“Why would you tell the team?” I demand, ignoring his flirty greeting.
“They deserve to know before the public.”
“I just worry it somehow gets out that we’re having a baby.”
“We can trust them, don’t you think?”
“You aren’t wrong.” I bite my lower lip. Maybe being alone with him isn’t the smartest idea. But I can’t bring myself to care. “Anyway, my friends suggested that we could, um, do some babysitting together.”
There’s a pause. Then, “why not,” he says easily. “But so you know, I’ve never held a baby in my life.”
“Seriously?”
“Haisley, I’m almost thirty, single, and without extended family or close friends with kids. Why the hell would I have any experience with babies?”
“I don’t know,” I admit. “I wonder if my brothers have ever held a baby, either.”
“My guess is no.”
“Probably,” I mutter, picturing them awkwardly holding our baby this summer.
“But I’ll still do it,” Rasmus says after a beat. “If babysitting together is something you think we should do.”
His willingness to do this with me makes me smile. “You sure?”
“Hundred percent. The first bye week starts tomorrow, so I’m pretty much free every evening if your friends want a night off.”
“I’ll text Ollie right after this call. He’s raising his almost-year-old niece, who’s one of the cutest and easiest babies ever. You’ll see.”
“I guess I better prepare myself for diaper duty,” he jokes. “But let me know what this Ollie guy says.”
“I will,” I say and hang up, a smile lingering on my face.
Babysitting with Rasmus. This could be interesting.
17
TRUST ME, HE’S JUST A GUY WHO LOVES ABBA AND BAD JOKES
RASMUS
Ispot Haisley the instant she rounds the corner. Her coat is belted at the waist, highlighting her figure, while her cheeks are flushed from the chill. For a few beats, all I can think is how she’s the kind of beautiful that ruins your idea of perfection for good.
She catches my admiring look and lifts the two coffee cups she’s holding. “Didn’t want to show up empty-handed. Figured caffeine might help us survive babysitting.”
“I like the way you think.”
She passes me one of the cups, her fingers grazing mine, bringing back the memory of how right our hands felt together that first night. “I wasn’t sure if you preferred something stronger, but I figured this is safer than showing up with tequila for babysitting duty.”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “As tempting as tequila is, I think coffee’s exactly what we need for this.”
When we reach the back entrance of the brick building that houses an auto body shop and their apartment, Haisley punches in the code. The door clicks open, and we climb the narrow staircase in step.
She pauses at the landing and flashes me a quick smile. “You nervous?”
“A little,” I admit. “Babies don’t exactly come with a playbook.”
“You’ll be great,” she says, about to knock when the door swings open on its own.
