Nanny for the Neighbors

by Lily Gold

Jane and Paul are my old foster parents, and Benny’s adoptive parents. Benny and I met when they fostered us both as teenagers. They kept us for almost a year before booting me back to the group home and starting the process of adopting him.

Jack Insley is even more stunning than I remember. High cheekbones, square jaw, and electric-blue eyes shining at me from behind a pair of dark-rimmed glasses. His blonde hair is spiky from him running his fingers through it, and he’s wearing a pair of Converse with Pacman printed on the side. The whole effect is very geek chic.

No one says anything. I look up. All three men are staring at me, their eyes wide. I blink. “What?” “She’s a witch,” Cyrus says faintly. “What the hell. She’s been crying for about six hours straight. Are you saying all we had to do is pick her up?”

He’s… intimidating-looking. Everything about him is sharp and angular. He’s dressed in a dove-grey suit, with a crisp white shirt and a thin tie knotted precisely around his throat. His coppery-brown hair is styled neatly, his pale grey eyes are cold and steely, and his hard, sculpted face looks like it’s been carved out of rock. The only thing that softens up his expression is his mouth. His lips are full and pink, almost sulky, as he steps towards the coffee table, laying a hand on the car seat.

“I don’t fancy her,” I protest. “Say her name without blushing.” I open my mouth, then snap it shut again.

Pity isn’t a great base to start new friendships on.

Jack’s hand shoots out and wraps around my wrist, keeping me in place. “I have a crush on you,” he blurts out.

I find all the things that make them happy, and I mould myself into that person.

I hate that I’m not strong enough to just be myself. I hate that I’m such a people-pleaser that I’ll change my whole personality just to be liked; but for the life of me, I don’t know how to stop it.

I think you belong with us. With all of us.