Josh gives me a sidelong glance, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “She’s lucky to have you, man.”
Before I can respond, Josh suddenly raises an eyebrow. “But you wouldn’t mind getting to know Mills better, huh?”
I know exactly where this is going. Josh loves to push my buttons.
I hesitate for a second, then just give him the answer he’s looking for. “Yeah, I would.”
Josh slams on the brakes a little too hard, making me lurch forward in my seat. “Hell yeah, you would! Damn, I’ve been waiting for you to admit it. I think you are good for her. Her ex was such a douchcanoe. Asher, Reuben, and I had to go set him straight. No one messes with our girl.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Her brothers did that?”
Josh nods. “Oh yeah. They were furious. It’s what brothers do, right? Protect their sisters.”
I wonder if her family feels about her working for me. It’s one of those things I haven’t asked about, but it’s suddenly nagging at me.
“Did she tell them about the job? What did her family think?”
Josh’s face softens as he takes a sip of his coffee. “Yeah, she told them. Well, at least her siblings. Let me tell you, her brothers arenothappy. But Millie? She’s a total badass. She put them in their place and even kicked them out of the weekly sibling sleepover. You should’ve seen their faces when she told them they were out for the week. It’s a sacred event for them, but Millie wasn’t playing around.”
So, Millie is not only a sweetheart but a badass who takes shit from no one. Not even her older brothers.
It hits me all at once: Millie’s not just someone who’s sweet and good with kids. She’s strong. Fierce when it matters. The person who sets boundaries and doesn’t flinch when people push back. That kind of quiet courage? It floors me.
The rest of the shift drags. I eat Millie’s mac n' cheese and all but roll my eyes in the back of my head. Next to me, Josh chuckles softly.
I don’t say it out loud, but it tastes like home. Like something I didn’t know I’d been missing.
At around ten-thirty, I send a text to Millie.
Me
Hey just checking in, how are my girls?
Bumper
Aura is good. She is sleeping now. I just fed her and rocked her to sleep. I’m gonna sleep now too.
Me
Sweet dreams, Bumper. Let the bedbugs bite.
I regret it the second I hit send. The teasing. The nickname. All of it feels too soft, too close. But I don’t take it back. And she doesn’t seem to mind.
By the time the shift ends, the sun is just beginning to rise. Josh and I go to the locker room to change and head home.
Driving home after a twelve-hour shift is brutal. The nice thing about living so close to the station is the short commute after a long shift. When I get home, I quietly unlock the door and turn the alarm system off before it wakes up Mille or Aura.
I head to the kitchen to put the container in the dishwasher before going upstairs to check on Aura. I know Millie is with her, but I can’t help but want to see my baby.
I open the door softly and walk into the guest bedroom. Both Millie and Aura are sleeping. When I get close enough, I see Millie has her hand draped across my daughter’s belly to soothe her.
Her breathing is steady, soft, and there’s a peaceful look on her face like she belongs here. Like she’s always belonged here. I stare too long. I know I do. But for one second, I let myself picture this—us—as something more than temporary.
A floorboard creaks, and Millie stirs awake. Her eyes flutter open, confusion flickering across her face when she sees me standing there.
All I can say is, “Hey there, Bumper.”
She smiles, sleepy and soft, and suddenly it feels like the sun is rising twice in this room. Once outside, and once in her eyes.
