Page 31 of That First Night

“Relax, shit head.” He laughs. “Your table looks like trash anyway.”

“Don’t you have a flight to catch?”

“Not today, big bro.” He laughs. “Today my mission is to piss you off.”

I shake my head at him because I just don’t have it in me to deal with him today. My two brothers are total opposites of each other. You can always find Oliver dressed in a pair of faded wash jeans and a plain cotton t-shirt. It’s usually some obnoxiously bright color, which matches his personality. Marc always has a relaxed, business casual look. He wears dress pants with a button-down shirt to work but skips the jacket and the tie unless he has a meeting to attend.

“How’s it going, Tommy?” Marc says.

“It’s going.”

“Is your new nanny getting settled in nicely?” he asks.

“Yes, she is.” I nod. “We had a bit of an interesting first night.”

“I need to hear this,” Oliver cuts in.

“Well to start, I walked in on her taking a bubble bath and couldn’t peel my eyes away from her tits.”

“Were they hot, bro?” Oliver sits up, full attention now on the conversation.Of course he is, I just mentioned tits.

Giving him a side eye, I reply, “Hottest tits I’ve ever seen in my life.”

“OH YEAH, BABY!” Oliver screams, throwing his fist in the air, “She single? Is she home now? Can I stop by?”

“I think she is,” I reply to the first question, and quickly shoot back, “Yes and no.”

“Yes, I can stop by?” He stands up, ready to bolt out the door.

“Sit the fuck down. No, you’re not going over there right now orever, if I have anything to do with it.”

“Ohhh, possessive.” Oliver wiggles his brows.

“Ollie, shut up. Let Tommy finish talking,” Marc cuts in, and turns his direction back to me. “Was that all that happened?”

“Well, no.” I scrub my hands down my face. “I had Rosie stock the house with snacks and food so that we had food to eat. I didn’t even think to ask her what she eats or if she has any preferences. Turns out, she’s a vegan and I had absolutely nothing she could eat.”

“No shit, dude!” Oliver beams. “Vegans are hot.”

Marc and I both give him a pointed look.

“She’s a vegan but she’s still trying to eat ya boy,” he says with a sing song and a little dance in the spot he’s sitting in.

“Did you just quoteJack Harlow?” I ask him with a raised brow.

“That’s my homeboy,” he laughs, still doing his little dance. “Young Harleezy is my anthem. And that's for us, big A-listers.”

“Okay, that’s enough with the Jack quotes.” Marc deadpans.

“Agreed,” I say. “There will be noeating ya boyover here. Yes, I have history with her, but I can’t allow it to go anywhere because she works for me. There is no mixing business with pleasure.”

“So, what’s your plan then?” Marc asks.

“I don’t really have one,” I say, shrugging my shoulders. “I am just keeping my distance to give her some space. When I get home from work, she will be off the clock and is free to leave the apartment or do whatever she pleases.”

“Do you want her to leave you alone?” Oliver asks.

“I do, but I don't,” I admit. “I like having her around already. She’s so great with James and it’s nice having someone comforting in the house for him. But the more I get to know her, the more drawn to her I am.”