The Daddy Box Set

by Claire Adams

  “That’s really sweet,” I said. I hoped Mom never figured out video chatting or else I was sure I’d have to keep my apartment much cleaner for her inspecting eyes.

  We chatted more about our personal lives, keeping the subjects lighter on a professional level. This was the most I’d talked to Noah since knowing him, and I liked him even more after the conversation. In addition to being attractive, he was funny and absolutely adorable with Gina. He spoke to her like another person instead of a child, a trait that I admired in anyone who did it.

  After pizza, Noah brought out the box of cannolis.

  “I hate to admit I’ve never had one of these before,” I said.

  “What?” Gina asked.

  “You have no idea what you’re missing,” Noah said, reaching across the table to place the dessert on my plate.

  “So yummy,” Gina said while licking the end of hers.

  I took a bite, acutely aware that their attention was on me. The sweet, creamy filling had a unique taste and mixed with the crunch of the shell and the powdered sugar on top. I was in heaven.

  “Oh my God,” I said with my mouth full.

  Gina giggled. “Told you it was good.”

  “You were right,” I said. I finished off the dessert in two bites.

  Noah handed me the box. “This is why we get more than enough.”

  I took another one and thanked him.

  Gina opened her mouth in a wide yawn.

  “All right,” Noah said, standing up from the table. “I think it’s time for you to get going to bed.”

  “Do I have to?” Gina whined.

  “Yes,” he said.

  He turned to me, and I held up a hand. “I’ll clean up.”

  “Thank you,” he said.

  When they left, I finished off my second cannoli and eyed the box. I decided not to take another one and started picking up the plates. It didn’t take me long to finish, and I would have left, but I wasn’t sure if Noah needed me for the weekend. For as much as we talked at dinner, we hadn’t spoken about logistics.

  While waiting for him to come back downstairs, I went outside and cleaned up the outdoor toys Gina and I had played with earlier. Then I picked up around the kitchen and living room. As much as I tried to keep tidy during the day, it was tough when Gina went from activity to activity in a matter of minutes.

  About ten minutes later, I heard movement from the stairs.

  “You’re still here,” he said. His tie was gone, and the top two buttons of his shirt were open.

  “Yes, I wanted to talk to you about this weekend. If you wanted me to come in regular time or later? I wasn’t sure of your schedule.”

  “You’re off this weekend. I made sure I had it free to spend time with Gina.”

  “Oh, that’s good,” I said. Then I thought of Gina’s conversation with me earlier. “Gina does miss you. She talks about all the time you spend together.”

  He sighed. “I wish it could be more.”

  “You’re a busy single father, she understands,” I said. “At least I try and remind her of that when I can.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Speaking of busy,” I said. “She did mention today that she thinks you would be happy with another woman in your life.”

  “She did?”

  “Yeah,” I said. “I wanted you to know what she thought of the idea, in case you were dating anyone.”

  He chuckled. “I’m not dating anyone.”

  “Well, so that you know,” I said. “I don’t mind working weekends or weekend nights if you need a sitter.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” he said and glanced at the clock.

  I took that as a sign to leave. “Have a good night, and thanks for the pizza.”

  “See you Monday.”

  “See you.” I walked out of the house feeling quite flushed. Thankfully, the air had cooled, and it felt amazing against my heated cheeks. Even if Noah wasn’t willing to move forward with dating, I wondered what I could do to help Gina and Noah in finding him a wife.

  Chapter Nine

  Noah

  The transition from Layla to Jess went smoother than I anticipated. Two weeks after hiring her, my life had completely reverted to the time before Layla quit. I was able to leave for work on time every morning and not worry about Gina all day. Sure, I thought about her, but I didn’t worry that her nanny couldn’t keep up with her. And as if Jess knew I thought about Gina often, she sent me at least one photo a day of Gina doing some activity. I wanted to tell Jess that she didn’t need to check-in, but I didn’t want the pictures to stop either.

