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I cringed at the sight of the mud caked to our shoes. “I think we’re going to need a power washer to get all of this off.”
“What?”
I sighed and shook my head. “Nothing. I’ll just have to take the car to get cleaned tomorrow. Try and wipe off your butt and take off your shoes.”
She tried wiping her butt, but it did very little. She kicked off her shoes that were covered with mud. I lifted her up and put her in the backseat before slapping her shoes together to knock off some of the mud. I was very unprepared for a day in the mud. I didn’t bring towels or bags or anything else to help the situation. My first check was going to be spent trying to clean his pretty car up.
But I didn’t care; it was worth it to see the smile on her face. I climbed into the front seat, trying my best not to touch any more of the leather than I absolutely had to. I glanced at myself in the mirror and started laughing.
“Oh, my goodness,” I said. “I’m a hot mess!”
“Me too.” Lily giggled.
“Are you cold?” I asked her and turned on the heat.
“Not really,” she answered.
“Alright, let’s get you home and cleaned up. You have mud in your hair. I bet you it’s in your ears, too.”
“I think I should take a bath before dinner,” Lily said.
“Uh, I think that’s a very good idea,” I agreed. “You’ll be eating mud if you don’t.”
I drove to their house, using the clicker to open the garage. I carefully parked and was climbing out when I noticed Ramsey’s car was in the garage. I tried to remember if it had been there when I left. I was certain it wasn’t, which meant he was home early. I didn’t think there was any way to avoid him finding out about our escapade. If I was lucky, he would be tucked away in his office and I could sneak Lily upstairs and get her in the bath.
“Dad’s home!” Lily declared.
“Yes, he sure is.” I sighed.
ChapterEleven
Ramsey
Ipulled a soda from the fridge and was guzzling it when I heard the door open. I managed to get done with work a little early and was looking forward to spending a little extra time with Lily. I turned to greet them and froze with Coke dumping down my throat. I wasn’t sure I was seeing what I was seeing. They looked like they had been mud wrestling. Or they had been attacked and forced to roll home in the mud. I couldn’t even begin to guess what happened.
My eyes widened in disbelief. “First question, are you okay?” I asked with concern. They were both smiling, which told me they weren’t hurt.
“We’re fine,” Lily said with a grimace. “I didn’t think you would be home already.”
“Clearly…” I nodded.
Lily, my precious little princess, walked in behind Dee, both of them covered from head-to-toe in mud. Thick chunks were in Lily’s hair. Mud clung to her chin. Streaks of dirt cover her nose and cheeks. Her clothes—I couldn’t even begin to understand the damage to the clothes she had on. I was pretty sure I dropped her off in her khaki pants that were a part of the uniform. They were black. Grass clung to her jacket and more in her hair. Lily was wearing just her socks. I couldn’t imagine where her shoes went. Dee was a replica of Lily’s muddy appearance—except she had her shoes on.
As I stood trying to take in the scene and understand what the hell had happened, Lily burst into a fit of giggles. Then Dee followed. They were laughing, their faces radiant with joy, as if they had just conquered the world. Judging by the looks of them, I was beginning to suspect they might have just been in one hell of a battle.
“The car?” I asked.
“Fine,” Dee said. “At least I think so. It’s a little muddy.”
“A little…” I narrowed my eyes.
My initial instinct was to worry, to fuss over the mess and scold them for getting so dirty. But as I watched Lily’s beaming smile, all concerns melted away. In that moment, I realized that something extraordinary had happened—Lily had found a nanny who not only cared for her, but also understood her need for adventure and pure, unadulterated fun.
I couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight, my heart swelling with love and pride. My little princess, whom I had always sheltered and protected, had taken a leap into the muddy unknown and discovered a world of happiness. Her eyes sparkled with a newfound sense of freedom, and I knew deep down that I had made the right choice in hiring this nanny.
“I’m afraid to ask,” I said.
Lily laughed again. “We played soccer.”
