I gather Merit’s leash in my hand. The watch on my wrist vibrates. “Sure thing, kiddo,” I reply absently. Sutton’s name flashes across the screen.
My brows furrow as I contemplate all the reasons he could be calling. Only one way to find out.
“Officer Sunny, to what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Why aren’t you home yet?” he inquires without greeting.
The way he says home does funny things to my body. It’s been so long, I’m not even sure what home feels like anymore. Not that he’s talking about me or my home.
My spine grows rigid at his grumpy tone.
“We’re on our way now. We stopped to burn some energy at the park after school.”
Sutton’s sigh is audible across the line. “I’ll meet you halfway.”
“That’s not necessary. It’s a ten-minute walk.”
“I could use the exercise,” he quips.
“I doubt that.”
Shit.
I rub my forehead, wishing I could stuff the words back in my mouth.Inside thoughts, Alice!Why on earth did I say that out loud? The man clearly takes care of himself. He doesn’t need me to admit that I’ve noticed his hard muscles and the low percentage of body fat.
The growing silence exposes Sutton’s obvious lack of response.
“If you don’t want to hear me breathe for the next five minutes, I’ll see you when you get here.”
“Be there in five.” Sutton ends the call.
“Was that my dad?” Nellie walks a few paces ahead of me, her pink backpack bouncing against her with every step.
“It was,” I reply brightly. Sutton might have colossal trust issues, but I refuse to let that affect how I am with Nellie. She doesn’t deserve to bear the brunt of her father’s bad attitude toward me, especially when he’d never react like that toward her.
For some reason, I’m the only one who seems to prickle his bad mood.
Nellie slows and slips her small hand in mine. “I missed him,” she admits quietly.
I give her hand a gentle squeeze. “It’s been a long week, hasn’t it?”
Her hair bounces with a choppy nod. “He’s always busy. Do you think he misses me too?”
I pause us right there in the middle of the cracked concrete and drop down to her level. Her bright blue eyes find mine, sadness beyond her age swirling on the surface.
“I know your dad misses you very much. Do you know how I know that?”
She pulls her lower lip between her teeth and shakes her head. This normally bubbly ray of sunshine looks on the verge of tears.
“That’s why he hired me as your nanny. Because if I help your dad with the chores and take care of you while he’s at work, he’ll have more time to spend with you when he’s at home.”
Nellie seems to let my words absorb.
“Is that how it is for kids who have a mom?”
“Moms and dads help each other with the work, but Nellie, your dad does a really good job on his own.”
“I wish I had a mom,” she whispers.