Page 37 of Ice, Love, & Other Penalties

Indie: Then, we definitely need a party for her. Did your mother ever celebrate her?

Ty: Nope. My mother isn’t good at remembering special dates. You’re probably right. I’m going to need your help to celebrate her birthday. We can start organizing it next weekend and we can have brunch at your house. You owe us.

Indie: We’ll see.

Ty: What about ballet lessons? Myra mentioned something about Cora taking classes and her wanting to do it too.

Indie: I can help you with that and other after-school programs. We can compile a list of activities and places where she can go.

Ty: Cool, I never thought about all that, though I should’ve. That’s exactly how I got into hockey.

Indie: Finally, we’re learning more about Mr. Brynes himself. Tell me more.

Ty: That’s all you get. I have a little one to attend to and unless you plan on joining us to get our groceries and join us for dinner I’m going to have to leave it at that.

Indie: Talk soon.

Chapter Twenty

Indigo

“Well, this is a surprise,” Harper says, pulling the door open.

I brush past her into our childhood home and collapse onto the couch, leaning my head back and squeezing my eyes shut.

What the fuck just happened back there?

“You, okay?” she asks.

I inhale and exhale slowly, trying to avoid passing out because I can’t even remember how to breathe. Once I’m sure I remember the process, I nod. “Yeah, just dealing with work stuff.” My voice comes out breezy, calm. I’m so fucking chilled no one would think that less than thirty minutes ago I had a very intense encounter with my . . . Is Tyberius my boss?

No, I’m just some stranger giving him a hand while doing a poor job at searching for a permanent nanny. Maybe I should quit the team and find something new to do like . . . What could I do? My parents will remind me that it’s time to go back to school. Mom might even say that she has a spot in her PR company for me.

Love the place, I have no trouble doing what she does—I started interning for her when I turned fifteen. But I don’t want things to be handed over to me just because I’m her child.I want to work toward it and . . . deserve it.

“Need some tea or warm milk?” Harper asks, her voice reminds me so much of Mom’s when she’s concerned about us.

I open one eye, sliding her a wry smile. “Why would I want that?”

Harper’s dark brown eyes soften with worry as she gazes at me, taking in my tense shoulders and troubled expression. She sits next to me, turning her body toward mine.

“You seem upset,” she points out, placing her hand on top of mine. “I’m trying to help with your anxiety, unless you want to discuss what’s bothering you.”

My throat tightens. There’s no way I’m talking about this with her or anyone. Harper’s eyes search over my face.

I let out a little huff and shut my eyes again. “There’s nothing to talk about. Just thinking about quitting my job.”

“The nanny gig or are you finally giving your two weeks’ notice to Jude?”

I swallow hard when I think about my brother. Then there’s Myra and obviously I can’t just leave them like that. That little girl has gone through so much, jumping from one place to another and . . . She’s only now adjusting to this new life.

But after what happened earlier . . .

Myra left the show-and-tell bag in her bedroom this morning. The teacher couldn’t get ahold of her dad, so they called me since I’m the emergency contact. Since when is show-and-tell an emergency? Why couldn’t they just switch her day from Monday to Tuesday or . . . What happened to me is their fault.

Well, it’s mine too.

Instead of saying, not my problem, what did I do? I drove immediately to Ty’s place and when I arrived, I rushed toward the stairwell and the sight of Tyberius Brynes stopped me in my tracks.

---