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I just can’t picture Breanna as being nefarious, but my brother is not going to accept reality right now. He has an idea that he’s decided is right, and he’s running with it. Nothing I say will change his mind.
When I don’t say anything, Garrett's scowl deepens. I feel a twinge of irritation prickling at the edges of my patience. His reaction to Breanna has caught me off guard, his disapproval clear as he stares at me with narrowed eyes.
"Look, Garrett, I hired Breanna because she's good with Jaxon," I reply, trying to keep my tone even despite the rising tension between us. "She's reliable, responsible, and Jaxon likes her. That's all that matters."
Garrett's expression darkens further, his jaw clenched tightly as he shakes his head in disbelief. "You're being reckless, Harrison," he says, his voice laced with frustration. "You barely know this woman. What if she's not who she says she is? What if she's just using you? Did you do a background check?”
I feel a surge of defensiveness rising within me, my own frustration bubbling to the surface as I meet Garrett's accusatory gaze. "I trust Breanna," I say firmly, my voice tinged with irritation. "And I don't appreciate you questioning my judgment."
Garrett's eyes flash with anger, his fists clenching at his sides as he takes a step forward, his voice rising with each word. "You're making a mistake, Harrison," he warns, his tone filled with urgency. "You need to be more careful about who you let into your life. You don’t know her. Harrison, are you listening to me?"
I take a deep breath, trying to rein in my rising temper.
“I lived with her for almost two years. I know her. Okay, yeah, she won’t do anything to put Jaxon in danger… probably. But she’s not a good person. I hope you don’t have a hidden jar of cash somewhere, because she’s probably already found it and raided it. She lies and cheats and…” Garrett shakes his head, his voice shaking with anger. “She’s going to disappear on you with no warning, and you’ll be looking for another nanny. You should start looking now.”
At a stop sign, I meet Garrett's gaze with a steely resolve. "I appreciate your concern, Garrett," I say, my voice calm but firm. "But Breanna is staying, whether you like it or not."
Garrett crosses his arms and stares out the windshield, finally silent. I guess that’s one thing that marks us as brothers- our shared anger.
It’s not nearly as fun having to confront it in someone else.
When we reach the bar, I pull my car up to the front to valet park. Garrett gets out of the car without saying a word and marches into the bar without waiting for me.
I exchange a few words with the valet, get my ticket, and step just to the side of the front door. I’m in no hurry to rejoin with Garrett.
Maybe a glass of something will calm him down. He needs a few minutes, though. That much is clear.
Taking a moment to compose myself after the heated exchange with Garrett, I reach for my phone and dial Breanna's number. As it rings, I can feel the tension from our argument still lingering, but I push it aside, focusing on the thought of hearing Jaxon’s voice. Garrett made some good points, but my gut says that Breanna loves Jaxon. I can’t just fire her because she used to date my brother.
After a few rings, Breanna picks up, her voice sounding cheerful despite the strained atmosphere Garrett has created. "Hey, Harrison, what's up?"
I can already hear something in the background. It sounds like Jaxon is watching his favorite superhero TV show.
"Hey, Breanna," I reply, trying to keep my tone light despite the lingering tension. "Just checking in on Jaxon. How's everything going?"
Breanna's response is immediate, her voice warm and reassuring. "You just left fifteen minutes ago. Do you expect us to have exploded the house since then?”
I smile, even as the memory of Garrett’s accusation of Breanna trying to destroy what I’ve built remains in the background of my thoughts. “No, just wanted to check in.” I realize then that I could have checked in by looking at one of the cameras. Why did I call instead? “I wanted to make sure you were okay after you talked to Garrett.”
Breanna doesn’t respond right away, and I can tell that their discussion affected her. Or maybe she’s hiding something from me? It’s hard to tell.
“Is it Daddy?” Jaxon asks in the background.
“Yes, do you want to talk to him?”
There’s some shuffling as Jaxon takes the phone, then his sweet voice comes over the line. “Daddy, I miss you already. Are you gonna be back before bedtime?”
“Sorry, champ, not tonight. But you like playing with Miss Breanna, and you’ll have fun with her.”
“Yeah, she’s fun. But also you’re fun too, Daddy. How come I can’t play with you and Miss Beanna at the same time?”
I smile at the idea of me inviting Breanna over for a “playdate.” “Maybe we can do that sometime, champ. That would be fun, huh?”
“Yeah, ‘cause then you could be the T-rex, and I’d be the little baby pterodactyl that doesn’t know how to fly yet. And Miss Beanna could be the mommy pterodactyl, and she could save me.”
I can't help but smile at Jaxon's infectious energy, the brief moment of warmth easing some of the tension in my chest. "That sounds like a fun game. Another day, okay? Put Miss Breanna back on the line, okay?”
The phone is passed to Breanna, and I hear her voice again. She clears her throat. “So, yeah, Jaxon’s doing good as you can hear. So, I’ll get him dinner and get him to bed in a little while.”
