Page 106 of Icebound Hearts
“Yeah. I mean, when you first suggested it, I thought you were crazy. I barely knew Sawyer, and even though I’ve babysat here and there, nannying is a whole other ball game.”
“It’s notthatdifferent, is it? Just more time spent with the same kid. Speaking of, how are you getting along with Jake?”
I’m glad for that question because I can be totally honest in my answer.
“Jake is fantastic. He’s such a well-behaved kid, and he’s hilarious too. Sometimes without even trying. I didn’t think I’d ever say something like this, but I really love hanging out with him.”
Reese grins at me. “Good, I’m glad everything’s working out so far. I’ve gotta say, Sawyer seems happier than he’s been in a long time since you started the nannying thing, so you must really be helping him out.”
I bite my lip, both to keep from saying anything I might regret and because I’m more than a little affected by hearing that I’m making Sawyer happy. But is that really because of me particularly, or is it just because he finally has someone reliable to help him with Jake? Either way, thinking that I might be a source of happiness for Sawyer makes my stomach flutter.
“I bet it’s gonna hit them both like a ton of bricks when you have to leave for your new job,” Reese says casually, then taps his phone to wake the screen and check the date. “You’ve only got, what, a little less than a month left to go?”
My heart crashes into my stomach as his words wash over me.
Oh my god, he’s right.
I’ve been so wrapped up in everything with Sawyer, especially since we started sleeping together, that I completely forgot how close the deadline for my move is getting. When I first started, the move to LA felt like an eternity away, like Sawyer and I had all the time in the world to enjoy each other, but Reese just slapped me across the face with reality without even meaning to.
Three weeks. That’s all that’s left. If I’m being honest, it’s not just Jake and Sawyer who are going to be hit hard by the move. I don’t really know how I’m going to handle it, either, especially now that things have really ratcheted up between me and Sawyer.
You always knew this was going to happen. It was part of the deal.
That nagging, condescending voice in the back of my head is right, and I know it is, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I’m not ready to end things with Sawyer, not now that it really just got started. And I’m not at all prepared to say goodbye to Jake. I’m honestly not sure which is going to hurt more.
“Sore subject?” Reese prompts, and I realize I blanked on him again.
“No, it’s just… shit. I didn’t realize it was that close already.”
“Aren’t you excited?”
“Yeah, of course. Who wouldn’t be over the moon about starting a new life in California, especially—” I start to say, but catch myself when I remember that Reese doesn’t know aboutany of what happened back in Chicago. He stares expectantly at me, waiting for me to finish the sentence. “Especially at such a well-known agency.”
“Right,” Reese says, but his forehead wrinkles a bit. Maybe he can guess that I was going to say something else, but I don’t add any more detail.
I’ve never wanted to be a burden on him, least of all now, when things are going well. I love my brother to death, and I appreciate him having my back, but I don’t want him feeling like he always has to look out for me. I’m a grown woman, and I can take care of myself.
Thankfully, the waiter comes with the food, giving us a break in the conversation and me a second to collect myself. I unfold my napkin and drape it across my lap, then dig into the curry.
It’s delicious, and we spend the rest of our meal talking about Reese and Callie’s wedding planning. They’re still in the early stages since they won’t be tying the knot until next year, but I can see the excitement that shines in his eyes as he talks about it. I laugh as he tells me that Noah has been dispensing wedding planning tips to him after practice, my heart warming at the idea of his team captain having his back like that.
I adore how hard my brother and his teammates love the women in their lives. It’s amazing to see.
After we finish eating, I snatch up the check before Reese can grab it, surreptitiously sliding the credit card Sawyer got for me into the little black holder. The other night, he admitted that he didn’t actually get it for me so that I could put business expenses on it—he said he just wanted to make sure I was taken care of. And then he tortured me by edging me until I agreed to put a higher spend on it.
I can feel heat creeping up my cheeks as I imagine how he might “reward” me for doing what he said, and I quickly flag down the waiter so that Reese won’t have a chance to notice.
As we leave the restaurant, he drapes his arm around my shoulder, giving me a brotherly side hug. I hug him back. I’ll definitely miss being this close to him when I move to the west coast.
“Thanks for the lunch, Vi. Next time, it’s my treat, alright?”
I grin. “Yeah, yeah.”
“Oh, hey,” he says, looking down at me. “You’re coming to Grant’s birthday party on Tuesday night, right? Did Sawyer tell you about it?”
I laugh wryly, shaking my head. “Yeah. I still can’t believe Grant agreed to let you throw him a party.”
Reese chuckles, sunlight glinting off of his blond hair, which is a slightly darker shade than mine. “Well, I don’t know if ‘agreed’ is quite the right word. Hemayhave been lightly blackmailed into it. But I’m pretty sure he’s secretly excited.”