Page 20 of The Nanny Contract

To my surprise, I even saw a few local celebrities and influencers around.

Betsy had intended for Hunter to make a splash, and in that he’d succeeded.

Strolling down the private paths, I took in the sites with wonder. There were vibrant colors, string lights, and carnival booths with games and food stalls.

The air was alive with laughter and chatter.

A mix of traditional and quirky attractions grabbed the attention of passersby.

There were ring tosses, a dunk tank, and a caricature artist drawing exaggerated illustrations of partygoers.

At the heart of the carnival was a small Ferris wheel, its shiny lights reflecting on the nearby pond.

Hunter had arranged for local food vendors to serve an elegant twist on classic carnival food; there was truffle popcorn, candied pecans, and even freshly spun cotton candy.

The massive oak trees around the property were lit with lanterns, and guests sipped craft cocktails from a makeshift bar fashioned to look like an old saloon.

Hunter had gone all out.

My gaze finally landed on Logan, standing near the house, looking almost laid-back for once, but still carrying his trademark stiffness.

Even at a carnival, the man couldn’t relax.

Probably the curse of being an on-call cardiac surgeon.

Still, he looked incredible in his suit. Polished and handsome.

Living in such close proximity to Logan had proved challenging. I tried to avoid using the main hallways late at night so that he could have privacy but considering that our rooms were located down the hall from one another, it was hard to be discreet.

For the life of me, I couldn’t understand why Betsy had placed me in a guest suite so close to Logan’s bedroom. I gazed up at Logan’s bedroom window, then my own window down the hall.

As if on cue, Betsy appeared out of nowhere, dressed in a beautiful ensemble that made her impossible to miss: a flowing, blue silk blouse with dramatic ruffles, and white linen trousers that were elegantly flared at the ankles.

“Casey, darling! Why are you staring up at the bedrooms? Is the carnival really that boring?”

I shook my head, chuckling. “Not at all, just wondering if my close proximity to Logan might create discomfort for him. Is the separate guest house in use?”

“Oh, dear!” she exclaimed, sipping her cocktail. “The guest house is currently being used as Betsy’s Bunker.”

“Betsy’s—”

“That’s right,” she said, cutting me off. “It’s reserved for emergencies. Like if I need to fake my death for a week to see who cries the hardest.”

For a moment, I thought I saw a twinkle in her eyes as she spoke, but it was probably just the flashing carnival lights behind us.

“Besides,” she said, turning away from me to return to her guests, “you’re much more useful here, near the action. And Logan.”

Before I could respond, she was gone.

The woman had the ability to appear and disappear at a moment’s notice. Like an angel.

Or a ghost.

Suddenly, Logan was standing next to me.

“Strange night,” he said, catching my attention.

I looked up at him. He practically towered over me.