Page 10 of Crossed Up

I watch as his glittering eyes widen a fraction before he quickly schools his expression. “Exactly,” he says quietly. “That’s why I need somebody I can trust with Crew. Somebody reliable and good with kids and who won’t need to call me during a game for every sliver or scrape. He’s my top priority, so while I would hate to break my contract and quit the team if I can’t find somebody, I’d give it all up without question to keep him safe and happy.”

Can ovaries actually explode?

Rather than voice the incredibly inappropriate thought, I thread my hands together and rest them on the table. “You don’t know me and have no reason to trust me. What I can tell you is that even though I’m only twenty-two, I just graduated with a double Bachelor’s degree in Childhood Education and Psychology. I have some great references from my professors and the teachers I worked with during my five years in school that I can provide as well. I also have up-to-date certifications in CPR and water safety.”

“You said Crew is your top priority? If you give me a chance, he will be my only priority. His safety, his education, his comfort, and happiness. I’ll treat your son exactly like I would treat my own child because I know all too well what it’s like to be just another job to a rotating roster of nannies and sitters.”

I don’t even realize I’m breathing heavily until I finish my unplanned speech and see Aidan’s wide eyes locked on mine. My cheeks heat with embarrassment. Slumping down in my seat, I struggle to meet his eyes. “Sorry.”

He shakes his head, a lock of wavy blond hair falling across his forehead. Brushing it back, he graces me with a small but genuine smile. “You’re easily the most passionate person I’ve ever hired.”

The quiet words make me choke on my juice. Coughing, I stare at him with eyes wide as saucers. “Hired? You mean you’re giving me the job?”

“I honestly can’t think of a single person, let alone a nanny that’s ever offered to treat my son like their own. If I’m being completely transparent, you’re way overqualified, but if you want the job, there’s no way in hell I’m going to say no,” he says with a laugh. “When can you move in?”

My mind is already racing with ideas for a curriculum and activities I can plan to keep Crew entertained on the road, so I know I’m beaming when I respond.

“Does today work for you?”

“Good morning, sleepyhead!” I sing as I walk into Crew’s dimly-lit bedroom. The smallest sliver of light gives me just enough visibility to see that his floor is still clean after we picked up yesterday afternoon, making me smile.

Aidan only hired me a few days ago, and already, I don’t think I’ve ever loved a job more than this one. Crew is the sweetest kid ever, and his dad has gone out of his way to make me comfortable in their house.

Muffled grumbles are my only response, so I give him another minute of quiet, open the curtains, and then the window, letting in the warm salty breeze.

Crew’s bedroom is on the left at of the stairs, so it faces the back of the house, meaning there’s an amazing view of the water from the large window above an adorable window seat.

“Miss Lyla?”

I turn to the sleepy boy behind me with a soft smile and move to crouch next to his oversized bed. His platinum blond hair is all I can see over the comforter, and it’s sticking up at all angles. The sight has me rolling my lips together to stifle a laugh. “Yes, Crew-bug?”

“Did Daddy go to work already?” he asks, sniffling.

My stomach drops. Crew has one of the most severe cases of separation anxiety I’ve personally seen, which means the last few mornings have been especially hard since Aidan has to leave before the sun comes up. He let me know right away his days are pretty much all the same during training camp: lots of workouts, practice, and games, so he would likely get home around the same time most days.

Thankfully, getting Crew into a routine has been easy so far, but the devastation on his sweet face every time he wakes up and finds his dad gone is heartbreaking. Every day gets a little bit easier, but I know all too well how hard it is to wake up to a nanny when all you want is your dad.

I clear my throat and place a gentle hand on his back. “Yeah, he did. But today is the last day before he has the weekend off! So you’ll get two whole days to hang out with him.” An idea dawns on me when I remember the note Aidan left on the kitchen island this morning.

Lyla,

I know Crew’s been having a hard time with me being gone this week, so I was thinking maybe some time at the stadium would cheer him up. If you don’t have any other plans, I would love for y’all to come hang out for a bit. I won’t have my phone on me, so if you do decide to come just show this badge and your ID to security, and they’ll bring you out to the field.

Thank you for making this transition so easy, Lyla. You have no idea how grateful I am.

Aidan

My heart speeds up thinking about my gorgeous boss, but I lock those feelings down fast. The last thing I need is to lose a perfect job because of my inconvenient attraction to an incredibly off-limits man.

Plus, it’s one thing to be attracted to someone after healing from an abusive relationship, but actually making that leap is a whole other qualifier I’m not sure I’m ready to tackle yet.

“Hey, what do you say we take a little field trip today?”

Crew’s screech of excitement nearly pierces my eardrums, but the tears have thankfully abated with the distraction of getting out of the house. “Can we go now, Miss Lyla? I wanna go now! Where are we going? Will there be food? Can I wear my dinosaur costume?”

Laughing, I watch as he fights the sheets and tumbles out of bed. “No costume, but let's get you dressed in something you can get dirty. Maybe some shorts and a T-shirt and your sneakers?”

He nods frantically, skipping to his dresser in search of an acceptable outfit. It seems like he forgot about the rest of the questions, so rather than remind him, I make sure to grab everything I think we might need at the field today. A change of clothes, sunscreen, and baby wipes all go in a small backpack I’ll load with snacks and water when we make it downstairs.

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