“Trav!” Cody pushes him. “Get out of here.”
“Looks like you’re sitting with me.” Isaiah pats the empty seat next to him again for me to sit.
Wordlessly, Kai slides a large hand around my waist, pulling me into a row behind them all. “You’re with me, Montgomery.”
I like the way that sounds far too much. Almost as much as I’m enjoying the way his arm feels heavy and possessive around my waist.
“Fine. Then I get Max.” Isaiah holds his hands out for his nephew, who essentially catapults his body to get to him. “Am I your favorite person ever?”
Max giggles, showcasing his baby teeth.
Cody slips into the aisle. “Maxie! I thought I was your favorite.”
“Bug!” another player calls out. “I missed you!”
The team surrounds Isaiah’s seat, entirely entranced by Kai’s son, and I couldn’t be happier to see how much these guys love him.
It’s an odd situation, having a baby travel with a team of professional athletes. The hours are tough, the road can be an escape for some guys, and I know the organization has changed a lot of the travel schedule to cater to the Rhodeses. In a short time, I feel oddly protective of that little guy, and seeing this team fawn over him instantly does something to my chest.
The back of the airplane is clearly for Max. A crib is anchored into the floor with black-out curtains pushed against the fuselage, ready to pull around him while he sleeps. And he even has his own play area on the opposite side of the aisle.
The Warriors really did go all out to make this work.
“This is our spot.” Kai gestures to the row behind his brother, one side empty, the other with a carrier strapped into the aisle seat. “Max is pretty good about sleeping on the flights. If it’s a day flight, this is his play area.” Kai motions to the empty spot across from the crib. “Don’t feel like you need to hang out with him on the plane. I’ll be with him and if I need to go over film with the coaches or something like that, Isaiah can watch him.”
“But I like watching him.”
Kai’s attention darts to me. “Okay. I just don’t want to burn you out on him.”
“I don’t feel that way at all. I like spending time with him.”
Kai doesn’t say anything, simply looks at me with a softness I’ve only seen him wear around his son. “Okay.”
“Please take your seats. The boarding door is closing.” The flight attendant’s voice booms over the PA system.
Isaiah goes to hand his nephew over, but Kai motions to the carpeted aisle floor.
“Put him on his feet. Let’s see if he wants to get some steps in.” Kai gets down on his haunches and holds out his hands, hoping Max will take his first steps in order to reach him.
Instead, Max grips the armrest as if his life depended on it before falling back. It’s clearly his naptime, because Max isn’t much of a crier, but as soon as he hits the ground, he begins to wail.
“All right, Bug,” Kai says, picking him up to soothe him. “We’ll get it next time.”
He bounces him, rubbing his back until Max sucks in enough air to calm himself down. It only takes a few minutes, and once the crying stops, Kai gets him strapped in his carrier for takeoff before sliding into the empty seat beside it. I take the free row opposite them with a perfect view to watch the baseball player smile down at his kid, Max looking equally in love, staring up at his dad with tired and teary eyes.
Kai brings his son’s hand to his lips, peppering kisses on his palm, finally pulling a sweet giggle from the typically happy boy.
I’ve never thought about having kids before, but I’d be shocked to find a woman whose ovaries aren’t doing all sorts of cartwheels watching Kai Rhodes know exactly what to do to make his son feel better.
Chapter 11
Kai
As soon as my brother is settled in my room, I softly close the hotel door behind me, hoping not to wake Max. I almost knocked on the door between my room and Miller’s to ask her to watch him for one more hour before calling it a night, but when I had gotten back from my game, she was nose deep in her cookbooks and laptop, searching for inspiration, I’m sure.
Last week, after she told me about her job, I googled her name. Surprisingly, I hadn’t done that before. I suppose because she’s Monty’s daughter and I already knew she was more than I could handle, I didn’t think there was much more for me to find.
I was wrong.
The Internet was littered with her name. Impressive isn’t a strong enough word to describe Miller Montgomery’s career. Her accomplishments are unheard of for someone her age. She’s been featured in articles, won prestigious awards, worked under some of the biggest names in her industry before becoming one herself. But it was the pictures that shocked me more than anything. Her in a crisp white chef’s coat, hair in a slicked back bun. No nose ring, tattoos covered. She was hardly recognizable from the girl I met in the elevator just weeks ago.