Page 19 of Nanny for Grumpy Grant (Shared by the Carter Brothers #1)

I smoothed my skirt and sat on the sand, gazing out at the ocean.

I watched the surfers catch waves as a soft breeze ruffled my hair.

I inhaled deeply—the familiar, salty scent of the sea bringing back more memories.

For a moment, I felt as if I had never left.

Perhaps the years in between had all been a dream. Or maybe I’d made them up.

I wondered how my life would’ve turned out if I hadn’t left Heaven Bay. Maybe I would’ve gone to an Ivy League school, like the other Swanson kids. Maybe I’d have married someone like Ruth’s fiancé—a well-to-do professional.

Not that I needed one.

I’d done well on my own. When I left the foster home in L.A.

and moved to Vegas by myself, I was scared at first—but I adapted quickly.

Being an orphan forced me to be independent.

I worked part-time as a casino dealer while attending community college.

Then, shortly after my twentieth birthday, my parents’ lawyer contacted me about a trust fund.

I used the money to start a small business— Desert Landscapes.

After years of breaking even, it finally took off.

I now had two employees on payroll, with projects scheduled well into next year.

Thinking about work, I checked my messages to see if I was needed. We were between projects, but clients—and potential clients—still reached out often.

Janet, a landscape architect who was more a partner than an employee, had sent me photos from a site visit that morning and asked for my thoughts on the work in progress.

I was typing my reply when a tall shadow loomed over me. I assumed it was a passerby and ignored it. But when it didn’t move after I finished texting, I glanced up.

The man towering over me was tall and athletic. I didn’t recognize him at first—mostly because I was facing the sun. I raised a hand to shade my eyes, and finally made out his face.

Those brilliant blue eyes pulled me back into memory.

There was only one pair of eyes that intense. They had belonged to a lanky boy with a sweet smile.

The smile on the man before me wasn’t exactly sweet—but it was charming. Dazzling, even.

While I hesitated, the man spoke. "Anna?"

I didn’t recognize that deep voice either, but I ventured, "Tyler?"

He grinned. "Mom told me you'd be here today, and when I saw you walking down earlier, I couldn’t believe it was you. You haven’t changed." His eyes swept over me appreciatively as he spoke.

I suddenly felt self-conscious. Damn. I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not.

I chuckled. "Are you saying I still look fifteen?"

"No!" he blurted. "Not at all. What I meant was… you're still as beautiful as I remember. Of course, you look more mature now, with those curves..."

Holy moly. What was he saying?

I blushed deeper as I gazed at him. "You’ve grown so much taller and bigger. I didn’t recognize you at first."

His shoulders were so broad I wondered how safe I might feel resting against them. His chest was solid—not bulky, but powerful. Sturdy.

As I ogled him, that unfamiliar heat surged through my body again—just like it had with Landon earlier.

My core clenched, and I bit my lip. My cheeks must have been red—I felt hot all over.

Tyler’s blue eyes darkened, and he swallowed. When he spoke again, his voice was rough. "Have you seen my mom and brother already?"

"Yes, I have," I said softly. "I’m sorry about your dad."

He shrugged, a shadow flitting across his face briefly before he changed the subject. "I’m so glad to see you, Anna."

"Thank you." I shuddered at the sound of his gruff voice. "So, Landon said you’re a professional surfer now?"

His smile faded slightly at the mention of his brother. "That’s new. He usually calls me a bum."

I wasn’t sure if he was joking, so I gave a small laugh.

But something in his tone told me there was tension between the twins—and I didn’t like it.

Landon and Tyler had fought from time to time when they were younger, but they’d always made up quickly.

This rift between them was unexpected… and unsettling.

"Is everything okay between you and Landon?" I asked carefully, knowing I had no right to pry.

Tyler seemed to remember that too, because he took a deep breath to steady himself. "We’re fine, Anna," he said with a grin, patting my arm. "How long are you staying?"

That vague response didn’t convince me, but I let it go. "Three more days. I’m leaving on Monday."

"So soon? I haven’t seen you in ten years, Anna. You should stay at least a week—we’ve got a lot of catching up to do."

I giggled to mask the flush his suggestion caused. "Thanks. But I can’t. I have to get back to work."

He pouted like a little boy, then nodded. "Tell me about life in Vegas."

I sat on the sand and gave him a quick summary of everything that had happened since I left Heaven Bay.

Tyler looked impressed as he listened. "You’re doing fantastic, Anna," he said, reaching for my hand.

The touch sent a current through me. I chuckled and shrugged. "I’ve done okay. Not making a ton of money—just surviving."

"I’m sorry I let you go like that," he said quietly. "I should’ve tried harder to talk Dad out of it."

"Stop it, Tyler," I said, gazing up at him. "It wasn’t your decision, and you did try." I remembered Tyler arguing with his dad, and how Mike didn’t speak to him for days afterward.

"Not hard enough," he muttered. A breeze tousled my hair, and he gently brushed it away from my face. Then his gaze dropped to my lips.

My heart hammered in my chest. I could hardly breathe as he leaned closer.

Oh my God. Was he going to kiss me?

No way. Tyler was my adopted brother—at least for three years. I’d had a crush on him and Landon back then, but I’d buried it deep, knowing it could never go anywhere.

Our lips were just inches apart when we heard a child’s scream. Tyler pulled back and turned to look, and just like that—the moment was gone.

A woman around my age was trying to teach a child how to paddle near the shore, but the boy clearly wasn’t cooperating.

She glanced over at us and called out, "Tyler, I need your help, please!"

"Okay, Heidi. Just a minute," Tyler replied. "I’m sorry, Anna. I’ve got to check on them. I’ll be back."

He jogged off, disappearing as quickly as he’d appeared.

I watched his beautiful, athletic frame move down the beach. He took over from the other instructor and crouched beside the boy, patting his back and speaking to him gently. A moment later, the boy started paddling with surprising ease.

I couldn’t help but smile.

Even though he wasn’t technically younger than Landon, I had always thought of Tyler as the more boyish of the two. But he had grown up—just like his brother. And honestly? He was even hotter than Landon.

Gosh. Those heated eyes, staring at my lips… they could’ve burned me.

Just imagining how his lips might feel on mine sent a gush of wetness between my thighs.

Jeez. What was wrong with me?

I shouldn’t be having feelings like this about the Swanson brothers. They were out of my league—even if we had lived in the same house once.