He Hurt Me, Now He Wants Me Back novel Chapter 9

Imogene Scott

The next few days are hectic. The gallery opening turned out to be a huge success even after the little ruckus my ex-husband caused. Now, I have to juggle working at the gallery and interviewing the ladies that applied for the role of Lily’s nanny.

None of them seem to be trustworthy until I interviewed Breonna Jenkins and she really is a responsible young lady. She just graduated college—so she told me—and is taking a gap year to figure out what she wants. Elinor also likes her so I think it’s only natural that I also like her.

Elinor is never wrong.

She’s starting today to and as I prepare to leave for the gallery, I hear the door bell buzzing. Perfect timing. I glance at Lily for a second. She’s sitting in her high chair, her tiny hands clutching a spoon as she attempts to scoop up some oatmeal. Her little nose scrunches in concentration, and I can’t help but smile, even as the knot in my stomach tightens.

I take a deep breath, smoothing down my skirt as I walk toward the door. I open it and let Breonna in. Now in the living room, I take a quick glance at Lily, who’s now tapping the spoon against her bowl, then back at Breonna.

She’s smiling warmly and it immediately puts me at ease—at least a little. She’s dressed casually in jeans and a comfortable sweater.

“Good morning, Miss Scott. It’s great to see you again.”

“Good morning, Breonna,”

I lead her into the kitchen, where Lily is now more interested in banging her spoon than eating. Breonna’s eyes light up when she sees Lily, and she crouches down to her level.

“Hi there, Lily,” she says softly. “I’m Breonna. We’re going to have so much fun today.”

Lily regards her with wide eyes, her little mouth forming a perfect ‘O’ as she studies this person. I can see the gears turning in her mind, and I can only hope that she’ll warm up to Breonna quickly.

I clear my throat, pulling Breonna’s attention back to me. “So, I just want to go over a few things before I leave,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. I walk her through the essentials—where Lily’s food is stored, how she likes her naps, where the diapers are kept.