A SERIOUS RELATION-CHIP (The Way To A Man's Heart Book 10) Read online

  A Serious Relation-Chip

  The Way To A Man’s Heart Book 10

  Frankie Love

  Contents

  About

  1. Beckett

  2. Brittany

  3. Beckett

  4. Brittany

  5. Beckett

  6. Brittany

  7. Beckett

  8. Brittany

  9. Beckett

  10. Brittany

  11. Beckett

  12. Brittany

  Epilogue 1

  Epilogue 2

  The Way To A Man’s Heart

  More Food Pun, Insta-Love!

  About the Author

  Copyright © 2020 by Frankie Love

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  About

  A SERIOUS RELATION-CHIP

  The Way To A Man’s Heart Book 10

  By Frankie Love

  When my sister and her husband pass away unexpectedly, my heart breaks.

  My niece is six months old and she’s one cute cookie.

  She needs me to man up and be her daddy.

  But I can’t do it alone.

  I’m a firefighter and need a nanny I can rely on.

  When Brittany shows up to help, it bakes my day.

  And not just because she’s here to care for the baby.

  One look and it’s clear this curvy girl makes my cookie crumble.

  One hour and she’s made my dreams crumb true.

  One night and I ask the question she never saw coming.

  Does she want to be in a serious relation-chip?

  Dear Reader,

  Life is what you bake it… and Beckett is one smart cookie.

  He knows Brittany is the one for him and he’s not gonna let anything get between them rolling around in the (cookie) sheets.

  This quickie is melt-in-your-mouth perfection.

  xo, frankie

  Chapter One

  Beckett

  The house is a mess — how one tiny little person can require so much stuff boggles my mind.

  But damn, she is cute.

  And awake. Again.

  “It’s okay, Annie. I got you. I’m right here.” I step over a bouncy chair and dodge a package of diapers before lifting my six-month-old niece from the pack ‘n play set up in the living room. “B’s here. No need to cry.”

  I pat her back as I carry her to the kitchen, pulling open a can of formula and making her a bottle as she cries. Salty tears fall down her chubby cheeks as I attempt to calm her with a song. Apparently she doesn’t like Pearl Jam. I’m gonna have to teach this cookie a few things. More than a few, actually.

  I’m more than her uncle now… I will be the only father she knows. Her parents, my sister Tara and brother-in-law Jack, passed away three months ago. And since Tara and I have no living relatives, and Jack’s mother suffers from dementia… I was named guardian in the will.

  I’m all this tiny little sobbing mess of strawberry blonde curls has in this world.

  A few minutes later, I pop the bottle in her mouth and look around the house. I moved in here only a few months before my life turned upside down, and I’m glad I left my small apartment across the country to move closer to my sister when I did.

  I didn’t want to miss Annie growing up… little did I know how quickly everything would change.

  Annie’s quiet now, content with her bottle, and I exhale, relieved that she is happily eating her mid-morning snack. I grab my laptop and open it on the kitchen island. I have a conference call interview in a few minutes and really don’t want a screaming baby in my arms while I am trying to hire a live-in nanny.

  I launch the video app, and adjust the volume. Scanning the email from Nannies4Hire, I remind myself of some details about the candidate I am hoping turns out to be a great fit.

  Brittany is twenty-three, has an associate’s degree in early childhood development, and tons of experience with children — she spent the two years after high school in France as an au pair, which is apparently a fancy name for nanny. And she is from the area.

  I start the call, and the line connects with Brittany quickly. The moment the video feed starts, my heartbeat quickens. Brittany is beautiful.

  She’s more than a nanny — she is the girl of my goddamn dreams.

  Chapter Two

  Brittany

  I have no need to be nervous — I’m completely qualified for this job — but for some reason, in the minutes leading up to the video interview, my stomach flip-flops and I find myself in the bathroom, reapplying pink lipstick and running a brush over my red hair to smooth it.

  When I log onto my computer for the video interview, I don’t know what to expect. The agency told me I passed the preliminary interview with my background check and experience, and that the client is a six-month-old girl who lives with her single father.

  “Hello?” I say to the monitor. “Can you hear me?” His video feed is breaking up.

  “Beckett here,” a man with a husky voice says. “I can see you fine.”

  I can’t see him though, the picture is all fuzzy.

  I swallow. “I don’t know what is happening with my internet connection. It says it’s unstable.”

  “I can see and hear you just fine. Maybe try another room?”

  “Okay, I’m so sorry,” I say, picking up my computer and walking to the other side of my studio apartment. “My place is tiny though so not sure it’s gonna be much better over here.” I sit in my purple papasan chair, holding the laptop in my lap. I’m sure the angle is totally unflattering but I don’t care — I just want this job.

  “Well our home is a good size, and we have a room all ready for the nanny we hire.”

  “Sounds great,” I say. “But I’m more interested in the little one.”

