Single Dad’s New Nanny: A Secret Baby Romance (Tall, Dark and Handsome Billionaires Book 3)

by J. P. Comeau

  She started taking multiple pictures and measuring things on the screen, but I was shellshocked. Holy shit, I really was pregnant. I looked down at my stomach before I looked back at the monitor and wondered when I’d feel activity on my own. It made me smile at the idea of having a little miniature Gavin bouncing around before too long.

  “Wow,” he murmured.

  I looked up into his face.

  He looked down at me with a great big smile on his face. “I bet he’s just like his momma.”

  “Hey, what makes you think it’s a boy?”

  He grinned. “I just know these things. I knew Asia was a girl after only two months. Just call it ‘father’s intuition.’”

  I giggled. “Pretty sure that’s a Mom thing, too.”

  He shrugged. “Eh, it’s a fifty-fifty shot either way. But it would be nice to have a boy and a girl running around. Don’t you think?”

  I swallowed hard. “Does that mean… we’re really doing this?”

  His brow ticked with confusion. “I’m honestly shocked anything else ever occurred to you.”

  “So—everything’s okay?”

  He nodded. “Uh-huh.”

  “And… I’m not losing my job?”

  He smirked. “Nope.”

  “And… you’re not kicking me out of the house?”

  He bent forward, gazing into my eyes. “You’re actually very stuck, so I hope you can deal with that.”

  I smiled so hard my eyes closed. “I can more than deal with that.”

  He captured my lips once more as the ultrasound technician wiped off my stomach. Gavin cupped the back of my head, supporting me as he deepened our kiss. My heart took flight as my shirt was pulled down. He slowly tilted me upright and turned me until my legs were dangling off the edge of the hospital bed.

  And before I knew it, I was in a wheelchair with my discharge papers and everything I needed to get my pregnancy started, including our first-ever ultrasound pictures.

  “You feel up to getting some food?” he asked.

  Gavin wheeled me out of the hospital's back exit to avoid anyone with prying eyes and phone cameras.

  “I could definitely eat. But what about Asia?”

  Gavin chuckled. “Jorge’s at the house with her. He’ll stay there as long as we need him to stay.”

  A black Town Car pulled up as Gavin put the brakes on my wheelchair. A nurse helped me upright as an elderly man got out and jogged around to open my car door. I looked up at him to thank him, but my eyes caught his nametag.

  And I smiled when I saw the name “Lucas.”

  “It’s nice to finally put a face to the name,” I said.

  He nodded. “Likewise, Miss Eva.”

  I shook my head as I sat down on the leather seats. “Eva is just fine, Lucas.”

  Gavin quickly slipped in beside me. “Lucas? Take us somewhere you like to eat. We’re all going out to celebrate for dinner.”

  With one last nod of his head, he closed the door and jogged back around to the driver’s side. The doctors and nurses waved us off, and when Lucas pulled the car forward, I leaned my head on Gavin’s shoulder. I closed my eyes and let my hand settle on my stomach. In a few months, my body would change and morph so much that I wouldn’t even be able to wear the clothes I currently had on.

  We have so much to talk about.

  “How does Mexican sound?” Lucas asked.

  Gavin kissed the top of my head. “That sit well with your stomach? I want you to eat something that won’t make you sick so you don’t pass out on us again.”

  I licked my lips. “I could go for a nice, big taco salad.”

  Gavin chuckled. “Mexican sounds great. Lucas, lead the way.”

  And I closed my eyes during the long, winding drive, allowing myself a moment to catch my breath and think of all the wonderful things to come—after Gavin and I got past the very awkward conversations that had to take place, first.

  23

  Gavin

  “Is Lucas not eating with us?” Eva asked.

  I took a bite of my chicken. “I told him we needed some private time, so he’s eating in the car.”

  She pouted a bit. “Maybe we should go out and eat with him or something. I don’t want him to be alone.”

  “He’ll be okay. Right now, it needs to be just the two of us.”

