Chapter 14 #3
I actually laugh. “That was pretty sweet.”
“You could’ve said that on the show.”
“And get booed off? I derailed a dog-pile for you, I hope you know.”
“I know.” He gives me a warm glance as he fills the dropper with pink medicine.
Cricket takes the candy-flavored medicine, but she’s still fussy.
“I guess it takes a few minutes to work?” I ask.
“We can try this.” He takes the washcloth from the freezer, and she chews on it, resting her head on his chest.
His phone pings, and he pulls it from his pocket. “Looks like I got a hit on my nanny post.”
“Oh, let me see.” I follow him into the living room.
He sits in a glider he told me Dove also picked out and Maverick helped assemble. My lips twist as I watch him holding the baby, gliding back and forth. He says all his family abandoned him, but I see signs all over the apartment of them supporting him.
I decide I won’t tease him for expecting everyone to drop their lives and come running. He’s handled a lot of shit today. Literally.
“Let’s see.” I quickly scan the profile. “It’s a manny…”
“I don’t discriminate on the basis of sex,” Knox announces. “How soon can he start?”
“Stanley Brigade? That sounds made up.”
“He can be Mermando Brigadoon for all I care—as long as he keeps his mouth shut.”
“Brigadoon?” I slant my eyes at Knox, and he shrugs.
“My aunt Raven made us watch all kinds of crap growing up. She said they were classics.”
“Oh, cool! They provided background checks for him, references… Damn, this service is good!”
“Mom recommended it.”
“This is totally your guy.” I turn the screen so he can see it. “He worked for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie when they lived in this area. So he’s older, he knows how to handle famous people, be discreet…”
“Book him. See if he can be here in the morning.”
My fingers fly over the screen as I quickly type up a message and hit send. Sitting back on my heels, I look up at him with Cricket falling asleep on his arm.
“It’s so late,” I sigh. “I think the ibuprofen worked. She ought to sleep through the night.”
“I could sleep right here,” he groans.
“Come on. If you’re going to practice tomorrow, you need to sleep, too.”
We return to his bedroom. This time, he climbs all the way into the bed with Cricket still in his arms, sliding her into her little nest in the middle and resting his head on a pillow beside her.
She’s on her back with her chubby baby arms raised over her head. Her little mouth moves occasionally like she’s chewing on a phantom washcloth. He exhales a low noise, and his eyes are closed as well.
It’s so sweet, such a daddy-daughter moment, I exhale softly from where I stand at the foot of the bed.
After a few moments, I realize I should probably clear out. My work here is done, and it’s after one o’clock in the morning. Dang.
“Well…” I lift my hands and drop them, stepping back to the door. “I’ll leave you two to get some sleep.”
Knox sits up so fast, Cricket lets out a little noise. It’s a sleepy squeal, and she scrubs her little head against the mattress before settling again.
“You can’t leave me.” His voice is so pathetic, I stop in the doorway.
“Knox.” My shoulders fall. “I should sneak home while it’s still dark. If we’re keeping secrets, it would seriously muddy the waters if I get caught spending the night with you. People will ask questions.
“I’ll handle those people.”
“I’m talking about TMI. Influencers will pay big money for pictures of us together… And if they think we’re sleeping together, it won’t be good for either of us.”
“They haven’t found out yet. Stay.” It’s a firm order.
I chew my bottom lip, considering. We both have a lot to lose if I get caught here. It’s not just my audience. The number of fans tuning in for the games has gone through the roof this season.
Watching his play alongside my commentary has become a social event, and nobody wants to be left out of our moments.
I look down, glancing at my phone in my hand. A text from Lindsey is on the face asking where I am. It’s so late.
“I’ll stay as long as I can.”
He seems to accept this answer, and I go to the other side of the bed, climbing in and putting my head on the pillow. I’m glad I was essentially ready for bed when I got the wild, impulsive urge to charge over here and confront him. Was that even today?
“Here.” Knox holds up his phone over us. “Say Stinkbalm.”
I scoot a little closer, looking up and smiling as he takes the picture.
“Let me see it.”
He holds up the phone, tapping on the fresh image, then he airdrops it to me. I study the three of us together, smiling, content, and my stomach squeezes. Our heads are close, and Christine’s little body is between us. We look really good.
“Family portrait,” he says, with only a hint of a tease.
I scoot back to my place in the bed, facing him.
Our heads are on the pillows and our eyes meet. He smiles. I extend my hand over the infant sleeping between us, and he takes it in his.
Then, just like that night in a bar from what feels like another life, he lifts my hand to his lips and kisses the back of my fingers.