He looked at the four cribs lined up against the pale blue wall.

“I look at my children,” he said.

“They are sleeping,” I said. “That is all that matters tonight.”

He took a deep breath, his shoulders dropping.

“Daniel says you have a past, Grace. He says there are things in your file that don’t add up.”

My hands tightened around the plastic handle of the trash bin I was holding.

“I am a cleaner,” I said. “My past does not affect how I scrub your floors.”

“No,” Ethan agreed. “But it affects how you hold my children.”

He walked closer to me, his footsteps soft on the thick wool rug.

“They haven’t slept like this since Claire died,” he said, his voice cracking slightly on her name.

“They feel her,” I whispered.

“I want you to stay,” he said.

I looked at him, surprised.

“I want to hire you, Grace. Full-time. As their nanny.”

The offer hung in the air, heavy and unexpected.

“Your partner will not approve,” I said.