  Eva gave me a hesitant look that told me just how nervous she still was, but I didn’t know why. She didn’t have to be. At least, not with me. I was ecstatic that we were pregnant, even though we hadn’t known one another very long at all. Was it a shock to both of us? Of course. Was I worried about things? Hell, yeah. Was I scared out of my mind to be attached to Eva for the rest of my life?

  Absolutely not.

  Ask how she’s feeling. Get the conversation going.

  But, when I spoke, she spoke as well, and the question that hit my ears made me gawk.

  “How are you feeling?” I asked.

  However, Eva blurted out… “You won’t make me give it up or anything at the last minute, will you?”

  I felt my jaw unhinge toward the floor. “Why in the world would you ever think I’d do such a thing?”

  She put down her fork. “Can you blame me?”

  “I don’t know who I can blame, but I’d like to not blame anyone. Have I ever given you the impression that I’m that kind of person?”

  She flopped back against her seat. “I don’t know anything anymore. I don’t know where we stand. I don’t know where I stand in your life. I don’t know where this will stand with Asia.”

  I held out my hand for her. “Come here.”

  Her eyes met mine. “Gavin, this changes so much.”

  I wiggled my fingertips. “Just come here, please.”

  She leaned forward and slid her hand against my own. “I can do this on my own if you aren’t ready for another child. You don’t have to be the hero of this story. I mean, I didn’t see myself having children like this, or even this soon, but it happened, and I’m ready to take on the responsibility. I just don’t want to ruin your life with something I thought I was combatting properly.”

  I scoffed. “Eva, you aren’t doing this alone even if you wanted to. That child you’re going to be growing is half of me, and no woman carrying my child is going to be doing anything alone. You got that?”

  She swallowed hard. “So, we’re really doing this? We’re keeping the baby?”

  I sighed. “I’ve always wanted more children. But, the life that I lead and my career path doesn’t always make time for that kind of thing. It’s hard just being there for Asia with the life I lead and how much I bounce around for my jobs and projects.”

  “So, we’re fucked is what you’re saying.”

  I snickered. “I’m not saying that at all. I’m just saying it’s not going to be easy. Am I worried that it won’t be fair to bring another child into the life I lead? Yeah, I’m worried. I see the toll it’s taken on Asia over the years, but I also know a lot of that is because of her mother not protecting her the way she should have. Asia was a media pawn from a very young age, and it’s made her very skittish and anxious about the outside world.”

  She shook her head. “I’d never do that to our child. Never. I’ll protect both this little one and Asia like they’re my own.”

  “Which is exactly why I hired you to be my nanny in the first place. You’re good to my daughter. Better than her own damn mother is. And you’re going to be a fantastic mother to our child. But, whatever else gets thrown our way, I’m ready for it. The question is, are you?”

  Nervousness washed over her features as she pulled her hand away from mine again. She was afraid. She had more to lose in this scenario than I did. And for the life of me, I had no idea how to reassure her except be honest with her about my feelings.

  “Would you like to talk about something else right now?” I asked.

  She nodded mindlessly. “Yeah. I can’t eat when I’m this worked up.”

  I took a
sip of my Coke. “Very well. Then, I guess I should tell you that I heard back from my lawyer.”

  Her eyes lit up. “About the custody stuff? What did they say?”

  “Well, Marissa sort of shot herself in the foot. She had her lawyer expedite the court hearing, so my lawyer was actually in court this morning. My lawyer presented all of the information as to why I should be awarded full custody as well as custodial parentship over Asia, and Marissa had such a meltdown in court that the judge ruled full custody to me until Marissa sought help for her—oh, what were the words he used—uh, ‘obvious anger and control issues.’”

  She snorted. “You’re kidding. She went off in court like that on a judge?”

  “My lawyer described it as more of a breakdown than anything else. And I knew it was coming. Marissa was never quite right after she gave birth to Asia, and I kept telling her to get help, but she just kept burying herself in other things. I think there are some unresolved anger issues, sure, but I also think there are some unresolved depression issues and things stemming from her childhood that she needs to get worked out as well.”

