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“They’re teaching me how to use it! And everyone knows what the limits are here. Everyone understands that the only reason this works the way it works isbecauseI’m leaving.”
“Do they? And bythey, I meanyou. Because way back when you were telling me how both of you were on the same page about nothing happening, Axel had a reason.”
He didn’t want to risk Otto losing his nanny because of him. But that isn’t an issue anymore. Not between us. “Okay, yes, it’s going to hurt when I leave them. It’s going to be hard to say goodbye. But I’d rather let my heart break a little than never use it at all.”
She’s silent for a moment, and I can practically see the little lines of concentration digging between her brows.
“Caroline, I’m happy. And I want to be able to share it without you trying to tear it down to save me from myself. I want you to be on my side with this.”
She sighs. “I’malwayson your side. Even when I think you’re making a mistake. I’m pulling foryou. And if this is what you want right now, then enjoy it. Just be careful. You’re too close to getting the life you’ve been waiting for to let some fling get in the way.”
“I will. I love you, sis.”
“Yeah, you too.”
* * *
Axel
Prior to Otto’ssurprise reveal back in November, my apartment was the team’s unofficial hangout. I had the best games. The sweetest location. The stocked fridge. And the hot neighbor with the even hotter attitude.
Now I have an activity station and mobile, baby brain-stimulating playlist gently piping through the apartment, and the only thing my place is stocked with is diapers and formula and this iced-tea-lemonade thing Nora likes to make on Mondays and then drinks throughout the week.
Which is why we’re hanging at Bowie and Boomer’s place tonight.
I hired my guys to clean it this afternoon and then made Boomer dig out a spare bed sheet so clean it still had a fabric softener sheet attached to it to put over the living room couch before I trusted Otto here.
Nora thinks I’m being overprotective, and maybe she’s right, but the only person I trust my son with unequivocally is her. And tonight, she’s at the movies with Nat and George.
Boomer’s currently waltzing my boy around his apartment, using this singsong voice that’s annoying as fuck but has some soothing voodoo magic when it comes to getting Otto to chill.
Piper Boerboom drops into the open spot next to me and points her beer at her brother. “Years from now, you’re going to discover Otto was actually paralyzed with fear instead of lulled into a calm by this incessant chatter.”
I laugh but do a surreptitious double-check of Otto’s body language. The little man is loving Uncle BamBam, as Nora teasingly refers to him when she wants to get a grin out of me. Bowie comes back from the door, a pizza in one hand and a couple of gigantic salads in the other.
“Jesus, BB, can I set it down first?” he grouses as Piper helps herself to a slice, totally ignoring him.
He and about half the team call her BB for Baby Boomer, which she detests. But for whatever reason, she’s always been Piper to me.
Boomer’s circling back our way, explaining that this place is normally crawling with bunnies, but since the Fun Wrecker crown has passed to me, he can’t have any.
Awesome. Better start saving for the therapy bills now.
Piper gives me a knowing look, and I snort. She’s a nice kid, despite her passion for grinding Bowie’s gears.
We shoot the shit a while. Talking about upcoming games, the douche who stole Piper’s parking spot outside, and what the fuck happened over Christmas. First, with Nichols getting snowed in— Christ, I still can’t believe what happened.
And then, the whole business with Diesel and that girl from Vegas last year. It’s nuts. Though, now that I think about Diesel’s next-level pissiness these past months, maybe it sort of makes sense.
Boomer says he called it six months ago. But I call bullshit. No one saw this coming.
The sordid team gossip makes for a damn good time, but honestly, I’m counting down the minutes until I can take Otto home so we can curl up with Nora for a while. Maybe turn the fire on.
I pull out my phone.
Me: How’s the movie?
Nora: Almost as good as watching Nat and George get all hopped up about it after. Too much romance or something, lol. Home soon. Tell you about it then.
