Page 14 of Nanny For My Brother's Best Friend

“I had a ton of that pot roast when I woke up. Mom made enough for an army, as usual.”

“There’s some for Andrew if you can tell him today.” I know he has practice in a couple of hours. “Holding up okay?”

“We’re getting a lot of good work in. This is valuable even when it feels like it’s killing me sometimes. The new guys are getting the hang of things.”

He’s sexy when he talks about the sport. It’s something I’d never say about my brother, but Miles looks good when he talks about something he loves. After working out? He’s making a mess of me inside.

“Good. That’s the plan. Right?”

“It sure is. How’s Lola been?” I see him looking sadly at her and know Miles misses her.

“She’s good. We’ve been sticking to the schedule, and she’s loving everything. Lola asks for you a lot, but I just tell her you’re at work and will be home soon. She’s still young.”

Lola eats a piece of strawberry and hits Miles’s hand to get his attention since he’s looking towards me. Towards me, not at me.

“Am I ignoring you, bug? Poor baby.” Miles leans over to kiss her soft hair and I melt inside.

Later that night, when Lola is in bed, I am on the phone with Allison. Miles could be home anytime, but I don’t want to hover around the house.

“How is it being a hockey widow?”

“Hockey widow? I’m just the nanny, Allison. I think it’s harder on Lola than it is for me.” I roll my eyes.

“Yeah, you don’t miss him at all?”

“I am alone with a kid all day, so that’s a little lonely. Luckily, his family is a big help and mine steps in a lot. I don’t miss him like some sad little girlfriend would.”

“You guys never talked about the near kiss, Delilah. Why did you blow that off when he tried?”

Allison will never let that go.

“Nothing to say. We didn’t kiss, and I got out of the kitchen and now I am still the nanny. Problem solved.”

“Are you going to the first game? Do you have one of his jerseys?”

“I am taking Lola to the game, and we’ll be with his family. She’ll wear his name, but why would I? I have about a million jerseys with my last name for Andrew.”

“You live there and interact with the man when the women that watch him play know nothing about Miles. They dream of being you.”

“Is this another hot nanny plot, Allison?”

“There are tons, but you live there and almost kissed him. Tell me there's been no tension between you since that happened. Have your feelings just drifted away?”

I talk to Allison too much and she knows me better than anyone, including my family.

“There were never feelings, Allison. It was just a moment and we’re long past it. Miles is lost in hockey and any spare time he has goes to Lola and his family. I’m just here to keep the schedule going for Lola.”

“You keep telling yourself that, Del. I can’t wait until you break.”

CHAPTER 7

HITTING THE ROAD

MILES

Ihave been playing hockey for a few years now and I know the drill. There’s a lot of traveling and long days, but it’s something I have lived for nearly all my life.

It’s an adrenaline rush for me as a single man that I can focus on the sport. As a single father with a little girl that adores me, I’m struggling. How do I leave Lola behind when she already lost her mom?

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