“Yup.” But she didn’t take her eyes off the screen, to Rowan’s clear amusement.
“We watched, we laughed, we ate lots of junk food,” Rowan explained. “Thanks, by the way, for sending someone to help us.”
Jordy shrugged. “Least I could do. I know the box would have been more ideal but… she likes the glass.”
“Fair enough. Still. Thanks.”
Getting someone who was paid to chaperone VIPs around the arena to chaperone Rowan, who was only there for his kid, didn’t feel like something he should be thanked for, but Jordy could accept it with grace. “You’re welcome.” He thought about what Sully had said. He didn’t want to bring up something that might upset Rowan, but saying nothing could be worse. “So, uh, I don’t know if you know this, but after the gala some fans online were talking about you?”
Rowan arched an eyebrow. “I’m aware.”
“Well, it seems that they remembered and they spotted you tonight.”
“Oh, I know.” He waved at his phone, which lay dark on the armrest. “I heard from Taylor, my former coworker at the library. She’s a Shield fan, and she wanted to know why I never mentioned that my friend-slash-roomie was a familiar face.”
Jordy winced. “Is she mad?”
“Nah, she gets why I didn’t say anything. Though she teased me about turning down her offer to go to a game. I told her I was just waiting for the right date.” He stroked a hand over Kaira’s head and tugged one of her pigtails. Kaira swatted him away with a disgruntled “Rowan.”
Jordy would have to get the name of this movie. Clearly they’d be watching it again. “That’s good.”
“Yeah. The new coworkers are a different story. They don’t know about the nanny gig, so they all want to know how long we’ve been dating.”
“Oh.” Jordy’s heart thumped. “What, uh, what did you tell them?”
“That a bunch of researchers and librarians should know better than to believe everything they read on the internet.” He flashed a cheeky grin, and Jordy wanted to kiss it for being so adorable, even as his stomach lurched with mixed emotions.
In a perfect world, Rowan would tell anyone he asked that he and Jordy were in love and Kaira was their daughter and never think twice about it, except maybe to bask in some smugness. Actually, yes, Jordy wanted that. He wanted Rowan to beinsufferableabout him. He wanted him telling the world how smart Kaira was. He wanted him wearing Jordy’s name across his back because he was showing off—letting everyone who saw him know he belonged to Jordy.
Maybe tomorrow Jordy could take a step toward making that wish come true.
Tonight he’d enjoy what he had.
“Good advice,” Jordy said.
“Shhh!” Kaira hissed at them.
Rowan met Jordy’s gaze, eyes dancing, and mimed zipping his lips.
It was too late for Jordy to get invested in the movie—it was already almost done—and he was probably going to have to watch it seven hundred times in the next year, so he’d have plenty of opportunities to pick up the plot. He planted his ass in an armchair and pulled up a game of Angry Birds.
He needed something to focus on or he’d spill his guts everywhere.
Twenty minutes later the movie ended, and Jordy swept Kaira off the couch and threw her over his shoulder. “Tooth-brushing time!”
“Daddy!”
Jordy shot Rowan a look, hoping to convey his plan. As if he needed to—Rowan was already looking back, eyes lidded.
Kaira did not get a double bedtime story, and thankfully didn’t seem to need one. After the excitement of the day, her eyelids were drooping by the time Jordy got halfway through. He closed the book and kissed her forehead. “Good night, peanut.”
Kaira didn’t answer, already asleep.
Quietly, Jordy flicked off the light and pulled her door closed.
From the sound of things, Rowan was in the kitchen, probably loading the dishwasher and cleaning up the remains of their snack. Jordy allowed himself a short detour to brush his teeth and then padded back down the hallway.
Rowan hadn’t turned on the kitchen lights, so the only illumination came from the living room lamps. It lent the scene a daring kind of intimacy.This could be yours, Jordy’s subconscious shouted. All he had to do was admit out loud that he wanted it.
