Page 21 of Bonus Daddy
My stomach lurched. “No.”
“This may look like a law office from the outside,” he said, giving me a wry smile, “but we’re really running a daycare.”
Sloane sat up and scooped Tia into her arms. She and Brian exchanged a silent look I couldn’t decipher.
“He’s not wrong,” she said, patting the baby gently. “T.J. andMurphy are here every day after school. And two seven-year-old boys with a lot of energy is a lot some days.”
“My girls,” I hedged, lowering my voice. “They can be difficult. And they don’t have the greatest track record with babysitters.”
Sloane nodded. “I get it. But what if I hired them to help us?” Her brows rose in question. “The boys need playmates. The girls could keep them entertained and supervise until you’re back from work. Kit seems like she could keep everyone in line and make sure homework gets done.”
Affection for my daughter bloomed in my chest, along with a little amusement. “She does love being in charge.”
In fact, right now, she was returning from the kitchen with a water bottle for one of the boys. She stopped at the ping-pong table, where Greta and the boys were hard at work, and plucked a tiny Lego from a pile and held it out to them.
“They always wanted a little brother,” I sighed.
Greta held up her X-wing fighter and madepewnoises, firing at the Iron Man armor T.J. was building.
The boys giggled happily.
Sloane looked down, stroking the baby’s soft cheek. “Murphy’s easy. Mostly quiet and listens well, but my T. J.” She nodded at the boy with slightly lighter hair. “He’s a handful. I could really use the help. After those initial nanny interviews, we decided against it. For now, at least. I want to spend as much time with the kids as I can while I’m on maternity leave, and Cal wasn’t keen on hiring a stranger to watch Murphy.”
I took in the space, considering their proposal. The walls were covered in art projects, and there was a potted plant on almost every surface. Amid the clutter were four smiling, busy kids, plus one adorable baby.
Yes, it appeared that Sloane was up here with them all on her own, but downstairs, there were a handful of responsible adults who could jump in if there was an emergency.
I’d left work early too many times. And while the girls had done well hanging out at the yoga studio, it wasn’t a long-term solution.
“Can I pay you?” I asked.
Sloane’s mouth opened in surprise, and Brian scowled, as if I’d offended him.
“Please,” I said. “I’d feel terrible. Let me do something. I can cook. Buy groceries? Maybe clean Fuzzy’s litter box?”
Brian pulled up to his full height and slid his hands into his pockets. “Not necessary.”
“It’s really okay,” Sloane said. “They’re good kids, and in the hour they’ve been here, they’ve already been a big help.”
“Free yoga?” I suggested.
“Fine,” Brian huffed. “Cal and Lo will love that.”
“Me too,” Sloane added.
“And friendship?” Brian asked, his eyes pinning me to the spot.
“I’d like that.”
Chapter 8
Brian
The sight of her was jarring.
She was dressed in a black skirt suit with sky-high black heels. Her hair was pulled back severely, showing off a pair of large pearl earrings.
The woman in front of me barely resembled the Jess I’d been spending time with over the past couple of weeks.
