I smile at her. “Of course you do. I just didn’t want you to think I forgot it was your turn.”
“Her turn?” Brett asks, turning to Harper with a bemused expression. “What kind of place have you got the kids staying at, Harper? They have to cook their own food …”
“It’s fun for them. Plus, they’re learning a new skill,” she counters.
“One they won’t need. Unless you’re planning for one of our children to be a line cook.” He looks at me smugly as he says this.
“Children should know how to cook for themselves, Brett. It’s a basic human need.”Go, Harper.
Ruffling Liam’s hair, Brett says, “Not for my kiddos. In fact, after breakfast, let’s pack up your things so you guys can all come stay with me at the house I’m renting.”
“Really, Dad?” Liam asks excitedly.
“I don’t think—” Harper starts but Brett raises a hand to stop her.
He stays focused on Liam. “You’re going to love it there. It’s huge. It’s got a hot tub, a movie screening room, a PS-5, and an incredible view of the ocean,” Brett tells his son.
“Can we go there, Mommy, please?” Lily asks excitedly.
She gives Brett a dirty look. “This may have been a conversation for the grownups to have first.”
“Not really,” Brett says dismissively. “You’re my family. We should be together.”
“Can we go too?” Ash says.
“No,” I tell him, shaking my head. “Your mom has been missing you.”
“Aww, nuts,” Colton says. “APS-5, Uncle Digger. I don’t know anyone who has one of those.”
“Maybe you guys can come over later to hang out with us there,” Liam offers.
“Sure, yeah,” Brett says with a shrug. “The place is massive. We could have two other families living there and not even see each other.” Glancing up at me, he says, “I’m guessing your cabins are pretty rustic.”
Harper turns to me and whispers, “Sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I mutter, before heading back to the kitchen before I say something I shouldn’t. For the next ten minutes, I focus on the task at hand while trying to calm myself down. How could Harper have ever let herself get involved with a guy like that? Anyone with eyes can see he’s a total phony.
Part of me wants to rush right out there and force Brett onto the next plane back to LA, where he belongs. But I have no right to do that. At the end of the day, Harper is a guest and I’m just hotel staff. No matter what happened over the last couple of days that inexplicably makes me feel like we should be together, I know it won’t happen.
Even though, for the first time in my life, I can actually understand the temptation of getting serious with someone, of wanting to spend your life with them.
Dropping even circles of batter onto the griddle, I realize that it’s probably a good thing numb-nuts showed up when he did. It’s snapped me back to reality before I could do something stupid like fall in love.
Chapter23
Harper
Dear Readers,
My uncle’s massage therapist’s barista has a second job at Galaxy Studios. She works in the commissary, steaming milk for the stars.Imagine the things she knows …
Anyhoo, she had some dish this morning.
The overlords at Galaxy are not impressed by one Mr. Brett Kennedy’s new marital status—separated. Apparently, they’ve issued a warning—get your life together, or get out.
One can only assume that’s why Brett left Sneaky Nanny in Hawaii. My travel agent’s landlord’s cousin owns the house the newly separated couple was sharing, and word is that the nanny of Nannygate has yet to vacate the premises.
As an asexual gay man with a penchant for drama, even I can’t understand the need for this kind of chaos.