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“What are the chances everyone would be gone at the same time? The beauty of living in a Manhattan Beach gated cul-de-sac, on the same street as your cousins is you always have back-up babysitters.”
“Good thing I’m only a five-minute ride away, so I’m not too far when the Halsey brothers can’t watch Noni. You know I’ll never say no to babysitting my favorite niece.” I wink at her. That earns me a huge grin. “That’s what makes me the best uncle in the world,” I say, puffing my chest out.
“Uncle Beckett, you’re the bestest and my most favorite uncle ever!” my biggest fan says.
“Make sure she gets a bath,” Holt says. “She’s going to be covered in sugar by the time she’s ready for bed. Luna will need one tomorrow.”
“Got it!”
“Don’t forget, she has ballet tomorrow morning and music lessons in the afternoon. You already know Saturday night is movie night.”
“I do. Pizza?”
Holt runs a hand through his brown hair. “Noni is currently obsessed with charcuterie and cheese boards.”
“Fancy palate for a tiny human.”
“Tell me about it. I need to cut her off Food Network.”
Right. She has you wrapped around her little pinkie finger.
“Since we’re away, I won’t fight her on it,” Holt tells me. “All the ingredients are in the fridge. You have French baguettes in the freezer.”
“Copy that.”
“You decide what you want to do on Sunday morning, and in the afternoon, she’ll go play with her friends on the street with Luna.”
“I can handle that,” I say.
“Don’t forget, on Monday morning you have to drive her to school. Her nanny will pick her up in the afternoon.”
“I won’t,” I tell him. “I left the Alfa Romeo at home for that reason.”
I didn’t buy my Mercedes-Benz G 550 Luxury SUV for my niece, but it comes in handy when I have to be her chauffeur.
“I’ll be back from New York by Monday, early evening.”
“I got it covered,” I say.
I have no idea how Holt keeps it straight while running a successful recording label on his own. Rhys has been gone for a few days, and already, I feel the pressure. And I don’t even have to worry about tiny princesses—human or canine ones.
There’s a honk outside.
“That’s my ride,” Holt says. “I have to go.”
“Love you, Daddy!”
My brother lowers himself to his daughter’s height and wraps her in his arms.
“Love you, too, Noni.”
“What about Luna?”
Holt rubs his dog’s head. “Love you, too, Luna. Be good,” he says to Noni.
“I promise, Daddy! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” She plants a big kiss on his cheek with dramatic sound effect and all.
Holt stands up. “Thanks again,” he says. “I owe you.”
