Page 38 of Nanny for Grumpy Grant

The class starts, and I sit back as Lindsey reads a picture book about a pirate bear with a map made of candy. Emily laughs at all the right moments, crown tilted rakishly on her curls. For a moment, I let myself relax, surrounded by storytime voices and the smell of crayons.

Afterward, Lindsey packs up and leans over to whisper, “You free tonight? Jason and I were gonna grab drinks at the Antler. You should come.”

Jason. Her high school sweetheart. Tall, goofy, always wore shirts with band logos.

“I miss that place,” I say, even though I’ve been there for only a few times. “I mean, is it still even open?”

“Still sticky floors and weird taxidermy,” she confirms. “But they’ve got karaoke now. I’ll text you.”

I glance at Emily, who’s now climbing into my lap like a sleepy kitten. “Yeah. Okay. I could use a night out.”

“Awesome. Seven o’clock. I’ll see you there.”

As I carry Emily back to the car, her arms wrapped tight around my neck, I feel something flutter in my chest. A second day on the job, and already the world is shifting—new rhythms, old friendships, and maybe, just maybe, a sense that I’m finding my place again.

By the timesix o’clock rolls around, I’m almost disappointed to see Grant walk through the door.

Not because I don’t want to see him—maybe because Ido. Or maybe because today felt peaceful, and I know that peace never lasts long around him.

He greets me with a polite nod, the same cool professionalism he wore this morning, like we’re strangers again. It’s probably for the best, I remind myself.

Still, something twists a little in my chest.

“Thanks again,” he says, shifting his keys in one hand.

“Of course.” I grab my bag, offer him a quick smile, and turn to Emily. “See you tomorrow, sweetheart.”

Emily wraps her arms around my legs in a quick hug, and I ruffle her soft hair before heading out the door.

The air is cool as I drive home, windows cracked, music low. I tell myself to stop overthinking everything—especially Grant. I’ve got plans tonight. Normal, healthy, distraction-filled plans.

When I get home, Mom is chopping vegetables at the kitchen counter.

“I’m heading out,” I say, kicking off my shoes.

“Where to?”

“Meeting Lindsey at the Antler. She invited me for dinner and drinks.”

Mom’s brows rise. “The Antler? I didn’t think you kids were old enough to go there.”

I chuckle, recalling it was one of the places we weren’t supposed to be. “Apparently we do now.”

I hurryto my room and change out of my nanny clothes, slipping into a teal wrap dress I haven’t worn since last fall. Putting on a white bolero shrug, I curl my hair, add a little makeup, and stare at my reflection in the mirror. For once, I feel good—like myself, but polished. Ready to feel like a woman again, not just the girl who came crawling back to her hometown.

I smile at my reflection. “Forget Grumpy Grant. Let’s go meet some hot strangers.”

The Antler is already buzzingwhen I pull into the parking lot just after seven. Inside, it smells like grilled meat and beer, and a country song is playing low beneath the hum of conversation. I spot Lindsey and Jason at a booth near the back, waving me over.

“Ivy Walker, in a pretty dress,” Lindsey says as I slide into the seat beside her. “I’m impressed.”

“You look amazing,” Jason adds. “Like, way better than the rest of us here.”

I laugh and shake my head, realizing that before I left for college, I’d always been more of a tomboy—dresses were never really my thing. “You guys are too nice.”

We order dinner—burgers, sweet potato fries, some crispy fried pickles to share. Lindsey gets a mojito, Jason orders a local IPA, and I go for a hard cider. It’s the most adult thing I’ve done in weeks.

“So,” Lindsey says between bites, “what have you been up to the last seven years?”