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“I, uh, I’m not coming alone. Is there room for two in your guesthouse?”
“Since when did you start dating? I thought you were doing the celibate thing?” Apparently there was some rule about twelve-step programs and celibacy during the first year. Nix had glossed over it at the time, but when I’d asked about girls a few weeks back, he’d told me he was still celibate. Maybe that’d changed?
“Uh, still doing the celibate thing.” Nix coughed like he was choking. “So we’d have separate rooms. Is that okay?”
“Yeah, I guess. Same rules apply to your friend. No drugs, no parties, no more guests other than the two of you. I’m not running a freaking hotel out here.”
“Yeah, yeah, no. I get it. Thanks, bro. This’ll be great. You’ll see.”
“Yeah sure, Nix.” I sighed and ran a hand over my head as I suddenly felt ancient. And exhausted. “Great,” I repeated weakly. “Any idea when you’re coming down?”
“It’ll be a couple of weeks I think. I want to line up a few more agents to meet with to make the trip worthwhile. Who knows? Maybe it’ll be a one-way trip, and I’ll be sticking around.”
“In your own place. You’re not living here long term.”
“Right. Hey, I gotta go. I’ll let you know when I have details lined up. Thanks again, bro.”
“You’re welcome. Talk to you later.”
“Later.”
I pressed the red button on my phone then set it down on my desk with a groan. I’d been so freaking proud of all the work my brother had done to get clean. So why this overwhelming sense of doom? His coming here felt like a mistake, but what could I do? It was his life and his decision.
But maybe if Nix wanted to come to LA, he should have to do it all on his own. I wanted to call Rome and get his opinion, but the two of them weren’t exactly on the best of terms. Nix still had a lot to make up for with Rome.
Although him being here could give him the opportunity to patch things up with Rome if the stars aligned and their visits lined up.
I scrubbed a hand over my face. No doubt I was overthinking shit.
My phone chirped. I looked over and saw an alert from my baby monitor app. Smiling, I thumbed the app open and heard my daughter’s babbling. Someone was up again. Despite the dim lighting, I could see Zoe still in bed, talking to her bunny.
Everything else in my life might be a dumpster fire, but I would do anything for her.
I stood up from my desk and was on my way to my office door when I heard another voice join Zoe’s.
Briar.
“Did you have a good nap?” Briar murmured, her voice low and calm.
“Bunny!” Zoe squealed, holding her stuffed pet out to Briar.
My heart stuttered in my chest. Zoe had accepted Briar in her life without a qualm. Like it was normal for someone she’d only seen twice before walking into her room.
The guilt almost ate me alive. Her life had been so chaotic when it should be anything but. Thirteen nannies in the small time since her mom died. And that didn’t even include the chaos we’d been living in when Ariel had been here. I tried like hell to not remember those few months. I was just thankful that Zoe wouldn’t have to bury those memories—she’d never remember her selfish, greedy, irresponsible mother.
“Are you hungry, peanut?” Briar asked on the video feed. “Or thirsty? Let’s get you some water and a snack, then see what fun we can get up to in the playroom.”
Zoe babbled something then held out her arms for Briar to pick her up. I held my breath as I watched Briar easily picked up my daughter and carried her out of the room, asking Zoe about numbers as they went.
Zoe needed normalcy. A calm and steady woman in her life. So far, all signals were pointing to Briar being that person.
But I was afraid to let myself hope.
I’d already been burned so many times before.
Chapter Five
Three days later
