“I know nothing,” Monty says, plugging his ears before tossing a quick kiss on his daughter’s head and ducking into the adjoining office.
“Kenny, you coming?” Isaiah’s voice holds so much hope.
“No.”
“Cool. Cool.” He looks up to Miller. “Hot Nan—”
His eyes meet mine, and I don’t even have to say anything for him to know that if he finishes that sentence, I’ll kick his ass.
“Miller,” he corrects. “You in?”
Miller’s attention darts to me. “Are you going?”
I nod towards my son, letting that speak for me.
She turns back to my brother. “I think I’m going to stay back.”
I like the idea of that far too much, that she wants to stay in because we are. But she’s twenty-five years old and I’m sure this summer away from work is nothing like she had envisioned. The last thing I want is for her to resent us.
“You should go. All you’ve done this summer is chase around my fifteen-month-old.” I nod towards my brother. “This wouldn’t be much different.”
“Fuck you very much.” He adds two middle fingers for dramatic effect.
Max laughs at his uncle.
“Great,” I deadpan. “Can’t wait for him to add fuck to his limited vocabulary.”
“That’s okay. I’ll help you get Max down for the night,” Miller says.
“I got him. You should go.”
“Listen to Ace,” Travis pipes up. “You should come out with us, Miller.”
My head jerks in his direction, not liking the way he said her name, all soft and wistful like that. Travis is a good guy, a good teammate, but I don’t need him talking to Max’s nanny that way. I don’t need him looking at her like that either, as if she might be the prettiest girl he’s ever seen.
She is, but he shouldn’t be noticing.
My attention then finds my brother, wearing the most devilish smile on his face.
What the hell is that look for?
Miller turns back to me. “You sure you don’t mind?”
Fuck.
I swallow down the regret. “Yeah.”
“Kennedy,” she says. “Are you sure you don’t want to go?”
Kennedy hesitates, which is surprising. She’s never once gone out with the team, not wanting to blur the lines between work and fun. Something not a single one of the men on staff has ever had to worry about.
“I’m going to pass,” she eventually decides. “Thanks for the invite though.”
Isaiah scoffs. “I always invite you and you never thank me for the offer.”
Kennedy completely ignores him.
“You’re going too, Ace,” Monty says, strolling out of his office. “I’ve been wanting to hang out with this little guy and tonight seems like the perfect opportunity.”
“Nah, it’s cool. I’m going to head back with him.”
Monty lifts his brows as if he were silently reminding me of the conversation we had earlier today.
Find the balance. Enjoy it while you still have it.
I look from him to his daughter.
There’s a naughty tilt to her lips. “You should come.”
I choke on my own saliva because Miller is fucking Miller and said that with so much innuendo, it’d be impossible not to pick up on the alternate meaning.
“Fucking gross,” Monty mutters.
“Let’s stop cussing in front of my kid.”
“Yeah, stop fucking cussing, Monty,” Isaiah calls out.
Monty shoots him a dangerous look.
“I mean . . . you should say whatever you’d like, sir.”
My coach takes my son from me. “I’m hanging out with Max tonight whether or not you go out and have some fun.”
Watching my kid fully content with the man who has adored him since he came into my life, I look back to Miller. Her green eyes are lifted and expectant, waiting for my answer.
For once, I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything because I got to have him nearby all day. I don’t feel guilty for wanting to go have fun with my teammates. The only guilt I have is due to my coach’s daughter occupying a bit too much of my brain space lately.
“Okay,” I say, looking right at her. “I’ll come.”
That sly smile lifts.
“Let’s go!” Cody pipes in. “Daddy is coming out! Fucking finally!”
There’s a shit ton of noise and cheers, being far too hyped for a team that just lost the final game of a road series, but I haven’t been out with the boys since last summer.