When we don’t move quickly enough, she sing-songs, “Now, Hale. We don’t have all day for dilly-dallying.”
“Bossy ass,” Remi mumbles. “Bro, are you sure she’s not secretly a drill sergeant?” He flew in for my daughter’s birthday party. In fact, he’s never missed a single one, despite living in London for most of them.
“She probably could be,” I reply, eyeballing her table and trying to mimic the angle. Then I eyeball Jordie’s ass in those tight jeans until I feel Remi’s gaze on the side of my face and jerk my eyes away. “Let’s move the coffee table now.”
We each take one side and lift the hefty furniture with dual grunts. “And why are we clearing out everything from your living room?” he asks.
Bumping open the door to the spare room with my butt, I back into the room. “Because Reece wanted a bouncy house, and it’s too cold outside, so Jordie located one made for indoors.” We set down the chunky table beside the couch we moved in there earlier.
Remi wipes his forehead with the back of his arm. “Should have just rented out one of those bounce house event places.”
I grimace. “Yeah, that was my fault. I had the bright idea to do the party here at the house and thought we could put the inflatable outside. I had no idea it was going to get this cold.”
My brother rests his ass on the arm of the couch and crosses his arm, brown eyes lasered onto me. “So what’s going on with you and Jordie?”
Completely avoiding his gaze, I rub my finger over a scratch on the wooden surface of the coffee table. “She’s going to help me out with Reece while Lorraine recovers from her surgery.”
When he doesn’t respond, I risk a glance up at him. “And is she helping Reece’s daddy with things of a more… personal nature?” The apprehensive lift of his dark eyebrows tells me he already knows the answer.
I blow out a sigh. “We’re keeping it on the down low for now. She’s got a lot of stress with football, and she doesn’t want all the scrutiny from the media.”
I expect him to judge me for the age gap. Or for sneaking around. Or for dating when I should be worried about being a father. But Remi surprises me with a simple yet unexpected question. “Does she make you happy?”
I don’t even have to think about it. “Yes, she makes me happier than I could have imagined.” Then I rush to add, “But she never stays overnight when Reece is here. She stays on Tuesday nights and occasionally on a weekend if Reece is having a sleepover with someone in the family.”
Remi holds up both hands. “Dude. No need to get so defensive. I don’t care what you do in your own home.” He tilts his head and regards me with his brown gaze. “Is it serious?”
“Very, and that’s what worries me.” Exhaling a long breath, I shakemy head and try to explain. “I feel selfish. I’m the only parent Reece has, and I don’t want her to feel like she has to share me with someone else.”
My brother offers me a soft smile. “A lot of kids have two parents, Phoenix. That doesn’t mean they receive less love and attention. It multiplies, not divides.”
The tight ball of tension I’ve been carrying around loosens a bit at that. “I haven’t thought of it like that. Maybe you’re right.”
“Of course I am. I can already see Reece adores Jordie, and it seems the feeling is mutual. The woman is facing her first Super Bowl this month, and yet she’s spending her Saturday organizing a five-year-old’s birthday party.”
My lips curve into a smile. “I didn’t even ask her to. Reece was rattling on about her birthday party when Jordie was having dinner with us one night. They started brainstorming, and it just took off from there. Now she’s collaborating with Mom.”
“Hmm,” Remington hums. “Any other concerns?”
I rub the back of my neck. “Jordie is very career driven. Like Beatrice was. I can’t say that doesn’t worry me a little bit.”
Remi lets out a disgusted snort and points toward the living room. “Brother, that woman in there is about the furthest thing from your ex I’ve ever seen. Could you even imagine Bitchy Bettencunt planning a child’s party?”
“No,” I admit, smiling a little at Remi’s nickname for my ex.
“Then chill the fuck out and be happy,” my brother retorts in his signature no-nonsense way. “It’s not like you’re out partying every weekend and bringing home a bunch of random women. You’re like freaking super dad. Have you ever introduced anyone to Reecie?”
Again, I answer with a no. “I just want to make sure I always prioritize my daughter. At the same time, I don’t want to be unfair to Jordie.”
My brother nods. “It’s something I think every parent deals with. Hell, every couple, whether they have kids or not. They have to deal with balancing work and family and relationship stuff. But if she’sworth it?—”
“She is,” I cut in, my heart skipping a couple beats. “I think I’m in love with her.”
Remi’s face splits into a rare, full-on grin. “Hell yeah, man. Good for you.” He waggles his eyebrows. “Sounds like both my brothers have been bitten by the love bug.”
I chuckle. “Helix does seem pretty hooked on Nicolette. I think she’s perfect for him.”
He laughs. “Yeah, they’re both nerdy as fuck. They got into this whole discussion about neurotransmitters last night, and I had no clue what half of it meant.”
