Page 32 of Worst Nanny Ever
“Yes, but now I’m going to be very specific.” I glance between both of them before my gaze settles on Briar. “Do not, under any circumstances, date my brother. You have to promise me.”
She looks taken aback by the out-of-left-field question, but she recovers quickly. “That’s an easy promise to make. I’ve decided to never date again, and I doubt I’ll ever hang out with him by myself.”
“Good, that’s settled then.” I glance at Sophie. “Same goes for you if it ever falls apart with Rob.”
She looks scandalized by the thought. “It’s never going to fall apart.”
I sigh. “I believe you. It’s just…” Hell, it was past time to tell them. “I had other friends before we met.”
“How dare you,” Sophie says, giving me a slight smile. Encouraging me in a way she knows will work.
“I know, right?” I pause, gathering myself. My heart starts thumping faster. “One of those friends worked with me at Big Catch. She and Liam started seeing each other, and it fell apart catastrophically.I had to fire her.”
“Goodness,” Sophie says, taking my hand. “I had no idea.”
“I don’t like talking about it,” I say. “It sucked.Reallysucked. And all of our mutual friends took her side. They thought I’d chosen my brother over her, which I guess I did, but honestly, I didn’t have a choice. She tainted a whole kettle of Big Catch beer by throwing his boxing gear into it.”
Briar cringes. “Oof.”
Sophie shakes her head. “Sounds like something you’d do.”
“It probably is,” I say with a half-smile. “I told you we used to be friends.”
“When did this happen?” Briar asks.
“A couple of months before I met you. I lost everyone in my circle except for the other people at work. They all witnessed how unhinged she acted.” I hesitate. “He didn’t cheat on her. It wasn’t like that. I don’t want you guys thinking my brother’s some kind of asshole.”
“You tell us frequently that he’s an asshole,” Briar says, amusement ringing through her voice.
“Sure, but not likethat. Not a Jonah-level asshole. He’s just …emotionally unavailable. I warned her, and she didn’t listen, and…” I shrug. “Anyway, please don’t date him. Ever. Don’t even beniceto him.”
Briar laughs. “Yes, I’ll ridicule him and throw rotten fruit at his face.”
“Good. Start with bananas. He hates bananas.”
“I’m glad you told us,” Sophie says, her eyes finding and holding mine. “You should know you can tell us anything.”
I feel my throat tighten with emotion. “I’m okay, though. I swear. Maybe I’ll go back there someday, or get a different full-time job, but I’m not ready. I need some time to?—”
“Heal,” Sophie interjects, her eyes full of a sweet understanding.
“I was gonna say take some time off and chill, but sure, we’ll go with your answer.”
“I’m not sure being a nanny is such a chill job,” Briar says. “You’ll have to be the bad guy sometimes. Like, you’ll have to make sure Ollie does his homework.”
“Nah, that’s his dad’s job. Besides, he’s reading a science textbook for kicks. He’s some kind of genius. What I’m going to teach him is how to have fun. Hell, maybe Travis will even learn a thing or two in the process.”
Briar gives Sophie another of those looks.
“What? What revealing thing did I say this time?” I ask, rolling my eyes.
“Yousurethere’s nothing between you and Travis?” Sophie asks.
“Give it up, you guys. I’d never consider messing around with Travis. Besides the fact that I’m Ollie’s temporary nanny, He’s Rob’s best friend. No way would I risk our friendship for a guy.”
“I don’t care if you sleep with Travis,” Sophie says with a shrug. “I wouldn’t even mind if you threw his drumsticks into a kettle of beer, as long as it’s not at Buchanan Brewery.”
“I bet you wouldn’t, you unicorn of a woman, but I said what I said.”
