Yet, his mom’s reasoning was sound, even if allowing a stranger into their sheltered existence felt like a violation of the safety and stability Liam had worked hard to create for his daughters.
When he remained silent for too long, Heather gently prompted him.
“Son? You still with me? Liam, son?”
“Yeah…” Liam finally rasped. “Yeah, I hear you, Mom. I hear you.”
That statement held more than one meaning.
He could hear his mother’s relieved exhale.
“That’s my boy. We just want what’s best for the girls — and for you, Liam. No judgment here, only love. One person can only do so much.”
Liam mumbled an agreement before abruptly saying goodbye, eager to escape the uncomfortable conversation.
After disconnecting the call, he sat in silence for several moments while his lively daughters whirled around him, seemingly existing in a different realm.
How could he entrust the two most precious things in his life to an outsider? The thought felt both sacrilegious and like the only sensible path forward. He just couldn’t reconcile it.
Rising from the floor, he moved to the mantelpiece that commemorated Kate’s tragically short life. Their love story had been one of dizzying passion and profound friendship, creating two little miracles.
Every photograph tugged at Liam’s aching heart: newlywed portraits from their wedding album, their exotic honeymoon in Cancun, and Kate looking luminous during each of her two pregnancies. Each memory hit him with the devastating realization of how she had been the center of his universe, until her bright light was extinguished in a single fateful night that now haunted his sleep. The cruel twist of fate had stolen his mate, his partner, his anchor, his life, his purpose —his everything.
But as hard as he tried to move forward with fatherly devotion, Liam knew he couldn’t replicate the kaleidoscope of care and affection that Kate embodied so effortlessly. He was the solid foundation, the rock, the breadwinner, and a loving dad. But she had been the radiant sun in their lives, bringing warmth and laughter to even the most mundane moments. He needed help. That realization struck him now — hard.
Which meant he had to let someone in, no matter how daunting it felt.
Sunny
Sunny took a deep breath as she approached the massive iron gates surrounding the Anderson estate. She had researched Liam Anderson extensively: a long-time left-winger for the Kansas City Coyotes, a recent widower, and now a full-time single dad raising his two young daughters. The live-in nanny position promised generous compensation, but Sunny understood that this opportunity came with complex challenges.
She pressed the call button on the shiny intercom system.
“Hello, this is Sunny Thompson for my 10 AM interview.”
The gates swung open with a mechanical groan. Sunny carefully steered her old Toyota Corolla up the winding driveway, the lush grounds giving way to an imposing stone mansion. She parked beside the showpiece of a house, whistling softly at the opulence on display. This was a world away from her own humble upbringing.
Smoothing her sensible dark blue blazer over her white blouse, Sunny walked to the cathedral-arched front door and rang the bell. She clasped her hands tightly behind her back to keep from fidgeting.
Get it together, Thompson. You can do this.
The door swung open, revealing a hulking figure — Liam himself, even broader and more intense than his photographs suggested. Sunny’s stomach flipped at his rugged handsomeness, despite the weariness etched around his deep blue eyes.
“Mr Anderson? Sunny Thompson, we spoke on the phone.”
He appraised her with a sweeping glance.
“Of course, come in, please.”
Sunny stepped inside, feeling both eager and nervous. The grand foyer’s vaulted ceilings and artistic sconces took her breath away, but she tried to act unfazed, focusing on Liam as he walked ahead of her. His posture was slightly stooped, as if burdened by strain and sorrow. Who could blame him after what he had endured?
He led her to the vast living room, where she sank onto the immense couch, which seemed bigger than her own entire front room.
Liam took a seat opposite her, saying nothing as he scrutinized her coolly.
Compelled to break the awkward silence, she said: “Thank you for considering me for the position. I know this is a… unique situation.”
She cringed inwardly at how feeble that sounded. ‘Unique’ was an understatement. Liam’s beloved wife, Kate, had passed away only months prior, leaving her grieving husband seeking help.
