Chapter 7 Camden
CAMDEN
Maverick stands next to me on the sidelines as we finish up the walk through while snow falls around us. For as much as this city loves its football team, they’ve never approved the domed stadium the owners want to build. And there’s something about playing in the snow.
It’s a different kind of football.
Harder. Rougher. Almost a throwback to a different era of the game.
But never what you want when you’re looking at an away game in Pittsburgh’s stadium.
Those fuckers love this shit. They live for a whiteout.
“How’s Rosie feeling?” I ask while we wait for the next play.
Mav closes his eyes and sighs. “Like shit. Emmie got her into the pediatrician first thing, and they confirmed it’s the flu. Said it’s going around. Poor kid is out of school for the next week. She’s so pissed.”
I can just picture my spunky little niece mad as hell at missing school. She loves it. Probably because she’s smarter than all of us combined. “Let me know if you need anything.”
“Thanks. Did you figure out what you’re doing with Sophie? I can always ask my mom,” he offers, and I appreciate it. His mom is pretty great. She’d watch Sophie, no questions asked. But I’d feel wrong asking.
When Emmie married Maverick, she married the whole Beneventi crew, and she finally got what she deserves. A real family. One that’s still intact. One that’s nothing like ours.
Once Dad was diagnosed with early-onset dementia when Emmie was little, Mom bolted, leaving Vivi, Emmie, and me to figure things out.
I like to think we managed to do okay, even if it wasn’t easy.
I tried to do everything I could to keep Vivi and her safe, but we were never going to be one of those perfect families. The kind Mav has.
Then we lost Vivi and Dad within a year of each other, and well—
I’m glad she has Mav.
His mom and dad have tried to treat me like a part of their family since we met, but I guess I’m not all that good at letting people in. Not past the superficial at least.
“Thanks, man. I’m actually good. Luke’s sister was looking for work.
She’s got a degree in childhood development and hasn’t found a job yet.
She’s going to help this weekend, and if all goes well, she’ll stick around for the rest of the season and maybe even help me find her replacement.
” When I say it like that, it actually sounds like this could work, and I feel a little less like a piece of shit father leaving my kid with a stranger.
“Chase’s sister, huh?” Mav grins. “Is she hot?”
“Dude, she’s my new nanny.” I look at him and laugh. “And you’re married to my sister.”
“Exactly. Your sister, who was my nanny. Just saying . . .” Coach calls him over, and he pops on his helmet. “Stranger things have happened.”
That may have happened for him, but it’s not happening to me.
I refuse to let it.
And not just because Holly Chase is fucking beautiful.
But because she also seems to be good with Sophie, at least, so far.
And that’s all she’s going to be.
Good with my daughter.
The last thing I need is another complication in my life.
Another person to let down.
Another person to fail.
Holly Chase and all her chipper Christmas-crazy deserves more than I have to give.
When I get home that night, the lights are low, and the house is quiet.
A soft hum coming from the family room sounds like the TV, but I can’t make it out, and I’m not prepared for what I find when I walk into the room.
Home Alone is playing on the TV, and Holly is snuggled up on the couch, possibly sleeping, though I can’t tell from this angle.
What I can tell is my baby is snuggled up on her chest, white-and-pink footie pajamas on, sound asleep, while Madden snores on Holly’s other side with his face resting on her leg and his tongue hanging out.
She’s charmed my kid and my dog, and she’s done it watching a movie that’s got to be older than she is.
The old wood floor, that’s been here since my grandparents owned this house, creaks as I step further into the room and watch Holly turn her head. “Hey, Grinch.”
Her soft smile is so pretty, it almost hurts to look at.
Grinch . . . my little vixen.
“Hey, vixen.” I move closer, enjoying the shocked glare she throws my way at the nickname, and run a hand over Sophie’s back, wondering if I’m already skating a fine line. “How was she?”
“Great,” Holly whispers. “She and I spent the day getting to know each other, and I’m pretty sure she’s my new favorite person in the world.
” Her soft laughter somehow calms the tightness in my chest. “She passed out about twenty minutes ago, and I didn’t have the heart to put her to bed yet. Consider this bonding.”
“That’s all right. I’ve got her.” I gently lift Sophie off Holly’s chest and cradle her against mine. “Thanks.”
“Not a problem. I’m just going to watch the rest of this down here, okay?” she asks, and I nod, my voice suddenly stuck in my throat.
I’ve never come home to someone in my house before that wasn’t my septuagenarian former nanny. Never lived with a woman. Not since I left for college at eighteen. That was over a decade ago, and those women were my sisters.
Once Sophie is lying snug in her crib, I realize she doesn’t even have her binky in her mouth.
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen this kid sleep without that little thing.
“You must have really liked Holly, didn’t you, baby girl?
” I whisper into the night and press a kiss to her soft head.
“You must have had a good day with Holly, huh?” I drag my finger down along her chubby cheek.
“Guess I better do whatever it takes to make this work then, huh?”
I zip her into her baby-in-a-bag sleep-sack thing and step back, just watching her sleep. It’s become one of my favorite things to do since she came into my life.
Let’s hope she’s a good judge of character and Holly works out for us better than my last nanny did.