Page 18 of Nanny For My Brother's Best Friend

I never noticed how in tune Andrew is with Miles when they are on the same line before now, but I also haven’t been to many games. They seem to intuitively know where the other is and make the passes perfect every time, scoring three goals which help them to a 5-3 lead and ultimate win against the Seattle team. It’s magical and I leave that night with a bigger respect for the sport of hockey.

It’s chaos trying to leave the parking lot, but Lola is sleeping, so I just relax and watch the fans of both teams out of the windows of the back of the car.

“I think she did a great job. Don’t you?”

Linda turns in her seat to smile at me, and I nod.

“Yes. She didn’t watch the game as closely as we did, but who would expect her to? She enjoyed herself so much and all of us being there was perfect.” I look at the sleeping girl with a smile.

“I got the video of her interaction with Miles on my phone. It almost made me cry. Seeing my brother as a father is so amazing.”

Brynn is in front of me, and she plays it as I watch over her shoulder, feeling my heart explode all over again. Miles loves Lola to no end; it’s clear in his eyes and smile and the little girl eats it up. She’s young, but she knows she’s loved by so many people and her dad is going to be her hero.

I just wonder how long I’ll be around to witness it. I will always know Miles through Andrew, but eventually he’ll settle down with someone and Lola will have a mom in her life. I just hope she loves Lola as much as I do.

We finally arrive home, and I take Lola upstairs to her bed. She’s sleeping hard and I consider taking off the jersey, but it might wake her up and I’m too tired to stay up with her if she decides she wants to play. All I do is take off her shoes and tuck her in before kissing her goodnight and walking into the living room.

I take off my jersey once I have a cup of tea and stretch out on the couch. Adrenaline is still flowing through my veins, but I know that the need to sleep will take over soon. I need to because Lola is going to wake up early.

Miles probably won’t be home for a while. There’s always press after the games, particularly after a win like this, and Andrew goes out with the guys a lot since the adrenaline for them is something that keeps them up for hours.

I can’t help myself and turn on the TV to watch the interviews after the game, mesmerized by the smile on Miles’s face and the way his hair hangs around his brow after sweating through a game.

“You can’t have a crush on your boss, who also is your brother’s best friend. Sure, he’s hot like most hockey players, but he is so off limits.” I close my eyes and repeat that as a mantra in my head. There’s just something about gorgeous men being fathers that makes my heart beat faster and my ovaries ache.

My ovaries ache? I am only twenty-three and have a lot of time before kids.

I turn on a random movie and sip my tea, willing myself to get tired so I can go to bed. The house is quiet and I take that in as I appreciate my life at this moment, despite my growing feelings for Miles.

Those will pass.

I wake up with the sun beginning to peek in the windows and jerk to a sitting position, finding myself on the couch.

“What? I fell asleep here?”

I keep my voice a whisper, realizing there’s a blanket around my waist that wasn’t there last night. Did Miles do this? The thought makes me smile since I know there’s a rarely seen, kind soul underneath all that masculinity, and I take a moment to soak that in.

When I look on the couch, I see the jersey folded up and something else folded beside it. Reaching over, I look at both and see a jersey in my size with Miles’s last name on it. What would my brother do if I wore this to a game?

I fold them both up and take them to my room before making coffee in the kitchen. I change into a t-shirt that’s clean and slide a headband into my messy hair, singing as the coffee brews. I should be tired since I know I didn’t sleep a lot last night but I feel so alive this morning.

I hear Lola in her room through the monitor on the coffee table and walk in to get her.

“Hey, baby girl. Did you have a good sleep?”

I put a cotton dress on Lola so we can just hang around the house today. The puck is on her dresser, and I smile as I look at it, remembering that moment.

She wants eggs and toast for breakfast, and I make it as she drinks juice and watches her favorite cartoon on TV. It’s the one time I allow her screen time apart from the evening and occasional movie, so I can cook and she can wake up. Lola wants to help with every other meal during the day.

We eat and decide to play on the swing set in the backyard and I push her high into the sky, as she likes to say. I mention the game and get enough from Lola to know she loved it and wants to go back tonight, making me giggle.

“I think you’re a hockey fan,” I murmur, pushing her again. I tell her we can watch Daddy on TV when he’s at away games and still cheer him on and she can wear her jersey those days. Lola cheers and I feel like I accomplished something last night, initially feeling so hesitant to bring her to the arena.

Is that what her mom felt? If Kim saw the way Miles looks at Lola, she’d know that he loves his daughter to the ends of the earth. Maybe she didn’t care and resented him for not staying with her. I don’t know the situation and remind myself I can’t judge a dead woman. My job is to make the rest of her daughter’s life wonderful, and I’ll do that my way until this isn’t my job anymore.

I feel eyes on me while we’re still outside and glance back to see Miles standing on the deck in the shade. His shorts ride low on his hips and he’s not wearing a shirt, making my mouth dry up.

It’s just a crush.

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