Page 18 of Chasing the Sun

“Good night, Bryce.”

Then he hurried away before she bent over the dishwasher for the second time that day.

Chapter 7

The next day, Chloe awoke to the insistent buzzing of her alarm clock. She’d set it early to make sure she was up and ready before Molly. She’d only been there two nights, but already she was in love with the bed and didn’t want to get out of it. It was way more comfortable than the lumpy mattress she slept on at home.

Home. Funny how she hadn’t missed it so far. Of course, she’d been busy, and seeing Elle again was like having a taste of home.

While she got ready, she thought about what she, Elle, and Jamie had talked about the day before…

“So, what was your first impression of Doctor Bradshaw?” Elle said.

“Oh. Now he’s Doctor Bradshaw. Before he was just Bryce.”

“I just said it to rile you up, and it worked.”

“Actually, I found him a bit…intimidating.”

“Don’t worry. He won’t bite,” said Jamie as he entered the room. He’d been tinkering in the garage when Chloe had first arrived, and now she stood up and gave him a big hug. Since he and Elle had been together, she’d come to consider him a good friend too, even though he’d whisked Elle away to Florida.

“Thanks again for getting me the job,” she told him.

He shook his head. “Oh, no. You did that all on your own. I just put in a good word.”

He went over to Elle, who looked up at him adoringly, and bent down to give her a quick kiss on the lips.

For a brief second, Chloe felt like a third wheel again even though she was happy for them.

Jamie cleared his throat. “So, what is this about Bryce being intimidating?”

Now she wished she hadn’t said it, because she didn’t want any of this getting back to Bryce.

“Don’t worry. Whatever you say stays between us,” Jamie added as if he’d sensed her concern.

“Well, he seems kind of distant and reserved. Not unfriendly, exactly, but closed off, except with Molly. With her, he’s sweet and protective.”

Elle and Jamie exchanged a knowing look, and then Elle said, “That makes sense after what he’s been through.”

“Do you mean his divorce?”

She shook her head.

“She means with the other nannies he’s had,” Jamie said.

“Why? What happened?”

“He had to fire a few of them.”

Suddenly Elle stood up. “Enough about that. C’mon, Chloe. Let me show you the rest of the house.”

Chloe was dying to know why Bryce had fired his nannies, but she could tell her friends were reluctant to say more. She’d spent the rest of the day catching up with them and having dinner at a local steak place.

Still, when she’d left their house, she kept thinking about her interactions with Bryce. Maybe he hadn’t wanted to be too friendly in case he had to fire her too. It was a sobering thought because she really needed this job.

Whatever it was the previous nannies had done, she didn’t want to join their ranks. Then she recalled something Elle had said when she’d been giving Chloe the house tour.

“A hot, wealthy guy like Bryce is in high demand. Some of the women who’ve worked for him have wanted to be more than just his employee, if you know what I mean.”