shuhaige
40
I planned to eat at least a dozen, so I’d tripled the normal recipe-that way, they’d have leftovers.
“Yeah, well, I appreciate that you hired a nanny,” I replied, glancing up from the bowl.
Watching Eve was oftentimes one of the best parts of my day, but I just couldn’t do it anymore. I needed to dedicate the hours I spent here to school and bar prep. Even though I still didn’t require as much sleep, the tiredness was beginning to creep in.
“Pink!” Eve shouted as I swirled in the dye. “Whoa, it’s sooo pretty.” She dipped her finger into the bowl and quickly licked the batter before I could stop her. “Mmm. Vanilla.” She swallowed. “Daddy, Hannah even got pink sprinkles. It’s gonna be a pink explosion.”
“Hannah spoils you, you lucky girl.” He kissed the top of her head. “Baby, I need you to do something before I leave.”
“Daddy, I’m very busy right now.”
I hid my laugh.
I swore she took after me, not her father.
“This isn’t negotiable,” he told her.
She stomped her knees on the stool in response.
“I need you to go pick up your room. When I walked by a few minutes ago, your books and stuffed animals were everywhere. It’s your job to clean it up, not Hannah’s or mine.”
“But, Daddy-”
He pointed to the ceiling. “March those buns upstairs now, please.”
When she looked at me with melancholy eyes, I said, “Don’t worry, bestie. I’m not going to bake these cupcakes without you. The second you’re done, we’ll pick up right where we left off. Okay?”
“Okaaay.” She stuck out her hand. “But pinkie promise.”
I locked my finger with hers. “I pinkie promise.”NôvelDrama.Org owns all © content.
She wiggled off the stool and took off for the stairs. “I’ll be back!” she shouted as she climbed the large floating staircase.
Ford never had a problem with me picking up his daughter’s room, something that occurred every time I babysat; therefore, I knew he wanted to talk to me.
Once Everly was halfway to the second story, I wiped my hands on a dishrag. “What’s up?”
He grabbed a beer from the fridge, twisting off the cap as he returned to the island, where I was standing. “Just making sure things are good at work. Dominick mentioned Declan has been a little spicier than normal.”
I snorted. “I never said that to Dominick.”
He tossed the metal cap in the trash. “You didn’t need to. We’ve noticed that on our own.”
By we, I assumed he meant him and his brothers.
“Listen, we all know Declan isn’t the warm and fuzzy kind. He’s crass and moody and-”
“Dickish,” I chimed in.
He said, “Mmhmm,” as he took a drink. “That too.” He wiped his mouth. “The other night, when you were watching Eve, I met the guys at the bar, and Declan was there. I gave him one of the chocolate chip cookies that you had made.”
I knew what night he was talking about; it was the same evening that Ford had met Sydney, his new nanny.
Since this story was about Declan, I rolled my eyes. “He texted me from the bar, asking if I’d poisoned the cookie.” I winced, not sure if I wanted to hear the rest of what had happened, but I knew Ford would tell me the truth. “What did he say to you?”
“Well, he was more than pleased with the cookie. He even moaned while he was chewing.”
“God, he’s an asshole.” I held my breath. “But that’s it? That’s really all that was said?”
He rested his arm on my shoulder, a move that was so fatherly. “Aside from some bitching, yes.” He studied my face. “I need to know how you’re feeling about this internship. You haven’t really said much about it to me. Are you hanging in there? Learning? Or are you on the verge of quitting and telling us all to fuck off?”
Whatever I told him, he would never repeat. That was the kind of relationship I had with Ford.
We’d always been the closest. Maybe because he was the youngest and there were only six years between us. Maybe because he was the softest of the three brothers.
Still, this was difficult territory.
Ford and Declan were friends, and Ford was also Declan’s boss.
“I’m loving it. The passion and knowledge I’m gaining from Declan’s team is addictive. They’ve welcomed me in, and I couldn’t be more excited about my future and the opportunities I’ll have once I pass the bar.”
“And Declan?”
Ford had left the question rather ambiguous.
I wondered if he’d done that on purpose.
“He’s challenging.” I exhaled loudly. “In lots of ways.”
Ford leaned his upper body against the counter, cupping his beer. “Talk to me.”
I went over to the fridge and grabbed myself a beer, taking a long sip before I straddled one of the stools. “I’m going to paint you a scenario.”
“All right.”
Why was my brain conjuring up these questions when Declan had been such a bastard to me?
Why, when his words had sliced me open, the wound still fresh and raw, did I want more from him?
Why, when I had proof that he’d been with Madison, was I somehow able to see past that?
I didn’t know.
But what I did know was my knowledge of men was limited, and I didn’t understand the opposite sex at all. Not the way they thought, how they reacted, or how they processed. I couldn’t work through this on my own. I needed help, someone on the inside, and Oaklyn wasn’t that person. Since I couldn’t have this conversation with my brother, that left Ford.