Page 17 of Game On

Logan nodded. “Yeah, he will. Parenting isn't easy, but he’ll figure it out.”

“You have to,” I agreed.

He gave me a small smile, recognizing our shared plight of single parenthood. Maybe that’s why I felt such a connection to him. We bonded over our struggles.

I studied Logan’s profile as he drove us to my sister’s place. He had reddish-brown scuff on his face but was groomed neatly, and his hair was styled so it was long up top and brushed back out of his face. He wore a navy blue suit that fit him like it was made for him. They probably were. Veronica said Blaise had to get his suits tailored to fit his hockey butt and tree-trunk thighs.

I felt heat color my face when I thought about what other thick things Logan had. I definitely shouldn’t be thinking about him that way.

“This is it?” he asked, pulling me away from my horny thoughts.

I peered up at the old brick apartment building my sister lived in. It was old but not as expensive as when she lived in Fishtown. Even though her place was small, her last place was even smaller and for way more money. I was glad she was only a few minutes from Mom’s place now.

“Yeah, this is it. My car’s here, so thanks for the ride,” I told him.

“No, thank you.”

I cocked my head at him. “For what?”

He pointed his thumb at the backseat where his nephew slept soundly. “Taking care of him while Veronica couldn’t. I’m having a hell of a time trying to find a nanny.”

My hand froze on the door of his car. Something about that statement felt familiar. It must have been because Veronica told me that, but something nagged me in the back of my mind.

“We’re square. See you around, Logan,” I said before getting out of the car and walking up to my sister’s apartment building. I noticed he didn’t drive off right away, and I waved to him as I walked through the lobby door.

Logan seemed nice but had a lot of weight on his shoulders. I had to admit, it was nice to chat with someone who understood the burden of being the single provider for the little being you loved the most.

I walked up the flight of stairs and knocked on my sister’s door.

She answered it and gave me a big hug. “Hey! How was the hockey game?”

“Good! How was Rosie?”

“Fussy, but otherwise okay. You got a climber on your hands.”

I sighed. “I know.”

Mari smiled at me, and I took in her appearance for the first time. Her dirty blonde hair was in a messy bun, and she was wearing sweats and leggings. Mari had been babysitting for as long as I could remember and had been a full-time nanny for a family for the last couple of years. Once school started again, they didn’t need her anymore. By the tight-lipped expression on her face, I guessed the strain on her finances drained her.

“Did you find a new family yet?” I asked.

She shook her head. “Not yet, but I can’t wait around until the summer. I’ll need to find another job in the meantime.”

“But you love being a nanny!”

She sighed. “You know anyone who needs one?”

Her words hit me, and suddenly, I had the perfect solution. For both her and Logan. Why hadn’t I thought about it when he asked me earlier?

“Actually…”

She perked up. “I was just kidding, but if you do?”

“I should have given him your card.”

“Who?”

“Logan.”