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“Okay, I might talk to Miss Breanna for twenty-two minutes.”
Jaxon grabs the remote and starts navigating to his favorite show as Harrison divides out the food.
My stomach flips over, and I have the distinct feeling that I’m heading for the principal’s office. What does Harrison have to say to me? Is he going to take back his promise to help me?
I remember the way he held my hand this morning and the kind look in his eyes. There’s no way he’s going to take it back.
As Harrison and I sit down on the screened porch out back, my mind races with anticipation and anxiety. What could he possibly want to talk to me about? My heart pounds in my chest as I wait for him to speak, the seconds stretching into eternity as I fear the worst.
Finally, Harrison clears his throat, his expression serious yet compassionate. "Breanna, I've been doing some thinking," he begins, his voice steady. "I’ve looked at the information online and the history of payments, everything.”
I suddenly lose my appetite even though I would normally love eating a burger.
“I want to help you with your mortgage."
His words hang in the air, and for a moment, I'm too stunned to respond. Help me with my mortgage? The idea feels surreal, like a dream I never dared to imagine. I had only been hoping that he would be willing to give me an advance on my payment. I hadn’t dared hope for any extra or even… is he offering a full mortgage payment?
"You... you want to help me?" I stammer, my voice choked with emotion.
Harrison nods, a soft smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Yes. I've decided to pay off your remaining mortgage. Because of my current assets, it won’t be until the end of next week, but it will be one less thing you have to worry about."
I can hardly believe what I'm hearing. The weight of his offer washes over me, and tears prick at the corners of my eyes. "Harrison, I don't know what to say," I whisper, my voice trembling with gratitude. "Why are you doing this for me?"
There have to be strings attached. He’s not just doing this out of the kindness of his heart. There’s no way.
Harrison reaches out and gently squeezes my hand, his eyes filled with warmth and understanding. "Because you're not just the nanny, Breanna," he says softly. "I… want you to stay here. If you leave, then.."
He doesn’t finish, but the way he presses his lips together and shakes his head makes me wonder. Does he… have feelings for me? Genuine feelings, not just I want to sleep with your feelings?
“Then what?” I press.
“Then Jaxon and I will feel lost again. The connection we have with you, it hasn’t been like this with any other nanny. You’re not just a nanny. Honestly, it’s like you’re the piece we’ve been missing.”
His words resonate deep within my soul, touching a chord I didn't even realize was there. The kindness and generosity he's shown me leave me speechless, overwhelmed by the depth of his compassion.
Maybe he’s saying “we” because it’s easier to say than “I,” but I hear the intention behind his words.
Unable to contain my emotions any longer, I throw my arms around Harrison and bury my face in his shoulder, tears streaming down my cheeks. "Thank you," I whisper, my voice choked with emotion. "Thank you for everything."
Harrison wraps his arms around me in a comforting embrace, holding me close as I let the weight of my burdens melt away. In that moment, I feel a sense of peace and security wash over me, knowing that I'm not alone in facing life's challenges.
Neither one of us is eating, but the warmth of his body against mine and his arms around my shoulders takes away thoughts of anything else.
“I’m sorry for being such an asshole,” Harrison whispers close to my ear.
“You… what?” I don’t know how to process his words in light of his current actions. Maybe my definition is way off, but I wouldn’t consider someone offering to pay off my house mortgage completely as an asshole.
“I could have been more flexible with your pay earlier. The truth is that I hadn’t realized why you needed it. I thought… I don’t know what I thought, but I didn’t know it was something you needed so badly. I’m sorry.”
I don’t know how to respond, so I just bury my face further in Harrison’s neck, soaking in his scent and what’s happening right now.
Is this for real? Or am I going to pinch myself and wake up and realize that I’ve actually been kicked out of my home?
“You don’t need to apologize,” I say, finally finding words to respond.
“I’ll do anything to help you,” Harrison finally says. “I care about you. In fact,” he leans back and I study his face for the first time since I burst into tears.
I reach up and scrub at my cheeks.
