachelor would change my life.

Since the article launched, I could barely walk down the street in Miami without being recognized.

At least here, no one seems to identify me outside of my name.

The real estate agent had been far too happy to sell a house to a Harrington.

“I think it’s going to be okay. At least I hope so. I don’t have many options right now.”

Talon pauses for a beat, then says, “Yeah, I know. We’re here for you, man. I wish you could have brought them to Tennessee. Mom and GiGi would have been tickled to be with the kids.”

“Yeah, but you know that guardianship rule. It’s hard enough to navigate, with Oliver getting ready to start kindergarten and Evelyn needing a preschool. Seemed like a better choice than having to fight the state for custody right now.”

The entire thing had been a mess. There I was, trying to bury my sister while the state had said the kids had no reference to a birth father.

Their birth certificates had been blank.

And there was no way in hell I was letting my parents take guardianship of the kids.

They screwed up Gen and me enough even though they had barely been around.

“Maybe you and Rory can visit after the baby?”

“You know we will. Alright, she’s asking for more pickles and ice cream, so I need to make a grocery run. I’m here, Dean, anytime.”

I end the call with my best friend and send a thankful prayer to the heavens that Talon is in my life.

I can’t imagine how screwed up I’d be if it weren’t for him and his grandma, GiGi.

The spunky older woman never met a challenge she wasn’t afraid to take on.

That included me when I would visit during school breaks with Talon.

Putting away the groceries, I take a couple of minutes to get the lay of the kitchen and first floor.

The home had been unfurnished when I signed on the dotted line, but it didn’t take long for the real estate agent to track down an interior designer to tackle the home before I arrived. Money always talks.

Once everything has been put away, I make a simple sandwich with the deli meats Claire helped me pick out, then take a quick wander through the house.

The primary is on the main floor, along with my office, and the kids’ rooms are upstairs.

After speaking with a therapist about the kids and how I could help them while they grieve, she suggested allowing them to share a room for a while.

Popping my head into the first of the bedrooms, I find two twin beds on either side of the wall.

One with a pink duvet and the other with a blue.

The walls are neutral ivory, and a dresser is against the wall.

The decorator lined a shelf beneath the window with books.

It was nothing overwhelming, and I instantly loved it.

Happy with what I’ve seen so far, I take the steps to the third floor, where the designer set up a playroom. I notice the camera in the corner so I can check on them while I’m working even though I suppose that’s the nanny’s job.

Speaking of the nanny, the sound of a car coming down the driveway has my heart racing. I’m inviting this person into my home to help take care of the two most important people in my life.

Was I freaking nuts?

It was too late to back out, so I finished my sandwich and opened the front door to stand on the porch and hopefully greet my new nanny. Talon’s call from earlier filters through my thoughts, but I toss them aside. She comes highly recommended, even if she recognizes me and my billionaire status.

The first thing I notice is the out-of-state license plate, as if the nanny is driving a rental car.

I’ve already ordered an SUV to be delivered to the house later this week, so hopefully, I can convince this woman to return her rental and drive the larger vehicle.

It has the highest safety protocols. Nothing short of perfect for my niece and nephew.

The slight glare off the windshield as the car comes to a stop in front of the house means I can’t make out the person inside, but something inside my chest prickles in awareness. Something I hadn’t felt since the day I hopped on a plane toward Scotland.

“Lila?” I ask as her long blond hair, the same shade of gold that I remember, comes into view.

Someone must be playing a cruel prank on me because, as she stands to her full height, her beautiful face renders me speechless.

“Is this some sort of sick joke?” she says, her feet pounding against the gravel as she makes her way toward me. “If you wanted your credit card back, you didn’t have to stalk me!” she shouts as she approaches the steps.

I’m too shocked to respond. Never in a million years did I expect Lila to show up at my house as my new nanny. Hell, I didn’t even care about the credit card I’d given her. She could have used it for the rest of her life, and I’d simply have paid the bills.

“I…I can’t believe it’s you. That you’re here.” My voice sounds deeper, even to my own ears.

With her hands firmly fisted on her hips, she cocks her head to the side, a wrinkle forming between her two eyebrows. Even in this fiery state, I’ve never seen someone so gorgeous. I’m completely entranced by her.

“Dean! That’s all you’re going to say?”

As she shouts at me, I can’t pull my eyes away. The wind whips up, strands of her hair sticking to her lips as she speaks. Breathing deeply, hints of strawberry tickle my nose as I reach out and glide her hair behind her ear.

“Hi, Lila,” I say in complete contrast to how she had just sounded. Her body sways backward, eyes growing with each passing second as I shock her. “I can promise you that this is not a trick, nor did I set this up. It’s just…a fortuitous circumstance.”

