Trevor
The only thing better than having a nanny who could prevent the house from being burned down? Other kids.
A miracle had taken place at that barbecue.
My kids ran off with the littler kids and neighbor kids, and cousins of friends, and honestly, at that point even if it was a complete stranger and their kids, I was okay with it. Especially if it made Eric laugh.
And that was exactly what was happening.
We were at Dani and Linc’s beach house, which just so happened to have Jaymeson and Pris right next door, and on the other side was a family recently moved in from Seattle.
They had five kids under the age of seven.
And they were having a birthday party with live reptiles, which meant all three of my kids disowned me and ran over to join.
I exhaled probably for the first time in an hour and watched as one of Alec and Demetri’s security detail slowly made their way over to the group and stood.
“You always keep him around?” I asked once Alec approached me. Tattoos lined his arms. He was a few years younger than me, but that meant shit in this industry. He and his brother had gone through a lot in the last few years. The fact that he was semi-unscathed was shocking.
He took a sip of water. “Yeah well, ever since Ella turned two we’ve been hounded by enough photographers to land me in prison and since Nat’s pregnant again, I figured better safe than sorry, plus he’s all bark no bite.”
I followed his gaze.
The guy looked like he ate small children for breakfast. No smile. No hair. Enough muscles protruding from his body to look lethal. “Yeah, I guess I’ll take your word for it.”
Eric decided to choose that moment to grab the iguana and shove it in his face.
The security guy didn’t even flinch.
“See?” Alec laughed. “He’ll take care of them, plus the property’s all gated. Enjoy the barbecue and the free time.”
“Free time,” I repeated. “What’s that again?”
“A unicorn I can never seem to trap.” Alec laughed just as his brother walked over with a shit-eating grin on his face. “I’m almost afraid to ask.”
“Oh, you’re fine.” He turned his smirk on me. “You, on the other hand, are completely screwed.”
“Now I’m afraid to ask,” I grumbled. “Don’t you have someone else to pester?”
Demetri laughed, his dimples showing on both sides as his messy blond hair fell over his tan face. “Actually no, I’m all free. The wife is with the rest of the wives in the kitchen talking with HN.”
“Hot Nanny,” Alec said helpfully in a low whisper.
“Got that,” I said in a short voice. “Are you guys really that bored?”
“Yes,” they said in unison.
“You’re like the shiny new toy we get to make fun of and drown in the ocean, you’re welcome.” Demetri laughed just as Zane walked over, as promised, completely shirtless. The guy was labeled walking talking sex, and he oozed it everywhere he went—and often. Bastard.
“Can someone get him a shirt?” I mumbled as Zane flashed me a cheeky grin and winked. “NOW?”
“I’m good, Dad, thanks though.” Zane crossed his arms. “So, HN is here, I had my phone ready to record your expression, but the girls confiscated it the minute they saw me smile.”
“Color me shocked,” Alec said dryly.
Zane flipped him off. “All right.” He patted me on the back. “Remember, she’s the nanny, that means hands off, yeah? She’s teaching the next generation, under your protection, you’re paying her to—”
“Holy shit,” I muttered as Penelope walked out the sliding glass door with wine in one hand.
My mouth went completely dry.
Her tan legs went on for miles.
Her shorts were almost indecently short, or maybe it just felt indecent because I couldn’t stop staring at all the tan skin.
Short, worn, brown cowboy boots added to the effect. Her white blouse was unbuttoned, revealing a teal swimsuit top, and a few necklaces danced between her breasts like they couldn’t help but move against her supple skin. And her hair…
Down.
Her hair was down.
Under waves and waves of lush shots of brown, orange, and whiskey-colored strands—a smile peeked through at me, and then a small wave with her free hand.
“Say it with me.” Zane wrapped an arm around me. “Off. Limits.”
“Good, Zane.” Demetri laughed. “Just wave a flag in front of a bull, why don’t you? That’s the easiest way to get—ohhhhh…” He nodded. “I see what you’re doing. Carry on.”
“Huh?” I looked back and forth between them. “What?”
“It’s been too long.” This time it was Alec that piped up. “You need to move on.”