  “She’s here right now,” he says.

  “I wish I could see her.” I twist my lips, frustrated. “I’m sorry about this connection.”

  “You come highly recommended,” he says. “And I know the agency briefed you on the position.”

  “They did. It would be a good fit for me on all counts.” I don’t mention the pay is twice what I make stocking shelves, or that my next-door neighbors are always up cooking bacon at odd hours of the night. I focus on the important stuff. “I’d love to nanny again. It’s been a few years, while I was in school, but it’s really where I am happiest.”

  “Where do you work now?”

  “I work at Grady’s Garden Supply, it’s downtown.”

  “Really?” His voice is so warm and welcoming I want to wrap myself up in it. I just wish I knew what he looked like, could see his eyes. “He’s a buddy of mine. We work out together.”

  “At the CrossFit gym?” I ask, knowing my boss Grady works out there religiously. He and his friends meet up several times a week for challenges.

  “Yeah, I joined it when I moved to town.”

  “My best friend Mirabella, her husband Matt works out there too.”

  “Small world,” he says.

  “Small town is more like it.”

  He chuckles. “Fair enough. So, when can you start? I really need someone as soon as possible.”

  “Oh, well, I just need to put in my notice with Grady and then…”

  “Perfect. So can you come in tomorrow to meet Annie?”

  “So soon?”

  He clears his throat. “The
thing is, I’ve been on leave at the fire station for a few months and I am scheduled to start again… I’ve been having a hard time finding a nanny that felt right. But you… you seem perfect. For the job I mean. Perfect for the job.”

  I laugh nervously, aware of the fact the video is working on his end. He can see me, every single facial expression. “How can you tell?”

  “You look… you seem… Annie hasn’t stopped smiling since the video started. Which is saying something. She is a bit of a fuss nugget.”

  I laugh. “She a handful then?”

  “She’s been through a lot.” Beckett’s voice softens. My heart softens then, too. I don’t know his and Annie’s story, but she doesn’t have a mother. That is a lot of loss for a little one.

  We spend the next hour talking about my old nanny job in Paris, how I want to be a teacher someday. He tells me about the firehouse, how he misses working. I don’t ask about Annie’s mom, but we touch on the fact it’s just him raising her. I can hear his commitment to her, through the blurry video feed. I wish I could see them both, but instead of focusing on anything too heavy, he asks what kind of food I like, what movies I watch.

  We agree on our favorites, which is a surprise.

  “Chocolate chip cookies, sure,” I say. “But you really love rom-coms?”

  “My sister and I would always watch them together, every holiday we’d turn on some J-Lo or Meg Ryan film.”

  “That’s adorable,” I say. “And I make the best chocolate chip cookies ever, so I got you covered there.”

  He laughs. “It’s nice of you to say but I make the best chocolate chip cookies.”

  “Not possible,” I say forgetting this is an interview. “We’ll have to do a bake off sometime.”

  “So do you think you might want to move in and help with Annie?”

  “I’d love the opportunity to work for you guys,” I tell him honestly.

  He breathes out a sigh of relief. “You have no idea how good that is to hear,” he says.

  He gives me his address and we make plans for tomorrow. He tells me he will email the contract over to the nanny agency. I can start tomorrow, and he will spend a few days with me at the house in between shifts, helping me get the lay of the land and making sure it’s a good fit. And if I feel comfortable, I can move in next week.

  A few minutes later, the call is over and I let out a squeal of delight. This is really happening. Finally, a job doing what I love — caring for a little one. And Beckett was so easy to talk to… We laughed for nearly an hour, which is saying something. I never date — never have — because I get so anxious with guys. Never know what they are expecting… and always self-conscious of my curves.

  Not that Beckett and I are going on a date. God no — I’m hired as his daughter’s nanny. That’s it. But if I were to ever date someone… I’d want it to be someone I could talk to as easily as I could talk to Beckett.

  My stomach growls and I get out of the chair, excited to tell Mirabella about this new job. She’s the one who encouraged me to sign up with the nanny agency in the first place.

  Before I leave the house, I glance in the bathroom mirror and see pink lipstick on my front teeth. Groaning, I wipe it off, realizing that it must have been there during the entire conversation with Beckett. What must he have thought?

  I push any negative thoughts away — because he chose to hire me, lipstick smear and all. And tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life. I just have no idea what the man I am working for looks like.

  Chapter Three

  Beckett

  The video call ends and my cock twitches. Which is utterly inappropriate — I know that. But damn, Brittany is adorable. Her red hair, bright blue eyes, a smile that lit up my room. Annie is unhappy with the fact Brittany is no longer on the screen — she was babbling through the entire conversation, more lively than I ever see her. It instantly eased my worry about a stranger taking care of the most precious thing in the world. I lay Annie on the play mat on the carpeted floor, and she grabs for the red plastic rings overhead, kicking her feet happily.

