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"Oh, I should really start getting ready to see my mom," she says, her tone a mixture of urgency and reluctance.
At her words, a smirk forms on my lips, a hint of mischief dancing in my eyes. "I'll help," I offer, watching as her eyes widen in surprise. "It's the least I can do after you saved breakfast this morning."
Once upstairs, I close the door behind us, enveloping us in the comforting privacy of her room. I pull her into a soft kiss.
"Hey, what do you think about us driving around to look at Christmas lights after you get back from seeing your mom?" I suggest.
Lily smiles. "That sounds fun. I love looking at Christmas lights. Let me just check with my sister on the timing."
She moves away from me, reaching over to her bedside table and picking up her phone. As she reads the message displayed on the screen, her face falls. Her brows furrow, her lips press into a thin line, and there's a certain unease that settles into her eyes.
Concern washes over me as I watch her. "What's the matter, baby?" I ask, taking a step closer to the bed.
"It's Rachel," she groans, running a hand through her hair. "She's got a stomach bug. She wants to know if Mom can stay with me instead so she doesn't get sick."
Her face looks conflicted as she tells me this. I know that the relationship between Lily and her mother is a strained one. We've never really talked about it in depth, but I've picked up on enough to understand. I also suspect that her self-consciousness about her weight ties back to her mother.
"Your mom is welcome to stay with us if you want," I tell her, my voice gentle. "We have plenty of room."
She bites her lower lip, looking uncertain. "I'm not sure it's a good idea," she admits.
I step closer, tipping up her chin to meet my gaze. "It's your decision," I reassure her. "But if you do decide to invite her over, I will be right here the whole time."
"Promise?" she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.
I nod, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "I promise."
Chapter six
Lily
I'manervouswreck.
Dean assures me everything will go just fine with Mom staying here. He's got that confident tilt to his chin, that soft smile that says he's got everything under control. But he hasn't met my mom yet.
She's a force of nature, all right, but not in the way the phrase usually implies.
She's more like a hurricane, ready to tear down anything that doesn't meet her exacting standards. And she doesn't know I'm Dean's nanny. I can already see the judgment in her eyes, the disappointment at my lack of ambition.
The rest of the morning passes in a flurry of activity. Melanie heads up to run a few errands while Dean and I get the house ready.
I dust and vacuum, scrub, and polish until every surface in Dean's house gleams. I fluff up the throw pillows on the couch, arrange the magazines on the coffee table just so, and even take a moment to straighten the picture frames on the mantel.
It's exhausting work, but I feel better for it. The house looks inviting and warm, a place anyone would be happy to call home.
Once the cleaning is done, I change into my outfit for the day. A Christmas-themed sweater in a beautiful cranberry color that compliments my skin tone without being too tight, paired with comfortable black jeans.
The sweater has a cute reindeer motif on the front, its nose a shiny red button. I add a pair of dangly silver earrings and a swipe of lipstick to complete the look.
Dean surprises me by changing his clothes, too. Instead of his usual Fit Mountain Fire t-shirt and sweatpants, he's wearing a soft gray half-zip pullover and dark jeans. His beard is neatly trimmed, and his hair is brushed back from his forehead.
He looks handsome. More than handsome.
He looks like someone who could hold his own against my mother.
As I watch him move around the house, a sense of warmth fills my chest.
There's something reassuring about his presence, something that makes me feel safe and cherished. I can't deny the attraction between us, the way my heart races every time he looks at me. But more than that, I can't deny the affection I feel for him. He's kind and caring, strong and steady. He's everything I didn't know I wanted in a man.