  Sometimes the photos would have Jess and Gina together, and if anyone else didn’t know their relationship, the two could have been mother and daughter.

  The highlight of my day was getting home to both of them each night. How did I ever get so lucky?

  My office phone rang. Allison’s name scrolled across the caller ID. I picked it up.

  “Noah, Brandon is here to see you,” she said.

  “Send him in,” I said. I stood and buttoned my suit jacket to greet my best friend.

  Brandon walked in. He was bundled up in a heavy coat and scarf.

  I crossed the room and shook his hand. “It’s not that cold out.”

  “Dude,” Brandon said. “I was near the equator for a month. This weather is taking a little getting used to.”

  “Do you want me to turn up the heat in here?” I asked.

  He pulled a face and stripped off his jacket, but left the scarf. “I think I’ll be fine.” He went over to the window and sat on the couch. “Dude, this vacation was one of our best ones.”

  Brandon and his wife, Amelia, took at least one big trip every year. Last year, they toured Europe for two months. The idea of that was fun, but with my job and Gina, I’d never be able to swing it.

  “We laid by the water almost every single day.”

  “You look it.” His face was much darker than it had been the last time I’d saw him. What I wouldn’t give to be on a beach in the middle of winter.

  “You should try and come with us next time,” he said.

  “And be your third wheel?” I asked and shook my head.

  “Since when do you have a problem being a third wheel with us?”

  He was right. Brandon and I met in high school, and he met Amelia in college, so we’d all known each other a long time.

  “I couldn’t leave Gina for a month,” I said. “Unless you plan a child-friendly vacation.”

  Brandon paled.

  “That was a joke,” I said.

  Brandon clicked his tongue. “These vacations are definite perks of not having children. No offense.”

  “None taken.” I wouldn’t trade Gina for any vacation. I’d rather be shackled at home and have her then go on fancy vacations each year. Brandon and I had different priorities.

  “We drank and ate so much on the cruise,” Brandon said, patting his flat stomach for emphasis. “I need to get back to the gym as soon as possible.”

  I sat down next to him and prodded for him to tell me more about the vacation. At least I could live vicariously through him. Eventually, I’d go on vacations again, when Gina was older. But for now, I liked hearing all of the places that Brandon visited. He somehow always managed to find really great local restaurants or shops or new places off the beaten path to explore. Something that wouldn’t be possible with a toddler.

  “Did you find a new nanny?” he asked when he finished talking about the trip. I wasn’t sure if he sensed my attention fading away. I had a million things to do before getting home to Gina and Jess.

  “I did,” I said. “It’s funny how it worked out.” I recapped the hiring process for Jess. “Gina loves her. Jess is a sweet girl. She’s Australian, and Gina always has a new slang word to tell me each day. Jess has been taking Gina to all of these different places around the city to keep busy. I’m glad to have scooped her up when I could. She’s fantastic. She’s a lifesaver, an
d I’m not sure what I would have done without her.”

  Brandon furrowed his eyebrows.

  Had I said something wrong? “What?”

  “Are you talking about a nanny or your next girlfriend?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Dude, you’re grinning like a man in love.”

  “I’m not in love with her,” I said. “She’s my kid’s nanny.”

  “Are you sure?” he asked.

  “Of course I’m sure,” I said. I thought back on how I described Jess. I didn’t see anything wrong with complimenting the way she was with Gina. That was Brandon though. He and Amelia were always scheming to get me together with any single female they knew.

  While Brandon was away, I’d had a nice break from their obsession with my single status. I knew they meant well, but they were happily in love and married, I was happily in love with my daughter and married to my work. And for Brandon to think that I liked Jess was ludicrous. What was so wrong with being happy with my nanny? Was it because she was younger? I hated that stigma. Sure, Jess was attractive, but there were plenty of attractive women that I employed, and I never expressed any favor towards them.

