Read Online Professor and the Nanny (Silhouette Romance) by Phyllis Halldorson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Phyllis Halldorson
Ads: Link
somethingmoving on the right side of the road. She couldn’t be sure because it was so dark, but she thought it was a figure weaving back and forth on the sidewalk.
Excitement mounting, she pulled over closer to the curb and shone her headlights in the direction she’d been facing. Sure enough there was the figure of a tall man stumbling ahead of her car! Was it Nate? All she could see was his back, but it must be him. Please, God, let it be him!
She slammed on her brakes and honked her horn. “Nate!” she called out her open window. “Nate, it’s Brittany! Wait for me.”
He didn’t stop but staggered on. Her first inclination was to stop the car and go after him, but she was well aware of how dangerous it was for a woman to accost a strange man on the streets in the middle of the night.
“Sir. Sir, please stop even if your name’s not Nate,” she called. “I want to talk to you.”
All of her doors were locked so she’d be safe enough even if he wasn’t Nate, but she needed to know one way or the other. The way he walked scared her. He may just be a drunk looking for another bar, but it could be Nate on the verge of diabetic shock. Diabetics were often mistaken for drunks.
She’d never seen the dress slacks and sport coat this man was wearing, but around the house Nate dressed comfortably in jeans or baggy slacks and pullover knit shirts. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t dress up when he went out. Especially if he went to a meeting with his son.
He continued to veer down the sidewalk while paying no attention to the car or Brittany’s frantic efforts to gain his attention. Finally she could wait no longer. She had to get out of the car and go after him. She was strong and this man was obviously drunk or sick. She was almost sure it was Nate, in which case she’d have nothing to fear, but even if it was a stranger he needed help.
First, though, she’d call for backup. She grabbed her phoneand punched Ethan’s number while still letting the car roll along beside the person. It was answered at once by a frantic Ethan.
“I think I’ve found Nate,” she said quickly. “Tell me what he was wearing.”
Ethan described his father’s clothes and she breathed a sigh of relief. It was Nate, all right. She explained what was happening and told him she was going to confront the man.
“I’m on my way,” he assured her. “Be careful, Brittany, you could still be mistaken.”
“I know,” she said, “but I don’t think I am. See you in a few minutes.”
She pulled over to the curb, set the brake and jumped out of the car, again calling Nate’s name. He kept on walking, but she ran and caught up with him. “Nate, is that you?” she asked as she grabbed his upper arms and turned him so she could see his face.
Relief washed over her as she looked into his familiar features.
“Brittany?” His expression crumbled and he wrapped his arms around her. “Oh, Brittany, I’m lost. I can’t find my way.”
She could feel his whole body trembling as they held each other, and she knew she had to get him home and medicated as quickly as possible.
“You’re not lost any longer,” she assured him as she held him close. “I’m here now and Ethan is coming. We’re going to take you home. Do you have your candy with you?”
“Yeah, it’s in my coat pocket,” he said.
She reached into his pocket, brought out a roll of hard candy and gave him the required amount.
“Now, my car is right back there.” She pointed to it. “Can you walk that far if I help you?”
“Sh…sure,” he said, but she noticed the slurring of the word.
She could walk back and drive the auto to him. It was only about half a block, but she was afraid if she left him standing here with no support he’d collapse.
“Okay, then, just lean on me and we’ll be there in no time.”
With their arms around each other’s waist they started the slow journey. Nate needed a lot of support and he was heavy, but eventually they
Excitement mounting, she pulled over closer to the curb and shone her headlights in the direction she’d been facing. Sure enough there was the figure of a tall man stumbling ahead of her car! Was it Nate? All she could see was his back, but it must be him. Please, God, let it be him!
She slammed on her brakes and honked her horn. “Nate!” she called out her open window. “Nate, it’s Brittany! Wait for me.”
He didn’t stop but staggered on. Her first inclination was to stop the car and go after him, but she was well aware of how dangerous it was for a woman to accost a strange man on the streets in the middle of the night.
“Sir. Sir, please stop even if your name’s not Nate,” she called. “I want to talk to you.”
All of her doors were locked so she’d be safe enough even if he wasn’t Nate, but she needed to know one way or the other. The way he walked scared her. He may just be a drunk looking for another bar, but it could be Nate on the verge of diabetic shock. Diabetics were often mistaken for drunks.
She’d never seen the dress slacks and sport coat this man was wearing, but around the house Nate dressed comfortably in jeans or baggy slacks and pullover knit shirts. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t dress up when he went out. Especially if he went to a meeting with his son.
He continued to veer down the sidewalk while paying no attention to the car or Brittany’s frantic efforts to gain his attention. Finally she could wait no longer. She had to get out of the car and go after him. She was strong and this man was obviously drunk or sick. She was almost sure it was Nate, in which case she’d have nothing to fear, but even if it was a stranger he needed help.
First, though, she’d call for backup. She grabbed her phoneand punched Ethan’s number while still letting the car roll along beside the person. It was answered at once by a frantic Ethan.
“I think I’ve found Nate,” she said quickly. “Tell me what he was wearing.”
Ethan described his father’s clothes and she breathed a sigh of relief. It was Nate, all right. She explained what was happening and told him she was going to confront the man.
“I’m on my way,” he assured her. “Be careful, Brittany, you could still be mistaken.”
“I know,” she said, “but I don’t think I am. See you in a few minutes.”
She pulled over to the curb, set the brake and jumped out of the car, again calling Nate’s name. He kept on walking, but she ran and caught up with him. “Nate, is that you?” she asked as she grabbed his upper arms and turned him so she could see his face.
Relief washed over her as she looked into his familiar features.
“Brittany?” His expression crumbled and he wrapped his arms around her. “Oh, Brittany, I’m lost. I can’t find my way.”
She could feel his whole body trembling as they held each other, and she knew she had to get him home and medicated as quickly as possible.
“You’re not lost any longer,” she assured him as she held him close. “I’m here now and Ethan is coming. We’re going to take you home. Do you have your candy with you?”
“Yeah, it’s in my coat pocket,” he said.
She reached into his pocket, brought out a roll of hard candy and gave him the required amount.
“Now, my car is right back there.” She pointed to it. “Can you walk that far if I help you?”
“Sh…sure,” he said, but she noticed the slurring of the word.
She could walk back and drive the auto to him. It was only about half a block, but she was afraid if she left him standing here with no support he’d collapse.
“Okay, then, just lean on me and we’ll be there in no time.”
With their arms around each other’s waist they started the slow journey. Nate needed a lot of support and he was heavy, but eventually they
Similar Books
