All Stars Fall (Seaside Pictures #3.5)(9)

I felt slightly guilty when I eyed the clock again.

My fingers twitched with the need to play out my frustration on the drums, with the need to write music and send it to the guys to see if it was good enough. And on top of that, I had band AD2 coming in at the end of the week to lay two tracks.

Technically, they lived here only during the summer months, but now that Alec, the older brother, had a kid with another one on the way, they were thinking about staying permanently because of schools.

My plate was full.

And I was ready to offer the new nanny a million dollars plus benefits if she’d just clean up the Legos.

That was when you knew you were at your limit—when you would pay a complete stranger to pick up the hazardous toys sprinkled around your house like miniature bombs ready to go off.

“ERIC!” Malcom screamed. “STOP TOUCHING ME!”

I chugged my coffee, burning my tongue in the process, and eyed the clock again. Five hours, I could last five hours. Right?





Chapter Five



Penelope




All I had was a phone number to text and an address.

He said I’d have to sign something once I reported to work. I assumed it was something legal that basically said I wouldn’t go to TMZ and tell them what kind of body wash he used.

What sort of person did that anyways?

And why would something like that even matter?

I pushed the doorbell.

Heard screaming.

Almost backed away when the screaming intensified and smiled when I heard heavy footsteps and then, “This is your last warning before a time out!”

The door opened.

Trevor had ketchup all over his deep V-neck T-shirt, some sort of food object stuck to his skinny jeans, and he was wearing one purple sock.

Nothing out of the ordinary per se.

Except he had a pink boa on and a tiara.

“Wow, had I known I was meeting royalty today, I would have dressed up,” I teased, shocking even myself. We didn’t know each other enough to tease, but he seemed relieved as he exhaled and then burst out laughing.

“Tea time.” He nodded. “All the Brits do it.”

“Ah, I see. Do you use an accent and everything?”

“I attempted one time, and my daughter cried because she thought I was making fun of hers, so no, I use my boring dad voice.” He winked.

Yeah, nothing about him was boring even covered in ketchup and mystery food, and he was still one of the best looking men I’d ever seen up close.

Period.

He could take a shower under a sewer, and women would still crane their necks to get a better look at him.

It was alarming.

And honestly, I needed to get a grip before my inner fangirl let loose an ear piercing scream that would match the rest of the noise coming from upstairs.

“Thank you so much.” Trevor took off his tiara. “For starting so soon. I’m swamped and since their mom left—” He cut himself off, but something indefinable flickered in his eyes. “It’s just…been a big adjustment for us.”

My chest cracked a bit. “Has she been gone long?”

“Gone,” he repeated and then smiled. “Gone makes it sound like she’s missing or that maybe she didn’t choose to leave. She’s called twice in the past year since she left, sends the kids presents on all their birthdays, and for the holidays flew in for twenty-four hours before jet setting back to Brazil or wherever the hell her current boy toy is. She left. And I don’t think I’ll ever forgive her for doing that to our family.”

“I’m so sorry,” I blurted, feeling horrible. “It’s none of my business. I feel horrible, I’m—”

“Honestly, I thought you probably knew. The rest of the world does.” His eyes locked onto mine.

“Well, here’s a moment of truth—I don’t read celebrity gossip and have been living in Montana for the last few years of my life, where the local gossip is even dirtier than Hollywood.”

“Oh?” He crossed his bulky arms.

“Yeah, I mean we once had this horse escape…” I grinned and bit down on my bottom lip, trying like hell not to look at the complete package of perfection in front of me as he waited for me to continue. “Since you were honest, I guess it’s my turn. I came here for a fresh start. My cousin Dani’s married to Lincoln Greene.”

“Ahhhhhhh.” Trevor snapped his fingers. “I love Lincoln, he’s one of the good ones.”

“He’s the best, they both are. It was their idea, and here I am.”

“Huh.” Trevor seemed to mull that over a bit before another yell came from upstairs. A basketball was thrown over the railing; it bounced behind him while he looked up and bit back a curse. “I apologize in advance. Just remember, I’m paying you well.”

“I love kids so it won’t be a problem.” What was I saying? I loved kids, yes, but not ones who were hurting and who lashed out and yelled and cried, and crap I was in over my head, totally in over my head. Back when I was a teacher we had school counselors for this sort of thing, I knew how to teach them things, to engage, but the sadness factor or even the anger, I wasn’t so sure about.

“Well, just in case…” He grabbed a piece of paper from the kitchen table. “You have my personal cell number, and if you sign here we’ll be in business.”