Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 63638 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 318(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63638 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 318(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Sasha parks at the front entrance and jumps out. He opens the passenger door and steadies Mom with a hand as she steps down. I fall in beside them, my hand instinctively pressed to her back as we guide her up the steps.
The butler swings the doors wide, revealing Nicole standing with the rest of the staff, ready to assist at a moment’s notice. Her hair is pulled into a neat ponytail, and she’s wearing bright floral scrubs. I’m not sure how much she and Mom spoke at the hospital, or whether the floral print is deliberate, but I do know Mama adores fresh flowers.
“Mrs. Volkova,” she greets my mother with a bright smile. “Welcome home.”
My mother’s face lights up in a way I’ve never seen before. Already some of that anxiety eases and I know I’ve done the right thing.
“Hello, my solnyshko,” she says, reaching out to touch Nicole’s arm, her little sun. “It is so lovely to have you here with us. Don’t tell anyone, but you were my favorite nurse.”
Nicole’s smile deepens. “It’ll be our little secret,” she whispers conspiratorially. “And now that you’re back in the comfort of your own home, we’ll get you back in fighting shape in no time.”
“Good. These boys need a proper whooping,” Mom jokes. “My son set this all up?”
“Sergei did,” Nicole says, glancing up at me briefly before turning her attention back to my mother. “He wanted the best care for you.”
Mom harumphs, but I know she’s secretly pleased.
“They fuss over me too much,” she says, releasing Sasha and me to loop her arm through Nicole’s. “But you are a delightful addition. They get it right every once in a while.”
Our mother shoots us a look before Nicole guides her inside with effortless grace. I follow silently, listening to them talk as if they’re old friends from college. Sasha bumps my shoulder as we step into the foyer.
“I see your game, brother. Respect.” He chuckles, his eyes trained on Nicole.
I glance at him. “What are you talking about?”
“Come on, let’s call a spade a spade. Did you hire Nicole because she was the best nurse, or because you’re fucking her?”
I ignore him, but he’s not wrong. He doesn’t know that, of course. I keep my personal life from him precisely because he won’t let me hear the end of it. I sure as hell can’t tell him now. Since running into Nicole again at the hospital, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her.
Nicole looks over her shoulder at me, and for a second, the room narrows. She’s looking at me like she can read my thoughts, and for a ridiculous moment, I try to think of anything else, just in case she can.
I chose Nicole because she treated my mother and me with the utmost respect when most of the other hospital staff were rushing in and out like we meant nothing to them. I chose Nicole because she’s both caring and competent, the kind of nurse who’ll do anything to help her patients. I chose Nicole because my mother deserves someone kind.
I chose Nicole because she somehow managed to climb under my skin and I still can’t shake her. And now she’ll be living in my home, sleeping under the same roof. This might be the dumbest decision I’ve ever made.
Mom leads Nicole toward her bedroom but stops short when she sees the new medical setup. I’ve outfitted the room with discreet monitors and medical devices to catch any emergency before it happens. I’ve also installed a call button she can press if she falls.
“Sergei, what is all this?” she asks sharply, turning to me with a murderous glare. “Why are all these things in my room?”
Sasha snorts beside me, unable to hold back his laughter. He did warn me it was too much, but I don’t care. He wasn’t the one who had to find her unconscious. I’m not risking that ever again.
“You’re overprotective. I’m not a child,” she snaps in Russian. “Having a nurse is one thing, but this is too much.”
“I’m trying to keep you alive, Mom,” I shoot back, also in Russian. “You may be my mother, but I am the man of the house and what I say goes.”
“I’ll show you ‘man of the house,’” she huffs, getting in my face and giving me a shove.
Nicole steps between us. “I think we should get you settled,” she says, firm yet gentle, defusing the brewing fight. “Too much stress isn’t good for your heart, Mrs. Volkova.”
“Please, call me Liliya,” she says in a gentler tone. “We’ll be spending plenty of time together, it seems.”
“Liliya,” Nicole repeats, smoothing out the unfamiliar syllables. “I’d like to take your blood pressure now that you’re home.”
My mother scowls but nods. She lowers herself onto the bed and allows Nicole to work. In just a few minutes, Nicole has already proven she’s perfect for the job. She handles my mother with a balance of patience and firmness I can’t match. I love Mom, but she’s stubborn. Nicole doesn’t seem fazed in the slightest.