“There’s my girl,” he said, crouching down just in time to scoop her up.
She wrapped her arms around his neck like she’d been waiting all week for that exact moment.
Then Charlotte’s grandmother stepped out—polished, salon-styled hair perfectly in place, oversized sunglasses perched elegantly on her face. She leaned in and hugged them both at once, laughing softly as Charlotte talked a mile a minute.
I found myself smiling.
It was good to see how comfortable Charlotte was with them. I’d seen her around Theo’s parents plenty of times at gymnastics meets, but I hadn’t met Alisha’s parents before.
It was good she had so many people who loved her.
Even if her mom wasn’t here anymore.
The thought made my chest tighten.
Growing up, I’d only really had one set of grandparents. The ones who eventually became my parents. My circle had been smaller. Quieter.
But I’d never felt unloved.
And between them and the coaches who’d poured into me over the years, I’d never felt completely alone either.
Still, seeing Charlotte had two sets of grandparents to dote on her was nice. Like, not everything in her and Theo’s world had fallen apart after the accident.
The Vanderbilts started walking toward the front door, Charlotte still chattering in her grandfather’s arms.
Which was my cue.
I turned to Theo. “I’ll leave you to your company.”
“Okay,” he said, glancing at me. Then, softer, “Have a good night. Thanks again for all your help.”
“Of course.” I smiled back. “Enjoy your kid-free weekend.”
I gave Charlotte a little wave, vaguely wondering what Theo might have planned for his free time, then stepped out onto the porch and down the front steps, offering a polite nod and smile to her grandparents as I passed them.
“Nice to meet you,” I said lightly.
They smiled back, assessing but polite.
But as I reached the sidewalk, I heard Mrs. Vanderbilt’s voice drift toward Theo.
“Who was that girl?”
“Oh,” Theo replied easily. “That’s Charlotte’s new nanny.”
“Oh.” A brief pause. “She’s quite young, isn’t she? Pretty, too.”
I should have kept walking. But my stomach twisted.
It hadn’t sounded like a compliment.
It sounded like a calculation.
A warning wrapped in silk.
And suddenly, I was thinking about what Theo had said earlier that week—about being intentional not to hire someone he was attracted to.
I slowed my steps just slightly, pretending to adjust my purse strap as I stepped off the sidewalk.