  The fact Brittany has been working for Grady gives me a good feeling too — he only hires the best. Still, I decide to text him and confirm that.

  Me: Tell me about Brittany, she seems level-headed?

  Grady: You mean the Brittany who was employee of the month, who was never late, ever, who just called thirty seconds ago giving her notice?

  I grimace, realizing my gain is his loss.

  Me: Yeah, that’s the one.

  Grady: Says she is working for you — is that right?

  Me: Afraid so. Are you pissed?

  Grady: Nah. I know you need a reliable nanny. And she is a gem. Still — get ready for me to kick your ass tomorrow at the gym.

  Me: You wish. Thanks for understanding.

  Grady: Anytime. Hey, Georgie wants you to know she is dropping off some more frozen meals tonight.

  Me: Thanks man.

  Grady’s wife Georgina set up a phone tree for frozen meals last month. Once she learned all I was going through, she jumped into action to help me and Annie out. She was mad at the guys at the gym for not realizing my situation earlier. But it wasn’t their fault. I kept it to myself. They knew I had a baby. But I didn’t share the details. That’s not the kind of man I am. I have always been a private person. Loyal to a fault, and when I make a decision about something, I go all in. I think that’s why Tara and Jack made me the guardian of their daughter.

  I put the phone in my pocket before getting down on the floor with Annie. Grady certainly gave Brittany a good recommendation, and I’m grateful for it — but I could tell she was a keeper the moment her sweet, gentle voice entered the call. I can’t wait to meet her face to face.

  It’s ridiculous — thinking about Brittany in any terms that are not related to the position she is being hired for… but it’s impossible to get her out of my mind. All night, I think about her and the fact that tomorrow, she will be sleeping under my roof. As I try to fall asleep, I think about how she’s the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen — her big smile, the endearing pink lipstick on her teeth — how she curled up in her comfy chair and chatted, laughing with me for over an hour. It was the most relaxing hour I’ve had in months.

  I look over at the crib in the corner of my bedroom, scared of Annie being too far from me… knowing I can’t let anything happen to her. Ever. Talking to Brittany made me forget that for a little while and reminded me who I am beyond being Annie’s whole world.

  Chapter Four

  Brittany

  When I pull up to Beckett and Annie’s, I am immediately nervous. The house is lovely, in an old neighborhood with sidewalks made for trick or treating and big oak trees with leaves that will be perfect to rake into piles in the fall to jump in. It’s a Craftsman-style house with a wide porch and green grass. It looks like the sort of house made for an idyllic childhood.

  I have a tote bag with a few changes of clothes and my necessities — I know Beckett will be leaving for a 48-hour shift at the firehouse and that I’ll be here for a few days before I have a chance to go back home for more things.

  I ring the doorbell and wait a few minutes. When no one answers, I knock. I’m about to pull out my phone and triple-check the address when the door swings open. It’s held open by a man so ripped and ruggedly handsome I practically break out in a hot flash. He’s in nothing but sweats and his six — eight? — pack is defined. My mouth waters.

  Oh dear lord, he is hot.

  “Sorry, Brittany,” he says, stepping aside to let me in. “I lost track of time and was in the shower.” He pulls on a tee shirt as he talks and I try to focus. If I’d known how handsome Beckett was during the interview yesterday, there is no way I could have gotten through it without getting all nervous and jumbled.

  I knew he said he worked out, but I wasn’t expecting a single dad to look like this.

  “You find the house okay?” he asks.

  “Yeah, it was
no problem at all. Sorry,” I say, feeling flustered. “I feel like we’re meeting for the first time since the video wasn’t working yesterday.”

  His deep green eyes widen, and he gives me a smile that has literal goosebumps rising on my arms. Looking at him is like getting little jolt of pleasure.

  “Right, damn, sorry, I’m Beckett, and—” As if on cue, a baby starts crying from somewhere in the house. “That’s Annie. Come on up, she’s in her crib.”

  Without any pretense, he invites me into his house. I follow him up the staircase, very aware of the firm booty he’s packing in the back and suddenly very aware of my every curve, the way my leggings hug my hips and my hoodie pulls across my chest. I like to exercise, but my body is proof I like lots of other things too. Balance has always been my motto.

  “So I talked with Grady,” Beckett says when we get to the landing. “Said you put in your notice.”

  “Yeah, he said if it was to help you, I didn’t have to give two weeks.”

  “He mentioned that.” Beckett walks into a bedroom, but it isn’t a nursery like I would have expected from the exterior of the house. I pictured a picture-perfect nursery ordered from a catalogue. But Annie is in a crib in what looks like the room of a bachelor. Piles of clothes are everywhere, baskets of laundry — both bright pink onesies and grey sweats — and there isn’t even a changing table set up in here.

  “This is where she sleeps?” I ask as he lifts Annie — who’s as cute as a cookie — from her crib. “No nursery?”