I let Bria order whatever she wants, and we talk about her favorite TV show, and how the protagonist is Mexican, and how Bria wonders if she’s from Tulum.
After we get back to the room after lunch, I’m exhausted, so I turn on a movie for Bria, and I go to my laptop to email Violet and my mother. My heart races as I see an email from Nick. It’s from a few minutes ago. He must be bored at his conference. His subject line makes me smile.
From: “Nicholas Wilder” <[email protected]>
To: “Evi Halle” <[email protected]>
Date: November 9, 2014 02:04 p.m. PST
Subject: Bored and wondering what you’re up to.
Evi,
I’m sitting here at a (very important) conference and all I can think about is how much I want to be sitting in a lounge chair with you guys, drinking a beer.
How’s the day going? How many drinks have you had while watching my daughter?;)
She’s probably taking a nap right now, so feel free to email me back.
Nick
P.S. Some of the other doctors are taking me out for drinks later. FYI, if I’m later than ten or eleven. Don’t worry about me.
From: “Evi Halle” <[email protected]> To: “Nicholas Wilder” <[email protected]> Date: November 9, 2014 02:11 p.m. PST
Subject: RE: Bored and wondering what you’re up to.
Nick,
Aren’t there important doctorly seminars and conferences that you need to be paying attention to?:) I’ve only had two… so far. But I might have a few more after Bria goes to sleep.
When in Mexico.
Looking forward to seeing you tonight.
Evi
He writes back almost instantly. He must really be bored.
From: “Nicholas Wilder” <[email protected]>
To: “Evi Halle” <[email protected]>
Date: November 9, 2014 02:14 p.m. PST
Subject:Hi
Evianna,
The fact that you might be drunk later too somehow makes me really excited.
Looking forward to seeing you and Bria…
Your employer,
Nick
From: “Evi Halle” <[email protected]>
To: “Nicholas Wilder” <[email protected]>
Date: November 9, 2014 02:16 p.m. PST
Subject: RE:Hi
Get back to your doctorly duties, Mr. Wilder.
Your employee,
Evianna
He doesn’t respond.
That doesn’t stop me from checking my email every hour for the rest of the day.
*
Bria and I take a walk along the beach before dinner, and afterwards, I order in a salad and some fish, all of which Bria gobbles up. She’s the world’s least picky five-year-old. As I’m giving her a bath, she stops playing suddenly and looks up at me seriously.
“Are you going to stop being my nanny ever, Evi?”
I sit back and think about her question.
“One day, maybe. Not anytime soon though.”
“Evi?”
“Yeah?”
“I’d be really thad if you weren’t my nanny anymore.”
“I know, sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere.”
*
Once Bria is asleep, I check my email, but still nothing from Nick. It’s eight, and I have two hours until he’s home. I watch some movies, I take a relaxing bath, and then I drink a glass of wine on the porch and think about how I’m going to get through eight more days with Nick.
Just past eleven, I hear a thud on the other side of the door. Confused, I look in the peephole, and Nick is slumped against the door, looking at his phone.
What the hell?
I pull it open, and he falls into the room, laughing.
Oh my god.
Nick Wilder is drunk. So drunk.
“Nick!” I hiss, picking him up and helping him into a standing position. “Shh! Bria is asleep.”
He holds onto me as he sways into the room, closing the door quietly behind him and holding up a finger dramatically, mimicking me.
“I only planned on having one,” he explains, slurring his words. “But the drinks here are really delicious, so I had five more.”
“Go into my room. I don’t want Bria to see you like this.”
He nods and goes to the door, pausing and turning around.