The Curve Ball - Samantha Lind Page 0,11

peeking out of her lips like she’s about to start chomping away.

“Thanks,” I say as I take the bottle and then offer it to Evie. She accepts the nipple and immediately starts to suck it down greedily.

“Careful, if she does that too fast, she’ll get a bellyache from the air bubbles,” Riley warns. I take the bottle from her to help slow her down, and that only pisses her off and causes her to start crying. I shift her from lying on my legs to being propped in one arm like I’ve watched Riley hold her as she’s fed her a bottle. Once she’s settled in my arms, I slip the bottle back into her mouth, and she quickly quiets down as she goes back to eating.

“There’s so much to learn about taking care of such a small thing,” I lament as she finishes the bottle. I shift her up onto my shoulder and pat her back until she burps.

“There sure is, but you’ll figure it all out. In a week you’ll be a pro at all of this, I’m sure of it.”

“That might be generous,” I tell her.

“Just because you didn’t know you have a daughter a day ago doesn’t mean that you won’t be a good dad, Justin,” Riley tells me, and it doesn’t go unmissed that she used my full first name. Hardly anyone calls me Justin. Maybe my grandmother and my mom when I’m in trouble, but other than those two, everyone calls me JJ. I usually hate it when people call me Justin, but coming from Riley, I find myself not minding one bit.

“We should discuss the nanny position,” I state.

“Sure, like I said last night, I haven’t been hired yet for any of the jobs I applied for, so I’m available and willing to help you out with Evie.”

“I have no idea what nannies get paid, so you tell me what you charge, and we can set it up. I can contact my agent and see if they have any recommendations on accountants or services I can use to pay you correctly.”

“Some of that depends on hours, if you want me to be a live-in or just here when you need me. I know you don’t have a normal work schedule and that you’d need me to stay overnight at least when you’re on the road, but what about when you are home?”

I digest everything she’s just asked, and I have no fucking clue what to do. “I don’t know the answer to that. Do you have a preference? Even when I’m in town, we’ve got evening games and morning practices. My schedule is all over the place.”

“Okay, how about we do a trial month of me staying here. I’ll be on call whenever you need me. I can plan anything I need to do around your schedule. Maybe we can sit down with a calendar and at least mark down the practices, games, and road trips that you have during that month. Then we can work my days off around those. Live-in nannies usually are provided room and board on top of their pay. I also don’t mind making dinner most nights for the two of us and keeping up with some light house cleaning and laundry.”

“That all sounds reasonable, does three-thousand a month sound fair?” I ask, tossing out a number.

“To start, I think so. We can reassess after the first month,” she agrees readily to my offer.

“All right, it is settled then. I’ll see if I can get a credit card in your name, that way, you can buy things that Evie needs, or we need here at the house. I can also pay for your gas if you have to take her places.”

“That would be great. I’ll head over to my place after dinner and bring some of my things over.”

“Will you need help?” I offer.

“I should be fine, I don’t have all that much; one car full of things, as that’s all that I brought with me when I moved here a few weeks ago. I’ve just been using the furniture that Derek bought to furnish the condo with.”

“Ah, that makes sense. If you do, just let me know, and I’m sure that we can drop Evie off with your brother for an hour.”

“I’ve got it under control,” she assures me.

I move Evie from my shoulder, where she passed out after burping. I get up and place her in the pack-n-play that Riley set up in the living room.