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Brandon introduced us. Carson handed me a T-shirt.
“I think it should fit. Based on your photo,” Carson said, his voice tinged with just a hint of amusement.
That made me raise my eyebrows. So Carson was Brandon’s little co-conspirator for this meeting. He was probably the one who had figured out who I was and my role with the hospital drop-ins. He had left me the voicemail but I had just assumed he was in the dark about my true relationship with Brandon. Given his tone, he knew enough.
“Thanks,” I said, taking the shirt from him and unfolding it in front of me. It was the team logo and was a female cut with cap sleeves. “It looks perfect.” I gave him a smile and met his gaze directly. “Don’t you just hate it when you lose a button?”
He nodded. “It’s the worst.” His expression was impassive.
I turned and went into the bathroom to change, feeling ridiculously pleased with the way my afternoon had turned out.
Sure, I was still being evicted. Yes, I had no job or money. And Coach Teri had told me I was only cheering until the injured Tasha returned in two weeks.
But… Brandon hadn’t ghosted me.
It was a win.
Chapter Eight
I watched Dakota retreat into the bathroom like nothing about this was insane. She had delivered that bullshit line to Carson about losing a button without blinking.
“Is this where you say ‘I fucked a cheerleader’ again?” Carson asked. “I’ve missed that.”
“Shut up,” I said. “And make sure that trash in there gets thrown out.” I should have flushed the condom, in retrospect. I wasn’t used to having sex at work.
He looked like he was trying really hard not to laugh. “Got it. Oh, and your daughters are here,” he added. “They’re downstairs.”
“What?” I almost had a heart attack. I glanced toward my bathroom door where Dakota was changing her shirt. This was not good. “They’re supposed to be in the city with their nanny. How in the hell can they be here?”
“The nanny brought them and she’s demanding to see you.”
Jesus. “Tell her I’ll meet them downstairs. Do not let them come up here.”
The door to my office burst open. Mary, the nanny, barged in with the force of a raging bull. Pam was behind her, flustered. “I told her you’re busy, sir, but she pushed past me.”
Willow and Poppy wandered in behind them. Willow looked annoyed, Poppy nonchalant. “What is going on here?” I asked, glancing toward the bathroom door again. I made eye contact with Carson and tilted my head in that direction.
He shrugged like he didn’t understand what he was supposed to do about it. I wanted him to meet Dakota the second she came out, so she didn’t throw open the door and announce something sexual. I also was panicked that the room might smell like sex but Mary didn’t break stride.
She marched up to me and pointed a short finger in my face. “Your daughters are incorrigible.”
That was nothing new. I decided to play offense. “Why are you here?” I asked. “You can’t just drop into my office like this. This is unacceptable.”
“I am here to inform you I quit.”
“This couldn’t have waited until I got home?” I asked, annoyed, and not at all shocked she was quitting. But I still have several hours of work to do. My meeting with Dakota had run longer than I had expected for obvious and sexy reasons. I couldn’t have the girls hanging around for two hours.
“No, this could not wait. That should tell you something. I did not want to spend another minute in that apartment with them, so I drove all the way to New Jersey!”
She said it like New Jersey was cross country instead of across a bridge. “Fine,” I said. “I’m assuming you got your things out of the apartment already? I’ll take the key.” I held my hand up, not willing to fight it. Mary was kind of a grump anyway. I hadn’t been totally comfortable with her in the house.
But I was running out of nanny options.
“Aren’t you going to ask what these sinners did?” she asked. She slapped a key in my hand.
Sinners? That seemed extreme. They were still just kids. “What did they do?” I asked, dreading the response.
“They’re dabbling in the dark arts.” She made the sign of the cross. “They are messing with a power that cannot be controlled.”
