Billionaire Mountain Man

Brandon and his wife, Amelia, took at least one big trip every year. Last year, they toured Europe for two months. The idea of that was fun, but with my job and Gina, I’d never be able to swing it.

“We laid by the water almost every single day.”

“You look it.” His face was much darker than it had been the last time I’d saw him. What I wouldn’t give to be on a beach in the middle of winter.

“You should try and come with us next time,” he said.

“And be your third wheel?” I asked and shook my head.

“Since when do you have a problem being a third wheel with us?”

He was right. Brandon and I met in high school, and he met Amelia in college, so we’d all known each other a long time.

“I couldn’t leave Gina for a month,” I said. “Unless you plan a child-friendly vacation.”

Brandon paled.

“That was a joke,” I said.

Brandon clicked his tongue. “These vacations are definite perks of not having children. No offense.”

“None taken.” I wouldn’t trade Gina for any vacation. I’d rather be shackled at home and have her then go on fancy vacations each year. Brandon and I had different priorities.

“We drank and ate so much on the cruise,” Brandon said, patting his flat stomach for emphasis. “I need to get back to the gym as soon as possible.”

I sat down next to him and prodded for him to tell me more about the vacation. At least I could live vicariously through him. Eventually, I’d go on vacations again, when Gina was older. But for now, I liked hearing all of the places that Brandon visited. He somehow always managed to find really great local restaurants or shops or new places off the beaten path to explore. Something that wouldn’t be possible with a toddler.

“Did you find a new nanny?” he asked when he finished talking about the trip. I wasn’t sure if he sensed my attention fading away. I had a million things to do before getting home to Gina and Jess.

“I did,” I said. “It’s funny how it worked out.” I recapped the hiring process for Jess. “Gina loves her. Jess is a sweet girl. She’s Australian, and Gina always has a new slang word to tell me each day. Jess has been taking Gina to all of these different places around the city to keep busy. I’m glad to have scooped her up when I could. She’s fantastic. She’s a lifesaver, and I’m not sure what I would have done without her.”

Brandon furrowed his eyebrows.

Had I said something wrong? “What?”

“Are you talking about a nanny or your next girlfriend?”

“What do you mean?”

“Dude, you’re grinning like a man in love.”

“I’m not in love with her,” I said. “She’s my kid’s nanny.”

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Of course I’m sure,” I said. I thought back on how I described Jess. I didn’t see anything wrong with complimenting the way she was with Gina. That was Brandon though. He and Amelia were always scheming to get me together with any single female they knew.

While Brandon was away, I’d had a nice break from their obsession with my single status. I knew they meant well, but they were happily in love and married, I was happily in love with my daughter and married to my work. And for Brandon to think that I liked Jess was ludicrous. What was so wrong with being happy with my nanny? Was it because she was younger? I hated that stigma. Sure, Jess was attractive, but there were plenty of attractive women that I employed, and I never expressed any favor towards them.

Sometimes my best friend had blinders on. Or maybe Amelia was talking about me behind my back on how I needed to have a woman in my life. As much as I loved the two of them, I wished they would stop meddling. I was perfectly happy in my life. It wasn’t the typical 2.5 kids and a white picket fence, but I’d had a wife before. And she died. I didn’t need to get married again to have my life fulfilled.

“She’s just the nanny,” I said. “And nothing more.”

“I don’t believe you,” he said with a smirk.

Now he was getting on my nerves. “I’m not sure what else I could say to convince you.”

“Have you been on a date since hiring her?” Brandon asked.