“Boys, Felix is here,” I shout from the kitchen as I hear the lock on the front door open with a key.
“Yeah!” they yell back in chorus as they come running from their rooms.
“Hey, why don’t I get that kind of reception when I get home?” I smile at how happy they are with their manny.
“Because you’re boring.” Felix laughs as he walks into the kitchen with the boys jumping up and down behind him.
“Harsh, buddy,” I reply as I make myself a coffee in a to-go cup. School breaks take it out of me when I don’t get a breather from the kids to rest during the day and then I’m at work all night.
“No, silly.” Kade looks up at Felix like he hangs the moon, but this time he doesn’t agree with his comment. “It’s because we’re asleep when you get home.”
It makes my heart swell a little that at least he doesn’t think I’m a boring dad. I might almost kill myself trying to makesure they have a great life, but it’s totally worth it for the little moments like this.
“See, Felix, I’m not boring,” I brag.
“That’s not what he said,” Felix replies with that smartass attitude he has. I think it’s part of the reason he loves working with kids. The playful banter keeps things fun.
“Remind me again why I keep you around?” I place my coffee with my phone and keys on the counter and walk over to Kade and Nash, while Felix plonks his backpack on the counter and laughs at me.
“So you don’t make the same mistake with another female nanny.” He winks at me, but his words hit a sore point.
“Not a mistake,” I growl, and he throws his hands in the air, like he’s surrendering from me about to tear strips off him. “And I should never have told you that.” But he was right, in a way. A male nanny was the perfect solution to keep me from constantly comparing the new nanny to Poppy. That woman wrecked me in all the best ways but then left me longing for what I had been missing out on. Sex with Poppy was so freaking good, and I tried to tell myself that’s all it was. That she woke up my sex drive again. But the truth is, deep down, she flicked a switch in me that had been turned off since Lucinda died.
For the first time I want more for myself again. But the shit thing is that she’s not here to explore that feeling any further.
“Well, then don’t come home from work and pull out the top-shelf port and expect me to let you drink alone. We both talked way too much that night.” And I can’t help it, I start laughing loudly.
“Man, that was one hell of a hangover the next day, and I’m still blaming you.” I point at him, and he shakes his head and points his finger back at me.
“Whatever,” I reply and crouch down in front of the boys.
“Remember to finish the cards for Mrs. B’s birthday tonight. We’ll take them over with the present tomorrow and take her out for a nice lunch. Okay?” They both nod enthusiastically at me.
Wrapping them both in my arms and hugging them tight will never get old. I hope they’ll still let me hug them when they get older. I know how much I craved that from my parents when I was growing up.
“Love you both and see you in the morning.” I then give a little wriggle of my fingers in their sides that has them giggling.
“Daddy!” Kade squeals more than Nash because he’s more ticklish.
“I’m waiting.” I keep going, and they’re squirming more now.
“We love you to the end of the rainbow,” Nash says, and Kade is too busy trying to stop laughing. I let Nash loose and then place Kade over my shoulder and stand up straight again.
“I don’t think I heard you, Kade.” He’s kicking his legs like crazy and banging his fists into my back as he hangs upside down.
“I love… rainbows.” He gets a few words out, but that’s enough. Placing him back down on his feet, he’s all red in the face from laughing so much.
“Okay, Dad has to go, be good for Felix.” I kiss them both on the tops of their heads and grab my things, ready to make my way to the car.
“Always, right guys?” Felix says. “Now who wants to go out to the backyard and play some football?”
The cheers are loud, and the boys are gone in a flash, the sliding back door banging at the end of the track as they open it so hard.
“Thanks, buddy. I’ll message you when I’m leaving the bar like usual,” I call over my shoulder as I open the door to the garage.
“No probs,” Felix yells, as he’s already following after the boys. The man is not stupid. He knows an hour of football means bedtime will be so much easier.
Settling into my Cadillac for the drive to the bar, a bit of light jazz music playing through the speakers, I can’t help but think what a godsend Felix has been. When I found out he was looking for night work, it was like everything fell into place.
