Page 30 of Payoff Pitch
I shake my head, letting her know not to worry about it. It’s the principle that bothers me, not the cost of the bag.
A big black Suburban pulls up next to us in the gravel parking lot. Beckett, Amanda, and Andie all emerge from the backseat. A giant, slightly older, bald man in a black suit steps out of the driver’s seat and immediately begins unpacking the trunk.
Harper yells, “Nico,” as she runs over and hugs the big man.
With one hand, he picks her up by the ankle. In a militant, deep voice, he asks, “Are you carrying any contraband, Miss Montgomery?”
She giggles, “What’s contraband?”
“For you, it’s candy.”
She shakes her head. “No.”
“So, there are no Skittles in your back pocket? If I were to shake you right now, none would fall out?”
I smile. Harper always has Skittles in her pockets. He clearly knows her well.
“Well…umm…maybe.”
Maintaining his serious demeanor, he says, “If you give it to Andie, she’ll be up all night. If she’s up all night, Amanda won’t get her sleep. If she doesn’t sleep, Beckett will be grumpy. No one likes a grumpy Beckett Windsor.”
Amanda and Andie both giggle along with Harper. Harper promises, “I won’t give her any Skittles. I swear. Put me down.”
He gently places her on the ground and holds out his pinky. Harper takes it in hers. “I promise. No Skittles for Andie.” She loudly whispers, “I have other candy too, Andie.”
Nico shakes his head. “Monsters. All of you.”
Beckett chuckles as he shakes my hand hello. “Don’t mind, Nico. He adores the girls.”
I nod. “And he clearly knows them well. My daughter is an endless supply of candy.”
Andie tugs on his leg. “Daddy, you didn’t tell me my joke today.”
Amanda smiles as she looks at me. “He tells her the corniest dad jokes every morning. It’s kind of their tradition.”
It’s like our word of the day. It’s sweet.
Beckett scratches his face. “Hmm. How many tickles does it take to make an octopus laugh?”
Andie tilts her head in contemplation for a moment. “How many?”
“Ten-tickles.”
Andie and Harper start hysterically laughing, and Beckett winks at me. I can only shake my head. “Wonders never cease to amaze. Beckett Windsor, brilliant mind filled with a bevy of corny dad jokes.”
He smirks and then notices Bailey. “Bailey Hart. Andie mentioned that you’re Harper’s new nanny. I didn’t realize we’d see you here.”
She smiles warmly. “Fallon had a family emergency. When Harper was worried about some of the girl activities, Fallon was kind enough to allow me to come in her place.”
Just then, another SUV pulls up. Trevor, Cassandra, Dylan, and Brandon emerge. Even dressed down, they’re always dressed up. They’re adesigner family, as Fallon has named them.
Cassandra is much older than Trevor. At least twenty years older. I don’t know all the details, but Fallon mentioned that Cassandra is best friends with Trevor’s stepmother and it was a bit scandalous when it all went down. They had the twins via gestational host, given Cassandra’s age. However, if you see them together, youknow they happen to be a perfect match. They both have a great sense of humor, always cracking jokes. They’re clearly in love, so I pass no judgment.
Cassandra is a well-known, high-powered attorney in Philly. She’s stunning, with shoulder-length dark hair and ice-blue eyes. Dylan is her mini-me in both looks and attitude.
I mumble to Bailey. “Warning, Cassandra has no filter.”
She whispers, “Dylan mentioned that her mom is a cougar. It looks like she’s much older than Trevor.”