5. Will

5

WILL

T he stationary bike signals the end of my training program as I flip to the last page of the first chapter of The Picture of Dorian Gray . It reflects the morality of beauty and youth and influence.

I wipe the sweat from my brow with a towel and lean back to take a deep breath.

The training room is empty but for me, filled with equipment—treadmills, weight benches, free weights, and some specialty machines to help train smaller muscles that make us faster and stronger, to give us better reflexes.

Red and white walls highlight our insignia on the far wall, and the fluorescent lights buzz with the energy still thrumming through my veins.

Dorian Gray loved the painting of himself and demanded it be put on display, but the artist felt too exposed to do so. I feel a connection with Basil, desiring to keep my real self inside, hidden. It's easy to do in this job, although not as easy as it was in IT.

I was practically invisible then, to my coworkers, to my family.

Sucking in a deep breath, I spot Ethan as he bursts into the training gym. My firefighter brothers, however, see more of me than anyone else has. Even if it's to my detriment at times. Cue the overbearing interaction about to happen.

Patting my face again, I brace for whatever Ethan is ready to barrel at me. I raise a brow at him.

"I think I found a solution to our nanny problem."

Well, that is a surprise. I stand from the bike and close the book. "I'm scared to ask, but I will. What is your solution?"

Ethan rubs his hands together, his tousled hair a bit wilder than usual, which gives me misgivings about what he's about to propose. "Ella, the woman I met at the diner. I found her again, and guess what? She needs a job. She's good with kids. She's got the credentials. And I got her to agree to send her resume to Marcus. Dude, I have a good feeling about this one."

"You mean, you want to feel this one." My deadpan tone earns me a punch in the arm, and I push Ethan away. "Please tell me this isn't a ploy to get into her pants."

Ethan rolls his eyes. "Come on. I want to review her credentials and talk about her with the guys. Either get clean or hurry up and get your nasty ass in the new nursery."

I blink at him as he retreats and shake my head. I'm still pretty sure this is all an elaborate scheme for Ethan to get laid. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I follow Ethan upstairs to where we've made a new makeshift nursery for Lily, complete with a highchair and a private space for post-feed clean ups. Theo is trying to feed Lily in her highchair, but food is splattered all down the front of her, the chair's tray, Theo's shirt, and the floor.

"Lunch isn't going so well, I see." I grab a handful of paper towels and offer half to Theo before I wet the other half and clean off Lily's face. She coos at me with a sweet, innocent little smile. I bend close and smile back. "I don't believe that innocent act for one minute, little miss. Don't think you can fool me."

Her hands slap the tray, spraying food down the front of my shirt. I shake my head as Theo and Ethan laugh.

"You need a bath," I tell her, wiping her hands and clearing the majority of the mess in front of her before she can spread it further. Her squeal is foreboding. Bath time is hit or miss with this little girl.

"You did not just say the dreaded four-letter-word where she could hear it," Theo said.

"You need a bath, too." I unclasp the tray and set it in the sink before returning for the little monster. "Come help."

With her in my arms, I turn on my heel to take her to the showers. I'm surprised when Theo does, indeed, follow us to the showers. Between the two of us, Lily doesn't fuss too much and creates an easy-to-manage mess with the water. With the three of us clean and wrapped in fluffy towels, we meet the rest of the gang in Marcus's office.

He blinks at us. "Why are you two nude in my office with my little girl?"

Theo gestured to himself. "We have towels on."

The captain stands and takes Lily from Theo's arms as Ethan slides in behind us. "Good, everyone's in here. I've got news. I've found us a new nanny for Lily."

"You just said you think in the gym, and now, we've evolved to you found the one?" I shift and cross my arms, regretting not getting dressed.

"I think I found the one. Dude, stop being a sourpuss and listen." Ethan snaps a sheet of paper between his hands and reads, "Ella has a bachelor's in early childhood education with a deep understanding of child development and learning strategies. She minored in psychology, and she's worked for several high-profile families. She even listed her self-defense training on her resume."

I take the resume from him and scan her credentials, feeling my eyebrows creep up my forehead. She graduated at the top of her class, and her control of the English language is impressive and endearing.

Marcus holds out his free hand for it. He reads it, brows also inching up before he hands it over to Theo. We share a look that says we're all in agreement, but Marcus is the one to say it. "The only way to know if she's a fit is to have her meet Lily."

