Page 50 of Tempting the Goalie
“I don’t. I looked up the ten best tips for babysitting a six-month-old this afternoon. I didn’t want to go into this thing knowing nothing,” I explain.
“Figures, forever the planner. When are you going to learn you can’t plan every moment of your life?” Luc retorts.
“I’ve clearly learned that, silly. You weren’t planned,” I say to Luc. Then I stick out my tongue and make a funny face with garbled noises at Braden. He starts giggling again and my heart bursts. “He is just so sweet,” I say, pressing the side of Braden’s cheek against mine.
Luc grunts.
“What’s wrong? Are you jealous?” I ask Luc playfully.
“Maybe I am.” He shrugs. “I want you to be all cute and cuddly with me.”
“We’ll save that for later after Braden goes to sleep.” I wink.
“Good thing he’s getting his bottle in half an hour.”
“Aw, come on. Don’t be that way. You were looking forward to spending time with the little guy.”
“I did, all day with Elyna. My sister was giving me tips all day about how to take care of him. She’s really gone overboard on this mothering thing.”
“I would say that’s a good thing,” I chirp.
“Don’t get me wrong. It’s nice to see Elyna being responsible. She’s finally grown-up,” he says. “And I love Braden too. Where do you think he gets his good looks?”
I burst into laughter. “He looks nothing like you.”
“He may not have my coloring but trust me on this, Izzy,” he says.
“Sure, Luc. Your nephew looks exactly like you,” I say just as Braden starts to cry.
“Here, pass him to me,” Luc says. I pass him over and Luc starts doing a dance, shifting his weight from one leg to the other, back and forth as he sways. He’s holding Braden facing me and the cute boy just smiles.
We keep Braden busy for the next half hour. We don’t sit because apparently Braden has started teething and he’s fussy in the early evening. By the time he’s ready for his night bottle, Luc passes him over to me. “Why don’t you change him while I make his bottle?” he suggests.
“By change him you mean his diaper?” I ask.
“And he needs a sleeper too.” Luc nods.
“I don’t know how to do that,” I admit to Luc.
Luc’s lip quirks up in a smile. “Elyna made me practice this afternoon,” he says and he walks over to the playpen. It has a little thing hanging off the side of it that looks like it’s an organizer with diapers, sleepers, undershirts, wipes, and butt cream.
Luc gets to work setting up an undershirt and sleeper on the couch. He also gets a diaper ready and some wipes.
“Here you go,” he says to me.
“You’re enjoying this a little too much,” I say.
“Maybe, but you used to change your dolls all the time. Braden can’t be that different,” he says, and he walks away toward the kitchen. I’m assuming to make a bottle.
“I’ve been with the little guy all day and honestly it’s been fun,” he says, surprising me.
“Wow, I never thought I’d live to see the day where those words would leave your mouth.”
“He’s my nephew, my sister’s child,” he says from the kitchen. He walks back into the room and tests the temperature of the formula on the inside of his arm. I blink and then he is asking me to pass Braden over. He takes Braden and sits back on the couch and gives him the bottle. The baby takes it so easily, trying to grip it with his pudgy little hands.
My ovaries are full-on bursting. This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen, and Luc seems so relaxed. So does little baby Braden.
“Do you know which of your brothers you’ll be working for?” Luc asks.
