Park Avenue Player(31)

Hollis stared at me funny. “That’s very nice of you.”

“Not really. She’s also my unofficial psychologist and has put up with me the last few years. I think I need her for my mental wellbeing more than she needs me for any physical assistance. In fact, if it weren’t for her, we wouldn’t have met.”

His brows drew together. “How so?”

“Bree saw your ad for a nanny somewhere and encouraged me to apply. She hated my job with Soren.”

Hailey had laid down in the back seat a few minutes after we got on the road. The last day of school and a pool party had really knocked her out. But she suddenly sat up and stretched. “I need to take a whiz.”

“Hailey, don’t talk like that,” Hollis snapped.

“Like what?”

“Taking a whiz. That’s about as classy as a woman saying she needs to take a piss.”

“But I do need to take a piss. What would you like me to say?”

I turned and intervened. “Hailey, honey, I think your uncle prefers if you say you have to go to the bathroom…or the ladies’ room. Whiz and piss are a bit crass, even for me.”

“So I can’t use certain words, but Uncle Hollis gets to say whatever he wants?”

Hollis said Yes at the exact same time I said No. I’d been about to explain that wasn’t what he was saying, but Hollis nipped that in the bud by talking over me.

“I’m an adult,” he bit back.

“So when I’m an adult, it’s fine to use whiz and piss?”

“No, because when you’re an adult, you’ll be a lady.”

“Maybe I don’t want to be a lady.”

“Hailey, don’t push my buttons.”

I almost laughed. That was exactly what she was doing. I knew what that looked like because I liked to do it, too.

“Why don’t we go inside my house so you can use the bathroom, Hailey?”

“Okay!” She whipped open the back door and jumped out.

I looked over at Hollis. “Would you like to come in and take a whiz before getting on the road, too?”

He narrowed his eyes. “The two of you are going to drive me to drink.”

Inside the house, I showed Hailey where the main bathroom was and then led Hollis into the bathroom off my bedroom. When I flicked on the light, I realized I had all of my underwear and bras hanging over the shower curtain. This morning I’d hand-washed things that didn’t go in the washing machine.

Hollis froze.

“They’re underwear. They won’t bite. You’ll be safe for your whiz.”

He mumbled something under his breath and shut the door behind him. I went to wait for Hailey in the kitchen.

She came out of the bathroom a few minutes later, sniffing her hands. “What kind of soap is in there? It smells so good.”

“It’s lavender. I’ll pick you up some the next time I go to Bath & Body Works.”

“Thanks.” She pulled out a stool that had been tucked under the kitchen counter and made herself at home. “I like the painting in the bathroom, too. It’s sort of creepy, but pretty at the same time.”

I smiled. “Thank you. I painted it.”

Her eyes widened. “You did?”

“Yup.”

“Wow. Can you teach me how to paint like that?”

“I could teach you some techniques. Sure.” I opened the refrigerator. “Do you want something to drink before you head back to the city?”

She shook her head. “No, thanks. It’ll just make me have to go to the bathroom.”

I heard Hollis’s voice before I saw him. “So you’re capable of using the word bathroom for Elodie.”

Hailey turned to look at her uncle, then completely ignored him and looked back at me. “Do you have more of your art anywhere?”

I nodded and pointed down the hall. “First door on the left. It’s a spare bedroom, but I use it for painting.”

Hailey hopped down from the stool and took off.

“Would you like something to drink, Hollis?”

“No, thank you.”

He looked completely uncomfortable standing in my kitchen, so of course, I needed to make it worse. I tilted my head. “Did you touch any?”

“What?”

“My panties. Did you touch any while you were in the bathroom?”

He tugged at the collar of his polo and looked down the hall. “Where did she go? We need to get back on the road.”

Oh my God!

I’d been kidding around. But…holy shit…he had! I covered my mouth and cracked up. “You did, didn’t you! You perv!”

Hollis walked down the hall. “Hailey…let’s get going.”

I couldn’t get the smile off my face. Something about the thought of Hollis touching my underwear amused the hell out of me. I wished Hailey wasn’t around so I could ask him if he’d smelled them, too. That thought actually made me snort.

Hollis came back to the kitchen. His face was stern. “We’ll see you on Monday.”

I walked them to the door. Hailey surprised me with a hug. “Your stuff is awesome.”

“Thank you, sweetheart.”

I grinned at Hollis, who was impatiently holding the door open for his niece. “Your uncle thinks my stuff is awesome, too.”