Theo and I get dressed as Marcus calls Ella in for a hands-on interview.

The current temporary sitter stops in to take Lily for the evening, and we're called out on two consecutive calls—a car accident along the 101 just outside of town where a group of teens spun out after a light rain, and a small fire in the back of Margie's Pies when Margie's newest assistant forgot to take the paper from under the crust and it burst into flames.

Everyone was okay, although the poor assistant succumbed to a panic attack. The rest of the night, Ethan and Theo boxed and played card games, Marcus worked through his mountain of paperwork, and I read half of my book.

In the morning, when our shifts end, we all meet at Marcus's house to prepare for Ella.

Ethan hoots as he steps out of his Camaro at the end of Marcus's long and winding driveway. "Best mansion in all of Harborview!"

"It's not a mansion. It's a manor," I correct him.

"What's the difference?"

"Well, a manor is generally larger and holds historical significance, including extensive grounds, outbuildings, and farm land. A mansion is simply a large, luxurious, and spacious house."

And this place is certainly a manor with its wide porch and white columns. The rich redwood door is inlaid with a beautifully intricate stained glass design. Bricks spread wide, able to encapsulate four of the buildings where I rent my condo. White iron borders the third floor balcony, and ivy climbs the eastern side of the manor, giving it a fairytale aesthetic.

Trees block the view of the grounds, but the lawn is flush and green beyond the front hedges, and a weeping willow hangs low with a bench to create a perfectly romantic picnic spot. Catmint and azalea bushes line the drive with pops of color. The entire visible property is richly manicured and inviting.

Marcus must have a team to take care of it all with how much he works. His pension from the military certainly could not pay for this all. What kind of family fortune has he inherited?

"Sounds the same to me. Either way, our captain is loaded . Why the secrecy, dude?"

I shake my head and follow Ethan's gawking as Theo jogs up beside me. "If I didn't know how passionate the captain is about his job, I'd question why the hell he ever leaves this place."

Marcus is a firefighter for the same reason I am, to serve people in a meaningful way. It's the reason I stay loyal to him and this job. The reason I still show up, even on the hard days.

" Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted ."

"Who said that?" Theo ruffles his hair and rubs his palms into his eyes with a yawn.

"Albert Einstein."

"Why do smart men always quote other smart men?"

I shrug. "No point in reinventing the wheel."

Inside proves to be as opulent as the outside with the white marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and European tapestries. Richly upholstered furniture hides behind French doors on the left, but on the right, an open room showcases Lily's play area, filled with blankets and toys and a large TV playing a sing-song lullaby.

The sitter huffs and carries a fussy Lily to her father, her cheeks red and whimpers showing her displeasure at being left with the inadequate substitute for her parents.

Marcus sweeps her up in his arms as the young woman rolls her eyes. "I just got her to eat and settle down for cartoons. She's all yours." Slinging a messenger bag over her shoulder, she doesn't quite glare at the little girl, but her expression isn't much better.

"I might need you tonight if you're free."

"Yeah. Sure. At four hundred bucks a night, I'll invest in some military-grade earplugs." She holds her hand out, and Marcus shifts his daughter to one arm to fish out his wallet and pay the girl.

Shaking my head, I slip into the playroom and nab one of Lily's favorite stuffed animals and play with her over the captain's shoulder. Her sweet little giggle makes me smile. I don't understand how so many nannies seem to struggle with her.

Once the sitter leaves, the five of us settle across the three overstuffed couches and take turns making up stories for Lily until the posh gongs of the bell echo through the first floor. Lily scowls and clings to her dad as I hop to my feet to answer the door.

Lily mumbles some gibberish, and I hear Ethan say, "Oh, here we go."

He's right. It's not a good sign.

But when I open the door to Ella, I'm stunned by her beauty—warm brown skin, gleaming dark eyes, full lips, and a riot of curly dark hair pulled sedately back into a low ponytail with a few strands spilling free. She seems all at once put together and comfortably free. A thick, flowing skirt and a colorful tunic enhance her curves.

When her gaze meets mine, I feel rooted in place. Ethan was right. there is something about this woman.

Lily's aggressive ramblings aren't a good sign, but the smirk on Ella's mouth makes my blood pump hard.

Well, this will be interesting, to say the least.