Worry about it later, Dean. Right now, I need to have a plan for Fia. Thank God classes don’t start until next week.
“Will do,” says Lara. “Call if you need anything. Like soup or some company or—”
“No. I’m great. Thanks. Just going to sleep it off.”
“All right.” She sounds a little disappointed by my answer, but I don’t have time to care.
I say goodbye and decide it’s time to head downstairs and introduce Fia to Nina before she leaves for work. She’s been teaching Zumba in the late mornings just until the semester starts back up. Hopefully, Nina can help me out this evening when I go to practice.
I wrap Fia in her tiny pink blanket and march down to Nina’s, where the music is blasting. After I knock ten times, the music stops, and she answers the door.
“Ohmygod. Who is this?” Nina’s brown eyes go wide the moment she spots the adorable bundle of chubbiness in my arms.
“This is Fia, my niece.”
Nina frowns. “Your brother has a baby?”
“No, my sister does. She lives in, uh, Texas.”
“How come you never mentioned her?”
Because I made her up. “She’s older, yanno, we’re not real close, but she had an emergency and asked me to take care of her for a week.”
“She flew all the way out here last night?”
I admit, it sounds sketchy, but it’s the best excuse I have. “Yeah, look at my eyes. I didn’t get any sleep.”
“I bet.”
“So, um, think you can help me out and watch her tonight while I go to practice?” I offer my most charming smile. The one that shows off my dimples, even though they’re probably not very visible since I’ve let my beard grow out a little.
“You want me to watch her?”
“I’d ask Mike or Igor, but obviously they’ll be at practice, too.” Players are only allowed time off for things like injuries, illness, or bereavement, but that’s about it. They expect us to be one hundred percent committed. “Plus,” I add, “you’re a woman, so…”
“So what?” Nina narrows her eyes.
“So you know what to do with babies.” She’s the one with the baby equipment. Not me.
Nina laughs. “God, you’re hilarious sometimes.”
She thinks I was joking?
Nina sighs with an amused smile. “I’d love to help out, but I have a charity event tonight. Maybe later this week?”
Tonight would be better, but I’ll take what I can get. “Cool. Thank you, Nina.”
She leans toward me, closely inspecting Fia’s face. “Funny. You look a little like your uncle. Dontcha?”
Thankfully, Fia can’t respond with the truth: that I might be the father. Her little eyes just seem to dart around, like she’s taking in the surroundings. She’s smart.
“I don’t see any family resemblance myself,” I say to deflect suspicion. “I’ll text you tomorrow?”
“Sure. Sounds good.”
I start walking away, heading toward the stairwell.
“Just remember what I said about the plates, Dean.”
“Thanks.” I keep going. I know she means I should not have agreed to take care of this baby while working and going to practice. But I can handle it. Just as long as Marli comes back by Sunday night, I’ll be fine. Totally got this under control.
CHAPTER FIVE
Around noon, I’ve got Fia down for a nap, and I’m about to take one, too. I’ve been through a lot of tough things, but the past eighteen hours take the cake.
I keep telling myself it’s only a challenge like any other, my goal simple: make it through the week. Beyond that, I don’t know. Honestly, Fia’s just another chick I don’t have time for. So other than having to acknowledge she’s pretty damned cute and that I really feel bad for her—Marli should not have dumped her like that—I can’t allow myself to feel anything.
It’s just a babysitting job. I mean, why treat it any other way? Even if she is mine, which is something I’m not prepared to confront, I can’t take care of her. I’m barely taking care of Flip and myself. And I’m not ready to be a father! That’s a freaking eighteen-year commitment. Jesus! What if she’s one of those kids who wants to live with me forever? I’ll never get my life back!
See. That settles it. No keeping the baby, no matter what. If Marli doesn’t return, I know what I have to do. And that means I can’t afford to get attached.
I’m about to close my navy-blue blackout curtains when there’s a knock at the front door. Mike and Igor are out, enjoying their final days before the semester starts, so it’s up to me to answer.
Fuck. I really need to rest up before practice tonight. I know Coach is going to make us run through all the plays for Sunday’s game. To me, it’s the most important one of the season because it sets the tone for everything else. If you kick ass in the first game, the team’s energy feeds off it. If we get our asses kicked, the entire season will feel like an uphill battle. Morale will be low.