Page 91 of A Major Puck Up

But what fucking game is she playing?

“Your apartment has three bedrooms, doesn’t it?” Ford says.

Millie’s lips quirk while I squirm. “One room is for Vivi, obviously, and the other is set up with bunk beds for Beck’s kids.”

“Oh, Daniel and I had bunk beds for years,” Millie chirps unhelpfully.

Ford’s chuckle is deep and full of fondness. “Yeah, they did. Even though they each had their own room. I forgot about that.” He shakes his head and picks up his wineglass. “This would be great for you, Gav. Millie’s excellent with kids, and it would give her plenty of time to work on her music. You’d have someone who could travel with the team until you find someone more permanent.”

My best friend smiles like moving his daughter into my home and encouraging her to travel the country with me is genius rather than what should be his literal nightmare. And likely would be if he had any clue what I did with her for months behind his back.

“As much as I appreciate it, I’m looking for someone with a bit more experience.”

Millie grins. “I double majored in college. Music and early childhood education, in case I decided to teach music, instead of writing it.”

“Though your father would love if you’d come work for Hall Studios,” Ford reminds her.

She glances at him, and I’m pleased to note that she doesn’t have the same disdain for the offer as I would have expected. “It’s important to me to do it this way, but I appreciate the offer immensely.”

“Just want you to know you always have a place with me. Whether it’s in this house or in my business. You’re a Hall, Millie. Remember that.”

I look to Vivi, wishing for the first time that she was a baby that cried. Then I’d at least have an excuse to disappear from this table. But after that first night, she’s barely fussed. So I’m stuck here trying like hell to figure out a way to get out of hiring Millie Hall as my daughter’s nanny and moving her into my home.

“So what do you say?” Ford looks at me again. God, I’ve never wanted to muzzle a guy so badly, and that’s saying a lot, considering Aiden Langfield is my brother.

Millie’s lips twist like she’s trying to school her expression, but there’s no hiding her glee.

Jaw locked tight, I nod once. “I guess we can give it a try.”

With a squeal, Millie lifts Vivi’s hand. “Hear that, bestie? We’re going to be roomies.”

My daughter’s gummy grin cracks the ice hardened around my heart. Every day, she busts through a little more. She’s changed my life in a hundred ways since that fateful night.

And with my ex-girlfriend back in the country and moving into my apartment, I have a feeling my life is about to be flipped upside down.

When it comes to Millie Hall, I should be used to it by now.

THIRTY-ONE

GAVIN

“Just give me a minute,” I say as I survey Vivi’s car seat and beg my exhausted brain to remember which way the base goes.

“Need help?” Millie stands behind me with my daughter in her arms.

Lake and Ford are behind her, and they’re all waiting for me to figure out how the fuck to make this work.

With all of Millie’s luggage, the Pack ’n’ Play, and the four bags I packed full of her stuff because I had no idea what she’d need, I had to shift the car seat to the other side to make it all fit.

“It snaps here, right?” I glower at it, drenched in sweat and anxious to no longer be the subject of scrutiny. “It’s a children’s item. Shouldn’t it be childproof?” I grumble.

“Lake, will you take Vivi?” Millie says. A second later, there’s a gentle hand on my back. “Can I help?”

Wiping at the sweat forming on my brow, I sigh and back up. She might think it’s a simple task, but it’s complicated as fuck. But if she insists, I’ll just sit back and watch her lose her mind. Maybe then I’ll feel a little better about myself and my ability to raise a child.

All weekend, she’s been stepping in, helping make bottles, rocking Vivi to sleep, attending to her every need before she can even make a sound. Proving with her every move that I have no fucking idea what I’m doing.

But even she can’t?—

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