Page 11 of Rescued By My Best Friend's Brother

She nods and starts to clean up.

“Um, Jasper,” I start, causing him to pause, “thank you for letting me stay here.”

He shrugs it off, but for a second, I think there is a spark of recognition of those old memories, when every now and then, we got along and he didn’t think I was the worst person in the world. Just for a second. It disappears quickly, so quickly, it makes me think I must have been mistaken.

As he walks toward the door with Lily, he looks back. “Please be careful. Oh, and there’s a spare booster seat in the garage. Please call me if anything happens.”

He looks at me with a discerning glare. I can see the concern he has for his daughter in his eyes. I take a deep gulp, not really knowing what to say.

“It’s okay, Jasper. Lily is safe with me.”

I can’t predict the future, but I know I will make sure nothing ever happens to Lily.

Chapter Five

Jasper

Iwouldhaveneveragreed to Elena watching Lily if it weren’t for that important meeting I had earlier. I could not risk losing one of my investment firm’s biggest clients. They are preparing for an international merger, and we are working with several players and time zones. Missing a meeting would not be acceptable.

I sigh and shut the fridge, not grabbing anything. Nothing seems to appeal to my stomach right now. Instead, I settle for a glass of water. I glance up and see Josie approaching the back door. She slides it open. “What are you doing here so late?” I ask.

She sighs and replies, “I’m hungry and there’s nothing in my fridge. I thought maybe Sheri left some extra food in yours.” She opens the fridge. “Did Lily and Lena get along?”

I shrug. Lily says she had fun, but she can have fun in her room by herself, so Elena could have just watched TV, for all I know.

“She survived.” I keep my voice neutral, trying not to sound too annoyed at the thought of Elena watching my child.

“Don’t be like that, Jasper. We don’t know what Elena has gone through, and plus, she did a lot for me in the past.” Josie points a stalk of celery at me as she speaks.

I scoff. Josie has to be kidding me. “You mean she got you into a lot of trouble. She’s the reason why you were grounded most of the time.”

My sister laughs. “You’re so off base. You’ve always been too hard on her.”

“What do you mean? You covered for her all the time. You’re doing it even now! I just don’t get it.” I am getting frustrated with Josie, she always defended Elena, which made me resent her more. Why can’t Josie just see things from my point of view. Elena wasn’t good for her back then and probably not now.

“I don’t want to argue with you this late. I’m tired, and work was really shitty today. Can we shelve this for right now?”

I have to admit, she does look tired, with dark circles under her eyes.

I nod. “Yeah, I need to tuck in Lily anyways.”

“Tell her I love her,” Josie adds as she heads out the door.

“Sure,” I reply.

I make my way upstairs to Lily’s room. Her bedroom is one of the larger rooms up here. Just like many girls her age, it is all pastel colors of pinks, purples, and blues. I let her choose the theme half a year ago, and she got to boss the decorator around when it came to planning. I think Lily had way too much fun with it, but she is a boss in the making. She knew what she wanted and demanded it. I knew then she would succeed in this harsh world.

Lily already lay in bed, the covers pulled up to her chest as she flipped through one of her books.

“Daddy!” She set her book on the nightstand and sat up.

I plop down on the bed beside her and give her a quick hug. “Hey baby girl. You brush your teeth and everything?”

She nods vigorously. I raise an accusatory brow. She hates brushing her teeth. I always have to fight her on it.

“I did.” She sticks her chin out, proud to do things on her own. “Elena said that the Tooth Fairy pays more for healthy, clean teeth when they fall out.”

I frown. I don’t know if I am more irritated that Elena would tell my daughter this or that I didn’t think of this idea to get Lily to brush her teeth myself.

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