AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His gaze darts from the TV to her. “Yep! My dad says I’m a great helper. Did you see all my Lego sets in my room?”
“Just really quick. Did you want to show them to me?” Violet asks.
He bounds up off the couch. “Yeah, come on. I’ll show you my favorites.”
Violet glances at me as if for permission, and I nod.
We watch them leave the room, then Hannah turns to me. “Well? Spill.”
Shit. I knew she knew. I swallow hard. “Spill what?”
She stands from the couch. “What do you think of Violet? Think you can live with her for a few months?”
I exhale because Hannah has no idea what a loaded question that is, but relief swamps me. At least she didn’t pick up on anything weird between me and the new nanny. “She seems nice. Theo obviously likes her and that’s what’s most important.”
“Yeah, while you were showing her around, he was telling me all the things he wants to show her and do with her.” Tears fill her eyes and she sniffles.
“Hey, what is it?” I sit next to her.
She blinks a few times to clear her tears. “Maybe I should decline the job offer. A few months is a long time to be away from him.”
“Hey…” I take her upper arms in my hands. “It’s not that long. This is a great opportunity for you, Han. Theo will be fine. You’ll still talk to him practically every day, and one day, he’ll be proud to know that his mom was off helping people who really needed it. You’re doing a good thing.”
“But what if he resents me because I’m gone so long?”
I squeeze her arms. “He won’t. I’ll make sure he knows what a superstar his mom is.” I dip my head down and smile at her.
A small smile tilts up the corners of her lips. “Thanks, Brady. Though it’ll never be like having a professional football player for a dad.”
I chuckle. “Well, I do have the coolest career ever.” She laughs, but I let the humor fade. “I know it’s useless saying this, but try not to beat yourself up. Theo will be fine. He knows his mom loves him.”
Her face crumples and a fresh set of tears floods her eyes. “I’m going to miss him so much.”
I pull her into a hug and run my hand up and down her back. “It’ll be fine.He’llbe fine, I promise.”
She sniffles and squeezes me harder.
“Mommy, why are you sad?”
Theo’s voice from behind me causes me to pull away from Hannah. I turn to see him and Violet, her eyes wide as she soaks in the scene.
“I’m okay, sweetie,” Hannah says, wiping her eyes.
Theo frowns. “But you’re crying.” He climbs into her lap.
“Mommy is just going to miss you.” Her hands cradle his face and she stares at him for a beat too long. He grows antsy.
“Why don’t you give her a big hug?” I urge him.
Theo wraps his little arms around her and squeezes tightly, his head buried into her neck.
I glance at Violet, who’s looking between Hannah and me. “You guys good here for a bit? I need to run over to my mom and dad’s.”
Hannah looks up from Theo. “Yeah. I was hoping to stick around as long as I could if that’s okay?”
“Hey, I know it’s my day, but why don’t you take Theo to your place for the night?”
Her smile grows wider. “Really? Are you sure?” She stands with him clinging to her like a koala bear.
