NICK'S POV

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It's Saturday and I've been snowed under with work since Thursday. Robyn has been running around like a headless chicken in desperate need to get this agreement with Harrison sorted. He's a thorough businessman and makes my job a thousand times harder. All I want to do is sign the deal and get on with it. But no, no, no. If I thought I was a perfectionist... he might as well be living in a fantasy world.

Aris agreed to looking after Elodie for the few hours I need to work. It's written in his contract that Saturdays and Sundays will be extra pay as I realise how inconvenient it is to work on the only days you're meant to have off.

Elodie is pretty much infatuated with Aris at the moment. I give him a hard time but that's because I am protective and I'm not even sorry about it. The more things I kick up a fuss about, the more he'll pay attention to the little details.

Rain splats against the window of my home office. I sigh and lean back, twirling a fountain pen between my fingers. I don't even like fountain pens but my mother got it for me when I decided I wanted to create my own business. It means a lot to me, even if she decides to stay married to my asshole of a father.

A knock at my office door stirs me from my thoughts and I twist. "Yeah?"

The handle presses down and Elodie stumbles in. "Daddy, I think it's time to stop working."

"I've got lots of work, pumpkin. Where is Aris?"

"Here," he stands by the door but doesn't entirely look in as if he's invading my privacy. I glance up at him and his dark hair that messily curls around the edges. "Elodie wanted to come ask you a question."

I flick my gaze back to my daughter who is halfway into the room now. "What did you want to ask?"

"Come out and play with us!" She points to the window. "I want to try out my new wellies. You won't let me wear them in the house but now I can wear them outside. It's perfect!"

"Els," I sigh softly. "I need to finish this off."

She takes one step forward and links her hands together in front of her and rests her head onto her shoulder, flashing those puppy dog eyes at me. "Please? You can't work all day. Everyone needs fun. Even Aris said."

I flex a brow and shoot my eyes up to Aris who is already staring back at me. He seems startled by Elodie's confession and looks away once more.

"Please," she tips her tone and I crumble.

How can I say no to her? An hour won't hurt. I'm the boss after all.

"Alright," I stand up. "Fine for a little while. It's still raining, I don't want you getting sick."

"Yay!" Elodie throws her hands above her head. "I'm going to get my wellies."

Then she darts out of the room faster than lightning. "Don't put them on until we're out of the house!" I yell after her but no doubt she won't listen to me.

I look to Aris who dismisses himself just as fast. After grabbing my coat and pulling on a pair of boots I find Aris and Elodie in the living room. "Aris, you're coming with us?" Elodie asks him.

"You want me to?" He stands back and crosses his arms over his chest. "I'm happy for you guys to have time alone."

"No!" She runs to him and takes his hand in hers. "I want you to come. Pleaseeee."

Aris smiles down at her. "You sure?"

"Yes, yes!" She chants. "You have to see the wellies! They light up. They're magic."

"Alright, I have to see the magic wellies."

We head downstairs and across the street to the local park. It's not raining heavily anymore, it's merely in the air as the wind blows. Elodie is holding Aris' hand as she points towards the puddles on the path.

"They change colour when I splash," she runs. "Look!"

Both of us stop as she runs towards the muddy puddle and the water splashes over her boots. The platform of the shoe lights up from green to pink as she walks. "See!" She giggles and points to her feet.

"Wow," Aris grins at her. "But be careful, you don't want to trip and fall."

I glance at him as he watches her intently. My heart does this weird thing in my chest when he says that and I'm not entirely sure why. I hired him to look after her, to do exactly what he should be doing. Yet now it's making me feel tingly to see him taking it so seriously, even when I'm right beside him.

"I won't!" Elodie calls back.

Then she's off into the park. We follow after her and I keep my eyes on the back of her head. Aris looks at me once but I don't look back. "How's work?" He asks politely.

"Fine."

"Busy on a Saturday?"

"Very." My brows raise at the thought of having to go back and do so much work.

Aris sighs heavily and looks away to where Elodie is. "Cool."

There is a clipped edge to his voice but I don't know what else he wants me to say? Work is work. We're not on a friendly level where we can have normal conversations. He's Elodie's nanny, nothing more.

We don't need stupid small talk.

Elodie comes back to us with her leggings soaked and the hood on her raincoat over her head. "Come, Aris. Join me. I bet you can't splash as big as I can."

"Els, Aris doesn't want to get all muddy and dirty."

Instead of agreeing Aris turns to me with creased brows and shakes his head. Then when he steps forward and walks towards my daughter he says, "I don't mind."

I perch on the edge of a bench as I watch the pair of them. I'm surprised to see Aris not bothered by the wet and cold. But then again I think all it is is some water and dirt. What is the problem?

Elodie splashes around, kicking the water and the leaves. Aris follows her lead and proves her completely wrong that he can in fact splash bigger than her. She places her hands on her hips and shakes her head disapprovingly. "Not fair!"

He laughs softly but it's deep and raspy. "What's not fair? You bet I couldn't splash as big as you but I can. So I did."

She throws her arms over her chest and stares him down with evil eyes. "You don't even have the magic boots on."

"Go on," he urges her. "Show me what you've got."

"Mm, fine."

Her knees bend and she waits for a moment before jumping as high as she can and letting her wellies light up when she hits the puddle. Aris claps and cheers her on when it practically coats the pavement.

