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“I get it too,” Liam says. “Crew may not be mine biologically, but I love him like my own. My life is so much better with him and Skylar in it.”
“You guys are just lovesick. Don’t listen to them,” Brett intervenes. “Tap the nanny. Enjoy yourself.”
As usual, Kaleb sits quietly listening and Matt agrees with Brett.
“My situation is complicated. I also have Syd’s mom to worry about. She got engaged. She wants to come out to New York to introduce her fiancé to Syd. She hasn’t spent any meaningful amount of time with her in years. Even when we left Canada, Syd spent the weekend with her and her parents and it was a big mess. This whole situation with the fiancé has me feeling on edge.”
“Do you think she’ll eventually want custody?” Wolfe asks.
“I don’t know, but I’d hate for that to happen. Sybil always puts Sybil first. You just can’t be that way when raising a kid,” I say to my friend.
“True that,” Liam chimes in.
“When is she supposed to come to town?” Wolfe asks.
“Not sure yet. She said she was coming, then postponed in true Sybil fashion. Luckily, I didn’t tell Syd.”
“Damn, I don’t get how a parent can be like that,” Liam says. “Even though I know better from personal experience. It’s just now that I have Crew, I can’t help but put him first.”
“Why isn’t anyone focusing or talking about the fact that Ellie is Connor’s nurse?” Brett redirects. “Tell us what is involved with your treatment.” He somehow keeps a straight face when he makes that comment.
The front door opens, and Ellie comes in with Syd.
“Hi there, Sydney,” Evan says.
Syd gives Liam a high five since she is used to playing with his son, Crew. She also gives Wolfe a high five since she knows his son, little Liam. The other guys try to get her to high-five them, but they all get rejected.
Syd jumps on to the arm of the recliner and I lean over to give her a kiss on the cheek.
Ellie walks into the main room holding two paper bags of groceries. She’s wearing a pair of slender jeans and a cropped off-white sweater. Brett’s gaze sweeps over her body and I tense. It’s not possible that I’m feeling jealous. Ellie says hi to Wolfe, Evan, and Liam. Kaleb reintroduces himself and so does Brett, but she tells them she remembers them from Focus. I think that is a club the guys have gone to. Matt apparently wasn’t there, and he introduces himself too, but he’s such a flirt. I suddenly want to kick them all out of here.
“I’m going to go get started on dinner,” Ellie says. Then she looks over at Syd. “You want to help me cook?”
Syd nods and hops off the arm of my chair.
When Ellie and Syd are off in the kitchen, Matt’s gaze narrows in on me. “You like her.”
“Would you shut up? I swear sometimes I think you’re a tween,” I joke.
“I saw the way you looked at her,” Evan says. That comment from Evan hits me different for some reason. Maybe because he isn’t like the rest of the single guys on the team. His girlfriend screwed him over and he’s been laying low since.
“I don’t,” I say pointedly.
“Well, I should head home,” Wolfe says. “Glad to see you’re doing okay, Donaldson.” He stands and gives my shoulder a tap.
“Thanks for stopping by,” I say to him.
“When you’re ready to leave the house, let me know and we’ll have you and Syd over for a meal,” Wolfe offers, and he stretches.
“Thanks, bro,” I say.
“I should head out too,” Evan says then there is a chain effect. With Liam standing too.
“Let me know if you need any help with the nanny.” Brett winks and laughs.
I give him a pointed glare.
“Just kidding, but honestly, just holler if you need anything,” he says since he lives in the building.
