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5
“Don’t be so sure-” My voice cut off as the smell from the kitchen wafted up my nose, my stomach growling. “You baked? Already?”
“I needed to unwind from that monster”-she held up her finger-“the one we don’t name-so I stuck some cookies in the oven. They’re probably done by now.”
I followed her into the kitchen, where she took a tray out of the oven. At least a dozen chocolate chip cookies were sitting on top.
“Yep. Done.” She looked at me. “Want one?”
“One? I want three.”
She grabbed a spatula from the drawer and placed the dessert on a napkin. “So you can take them with you,” she said, handing me the bundle.
I groaned as the chocolate melted on my tongue. “Man, you make some mean cookies.”
“If you find crumbs in her bed tomorrow, don’t murder me.”
The present she’d referenced.
I should have known.
“You know she already brushed her teeth.”
She grinned. “And you know I’m still going to give them to her anyway.”
“You’re the unruliest part-time nanny in the world.”
She leaned against the counter, crossing her arms. “Speaking of that … Ford, we need to talk.”
“Oh shit. It’s never a good thing when a woman-even if she’s your cousin-wants to talk. Should I pour myself a drink first?”
She went to the fridge and grabbed me a beer.
I gulped down several swallows and said, “All right, hit me with it. I’m ready.”
“You need to hire a nanny-not me, not your mom, not your mom’s housekeeper. I mean, a real nanny.”
“That’s what this is about?”
She nodded. “I feel like we had this discussion a few months ago, and I’m still here, so this is your not-so-gentle nudge.” She picked up a cookie and chowed down half. “Ford, I’m drowning, and even though I love your daughter like I gave birth to her, I need this gig off my plate before I’m down so deep that I can’t find my way up for air.”
Hannah and I had talked about this in the past, and I hadn’t made the move to hire anyone. Everly just loved being with her cousin, and between Hannah, my mom, and my mom’s housekeeper, Eve was constantly watched. But I could see the stress on Hannah’s face, and with school and prepping for the bar and her time at the office, life was hell for her.
“She’ll be starting kindergarten in the fall. Won’t that new schedule make it easier on everyone?”
She shook her head. “Everly needs someone there consistently, someone she can really bond with and learn from rather than bouncing between three people. This will be the best thing for her, I promise.”
“All right,” I agreed. “I’ll talk to my assistant. We’ll get someone hired soon.”
She finished the cookie and grabbed another. “I appreciate it. My waist appreciates it too.”
“Stop. With how much you run, you can afford to eat that entire tray.” I guzzled down the rest of the beer and set the empty on the counter. “I’m going to head out. You two be good tonight.”
“Always.”
As I was leaving the kitchen, I said over my shoulder, “She can have one cookie.”
“That really means two.”
I chuckled and turned around. “You sure you don’t want me to give Declan a message from you? Possibly tell him how much you love-”
“You’re a dick.”
I smiled. “See you in the morning, Hannah.”
I hurried out the front door and into the driveway, where my driver was parked and waiting. I climbed into the back of the SUV and wished Stan a good evening before I took out my phone and called my assistant.
“Hi, Ford,” my assistant said as she answered.
“Remember that conversation we had a few months back about hiring a nanny, and we did nothing about it?” I stared out the window as Stan pulled onto the road. “Well, it’s time we do something about it.”
“If I remember correctly, I found an agency that came highly recommended. How about I go that route and place an ad on one of the childcare websites, and I can vet the applicants before I send them to you?”
“I can probably squeeze a few more weeks out of Hannah. Will that give you enough time?”
“It should.”
I leaned my shoulder into the door. “Then, that sounds perfect.”
“I’ll get started first thing in the morning.”
I thanked her and hung up, and my phone instantly rang with Jenner’s name on the screen.
“I’m on my way,” I said after connecting the call.
“I was worried your ass was going to bail.”
“Because I’m fifteen minutes late?”
I didn’t bother to look at my watch.
I knew exactly how late I was.
“Try thirty,” he replied.
“Dude, relax. I get an Everly pass.” I felt Stan begin to slow as he approached the entrance of the bar. “You can yell at me in person. I’m about to walk in.” I hung up and returned the phone to my pocket.
Stan pulled up to the front. “I’ll be in the parking lot on the east side of the building whenever you’re ready to leave.”
“Thanks, bud.”
I hopped out and made my way inside, seeing the crew had taken over the entire back corner. Dominick was the first to approach, man-hugging me the moment I got within reach.
“Thought you weren’t going to show,” he said as he patted me on the back.
“Jenner bitched about the same thing,” I said. “You guys know I wouldn’t ever bail. But once you knock up Kendall, you’ll learn that it isn’t always easy to get out the door on time.”
He pulled away and walked with me toward the tables they’d reserved. “Slow your roll. There’s no knocking up. We’re just getting in a shit-ton of practice.”
“Then, maybe it’s Jenner’s turn,” I said, moving over to my middle brother, hugging him the same way.
“What are we talking about?” Jenner asked.
“You and Jo having kids,” I replied.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.