Curvy Nanny for the Nerd

30. Toni

Chapter 30

Toni

~ O ne month later

I hated that I was still in Houston. Still working for Brady. Still keeping a distance the size of the Grand Canyon between us. I had to do it because if he got too close he might suspect the truth. This way I could feign exhaustion and head to my room for the night, where I scarfed down sandwiches and salads for dinner rather than risk a midnight run-in with my boss and billionaire baby daddy.

At least I had Layla and watching her grow into herself was a total pleasure. She was so smart and creative, so sweet and trusting with her heart. Her love. She was a talented little girl and every time I thought about her major milestones—first book published, first art show, high school graduation—my heart pinched. But this wasn’t my life. I was contractually obligated to be here for another few months, so I would be.

For Serenity’s sake.

I refused to let Brady do anything to damage her business, especially when she’d been nothing but good to me all these years. She didn’t deserve that so I decided to stay but the moment my obligation was complete, I would be gone. No matter what.

“Earth to Toni,” Layla said as she stood in front of me giggling like crazy.

I blinked and looked around the carnival grounds with a smile. Layla and I were celebrating her enrollment into school by enjoying a day at the carnival. We’d already stuffed ourselves full of funnel cakes, corn dogs, street food and cotton candy, and now we played so many carnival games I knew we’d both have calloused hands in the morning. “That was a close one,” I told her with a smile as she kicked my butt at the water gun horse races.

“I won!” Layla jumped up and down as if it was her first win and I couldn’t help but smile, couldn’t help the warmth that blossomed in my chest.

“You did. That means you get to pick the prize.”

She tapped her chin and stared at the oversized stuffed animals on display. Her gaze lasered in on an oversized giraffe and after a few trade-ins of other toys, she was engulfed by the giant giraffe. “You like it?”

“It’s great,” I told her honestly. “Exactly what I would’ve picked.” Except maybe not since I was the adult in this equation which meant I was responsible for carting Mr. Giraffe around the carnival grounds until we were ready to go.

We ate chili cheese fries with extra crispy bacon on top, which was incredibly delicious, and a horrible, bad, no good decision on my part because minutes later, heartburn made me feel like I was going to die. “Oh, shit.” I put a fist to my chest as if that alone would stop the impending death feeling.

“Toni?”

“I’m fine,” I assured the little girl. “It’s just indigestion. Probably from the spicy chili.” I smiled to make sure Layla wasn’t worried about me because it wasn’t her job to worry, but a second later I knew it was inevitable. My vision started to blur and not even a glass of fresh milk from a dairy stand helped.

“Toni,” Layla shouted as my legs crumbled underneath me.

She was at my side, screaming and crying while I could do nothing but lay there and hope like hell that me and my baby survived whatever fresh hell this was. “Okay,” I moaned weakly and patted her hair, hoping she understood that I would be fine.

At least I hoped I would.

When I wake up later, I knew I was in the hospital before I opened my eyes. The telltale sound of medical equipment, the low buzz of fluorescent lights and the steady hum of soft conversation surrounded me. How in the hell did I end up here? Where is Layla? That question made me bolt upright, where a wave of nausea sent me falling back against the bed. “Layla?”

“I’m here, Toni.” Layla draped her body across my lap and hugged me tight. “I thought you were dead.”

My heart squeezed at her words. “I’m sorry for scaring you but look at me, not dead am I?”

“No,” she groaned as tears streamed down her pale cheeks. “I’m glad.”

“Me too and I’m sorry that I scared you, kiddo.” I hugged her closer and dropped a kiss on top of her head. “Sorry our carnival day got ruined.”

Layla’s laugh was watery but she shook it off. “It’s okay. We can do it again when you get better.”

“Definitely,” I agreed as the door opened and a nurse in colorful scrubs walked in and sighed. “What’s up,” I asked with a hesitant smile.

“You’re fine,” she assured me before she launched into a whole spiel about needing new vitamins and more hydration. “The doctor has prescribed you a different combination so we’ll see if that works.”

“Thank you. Everything is, um, all right?” I slid a gaze to Layla to silently warn the nurse not to speak too bluntly.

“Yep. Everything looks good. Perfect, in fact.”

“Excellent.” I sighed and nodded towards Layla. “Is there anyone who can take her to get a snack after all the excitement?”

The nice nurse nodded and corralled Layla out of the room, giving me a few blessed moments to myself to think. To worry. To figure out what the hell I would say to Brady when he showed up, which happened far sooner than I wanted it to.

The door flew open and Brady strolled in looking handsome and worried and angry, a nurse right on his heels.

“What in the hell is going on?” His eyes were wide and his nostrils flared like an angry bull as he looked at me and then scanned the room. “Layla?” His gaze bounced around the room again, wide and worried. “Where is she?”

“Grabbing something to eat with one of the nurses,” I sighed, more annoyed than I should be by his perfectly normal fear response. “She’s fine. Safe and healthy, just a little scared from seeing me pass out.”

His gaze finally settled on me as if he just now realized that I was lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to half a dozen monitors. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing that you need to be worried about.”

“Bullshit,” he spat angrily. “As your employer I have a right to know.”

“No, you don’t. I can perform my duties effectively and if you doubt that, well you can just fire me.”

His nostrils flared faster and harder. His gaze narrowed. “You’re in the hospital.”

I shrugged. “Medical emergencies happen.”

“Why are you being like this, Toni?”

I shrugged and looked away. “I don’t know what you mean. My health concerns aren’t anything I’d normally share with my employer. It’s not necessary and since I’m contractually obligated to stay here, it doesn’t matter. Does it?”

He growled, chest heaving with pure, unadulterated frustration. And then without a word, he stormed out of the hospital room.

I couldn’t help it, I smiled.

Payback was a bitch but sometimes she was a funny bitch.