  “If she works them out, you think you’ll ever go back to a shared-custody agreement?”

  I thought hard about her question. “I’m not sure. I think visitation whenever Marissa’s free to do so would be all I’d be able to offer. Asia needs a stable home. She doesn’t need to be bouncing around between two families with two very different perceptions of life. It’ll all be on a day-by-day basis, but for now, Marissa is forced to get the help she needs and Asia doesn’t have to deal with her any longer. So, I’m happy.”

  Eva’s smile was genuine, and it melted my heart even more. “Then, I’m happy as well. Have you broken the news to Asia?”

  I shook my head. “Doesn’t require a formal conversation in my eyes. She didn’t ever like going with her mother, so one day, when she asks me why she hasn’t seen Mom in a while, I’ll just tell her that Mom’s finally getting some help for some things and when she’s feeling better, she’ll be back around.”

  “You’re a phenomenal father, Gavin. Never forget that, okay?”

  My gaze hooked with hers. “So, with those words you just said, understand that I’m not abandoning you. You aren’t fired. You aren’t kicked out. None of the things you think might happen are actually going to happen. You’ve been part of this family from day one, and it’s going to stay that way. All right?”

  She sniffled. “You promise?”

  I chuckled. “That, I can promise above everything else.”

  She stood from her chair and rounded around the table, so I pushed out my chair. She sat in my lap and placed her head on my shoulder before she started crying again, and the sound broke my heart. I wrapped her up tightly and pressed mindless kisses against her arm. I rocked her side to side as her tears wet my shirt, and I wished for nothing more than to take her sadness away.

  “It’s going to be okay,” I whispered, “and I’m not going anywhere. I swear.”

  As I held the woman I loved in my arms, I thought about what it might be like to have a boy. I thought about all the things I wanted to teach him about being a man. About how to really romance a woman. About how to treat people with respect, which many men seemed to be lacking these days. But then, my mind turned to the idea of another little girl.

  And I felt my protective instincts fill my gut.

  The idea of having a house full of girls made me feel strong. Powerful. Protective, like a lion at the head of his pride. There weren’t very many men in this world blessed with a family full of girls. If Eva were growing a sweet little girl inside of that body of hers, I knew I’d be the happiest man on the face of this planet. The idea that I could be so blessed to be seen as the kind of man that the cosmos deemed fit enough to protect a house full of women made me smile.

  And as Eva’s sobs started winding down, my hand gravitated toward her stomach, and my fingers splayed against her clothed skin.

  “I’ll protect both of you until the day I die,” I whispered.

  We didn’t finish our food. In fact, I had our waiter pack things up in to-go boxes so we could take it with us. And after scooping Eva into my arms, I carried her back out to the car. I slid her into the backseat before I scooted in beside her, allowing her to lay her head in my lap as I played with her hair. The smell of Mexican food filled the space around us as Lucas silently drove us back to my place. We quickly interchanged with Jorge, who had been kind enough to watch Asia and put her to bed. I told him that I’d call later to fill him in, then I carried Eva upstairs to her new bedroom while Lucas put our leftovers in the fridge.

  The knee-jerk part of me wanted to slip Eva into bed with me. But, I wasn’t sure how she’d feel about that. I carried her into a room filled with nothing but boxes and almost used that as an excuse to take her back to my room. But, the bed was made up with pristine sheets, and everything else was ready to go. So, I settled her onto the mattress and tucked her in.

  “So tired,” Eva mumbled.

  I kissed her splotchy forehead. “Get some rest. Don’t worry about getting up with Asia. When you get up, we’ll be downstairs.”

  She yawned. “No more coffee, okay?”

  I chuckled. “Yes, no more coffee for you. I’ll make sure there’s some decaf made up.”

  She yawned again. “Night, night.”

  I kissed her one last time. “Night, night.”