  Sometimes my best friend had blinders on. Or maybe Amelia was talking about me behind my back on how I needed to have a woman in my life. As much as I loved the two of them, I wished they would stop meddling. I was perfectly happy in my life. It wasn’t the typical 2.5 kids and a white picket fence, but I’d had a wife before. And she died. I didn’t need to get married again to have my life fulfilled.

  “She’s just the nanny,” I said. “And nothing more.”

  “I don’t believe you,” he said with a smirk.

  Now he was getting on my nerves. “I’m not sure what else I could say to convince you.”

  “Have you been on a date since hiring her?” Brandon asked.

  What the hell did that have to do with anything? “I haven’t been on a date since that last woman you tried to hook me up with. Hillary, I think?”

  Brandon made a face. “That was Amelia’s choice.”

  “Well, I wish you would allow me to make my own choices when it comes to dating.”

  Brandon held up his hands in a surrendering motion. “I get it, bro. I’ll stop. But I can’t guarantee you that Amelia will end her search for your next soul mate.”

  “I’ll be sure to avoid her from now on then.”

  Brandon chuckled. “You can try, but she knows where you live.”

  When I got home later that night, Brandon’s comments still weighed on my mind. If he saw something in the way I described Jess, then I’d have to make an effort for no one else to see whatever expression or thought had tipped him off. I wouldn’t want Jess to feel uncomfortable with me and quit after thinking I had feelings for her.

  I hated how Brandon got in my head about this.

  Inside the house, I heard Jess giving Gina a bath. Tonight was one of my late working nights, but ever since Jess came into our lives, I’d managed to put Gina to bed most nights.

  Walking up to the bathroom door, I heard Jess singing the alphabet song to Gina. Gina sang along with her, but I stopped and listened anyway. I closed my eyes and imagined Wendy doing that with Gina. When Wendy was pregnant with Gina, she used to sing to her growing belly all the time.

  I shoved the thoughts away and knocked on the door.

  The singing immediately stopped as I walked through into the bathroom.

  Jess knelt by the tub while Gina held a rubber ducky in her hand and was pretending to make it fly.

  “Hey,” Jess said.

  “Daddy!” Gina exclaimed.

  “I wanted to let you know I was home,” I said. “I’ll let you finish up.”

  Jess picked up a towel from behind her. “We’re finished.”

  Jess pulled Gina from the tub and dried her off. Gina jumped up and down, and her little teeth were chattering.

  “Cold, cold, cold,” she chanted.

  “Let’s get you into PJs, okay?” Jess said.

  “I want to pick!” Gina said, running from the room, leaving the towel behind.

  Jess stood up and gathered all of the bath toys into the small plastic storage container. “How was your day?”

  I enjoyed our little catch-ups at the end of each day. “A friend of mine came to visit. He was on vacation for a month.”

  “Wow,” she said, turning on the water to clean out the tub. “That must be nice.”

  I noticed myself smiling. Had that been what Brandon saw? I wiped my hand across my face and ended up with a more neutral expression. “Brandon and his wife seem always to be traveling.”

  “Have you and Gina gone anywhere with them before?” I asked.

  “No,” I said, even though it wasn’t for lack of want. “With the business and taking care of her, there isn’t much time.”

  “You keep saying that,” she said with a small smile.

  I narrowed my eyes. “My business is important to me.”

  “I totally get that. But you should do something for yourself now and then.”

  I laughed. “Like what?”

  “Like something fun.” She shrugged. “What do you like to do for fun?”

  “Back in the day, I loved to go out, I guess.” I shrugged, not really wanting to get into this conversation again.

  “Then go out now.”

  “Alone?” I lifted and eyebrow, wishing I had responded with something else. Hell, anything else.

  “No. On a date.”

  “You sound like Brandon.”

  “Does he try to set you up?” she said.

  I rolled my eyes. “All the time.”

  “Maybe you should listen to your friend.”

  “I don’t—”

  “Listen, I have this friend. She would be perfect for you. She’s available this Saturday.”

