Page 37 of A Little Crush
Of course, he would.
“That’s a very generous offer, but I’m taking care of it,” I reply.
“Oh, you are, are you?” She cocks her head. “How so? Because it looks to me like you’re doing nothing but procrastinate. The team’s training camp is in three days, Jaxon. Three. Days. Have you even asked if I can cover your week and watch her?” She scoffs. “No. You haven’t. Because you don’t think about anyone but yourself.”
Bullshit. The last person I think about is myself, and if Iris hadn’t asked me to swap weeks a little while ago, I wouldn’t have had to find a nanny to drag to training camp with me,andI would’ve had more time to find someone. My mom, who also happens to be my lawyer, warned me about this. About Iris weaponizing her time with Poppy so she could ask for more child support despite my initial generosity during mediation. Yeah, my mom warned me about that, too. How I should’ve fought harder instead of giving in to Iris’s every whim. Not that it matters anymore. If I don’t find someone to watch Poppy while I travel, Iris will be my only option. Sure, my parents can step in here and there, but that isn’t a long term solution. Hell, it’s the furthest from it.
So where does it leave me? Fucked. Absolutely fucked. My molars grind as I stare at Poppy’s profile through the back window. Her button nose. Pouty lips. The way they wobble ever so slightly, like she’s dreaming of her bottle or some shit. My mouth lifts at the view.
Reaching for my bicep, Iris twists me to face her. “Are you ignoring me, Jaxon?”
My patience thins even more, but I mutter, “Not ignoring you.”
“Then why won’t you answer me? Hmm?”
Because right now, you’re trying to poke the bear, and I’m not in the mood.The thought flickers through my mind, but I clear my throat, preparing to answer when someone calls out, “Hi!”
My head twists toward the sound as a barefoot Rory strides across the lawn.
“Hi,” she repeats. Offering her hand to my ex, Rory waits for her to take it.
Instead, Iris stares at Rory’s extended arm. “Who’s this?” she asks me.
“I’m the new nanny,” Rory answers. “My name’s Rory. Hi.”
“You’re the nanny?”
“Yes. Hi,” Rory repeats for what, the third time? Fourth? Honestly, I’ve lost count already. It’s way too early for this shit.
“Hey, Rore,” I offer. The words come out more accusatory than I mean them to, but also, what the hell is she doing?
Rory’s attention flicks to me. “Hi.” But the look in her eyes? It screams,trust me.
And I want to. Fuck, do I want to. Seeing Rory with Poppy last night messed with my head on a level even I don’t understand. My daughter looked happy. Content. In someone else’s arms other than mine. And the spark of hope that filtered through me was only slightly tainted by resignation. Because…go figure. The one person my daughter likes is the one person who wants nothing to do with me. Or at least, she didn’t. So, why is she saving me now?
Ignoring Rory’s presence, Iris folds her arms, giving me a pointed look. “I thought you said you were working on it.”
Shit, she’s right.
“Just finalized the paperwork this morning,” Rory interjects. “Last night was a test run to see if I was a good fit with Poppy, and…”
“And I offered her the job after seeing how well they got along,” I finish for her. “I was just waiting…”
“For my official acceptance, which…here it is.” Rory steps forward. “I’ll take the job. Obviously. By the way, Poppy looks so much like you,” Rory adds, giving Iris the warmest, kindest, most genuine smile. And honestly, I shouldn’t expect anything less. It’s Rory. “Anyway, I know if the roles were reversed, I’d be super anxious to let my brand new baby hang out with just anyone, so if you ever want to chat or…anything at all, I am open to whatever you need, and, uh, I’ll be sure to send pictures if…” she peeks over at me. “If that’s what my employer wants. Um, I’ll leave you two to it.” Still facing us, she takes a step back toward the main building where the rest of her family are probably still tucked in their beds. “Nice to have met you. Have a good day.” Then, she turns on her bare feet and strides away, leaving me in a whirlwind of confusion.
Did that really just happen?
And is it a bad thing?
A good thing?
I don’t even know.
Is she serious? There’s no way. She doesn’t even live in Lockwood Heights anymore. This is only a…a short term solution, but at least I have a few more days to come up with an actual game plan. It's more than I had two minutes ago.
“Rory, huh?” Iris clicks her tongue against the roof of her mouth, giving me an icy stare that could curdle milk. “As intheRory?”
My jaw clenches, and I tear my attention from Rory entering the country club, turning back to Iris. I’ve nevertalked about her. Not really. Not because Rory or I have anything to be ashamed of, but because…I don’t know. Maybe a small piece of me always knew Iris would never understand any of it. How close we were. The way Rory always looked up to me. The way I always looked out for her. Like a brother. That’s all.