  She snuggled down into the sheets, and I figured that was it. I thought she was dead asleep, and that meant she needed privacy. I took one last second to study her before I crept over toward the light switch, readying myself for a night alone to stew with my thoughts.

  Then, I heard Eva mumble something in her sleep that stopped me in my tracks.

  “Love you.”

  The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I froze in the doorway, watching her like a hawk. Waiting for her to turn over and smile at me or yell, “gotcha!” or any number of things that could have ruined this spectacular moment.

  But, none of those things happened. All she did was slip into an effortless slumber with her shoulders rising and falling with her breathing.

  “I love you, too, Eva,” I whispered.

  With a flick of my wrist, the light was off, and I blazed a trail toward my home office. I had a lot of phone calls to make and even more arrangements to toggle in the coming months. There was no way in hell I could jettison off and film some movie and leave Eva here with Asia. I mean, I’d miss the entire first and half of her second trimester! Not happening one single fucking bit. And as I slipped into my office chair, my hand reaching for my desk phone, I felt a sense of calm and peace wash over me.

  This was the path I was destined for.

  This was the path my life needed me to take.

  And dammit, I sure as hell wasn’t going to screw it up with some bullshit.

  24

  Eva

  Something warm pressed against my cheek over and over, and it pulled me out of my slumber. The softest giggle on the face of this planet tickled my ears before the blankets around me started moving. And when I felt the small body press against my own, my heart warmed.

  “Morning, Asia,” I murmured.

  She giggled. “Daddy made breakfast. Wanna know what he made?”

  I peeked down at her with one eye. “I smell bacon.”

  She nodded. “Uh-huh.”

  I sniffed the air. “Mmm and eggs.”

  She smiled. “Uh, huh.”

  I sniffed a few more times. “And… fruit?”

  “Bingo!”

  Gavin’s voice came wafting down the hallway. “Asia?”

  She scrambled out of my bed. “Yeah, Daddy?”

  “Are you bothering Eva like I told you not to?”

  I giggled and cleared my throat. “She’s never a bother, Gavin!”

  Asia poked her head out the door. “Yeah, Daddy! I’m never a bother!”

  His laughter echoed down the hallway. “Well, in th
at case, breakfast is ready if you two are hungry.”

  I threw the covers off my body. “Don’t mind if I do.”

  My stomach growled ravenously at the lack of sustenance as Asia took my hand. With a massive smile on her face, she tugged me out of the bedroom, and we both stumbled down the hallway. Exhaustion hung over me like a canopy, following me wherever I went. But, I kept up with Asia as we rounded the corner, raced down the stairs, and found our way to the kitchen table where our plates were already up and piping hot.

  “Yummy! This one’s mine,” Asia said.

  She claimed the Disney princess plate filled to the brim with cheesy eggs before Gavin set down in front of a massive mound of meat and toast. However, when my eyes found my plate, I thought the portions were a bit small.

  I also pointed to the mug with a string hanging out of it. “What’s that?”

  Gavin pointed with his knife. “That’s jasmine tea sweetened with honey. I didn’t have any decaf coffee, and the internet said it’s only got about twenty-five or so milligrams of caffeine.”

  I eased myself into my chair. “Any excuse for why my plate is so much smaller than yours? Or even Asia’s, for that matter?”

  He chuckled. “Just want you to take it slow. The last thing we want is you inhaling food and then getting sick.”

  Asia nodded with her mouth full. “Yeah, Eva. Gotta be slow, okay?”

  I grinned at her. “Are you gonna go slow with me?”

  She slowed her chewing down, and it made my head fall back with laughter. I reached over and took her hand in mine before kissing her soft skin. Then my eyes gravitated to the small napkin sitting next to my tea. There were two massive, oval-looking pink pills sitting there, but it only took me a second to register what they were.

  I picked up my prenatal vitamins and tossed them into my mouth before washing them down with the delightful jasmine tea. Then, I dug into the small plate of food in front of me. “Thank you for breakfast,” I said.

  Gavin nodded. “I hope it sits well. If it doesn’t, let me know. Okay?”