Page 18 of Nanny for the Bodyguard

But it’s not.

Every time I’m around him, it’s impossible to keep my cool. I know I’ve nearly blown it a few times, and it’s getting harder and harder not to fall victim to how unknowingly charming he is.

Asshole really should look like a foot or something. It would make my life so much easier.

Worse, I can’t help but see the past when I look at him. Easton was such a tremendous part of my life, and even though it’s been seven years, I still cling to those happy memories.

I haven’t dated, not really, anyway. There have been a few first or second dates here and there, but nothing substantial.

Moving past Easton has always been so…difficult.

And when I see him now, I can see the expression on his face the day he went back into the army—and I can feel the pain I felt then when he didn’t come home.

I remember going out to dinner. I remember going to the movies and then getting drinks afterward. I remember Easton trying to teach me pool.

You forced yourself to get good at it.

Hell, we even went to the bowling alley on occasion. And now Easton took Jade there—with me.

“Here’s your fries, ma’am.”

The attendant at the concession stand smiles, and I step up to the counter to take the basket and bring it back to our lane. We’ve set up near the wall, and the bumpers are on for Jade.

As I walk back, I hear Jade laughing, and Easton follows along. It’s been so long since I’ve heard that laugh, and it never really sounded quite like this.

Just look at them.

He might not realize it. In fact, I know he doesn’t, but Easton is a great uncle, and he tries so hard to make Jade happy.

Easton was always a bit on edge when I knew him. It was like he was waiting for the other shoe to drop at all times.

He’d relax around me, but at the end…when he was getting ready to go back…

It was just hard.

Now, I look at him over there with Jade, and it breaks my heart into pieces. It’s sweet and endearing, but it’s frustrating because I can’t help but wonder what our lives could’ve been like if he’d come back to me when he said he would.

Would we be laughing with our child right now?

“Hey,” Easton calls out, smiling as he sees the fries, “thank you. We’re starving.”

Jade and he dig into the fries in seconds, and my chest pinches as I grin back at them.

It’s just so strange.

I can’t fight the burning, nagging feeling whispering that we could have had something like this together if Easton had kept his promise.

Circumstances robbed me of so much time, and I can’t help but hate how my feelings for him are resurfacing. “Well, savesome for me, you two.” I laugh when Jade pretends to steal the basket of fries, seriously considering if I should have ordered two.

“It’s your turn, Hazel. We waited for you.”

“Why, thank you.” I look up at the scoreboard that’s hanging above our table. “Well, shoot. I don’t think I’m going to be able to salvage my score.”

With her bumpers on, Jade has managed to do pretty well, about as well as I’m doing without them. But Easton, on the other hand, is ahead of us by quite a bit.

Three strikes, as a matter of fact.

Sure enough, I’m able to pick up a spare, but with only two turns left for each person, Easton clinches his win with a spare and another strike.