Page 21 of Nanny for the Bodyguard

Easton

“Well, let’s just get to bed early if you’re feeling sleepy, Jade.” I eye her, gesturing toward the stairs as she drags her feet. “There’s always tomorrow, kiddo. No need to push yourself.”

“Fine.” She grumbles her agreement.

Jade walks up the steps in front of me, and I follow along, letting her get changed into her pajamas as I stand outside the door.

She’ll come out to brush her teeth in a moment, and I have to admit that an early night would be fine with me, too. I’m feeling a tad rundown, and I know that sleep is the best medicine for that.

When Jade comes out, her cheeks are a bit red, and she seems even more lethargic than before.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” she whines. “I’m just tired.”

“Okay, okay. I just—” But as I pull her under my arm for a quick hug, I notice just how hot she feels against my skin. “Jade, I think you have a fever.”

“Hmm?” She looks up at me, a flare of panic in her eyes. “Really?”

“Umm, hold on. Let’s go in the bathroom, and I’ll take your temperature.”

I walk her over, getting her to sit down on the toilet as I get the thermometer out of the medicine cabinet. Running the sensor up and down her forehead, I wait for a few seconds to be sure it gets a good reading.

When I check the screen, my worries are confirmed.101.6. Shit.

“Well?” Jade asks, and I try to keep the wave of panic that hits me from my face.

“Umm, yeah. You have a fever. Do you, umm, did your mom give you like Tylenol when that happened?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugs. “I’m ten.”

“Right.”

Worry creeps up higher and higher, and I realize that I don’t have anything in the house aside from ibuprofen pills.

Can she swallow those? How much do I even give her? Does it say on the bottle?

“Okay, just, umm, stay—stay right here and brush your teeth. I’m going to get you something for it.”

Jade offers me a concerned look, and I just smile back, trying to go for nonchalant and knowing that I’m failing.

“It’s fine, kiddo. I’ll just be one second. Please brush your teeth.”

The house is too big and too dark with the lights off like this, and I’m turning all of them on as I race down the stairs, fleeing the bathroom like there’s been an outbreak of the plague.

“Shit, shit, shit. What do I do?” The stairs groan as I rush down, grabbing the edge of the wall to swing myself around faster and toward my kitchen. “Jesus, what if she pukes? Oh god. Please don’t let her puke.”

My kitchen is always pretty empty, so when I rush to the fridge to see if I have juice or something for Jade to drink with the medicine, I find that it’s nearly empty.

Sure, she can use water, but dammit, if she’s nauseated, aren’t I supposed to give her like clear liquids or something? Or is that for something else?

Dammit, I’m so fucking bad at this.

I set the bottle of water on the counter regardless and then go to my cupboard, where I keep the pain relievers. Unsurprisingly, the ones I have currently stocked are Excedrin Migraine and the CBD-infused shit I use after a workout.

“Fuck!”

Slamming my hands down on the counter, my panic gets worse, nearly choking me now. I can’t give either of those to Jade, and I don’t know what I’d need to get.