“What does that even mean?” she whispers as tires crunch on the driveway.

“It means that I really do need your help. My niece and nephew are here earlier than expected.” My eyes dart over to the black sedan as the member of my family’s security team parks next to Lila’s car.

Thankfully, my mother had secured a pickup at the airport for the kids since I had to scramble enough to get everything else ready.

“Oh.” Lila spins on her heels, immediately forgetting I’m in her company, and focuses on the two little ones strapped in their car seats, waiting patiently to be let out.

I jump past her and make my way to the car, thanking Thomas as he pulls their luggage from the trunk. I expected more things for them, but apparently, Genevieve preferred spending her money on herself and not the kids, one of many things we argued about.

I hurry to unbuckle them, my hands moving on autopilot, but when I lift them from the car, neither child bolts away in excitement the way they used to when I’d visit.

No excited squeals. No wild, thudding footsteps across the gravel.

Instead, they each cling to a leg, their tiny fingers curling tight around the fabric of my pants, stuffed animals clutched to their chests like shields.

Their silence pierces deeper than any scream could.

I glance down at them. Evelyn’s wide eyes locked on the house like it might swallow her whole, and Oliver bites his lip so hard it’s turning white. And I feel it like a punch to the ribs.

They used to run to me, eyes bright, voices high with excitement whenever I came to visit.

Back then, I was just the fun uncle with shiny gifts and loud laughter, someone who swooped in a few times a year, whenever my sister wasn’t halfway across the country chasing something new.

It was easy to be the good guy when all I had to do was spoil them and then leave.

Now?

Now I’m the man left behind. The one who doesn’t come and go. The one who stayed. And in their eyes, I’m no longer just Uncle Dean. I’m the reminder that their mother isn’t walking through that door in front of them, if they even fully understand.

“Is this our new home?” Oliver asks, tilting his head back.

“It is. I hope you’ll like it here. There is even a dock in the back for fishing.”

“Oh. Cool.”

I expect a similar question from Evelyn, but I’m also not surprised when her clutch on my leg tightens.

“Upstairs, there is a whole playroom just for you guys. How does that sound?”

“Really?” Oliver releases his grasp and inches toward the house, where Lila waits patiently on the porch. “Who is that?”

“That’s Lila. She’s going to be your new nanny. I hope.”

“I don’t need a nanny,” Oliver demands as he stalks up the porch steps. “I start kindergarten soon.”

Lila crouches down to his level and smiles. My fucking heart aches as I watch her. “Maybe I can just be your friend then. You can’t ever have enough of those.”

“But you’re a girl.”

“I am, but I have three younger brothers. One is even a cowboy. So I know all about boy stuff.”

“Cool! I want to be a cowboy.”

Slowly, I inch myself and Evelyn closer to the porch until we’re standing at the base of the steps.

“This is Evelyn,” I say, drawing Lila’s attention.

“Hi, Evelyn. It’s lovely to meet you.” I’m fascinated as I watch Lila interact with the kids. She speaks softly but with a hint of enthusiasm. As if meeting these kids is the highlight of her day. “Who is that?” she asks, pointing toward the stuffed lamb that had seen better days.

Instead of replying, Evelyn shoves her thumb in her mouth, a habit I wasn’t aware of until just now.

Crouching down, Evelyn doesn’t let me get too far and nestles against my arm as I point at her lamb.

“This is Lamby, right?” She nods once but holds the stuffed toy out for Lila to inspect.

“Oh, she’s very pretty. I love her little pink bow. Is that a color you like?”

Just above a whisper, Evelyn says, “Pink is my favorite.”

Lila’s eyes sparkle as if watching a fireworks display. “It’s one of mine, too!”

Standing, Lila suggests that we show the kids their bedroom and get them some lunch as Oliver rambles on about being hungry.

The kids seem far less interested in their rooms than I expected. Each of them sets their toy on their respective beds and makes their way back toward the kitchen, Evelyn gripping my hand the entire time.

By the time we get to the kitchen, Lila has already made headway with some peanut butter sandwiches, rolled up to look like pinwheels, and sliced up peppers her mom had tossed in my cart.

I’m skeptical as she plates the meal in front of the kids at the small breakfast table in the kitchen, but they immediately dive in. Whether it be from exhaustion or pure hunger, they don’t seem to mind the relatively healthy meal.

My smile catches Lila’s attention as she cleans up the mess on the counter, and for a moment, I feel like everything will be alright. Especially if I can convince Lila to stay, because for every second she treats the kids like royalty, I can see that she’s ready to ride off into the sunset.