Chapter Seven #3
"Not in Seattle. The last thing I need is to unknowingly hook up with a teacher at her school or someone else she might interact with regularly."
"Or a ballet mom?" I tease, though now I'm far beyond overstepping because I'm on a fishing expedition to see if he hooks up with any of the moms throwing themselves at him.
"God help me…" he says, shaking his head. He knows I've seen his little fan club up close and personal. "That's exactly what I mean. It's safer to keep that part of my life on the other side of state lines."
"Meaning away games," I say, seeing where he's going with this.
Hooking up with puck bunnies during games out of state keeps Adeline’s uncle's sex life from affecting her in any way.
I hate how the sound of him hooking up during away games makes my stomach sink.
Nothing will ever happen between us because in six weeks’ time, I'll be headed back down the aisle to Jameson unless somehow Jameson has a way out of this.
Since he still hasn't returned my phone calls or his mother's, I'm guessing he hasn't.
"I'm sorry," I say, glancing down at my own coffee cup now. "I shouldn't have asked. It's none of my business. It just took me by surprise that you don't sleep in your bed. But I'm fine with sleeping on the couch too."
"I don't blush easily, Vivi. You can ask me anything you want.
I'll answer truthfully. The only person I need you to keep that information confidential from is Adeline," he says.
"I'll take the couch—you keep the bed. I'll be coming in late or early in the morning sometimes.
It's better if you're upstairs so I don't wake you when I come in.
Keep whatever you want in the walk-in closet. I don't have much in there anyway."
I just nod. The away game hookup admission is sticking with me—I wish it wouldn't.
"I should be fine with a duffel bag back and forth. Six weeks isn't that far away."
Trey's expression shifts. "About that. If you need to leave suddenly—if he calls before the time is up or you just can't do it anymore—I'd like to know as soon as possible so I can prepare her. Adeline's been through enough people leaving. I'd like to give her time to adjust."
The words hit like a punch to the gut. Of course that's his concern. After losing her parents, then Charlotte…I'm just another flight risk.
"I won't do that to her," I promise. "Whatever happens with Jameson, I'll give you the full agreed time."
He studies me for a long moment, then nods. "Okay. Let's talk about salary."
"Whatever you were paying Charlotte will be fine." The word comes out sharper than intended.
"Vivi, you're a CEO of a Fortune 500 company. I can't pay you a nanny rate. We'd both take offense."
"I still have some funds in savings. I just reinvested a lot back into the company, and I thought I would have the sale of my townhouse to pay back my savings, but I need to live there now.
Whatever you were paying the last nanny will be enough for me to get by until—" I don't finish because the idea of what I might have to do to keep my company is still hard to swallow.
His lips twitch. He knows what I stopped myself from saying too. "I'll pay you what I think is closer to fair, considering your résumé."
I nod with a smile. "Deal."
He shifts against the corner, his hip resting against the countertop.
"About last night …" he says, his eyes dipping to my lips, the tip of his tongue peeking out at the corner of his mouth to wet it. Then his eyes lock with mine again. "About that kiss."
"Yes?" I ask, feeling myself leaning into him.
"Adeline already has this fantasy about us.
" She and I both, I almost say out loud.
"What I said to you last night, about fucking you…
it was inappropriate considering your situation with Jameson.
I don't want to confuse Adeline about what this isn't. She's already attached to you in so many ways—your connection to Berkeley and Isla—I don't want to see her disappointed when she realizes that you and I aren't going to end up together. "
"Right… I get it."
"I realize that I don't think straight when I'm that close to you, and if Adeline ever witnessed another accidental kiss…"
"We'd get her hopes up…I understand," I nod. "No more kissing you on front stoops."
"Because next time, I won't be able to keep from doing what I promised I'd do to you."
My nipples harden under my hoodie, and heat pools low in my belly. "Trey…" I say, taking a step forward.
Then I hear the front door open, and he and I both freeze.
"Uncle Trey?" Adeline's voice sounds through the hallway, and then the sound of the front door closes behind her. "Why is Isla's car out front? I smell bagels."
"Isla's car? Where's yours?" he whispers quickly at me, eyebrows furrowed in confusion as Adeline's footsteps come down the hall toward the kitchen.
