Take Your Time (Boston Love #4)(70)

Actually… there’s a rather pressing need sitting in that truck down the block…

“Of course!” I say brightly, internally slapping myself. “No rush at all.”

Luca is going to kill me.

I follow Joyce into the kitchen with Fenway shadowing my every step. As soon as I sit down at the kitchen island, he whines until I scoop him into my arms and hug him close, rubbing his ears rhythmically the way I know he likes.

“Any accidents?” I ask, looking around for signs of destruction.

“No, he was great. It helped that it was such a nice night — we played in the yard with him until the kids went to bed, so he didn’t have much of a chance to wreak havoc.”

I blow out a relieved sigh. “Oh, good.”

Ted walks into the kitchen wearing striped pajama bottoms and a white t-shirt, a paperback poised in front of his face. “Honey, do we have any of that gelato left— Oh!” He finally looks up and notices me. “Hi there, Lila. Didn’t see you.”

“Good book?” I ask.

He nods and looks at his wife excitedly. “Did you tell her yet?”

She shakes her head, looking equally thrilled. “I was waiting for you.”

“Tell me what?”

Joyce’s face is split with a smile so wide, just seeing it makes me smile too.

“I’m pregnant!” she blurts.

“Oh my god!”

“I know! It was totally unexpected. Obviously. I mean… I’m forty-two. This was not the plan.” She looks at her husband. “Thought Ted was going to have a heart attack when the stick turned blue.”

“A stroke, actually,” he jokes. “But once I recovered, I was thrilled.”

“We both are.”

“I’m thrilled for you!” I exclaim, hopping down from the stool and hugging them both in quick succession. “This is amazing! Do the twins know, yet?”

Joyce shakes her head. “Not yet. We’re waiting a few more weeks. But… well, that brings us to what we wanted to talk to you about.”

“You have more news?”

“Not news, exactly.” Ted shrugs. “More of a… proposition.”

“A proposal,” Joyce echoes, staring at me intently.

My brows shoot up. “Gotta say, you two are really starting to freak me out.”

“Jesus, Ted, now she thinks we’re going to suggest some kind of weird Indecent Proposal arrangement.” Joyce snorts. “No. We don’t want to have a threesome with you… We want you to be our nanny. Full time. For all three kids. Once the baby comes, I won’t be able to do it all — juggling the law practice and also being a good Mom. I love my kids to pieces but… I also love my job. This would be an ideal solution.”

My mouth falls open. I can’t think of a thing to say except, “Are you sure? I mean… I’ve never been a nanny. I’d never even been a babysitter, until I met you guys, and that was more of an accident than an intentional career move…”

Ted laughs. “Sorry about that. My fault, for commandeering you against your will.”

“Look, Lila…” Joyce grabs my hands in hers. “We don’t care that you don’t have a long childcare resume. The twins adore you. We adore you. It’s like you’re already part of the family.”

My stomach clenches.

Ted clears his throat. “We know you’re losing your apartment. We have a back bedroom — it’s nothing fancy but, if you want it, it’s yours should you accept the position. You and Fenway are more than welcome once we fix it up a bit.”

“You want me to live with you?” I can’t help the incredulity in my tone.

“We hate that we’re losing you as our neighbor.” Ted frowns. “But I have to tell you, we broke the news to the twins today… and they’re absolutely heartsick over it.”

My heart pangs.

“But… I’m just a babysitter,” I murmur.

“Not to them,” Joyce interjects. “To them, you’re irreplaceable.”

“A big sister,” Ted adds, almost as an afterthought.

A big sister.

My eyes start to sting at the thought of me being anyone’s big sister. Anyone’s Mimi.

“We haven’t known you for that long, but we really do think of you as family, Lila.”

My throat feels alarmingly tight.

“Oh, no. Did we freak you out? Come on too strong?” Joyce wrings her hands. “Ted, I told you we should’ve invited her over for dinner instead of ambushing her. People are much more receptive when you ply them with carbohydrates.”

I laugh. “No, no, you didn’t scare me. Though I never turn down dinner rolls.”

“Me neither,” Ted concurs.

“I’m so happy for you guys. And I’m so honored you’d ask me to be part of your home… part of your family. But—”

“You need time to think about it,” Ted guesses.

“Just promise you’ll consider it.” Joyce’s eyes are so hopeful. “Please.”

“I will absolutely think about it.” I stare from husband to wife. “Thank you.”

“Trust us — we’re the ones who should be thanking you.”