Page 33 of Blue Sky

Laurel held Sky at an arm’s length, as if she had never held a baby before.

I took a big step backward and shot a hurt look at Beck. His mouth gaped, and his brow was furrowed. Was he shocked also?

No. It wasn’t that. He was probably ashamed of me. It was one thing to kiss me in his truck when the world couldn’t see, it was another thing to tell his rich friends that he was slumming with the nanny.

My cheeks burned with shame and my body felt impossibly hot. I needed to get out of there before I embarrassed myself and Beck.

He and his friends would probably laugh tonight about the poor Mexican girl who fell in love with her boss. How delusional and pathetic I was to ever think I had a chance with this Blue Devil.

I looked back at Laurel, who was now holding Sky closer. As if on cue, Sky spit up all over her. Curdled milk and strained peas stained her dress.

That’s my girl.

Round one.

Sky: 1 Laurel: 0

Mónica let out a laugh. I turned to her and gave her another dirty look.

“Oh my. She must be ill. Here, take her.”

Laurel handed Sky back to me.

“Beck, may I use your bathroom to freshen up?”

“Sure, it’s down the hall.”

I grabbed Sky and took off as fast as I could to her room.

How had I been so wrong? I had been sure that Beck had been falling for me. After our kiss under the stars last night, I had felt something. A connection. A spark. I had been certain he had felt it too. His face lit up when he saw me, and he no longer asked me to leave every afternoon, so he could be alone with Sky. He had finally opened up to me about his marriage. I had never felt closer to anyone as I had to Beck last night.

But I was naïve. A man like Beck could never love a woman like me. I came from the wrong side the tracks. He belonged at a country club, and the only way I would gain entrance to one would be through the door marked “employees only.”

When he was finally ready to move on from Catherine, he would marry someone like Laurel, not me.

I placed Sky carefully on the changing table. But before I could stop myself, I started crying. The sobs came, and I couldn’t stop them. I changed her as quickly as possible and lifted her up, then sat in the rocking chair.

The door opened, and I was horrified to see Beck standing there, watching me.

“Lo, can we talk?”

I shook my head and kept it tilted downward. I didn’t want to talk to him and I refused to let him see my tear-stained cheeks.

He came closer toward me. “Look, I had no idea Britney was bringing her sister. Laurel is just up here visiting. There is nothing going on between me and her. This is a work function, not a date.”

Sure looks like a date to me.

I choked back my sobs and tried to calm my breathing. I didn’t want his pity.

I forced myself to speak. “It’s fine. Go, have fun. She’s really pretty.”

He was now standing above me and sat on the bench next to the rocking chair. He brushed back a lock of my hair. “She’s not as pretty as you.”

Wait, what? “Beck, that’s not funny. Please stop flirting with me. I know you don’t mean it. I’m sure you just got caught up in the moment last night. And it’s okay. I can’t help how I feel about you. I get it—you’re some gorgeous rock star pilot, and I’m just the nanny. I’m sorry about my behavior. I won’t let it interfere with my job. Please, just leave me alone.”

But he didn’t leave. His hand brushed against my cheek, cupping it.

“Lo, I’m crazy about you, too.”