"I don't have one. It's company property."
"Those fuckers took it?" he asks, his eyebrows turning down with anger.
I step back quickly, plastering on a smile as she appears in the doorway. Her dark blonde hair in a ponytail, her overnight backpack slung over one shoulder, and a smile stretching from ear to ear when her eyes land on me.
"Morning, squirt." Trey's voice carries a gentleness I'm learning to expect when he talks to her. "Look who's here."
"Vivi! I was hoping it was you!" she yells as she races across the living room into the kitchen, full speed for me, dropping her backpack on the floor with no regard for its contents, and then wraps her arms around my middle.
She's tall for her age and with my five-foot-two in sneakers, her head practically comes up to my collarbone.
"I knew you two were going to end up together.
Are you moving in to live with us? Are you guys getting married? Can I be the flower girl?"
When I glance up at Trey for help, his eyes are locked on me, but he's covering up what I imagine is a smirk with his to-go coffee cup as he takes a sip.
This is exactly what he's worried about, and I get it.
He's right—no more late-night kisses, no getting too close and forgetting that all of this is temporary.
If not for us, then at least for Adeline.
I wrap my arms around her back and quickly come up with a rebuttal since Trey has gone silent. Traitor.
"You would make for a perfect flower girl, but I have something even better than a wedding. How would you feel about me being your nanny for a little while?" I tell her, trying to redirect her as quickly as possible.
"You'd be my nanny?" she asks, confusion but maybe a little bit of hope in it.
"If that's okay with you," I say, suddenly nervous about her reaction.
That huge, beautiful grin that looks so much like Trey's flashes across her face again. "Yes! This is perfect. Now you can help me with my ballet bun because Uncle Trey is hopeless."
"Hey," he protests, halfheartedly.
"And can we make your special hot cocoa on the nights you watch me? Charlotte never could make it like you, and Uncle Trey could burn water." She begs. Trey opens his mouth to protest again, but then just shrugs.
"They don't teach Home Economics in boot camp?" I tease.
"Too busy dodging bed bugs and barfing up my own guts from running a marathon every day."
I smile over at him, and he smirks back.
"Wait!" Adeline says, pulling out of our hug, and then grips both of my hands in hers. "Does this mean we're going to have sleepovers too? Can we invite Isla and Berkeley some nights?"
I nod. "We'll ask, okay? That sounds fun."
"I know!" She climbs onto a stool, grabbing a bagel from Serendipity's bag, already spreading on cream cheese. "This is going to be the best having another girl in the house."
Trey checks his watch. "I've got practice. You two good here?" he asks.
The question is directed at both of us, but his eyes linger on mine. Checking one last time that I'm sure about this.
I am. Maybe for the wrong reasons, but I am.
"We're good," I assure him. "Go be a hockey star."
He snorts, grabbing his keys. "Hardly. Adeline, behave for Vivi. And remember—"
"I know, I know." She rolls her eyes. "Brush my teeth, pack my homework, don't forget my ballet bag."
He drops a kiss on top of her head, then hesitates like he wants to say something else. Instead, he just nods and heads out.
The door closes behind him, and Adeline turns to me with a mischievous grin. "So…do you like my uncle?"
I choke on my coffee. "What?"
"Because he likes you. Like, like-likes you." She takes another huge bite of a bagel. "I can tell."
"Adeline…" I start, not sure how to handle this conversation.
"It's okay." She shrugs. "I won't tell him that you watch him when he's not looking."
Heat floods my cheeks as I glance down. Busted by a nine-year-old.
"Come on," I say, desperate to change the subject. "Let's get you ready for ballet. Show me this infamous ballet bun situation. We’ll tackle it together."
She chatters the whole way upstairs about her upcoming recital, but my mind keeps drifting to Trey. To the conversation we had about how if we kiss again, he won't be able to hold back next time.
Six weeks. That's how long I have to be Adeline’s nanny and help Trey find a replacement.
But as I help Adeline with her hair, taking in the lingering scent of Trey in every inch of this house and the sweetness of this little girl in my care, I'm starting to worry that walking away might not be as easy as I thought.