How To Wife Your Nanny A Billionaire Single Dad Romantic Comedy- Melinda Minx Page 0,4

that it’s nearly falling apart.”

“Can she autogram it for us?” Naomi whispered up to Noah.

“Autograph,” he said. “I’m sure she can. We’ll bring our books with us next week.”

“Of course,” I said, blushing.

I felt this huge wave of relief and excitement when I realized that Noah would come back again next week. I already looked forward to Tuesday the most out of every day of the week, but now I’d have another big reason for it to be my favorite day: Noah.

“Are, uh, do you two live on Staten Island?”

My “you two” question was intentional. I wanted to see if he’d mention a wife.

I knew it was silly, because a man like this wasn’t actually going to be interested in me, but it would be more fun to swoon over him and construct elaborate—and unlikely—fantasies in my head if I knew he was single.

He shook his head. “We live in Manhattan.”

Of course. In some multi-million dollar penthouse. His wife was probably in charge of some kind of charity. She was probably French. Beautiful and sophisticated. They probably drank wine together on their rooftop garden while some violin virtuoso gave Naomi private lessons.

I looked down at my feet. “What brings you here?”

“We heard this was the best Reading Hour in the city.”

“Oh.”

He smiled at me. “I didn’t know it was you. Lacey Larsen. I’d have come sooner if I’d known.”

I looked up at him with what must have been the most confused and dopey expression, because I had no clue why he would have any idea who I am. Then I remembered the Gobblegurt. Right, he hadn’t realized I was the author.

“Well,” I said, “those books were kind of a long time ago. I don’t even really remember them.”

“You carry them around in your backpack,” he said.

Dammit. Why did he have to notice that?

“Can you make her write some more, Daddy?” Lacey asked.

He smiled. “I’m going to try, sweetie.”

“Make me?”

He held his hand out to me. I didn’t know why he wanted to shake my hand right now, but I was happy for any excuse to have him touch me again. I reached out and took his hand. His grip was firm, but he was gentle with me. His warm grip was just strong enough to hint at his strength, but not enough to put any real pressure on my hand.

“I didn’t fully introduce myself,” he said. “I’m Noah Black.”

Oh. Oh.

My smile curdled like spoiling milk, and I pulled my hand away. “Noah Black. From Blackwinters publishing?”

I remembered the name from reading my new contract. The one that fucked me over so badly.

He nodded. “That’s right.”

“The Blackwinters Publishing who bought out Panda Press, then fired all of their employees?”

He winced a little as I said that, but nodded.

“The Blackwinters Publishing who took my contract, which allowed me to almost live off my royalties as a children’s author, and completely messed it up so that I could barely use a month’s royalties to go out to dinner? You realize I work three jobs now? I carry those books around in my bag because they remind me of what I almost had, before you took it all away from me.”

I looked down and saw Naomi frowning. Suddenly I felt horrible. Noah Black might have been a monster, but to Naomi, he was still her dad. I may have hated him for what he did, but I shouldn’t do this in front of his daughter. Still, I’d often dreamt of telling this greedy bastard off to his face.

“Naomi, sweetie,” I said. “I left the Gobblegurt book over there. Could you please get it for me? I’ll sign my copy for you.”

She smiled and walked over toward the little table I’d left the book on.

I reached into my bag and pulled out the pig mask. It was still tangled up with my earring, but I handed it to Noah all the same. “If you come back next week, you can be the pig.”

“Those were business decisions,” Noah said, “I didn’t think—”

“Of course you didn’t. To you it’s all just numbers. You did what made you the most money, and who cares what happens to a bunch of people you never even see?”

I looked over to see Naomi picking up the book. I leaned in to make sure she couldn’t hear me. “When I wrote that book I was thinking of you, Mr. Black. You’re the Greedy Little Gobblegurt!”

2

Noah

We got back on the ferry to Manhattan. Naomi loved boats, and for a rich guy, I should