He chuckles, but it’s watery and choked.
“All those times I asked you to come to me first, it’s not because I thought you weren’t worthy of asking that of my daughter. It’s because I was looking out for you. Miller has this intense need to be the best at what she does even if it’s not something she loves all that much, and I wanted to have this conversation before you put your heart on the line. Kai, she might not stay, but I can promise if she goes, it’s not because of you. You need to understand that.”
I exhale a long breath. “I’ve noticed that about her, her need to be the best. Like she finds her worth in checkmarks and achievements.”
“Yeah,” he says. “Has she ever told you what that’s about?”
“Not explicitly, but I have a feeling it has to do with how you two became a family. I think there’s some residual guilt there. As if she feels at fault for taking you away from the life you were living at the time her mom died.”
Monty nods, keeping his eyes out on the field and not on me. He clears his throat. “Yeah, I’ve had a hunch that’s what was going on. We’ve talked about it, but I don’t think she’s ever truly understood that nothing about our situation was a sacrifice.”
Finding Max and Miller again, I watch as my son lays on her shoulder, delicately tracing the ink where her too-big jersey is hanging off.
“Do you love her?” Monty asks.
“I do. Very much so.”
“She might break your heart.”
“I’ll love her anyway.”
“I know you will.”
“I mean.” I pop my shoulders. “At times, I still think she’s way too fucking much.”
“Right? The things that come out of that girl’s mouth? Who the hell raised her?”
A laugh spreads between us, the emotional moment put on pause as we watch my son and his daughter together.
Monty exhales a contented sigh. “Just know that I loved her first.”
I nod. “And I’ll love her always.”
To the left of me, Kennedy comes bounding up the dugout stairs with none other than Dean Cartwright on her heels. I’d instantly be thrown off if any member of an opposing team walked through our dugout, but Dean of all people? Every one of my senses is on high alert.
I don’t like the guy, but he’s never done anything to me personally. However, he went at my brother for years while we were growing up, and after our mom died, I did everything I could to protect Isaiah.
Dean went to a rival high school and slept with any girl he learned my brother was dating, which gave Isaiah a real fucked-up complex when it came to relationships, never once having a committed partner who didn’t cheat on him. He constantly talked shit to him on the field, and though my brother likes to pretend he’s unaffected, the truth is, to his core, Isaiah is sensitive.
Therefore, I’ve spent years keeping Dean away from him unless we’re playing against Atlanta, as we are this weekend. Anyone who creates an issue with my brother is automatically an issue for me.
“What do you think you’re doing here?” I ask, popping off the dugout railing.
Dean wears the most annoying smirk as he turns my way.
“Game is tomorrow, Cartwright.” Travis steps up. “You’re not welcome here.”
“Yes, he is,” Kennedy says. “What is wrong with you guys? It’s Family Day.”
“Exactly,” Isaiah calls out. “He shouldn’t be here.”
Dean turns on my brother and that annoying smirk morphs into a Cheshire Cat-like grin. Knowing and pompous. He takes a step closer to Kennedy, which has my brother seeing red.
Isaiah takes quick, fluid steps towards the two of them, but I intercept, hands on his chest to keep him back.
“Get the fuck away from her,” he seethes over my shoulder.
Kennedy’s eyes are narrowed in confusion. “Why are you acting like this?”
“Yeah, Isaiah.” Dean slings an arm over Kennedy’s shoulder. “Why are you acting like this?”
“Get your filthy fucking hands off her or I swear to God—”
“Stop acting like a deranged caveman,” Kennedy chastises. “He’s allowed to be here. Dean is my stepbrother. Chill out.”
I swear the entire stadium goes silent at those words. My brother’s body is frozen under my arm as my eyes lock with Miller’s across the way.
“Stepbrother?” Miller asks. “So, your sister is . . .”
“Yes,” Dean agrees. “My sister is the heartless bitch. I’m Team Kennedy, so don’t worry about that.”
Miller’s lips curve into a smile and I’m not positive what that’s all about, but I’m sure she’ll tell me later.
“Kenny,” my brother whines. “Please tell me this is some sick joke.”
“You’re so dramatic. It’s not a joke. Dean’s dad and my mom got married when we were in high school. So be nice. It’s Family Day.”
“Yeah, Isaiah.” Dean shoots my brother a wink. “Be nice. It’s Family Day.”
Chapter 34
Miller
“Are you okay?” I find Isaiah with a bowl of pretzels in his lap, sitting and sulking by himself in the dugout while Family Day continues on the field.
“No.”
Taking the seat on the bench next to him, I pop a pretzel in my mouth. “You can’t blame her for being somewhat related to the guy.”
“I don’t blame her for anything. She’s a literal angel who can do no wrong in my eyes, but I can blame her mother for having terrible taste in men and marrying who I can only assume is the devil, seeing as Dean Cartwright is Satan’s spawn himself.”
I fall forward in laughter.
“It’s not funny, Miller. This is the worst possible scenario.”
“Nah. It could be worse.”
He scoffs. “How the hell could anything be worse than Kenny being related to Dean motherfucking Cartwright?”
“They could’ve been sleeping together, so I count ‘stepbrother’ as a win.”
Isaiah’s brown eyes widen as I watch the realization flash through his mind. “Oh my God, you’re right.”
Feet dangling off the bench, I snag a few more pretzels.
“Happy birthday, by the way,” he says, nudging his shoulder into mine.
“Thank you.”
“It’s going to be weird not having you here, traveling with us. All the other nannies have sucked.”
God, I don’t want to think about another nanny. I haven’t even asked Kai what his plan for childcare is once I go, mostly because there’s no part of me that wants to picture someone else in my place.
“Do you . . .” I begin. “Does he know who is going to replace me?”
“No one yet. The trainers and some of the staff have figured out a schedule to help Kai for the rest of the season so he doesn’t have to bring someone else on quite yet. And depending how deep we go into the playoffs, we only have a month or so of baseball left at best.”
I quickly nod. “That sounds . . . good.”
He swings an arm over my shoulder. “You’re irreplaceable, Miller. No one else will ever be the Hot Nanny.”
My chest rumbles in a silent laugh. “Always the charmer, Isaiah Rhodes.”
“How are you holding up?”
“Not great.”
“I assume you’re a mess over leaving me and it has nothing to do with my brother or nephew.”
“You’re charming and brilliant now? You really are becoming a whole new man.”
He chuckles. “Do you think you’ll be back to visit soon?”
His question holds so much hope, and I know that hope is strictly for his older brother.
“I don’t think so. Work keeps me busy, and at this point I have sixteen kitchens I’m scheduled to consult for. That’s four years of bookings.”
“Four years?” His tone is filled with shock. “Hell, I don’t know what I’m even doing in four days, let alone in four years.”
When I first opened my schedule to consultation services, I wanted every booking I could get. I didn’t have much family or friends I was worried about penciling in. I had my attention laser focused on being the best, but now the lack of free time, the lack of a social life sounds dreadful.