“He’s one of Nolan’s pals. They get together all the time to play basketball or soccer or video games or poker. When Nolan’s not at the hospital, he’s hanging out with the guys. Rather than fight him about it, I just tag along whenever I’m invited. He’s tried to talk me into playing soccer with them, but to be honest, I hate the game. All that running and sweating—not my style.”
Jacqui chuckled in response to the frank admission. “Nolan’s a doctor, too, I take it?”
“Anesthesiologist. He and Mitch were in the same medical school class.”
Feeling a little wilted in the heat of the afternoon, Jacqui drew her half-finished bottled water from her tote. “I have an extra bottle if you’d like one,” she offered.
“Thanks, but I have one. Have you known Mitch long?”
Keira appeared more bored than nosey. She didn’t seem particularly interested in talking to any of the busy mothers swapping mommy stories nearby while keeping one eye on their kids and the other on the game. Maybe Keira thought she’d have more in common with Jacqui.
Doubting that, Jacqui answered candidly, “I’ve known Mitch about a year. I work for his sister’s family.”
The other woman looked toward the cluster of teens in which Alice stood chattering and giggling. “Are you a nanny?”
“Alice is a little old for a nanny, though I do keep an eye on her. I’m the housekeeper.”
Keira blinked. “Oh. You don’t—um…”
You don’t look like a housekeeper. Jacqui finished the statement in her head, wondering how many times she’d heard it said in the past two years or so. Why did everyone think all housekeepers looked like Alice from The Brady Bunch?
She shrugged. “I enjoy my work.”
After a moment, Keira said, “I’m a respiratory therapist. That’s how I met Nolan.”
“Sounds interesting.”
“Most days,” Keira agreed, still looking distracted by Jacqui’s occupation.
A flurry of activity on the field captured their attention, and they watched as Mitch passed the ball to Nolan, who gave it a swift kick that sent the ball flying past the other team’s goalie and into the net. Cheering broke out among Mitch’s team and their few supporters on the sidelines. Jacqui clapped to demonstrate her own approval while Keira called out, “Way to go, baby!”
Preening for his fiancée, Nolan flexed victoriously until his teammates shoved him back into action for the next play.
For the next few minutes, Jacqui divided her attention between the game and her knitting while the other woman focused intently on the field, no longer in the mood for conversation apparently. She was almost surprised when Keira spoke again after a rather lengthy silence between them. “That girl you’re with? Alice?”
Jacqui glanced instinctively toward her charge, frowning when she noted that Alice and a couple of other girls of about her age were gathered around a young man who looked to be three or four years their senior. The way Alice posed and giggled, it was obvious some serious flirting was going on. The other girls were performing too, all seemingly competing for the older boy’s approval. He lounged against a tree, visibly basking in the attention, though he was doing his best to look “cool.”
Jacqui told herself not to be concerned; it was normal for fourteen-year-old girls to practice their flirting skills, though she had never been much of a flirt, herself. She’d had too many other things on her mind at that age—like making sure she and her sister had school supplies and their homework turned in on time.
“What about Alice?”
“That boy she and the others are talking to is Scott Lemon’s kid brother, Milo. He’s eighteen or very close to it. How old is Alice?”
“Fourteen.”
Keira nodded. “That’s about what I guessed. Just giving
you a heads-up.”
“I appreciate it. Is it only the age difference that concerns you, or is there something more about him I should know?”
The other woman’s hesitation was somewhat of an answer in itself. “I don’t really know him well. I’ve just seen him hanging around a few times with Nolan and Scott and the other guys. He’s Scott’s half brother, I think—something like twelve years younger than Scott.”
And Keira hadn’t been impressed with what she’d seen—or heard—about the kid, Jacqui deduced. “Thank you. I’ll keep a close eye on her.”
“Good idea.”
Alice ran back over to Jacqui’s chairs only a few minutes later. Her eyes were alight with excitement, her cheeks unusually pink. “Okay if I go play miniature golf? I can get a ride home when I’m done.”