Chapter 13
Brynn
My heart was still fluttering when Shea shut the bedroom door and left me with Chloe.
A teenager just set me up on a date with my childhood crush.
What the hell?
What am I going to wear?
I stared into space and turned that thought over and over in my head, trying to make sense of it, until the gentle roar of Shea's Bentley left the driveway.
“You're welcome, by the way,” Chloe said at last.
Slowly, my head swiveled to look at her. She was simply beaming. She looked so pleased with herself, she might have been prouder than Pickles.
“Excuse me?” I asked.
“For setting you two up. Duh. That was so cute how you both got all tongue-tied and nervous, by the way. And here I thought I was bad at flirting—but watching my dad try to flirt with you was almost painful.” She paused with a sudden revelation. “Oh no. I guess I got that from his genetics, too.”
“Chloe …” I began cautiously. “I hope you're not saying what I think you're saying.”
“And what do you think I am saying, Brynn?” Chloe asked with a mischievous note.
I stared at her, not sure what to say. I tried another tack. “Look, I'm sure it'll be a fun dinner. But there wasn't, and there won't be, any flirting between me and your dad. We're going as friends. If you think there's anything more than that, you're mistaken.” I paused to drive the point home. “I just don't want you to get your hopes up, okay?”
“Why, I appreciate your concern, Brynn,” Chloe said, perfectly mimicking my detached and stately tone. “But P.S., you're a terrible liar.”
“Excuse me?”
“You think I don't know?”
“Know what?” I asked, swallowing heavily.
“About you and my dad. I've never seen two people who need to bone more in my entire life.”
“Chloe!” I said, aghast. “You shouldn't talk like that.”
“Why not? It's true, isn't it? You two totally have a thing for each other. I've been suspecting it for a while, but now I have proof.”
“Oh, Chloe.” I laughed nervously—dare I say, guiltily. “Proof? Because we're going to a meaningless party together? I'm sorry, but it's simply not true.”
“Uh huh. Sure.” The teenager tapped her chin while she swiped through a digital collection of music, hunting for a new album to play. “And I suppose you'd also say that it's not true that Dad always finds a reason to come in here and sit with us when you're in here. And I suppose it's not true that he's always acting all handsy and touchy with you. Or that you two are always tip-toeing around each other, giggling way too hard at each other's corny jokes. Did you think I wouldn't notice how my dad can't keep his eyes off you? He's never been like that with any of our other nannies, by the way. He barely even talked to the other nannies beyond making plans and stuff. But with you? Whenever Dad's home, if I need to find him for whatever reason, all I have to do is track you down—and voila, there he is, too.”
Secretly, my insides were bursting with happiness to hear Chloe's suspicions. But on the outside, I had to pretend I didn't know what she was talking about, nor let it show any effect on me. So I bit my inner cheek to keep the ravenous smile from spreading.
“Oh, Chloe—”
“And you, when Dad touches you or sits right next to you, you don't even move away. You get this weird, trying-so-hard-not-to-smile look on your face. Yeah—like the one you're making right now!”
I didn't know what to say. A teenage girl had me figured out. I couldn't believe it.
“Heck, just a few minutes earlier, you said my dad was a very handsome man. Don't even try to deny it, Brynn, you think he's hot.”
I huffed. “I said he's a handsome man, yes, but I didn't say he was hot.”
“You didn't say it, no, but you think it.” Chloe shrugged. “Don't get me wrong. I'm not mad that you like my dad, Brynn. Not at all.”
“Chloe, I swear—it's just not like that.”
“Would you stop lying to me?” The teenager rolled her eyes. “I tell you all about my life. And I tell you about the boys I like. I thought we could trust each other.”
I laughed. “I'm not lying to you.”
“Okay then. You leave me no choice.” She stuck out her hand and gestured for my phone. “Lemme see your phone.”
“What? No. Why do you want my phone? What are you going to do, text your dad pretending to be me?”
“That'd be weird and creepy and I would never do that, Brynn.” She gestured for the phone again. “Give it.”
“First, tell me why you want my phone.”
“I told you, I have proof. And now I'm going to show it to you. So just lemme see it.”
Cautiously, I pulled out my phone. I wouldn't hand it over. “You can do whatever you're going to do while I'm holding it,” I said, “because I'm not letting go.”
She rolled her eyes. “I'm not going to steal it, but fine, suit yourself.”
I clutched my cell phone while Chloe tapped at the screen. She opened Facebook. The picture she'd been studying right before Shea entered the room was still on the screen.
“See?” she asked.
I looked at it. “See what? It's just an old picture of me in my bedroom.”
But then Chloe pinched and zoomed in on the screen. Right over my shoulder.
And there it was. The detail that had captured Chloe's attention. Behind me, on my bedroom wall, was the poster of a young Shea Ellis, with flowing locks of hair beneath his helmet. The poster was covered in bright red lipstick smooches.
Oh my God.
A blazing heat flared in my cheeks.
“Chloe,” I said, my throat as hot and dry as the desert.
“Told you I had proof,” she said, grinning. “I almost didn't recognize him at first. But then I saw his name written in giant letters. He's so young-looking! How old was he in that picture?”
“I don't know,” I answered huskily. “Twenty-three, I think.”
“Which would make you how old in that picture?”
“Thirteen.”
“And you had a crush on him, didn't you? Go on, the least you can do is admit it!”
She was right. The cat was out of the bag. There was no use pretending anymore—I'd only damage my own credibility.
“Yes,” I answered quietly. “But it was just a childish, meaningless crush, Chloe. I didn't even recognize your dad when we first met. Promise me you won't tell him, okay? Or your brothers or your mom or anyone else.”
“Of course I promise not to tell.” She said, then she began squealing and dancing. “I love this, I love this, I love this. You have no idea how happy this makes me. What are you going to wear tonight? All the players wear suits and their wives get dressed up real nice, so you should definitely wear something fancy.”
My heart pumped and hot, liquid shame churned through my body. This poor girl was getting her hopes up for something that could never be.
I shook my head. “No, Chloe, stop.”
“Stop what?”
“That picture was a long time ago—your dad and I, we've both grown up a lot since that picture. Yes, I thought your dad was cute when I was young. And yes, he's still a handsome man. But I'm the nanny of his children now—” I trailed off. I didn't even know what to say anymore.
“Yeah, you're our nanny now, and you two can't stop flirting with each other! And now I find out you've always had a thing for him. It's almost like you two are meant to be together. Which is perfect, because we all like you so much—”
I slapped my forehead. “You don't understand what I'm trying to tell you.”
“No, Brynn, you don't understand. I'm so happy right now that I'm the one who set you guys up on a date.” She paused. “It almost makes up for what I did to Dad in the first place.”
“Huh? What do you mean? What'd you do?”
A sullenness suddenly gripped Chloe. It was like she'd just transformed into someone else, someone bleak and disturbed and unhappy.
“I just want to make up for it,” Chloe said with a small nod. “That's all.”
“Make up for what?”
There was the sound of a heavy car, fast and aggressive, pulling into the driveway, followed by a rapid burst of honks. I recognized that driver by now—it was Cynthia, Shea's ex-wife, and she was here to pick up the kids.
“Uh oh, my mom's here,” Chloe said. “I have to go.”
I helped Chloe and the twins pack up all their things and sent them off with their mom. From the living room window, I watched the car drive off and wondered what had gotten into Chloe.
What was that about?
And what have I gotten myself into?