“Thanks, Dr. Phil.” I gripped the beer bottle in my hand so tight I was surprised it didn’t break in half, and then Drew chose that moment to walk up to Penelope and wrap an arm around her. Something he said made her laugh.
“She used to have a poster of us in her room,” I blurted. “She said Drew was her favorite.”
“Glorious Day!” Zane burst out laughing. “Then I suggest you start practicing with those handy drumsticks, because he’s about one more joke away from touching a necklace and oh shit he’s good.”
My eyes widened as Drew picked up one of her necklaces and leaned in, inches from her face. She laughed again.
“I’ve never been so happy to be married,” Alec announced. “That guy’s lethal. No wonder the band broke up and Will got all pissed back in the day. He could charm the pants off a—”
“Stop,” I said, gritting my teeth and running my hands through my hair.
“Well, off you go!” Demetri slapped me on the ass just as Linc made his way over, hands up.
“I saw nothing.”
I flipped him off and passed Jaymeson as he manned the grill with Alec’s wife; they were arguing over a movie. The closer I got to them the more irritated I became.
And I was in stunned disbelief that Drew would flirt with Penelope after my warning. What the hell was he thinking?
“Hey.” My voice actually cracked. I inwardly punched myself in the dick and forced a cool smile. “Drew, Will just got here, he wanted to talk about some of the tracks.”
Drew’s grin was slow, steady. “Oh, yeah? Shouldn’t you be there too? Since you’re producing our next album? Plus I thought I saw Ty walk in and there he is.” He waved our third bandmate over.
Ty swaggered in our direction. In ways he reminded me of Zane. He hated clothes and loved women.
All women.
All the time.
“Who’s this?” He winked down at Penelope and then reached for her hand.
“DADDY!” Bella screamed.
Moment shattered, I turned in the direction of her voice and sprinted. One of the giant lizards had somehow managed to crawl over her lap and trap her.
The reptile handler was in the process of pulling the harmless creature away when I reached her side. The security guard tried helping her to her feet, which I assumed was the reason she began to scream “stranger danger nine-one-one.” Thanks, Penny.
I pulled her into my arms and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Are you okay, baby?”
“Yeah.” She sniffled as giant alligator tears ran down her puffy cheeks. “I gots scared and then Eric didn’t help me. Aren’t brothers supposed to help?”
Eric was pale next to Malcom, who looked like he was ready to puke.
The lizard had been huge; they were probably scared too.
“That’s why you have a daddy,” I answered in a hoarse voice. “So that when your brothers get scared too, I’m here. I’ll always be here, all right?”
“You keep me safe.” She sniffled again. “Right, Daddy?”
God, my heart was breaking in half.
How was I supposed to do this?
Navigate this life? Keep them safe? From everything? From things that weren’t supposed to hurt them—like their own mother?
“Of course he does,” came a familiar voice.
And then Bella was reaching for Penelope, and I was letting my little girl go into her arms as she rocked her back and forth. “That’s what family does, we protect one another, we love one another, and when scary things happen, it’s not because your daddy lets them happen or your brothers, sometimes they just…do, but that’s why it’s so important to be brave and strong, all right?”
Bella nodded then put her sticky hands on Penelope’s cheeks. “Are you brave and strong, Penny?”
I didn’t miss the tears in Penny’s eyes as she nodded and then slowly said, “I try very hard, but you know what makes me feel brave and strong?”
Bella shook her head.
“You.” They touched foreheads. “Because look! That lizard was like two of you! And you did the right thing. You yelled for your daddy. You only cried a little bit and now, now we can have cake, right?”
“Cake!” Bella squeezed her neck.
Penny let her down as all the kids started running toward the picnic table. It was only a few feet away from the fence to the backyard barbecue. All the kids gathered around the table singing, leaving me and Penny alone with the reptiles, a keeper, and a worried-looking security guard.
I wasn’t sure why I did it.
Maybe one day it would occur to me not to just act on impulse when it came to women.
But I grabbed her hand.
I squeezed it.
I didn’t let go.
And neither did she.
I wasn’t sure how long we stood like that, hand in hand, watching the kids eat cake like it was the most interesting thing on the planet.
But we did.
Two adults.
Two very different worlds.
United by one very similar love.
My children.