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I packed her a small bag of her favorite toys, even though Mom kept a bunch at her place, too. My parents’ home was large and on a single-acre lot with the mountains in the background. My father built it when we were young.
When we arrived, I helped Maggie down from my large truck, and she raced toward the house, knowing someone would be there to open the door for her. I followed more slowly, carrying her glittery-pink backpack.
My oldest brother, Mac, opened the door for Maggie.
“There’s my favorite girl!” Mac exclaimed as he picked her up to give her a smacking kiss on her forehead. She giggled, squirming until he put her down, and then raced toward the kitchen where she knew she’d find my parents, who doted on her.
When Mac saw me, he crossed his arms over his chest. “You don’t need to come in. You can just leave Maggie with us.”
“Not likely,” I said, used to the ribbing. The running joke with my brothers was that they adored my daughter and could do without my grumpy ass.
Mac raised his brow. “A pink backpack?”
I lifted it. “One day, this is going to happen to you too.”
He finally stepped aside so I could enter. “I’m just happy to dote on my favorite niece. I don’t need any kids of my own.”
“Mmm,” I said as I made my way to the noise in the kitchen.
My father built a dream kitchen for my mother. The centerpiece was the large gourmet island where we always stood. He’d even added a bump-out for the long table that was surrounded by windows, with a view of the mountains. It was large enough that it felt spacious, even with all of us present.
I kissed my mother on the cheek, and she said, “You need to visit more often.”
“More often than family dinner night?” I asked lightly.
“You rarely come,” she chided softly.
“I like to keep Maggie to myself.” We’d discussed my reluctance to miss any time I had with Maggie. I worked long hours, and I wanted as much one-on-one time as I could get.
“Maybe I could take her one day a week or something to get my Maggie fix.”
“That can probably be arranged after the new nanny settles in.”
“Another one? What happened to the last one?” Mom asked as she turned to pull the casserole dish out of the oven.
I leaned on the counter next to my dad. “She wasn’t showing up for work on time. You know I need to be at the job site early.”
Dad raised a brow. “Will this one be any better?”
“I offered her a room so that she’d be there when Maggie wakes up.”
The conversation around us died down. Maggie sat at the table with my middle brother, Tyler, who was coloring with her. Mac was filling water glasses.
“You have a live-in nanny?” Tyler, looked up from Maggie’s coloring book.
“Alice. She moves in tomorrow.” I tensed, waiting for the comments.
“How well do you know this woman?” Mac asked, ever the protective eldest brother.
“She’s Elle Carmichael’s sister. The woman who owns the barber shop, Smoke & Mirrors.”
“I didn’t know Elle had a sister.” Tyler was the most outgoing of the three of us. He had an easy way about him that attracted women to him.
“I think she keeps to herself. She moved here about three years ago and lived with Elle and Gray to take care of their daughter, Amelia, who’s the same age as Maggie.”
Mom smiled as she looked up from cutting a loaf of bread. “Maybe they can have playdates.”
My brothers and I ate alone, so when we were all over for dinner, Mom made large quantities of food designed to fill us up.