  “Jess, I—”

  “I know it’s hard getting back out there,” she said, grabbing the towel from the ground and hanging it on the rack by the tub. “But if your friends have tried to set you up and failed, maybe you need to branch out a little further. We think it will be good for you.”

  “Did you discuss this with Gina?” I asked.

  “Absolutely not, but as I said the other day, she did mention she wants to see you happy with another woman. And I’m not saying you’re going to marry this girl, but getting out of the house without a toddler in tow would be good for you.”

  I wondered how much Jess was going to push the issue until I gave in. She seemed pretty persistent. Maybe if I went on a date with her friend, then I could have the opportunity to tell her to drop it for a little while.

  “All right,” I said. “Text me the information later.”

  “Yay!” she said and clapped her hands. “You two will get along perfectly. I promise.”

  I doubted that. I had a nasty taste in my mouth about going out with Jess’s friend. If I had to be honest with myself, I’d rather spend Saturday night with Jess and Gina. But Jess and Brandon were right. I needed to get back out there. Even if it was just for fun.

  Then, Gina walked into the bathroom wearing bright pink pajama pants and a green nightgown with a dog on the front. Jess and I smiled at each other. Gina hadn’t mastered matching yet. But as long as she was happy, I never wanted to deter her creativity.

  Jess dropped down to give Gina a hug. “I’ll see you tomorrow, little tacker.”

  “Tomorrow?” Gina asked.

  “Yep,” Jess said. “Your Dad is going out tomorrow night.”

  “Sleepover with Jess!” Gina said.

  Jess looked at me and smirked. Her not bogging Gina down with the specifics was a blessing. I didn’t want to answer any questions about me dating until I found someone special enough. I didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up, including my own.

  Chapter Ten

  Jess

  “Do you want to go to the aquarium?” I asked Gina late Friday morning. Steady rainfall from the night before poured into th
e morning, postponing any outdoor plans we might have made.

  “Not today,” Gina said, looking out of her bedroom window. “Can we jump in puddles outside?”

  I wouldn’t have minded if we were in the middle of summer. But the cooler temperatures plus the rain wasn’t the best idea.

  “It’s too chilly for puddles,” I said.

  She let out a sigh. “Can we go to see Sierra?”

  I checked my phone. It was nearly eleven. I had a craving for a hot Panini from the shop around the corner from the record store. We could spend a little time in there and then get something to eat before Gina’s nap.

  “All right, it will be a short trip,” I said. “Let’s get our jackets.”

  The ride to the record shop was much smoother in the rain than it ever had been in my car. I began to dread driving home in my clunker when I spent my time with Gina driving in the luxurious car that Noah provided to his nannies. The whump-whump of the wipers sounded melodic and enough to make my shoulders relax a bit. I hated driving in the rain. And it seemed like this rain would never end. I couldn’t wait until summer to start.

  And with a stroke of luck, I found a spot right outside the record shop, so we didn’t have to travel far. I did bring an umbrella with us for the walk to lunch.

  The moment I got Gina out from the car, she rushed toward the record shop. I went after her, both of us desperate to get out of the rain.

  Gina was already inside when I got there.

  She’d found Sierra in the back of the store.

  “Nice, Jess,” Sierra said.

  “What?” I asked.

  “She ran in here by herself. Aren’t you supposed to be watching her?” Sierra said with a smirk.

  “I was watching her,” I said, pulling a face. “And I knew you were in here.”

  “Tsk, tsk, you’re a naughty nanny.”

  My eyes practically bulged out of my head.

  “I’m just messing with you.” Sierra grinned and lifted Gina into her arms. “What’s up, little duck?”

  “Quack, quack!” Gina said. “I want to listen to the barn song!”

  Sierra took Gina’s hand and brought her over to one of the display record players. Sierra had played her an old children’s record when they first met. And Gina loved the Old MacDonald song, so she insisted on listening each time she was in the store.