"See?" He says enthusiastically. "You totally outdid me on that one."

Elodie flicks her hair over her shoulder in a sassy gesture. "Yeah, I did."

My lips are continuing to stretch into a smile as I watch them both. Aris is good with her, I have to admit it. It's like he's a natural given his lack of experience but some people are just good with children.

Some are too strict, others are too lenient. But from what I've seen of Aris, he allows Elodie to have fun whilst making sure that she's always safe. It's all that I could want but I still worry when I'm at work. I've cut down from watching the security cameras from ten times to like five. I'm certain it'll stop soon.

"Daddy, come on!" Elodie beckons me over.

I shake my head. "Na, I'm okay. You're having fun."

She pauses and then watches me before pointing. "You're boring, Daddy."

My hands raise in surrender. "I guess I am."

Elodie pokes out her little tongue in my direction which flares something inside of me. Before I know it I've stood up and charged over to her like a caveman. She immediately starts giggling and tries to run away but I'm right behind her.

I swing her up into my arms when I take her little waist in my hand. She exhales a shriek followed by another laugh which makes me smile automatically. My lips land on her cheek as I kiss her over and over, pretending to gnaw at her skin.

"Take that back," I demand as I throw her above my head with my strength.

Her green eyes glow with excitement. "No!"

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes!" My fingers squeeze around her waist gently and she gasps through a nasally laugh. "Take it back."

I wrap an arm around her back and let her legs swing around my waist. She wraps her arms around my neck and brushes her dark hair from her face, puffing out a breath. "Fine," she flashes me a grumpy pout that I can see right through. "You're not boring."

My mouth curls into a grin. "Give me a kiss."

Her nose scrunches up. "Too old for kisses."

"How dare you." I gasp playfully. "You're never too old to give your dad a kiss."

Elodie's chest vibrates against mine as I press a kiss to her cheek and she giggles again, her hands pressing into my shoulder. "When you're wrinkly like a raisin. I'll have to kiss you then?"

I snort to myself. "Always, Els. Even when I'm old, grey and in a care home."

She moves her hand and presses it to my cheek, my stubble grazing her palm. "But you are old."

"Wow," I bark out a laugh. "Thanks for always humbling me, baby."

Elodie flashes me a cheeky smile and then she leans forward to press a kiss to my face. "You're old but I still love you."

"I love you too," I snuggle her closer into my chest.

My eyes flick over to Aris who is watching us but he's beaming at our interaction. I can read his expression because he doesn't ever bother to hide it. Despite the fact she's my daughter, he's in awe at how soft I can be after how blunt I am to him.

But Elodie is my little girl, my absolute pride and joy.

Most people don't know that without her I struggle to think where I would be in life. I don't like talking about it much because being open and becoming vulnerable about my difficulties is something I want to shy away from.

"Aris," Elodie twists in my hold. "Isn't daddy old?"

He takes a step forward towards us. "No, your daddy is young."

The word 'daddy' should not be falling from his lips. Ever.

"How old are you?" She asks Aris curiously.

"Twenty-six."

"Daddy is fifty."

I choke on my own saliva. Sometimes this girl makes me feel like I'm having a midlife crisis.

"Bit of a push, Els," I shake my head at her. "Not quite fifty."

"Mmm," she tilts her head and presses a finger to her lips. "You're not fifty?"

"No." I glance at Aris who is clearly amused by the situation. "Ah, isn't it great when your own child loves to speak her thoughts into existence?"

He exhales a shallow laugh. "Least they're always honest."

"Yeah, maybe a little too honest."

"Then how old are you?" Elodie wriggles in my hold until I put her down.

My arms fold over my chest. "Thirty."

Elodie's eyes widen in surprise. "Ahhh," she bites down on her jaw and flashes me all her teeth. "I got that one really wrong."

"You think?" I quirk a brow in her direction.

"I've told everyone at school that you're fifty."

Aris stifles a laugh as I grumble, "Brilliant."

My phone begins to vibrate in my pocket and when I pull it out to see Harrison's name on the screen I groan internally. Elodie glances up at me. "I guess you need to answer that?" Her voice gradually falls to sadness.

"Sorry, Els. I gotta get back to work."

She bites down on her lip and turns to Aris. "Can we stay out?"

"Sure," he nods. "As long as that's okay with your daddy, of course."

I flick my eyes to him in which he's staring right back but there isn't an ounce of embarrassment or shyness on his face. I'm certain he's doing it on purpose and it's really grating something inside me. Grown men should never, ever say the word 'daddy'.

My phone continues to vibrate in my hand. Aris can see the reservation in my eyes at the thought of them being away from the house for the first time.

"I'll have her home in twenty minutes," he suggests and I applaud him for taking initiative right now. I don't want my daughter upset but I also don't want her thinking that she can't go out and have fun. "That okay?"

Aris has already proved to me that I can trust him. They'll be just over the road. Everything is fine, everything will be fine.

"Yeah," I nod after a few moments, my neck spiking with heat at not answering Harrison's call in time. "I'll see you guys in a bit. Bye, Els."

She waves back at me. "Bye, daddy."

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Author's Note

Nick being blunt but loosening up a little bit😬

Also Aris keep saying 'daddy' is absolutely sending me hahaha🤣

I love their interactions with Elodie. She's so cheeky and I'm here for it!

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Love Savanna x

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