12
The doorbell rang and Sloan felt like she was gonna throw up. Two hours max. She had to be in Drew’s company for no more than two hours and then she could go a few more months without seeing him face to face.
“Avery, that’s your daddy. Will you go let him in please?”
“Okay,” she said with medium enthusiasm.
“Thank you.” Both girls had asked more than once if it was completely necessary to spend the holiday weekend with their dad. The only thing that convinced them that it would be worth the flight was the reassurance that Drew’s mother was most certainly going to bake them cookies and take them on at least one adventure around Seattle.
“I’m done!” Addison announced, handing Rafe her breakfast bowl. A second later, Avery came shimmying back into the kitchen. Drew was right behind her. Sloan wished she didn’t have a visceral reaction to her ex-husband, but any time she was near him she felt like a trapped and wounded animal. She’d chew her own leg off to get away from him. He was handsome as hell and dressed his ass off, but god he sucked.
“Hi Daddy,” Addison said as she walked over and gave him a hug.
“Hey, A.D..” Addison hated that nickname, which was enough to make her little girl cringe, but then he rubbed the fucking top of her head, against her part? Addison jerked away, smoothing her hair back down and shooting Drew a look that would have earned her a stern talking to from Sloan. In this instance though, Sloan didn’t blame her. And of course it didn’t matter. Drew was staring daggers at Rafe. “You’re the nanny?”
“I am. Rafe Whitcomb.” He reached over the island and held out his hand. Drew shook it with a ridiculously hard tug, but Rafe wasn’t fazed by it.
“Dr. Drew Ballos.”
“Good to meet you.”
“You a Boston boy?” Drew said. Sloan had no idea why Drew was talking like that, like he was about to ask Rafe if they could settle all this—whatever this was—with an arm wrestling match. Rafe had not signed up for whatever imaginary pissing contest Drew seemed intent on. Especially in front of the girls. They were both dead silent, watching their dad react to their nanny. Rafe schooled his features, then answered Drew’s question.
“Yeah. Grew up right outside, but I’ve been out here a while.”
“Oh, so you’re both a long way from home.” Drew gestured between Sloan and Rafe. “That’s something you have in common.”
“Lord Jesus.” Sloan was done. “Girls say goodbye to Rafe while I get your backpacks.”
“Bye Rafe!” They both ran around the island and swarmed him.
“You got your starfishes?” he asked.
“We keep them in our backpacks so we won’t lose them,” Addison said.
“Smart. I’ll see you on Monday?”
“We’ll bring you something from the airport,” Sloan heard Avery say. Rafe let out a little laugh.
“Sounds good.”
She didn’t want to rush them, but they needed to get over to the school and she wanted to get this hellish experience with Drew over with. “Rafe, keys to my car are on the hook.”
“Sounds good.”
“You’re letting him drive your Benz?” Drew asked.
“Yes. I forgot I made an appointment to get it serviced today instead of tomorrow. He’s doing me a favor. Why don’tweget going?” Sloan said. She’d stab Drew one day and she’d enjoy doing it. Especially after he looked back at Rafe and kept fucking talking.
“I heard you ride a motorcycle.”
“Yeah. I have one.”
“What kind?” Drew asked like he knew a fucking thing about motorcycles. He wasn’t even a car guy. He was a boat guy. Boats.
“Ducati Monster. You ride?”
“No fucking way.”
