The Nanny Proposal

Finally, she could take it no longer. Tossing her small makeup case on the bed beside her suitcase, Jane turned around and headed back toward the baby’s room.

She knocked on the door, and without waiting for an answer, she pushed her way into the room. Greg look flustered and helpless.

“Here,” she said, hustling over to the two of them, “let me take care of this.” Maybe if she just bullied her way into helping him, he wouldn’t have a chance to reject her offer.

She scooped Joy up with both her arms, and the baby immediately hugged her tight, stuck a pink thumb into her mouth and rested her head on Jane’s shoulder.

All was quiet.

Jane’s ploy worked. Greg’s expression clearly revealed that he’d been steamrollered. He sat in the rocker, blinking, gaping up at the two of them, obviously trying to figure out how the silence came to be.

Motioning for him to rise with a sweeping movement of her free hand, Jane smiled softly at him.

“It’ll be all right,” she said in a hushed tone. “Just give me a few minutes alone with her, okay?”

She sat down in the rocking chair and cradled Joy in her arms. The baby sighed, her eyes locking onto Jane’s face. The love that swelled in Jane’s heart actually hurt. But the achy feeling was wonderful. She hadn’t rocked Joy to sleep in a week…a week that somehow felt like many months.

Tearing her gaze from Joy’s, Jane looked up at Greg, who still seemed in a daze. Without a word, he stared at the two of them for a second or two. Then he turned on a silent heel and stole from the room.