Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

BAILEY

T he Uber drops me at the address Mr. Montgomery gave me. I look up at what can only be described as the biggest mansion I’ve ever seen. I mumble to myself, “Being a sports agent must pay well.”

I look down at my wardrobe, suddenly feeling underdressed in black leggings and a small Anacondas sweatshirt. Do rich people dress fancy all the time? Will he need me to dress fancy when I babysit his daughter? I have a few nice things, but not enough to wear every day.

I also notice a few contractors’ pickup trucks parked in the driveway. What else could he possibly be doing to his house? How much space do a single man and his daughter need? Maybe Arizona was mistaken and he’s not single. Or maybe like forty people live here. They’d certainly fit.

I thank the driver and walk toward the front door. Before I have the chance to knock, the door swings open and the most adorable little girl appears, jumping up and down. Her hair is in messy braids, and she’s wearing athletic shorts and an Anacondas T-shirt, immediately putting me at ease .

She screeches, “Bailey Hart is at my house! Omigod, wait until I tell my friends.”

I crouch down and smile. “You must be Harper.” I hold out my hand. “It’s nice to meet you. I hear you’re a softball player too. A really good one.”

Her eyes widen as she takes my hand. “You’ve heard of me?”

So precious.

I nod. “Arizona Abbott told me all about you. She said you might be on the Anacondas in a few years.”

She gasps as I hear footsteps making their way toward the door. I look up as the imposing figure approaches, and my mouth immediately goes dry. The man is tall and shockingly well-built, apparent even in a business suit. He has dark hair with a hint of gray, golden brown eyes, and a trim beard my sister would describe as sitworthy . I’m starting to understand the term.

His navy-blue dress pants do little to hide his thick legs. He’s wearing a white button-down shirt with rolled sleeves and a vest that matches his pants. I’m speechless. He’s unquestionably the sexiest man I’ve ever seen in my life.

This right here is what I was describing to Ripley the other night. This holy fuck he’s hot feeling.

He holds out his hand and smiles with full lips. “Thank you for coming. I’m Tanner Montgomery.”

Silence . Awkward deafening silence.

Say something, Bailey. Anything.

He smirks before turning his attention to Harper, “Bug, let Bailey inside. I think we’re scaring her.”

While Harper steps back, I finally get my shit together enough to hold out my hand, which he shakes and then uses to gently pull me up. His hand is big and warm, and I’m suddenly thinking about what it would feel like on my body.

He maintains his hold on my hand and nods. “It’s nice to meet you, Bailey.”

“You too…Mr. Montgomery.”

His face twitches a bit. I don’t know why. We stare at each other, still holding hands, for a few long beats until Harper interrupts us. “Bailey, want to see my new batting cage? They’re almost done. Daddy said it will be ready to use today.”

Our hands release, and I turn toward her. I take a deep breath to calm myself and answer, “I’d love to.”

She takes my hand and quickly pulls me through the house. I look around and take in the incredible beauty of this home. It’s a huge, open floorplan with high ceilings and windows everywhere. The wood floors are dark and wide-planked. Most everything is in various shades of black, gray, or white, with small splashes of color scattered throughout. It’s masculine and modern. It’s tasteful yet homey. High-end yet comfortable. I’ve never seen anything like it.

We reach the back of the house and look out to a huge backyard with a pool and land as far as the eye can see. Sure enough, about five guys are seemingly putting the final touches on a brand-new batting cage. A big batting cage right next to a full-length basketball court. Wow, this place is like Disney World for athletes.

Tanner joins us. “They’re just setting up the machine now, bug.”

Harper jumps up and down with excitement. “Maybe Bailey and I can hit today.”

Tanner shakes his head and smiles. “She’s here to meet us. She’s not on the clock just yet.”

I shrug. “I don’t mind. I’d love to see your new batting cage, Harper. You’re lucky to have one at your house.”

He nods. “Wonderful. Thank you. Why don’t we sit and chat for a bit, and then we’ll see if they’re done and make sure everything is in working order before I let my most precious commodity in there.” He winks.

He’s so hot. And I can smell his aftershave. It’s making my head spin.

We walk over to a living room area with a huge, comfy-looking cream-colored couch, a matching loveseat, and three complementary chairs. Tanner and Harper sit together on the couch. She immediately cuddles her little body into his big one and he wraps his arm around her. It’s obvious that they’re close.

I sit in a chair across from them while noticing Harper pop a few Skittles into her mouth.

Tanner breaks the silence. “Bailey, why don’t you tell us a little about yourself? Harper and I go to a lot of your games, so we know you play a fantastic second base and are a great hitter. I mean beyond that.”

I smile. “Of course. I grew up in a small town in Southern Florida. My parents still live down there in the same house we grew up in. I’m sure you know that Kamryn is my identical twin sister. She’s my only sibling. We went to UCLA together. That’s where we met Arizona and Ripley. Together we won two national championships. We’ve all been playing pro ball since, though not together. Kam and I were in Chicago until a month or so ago. At UCLA, I majored in early childhood education. I was leaning toward teaching when my sister talked me into playing ball for a few more years. I’ve always nannied in the off-season to make ends meet and because I love working with kids. I’ve worked with them as young as two and as old as twelve. I emailed you the references you asked for right after we spoke on the phone.”

He nods. “Yes. I’ve spoken with them all. You have a lot of Chicago families who wish you still lived there. Do you have your driver’s license? Driving will be involved.”

“I have my license, but we don’t have a car here. We saw no need for one while living in downtown Chicago, and the same goes for living in Philly. If this works out, I’m going to have to figure out public transportation to get myself between your house and my apartment. Taking Ubers will get expensive.”

Tanner waves his hand dismissively. “I have several cars. If this works out, you’ll just take one of mine.”

“I…don’t know if I can do that.”

“I need Harper driven around. Once the school year begins, I’ll need you to pick her up and, on the odd occasion of an early morning meeting, drive her to school. Frankly, I’d rather it be in one of my SUVs. It’s safer for her.”

I run my bottom lip through my teeth. “Okay. What about my schedule through the season? It’s demanding. I don’t want to leave you disappointed and without coverage when you need it.”

“Harper isn’t a baby. She can come to my office now and then, or I can arrange playdates. I imagine you know in advance when your practices and games take place so I can work around them. My ex-wife has her half the time, so it’s mostly during working hours on the days I have her until school starts back up again. My afternoons are a little more flexible. Barring a work commitment, I’m with Harper in the evenings when I have her. I don’t like to miss that time. Fallon, Harper’s mom, is a physical therapist. She loads her schedule on the days I have Harper, but it’s fluid, and we help each other out when we can. Neither of us miss Harper’s games or anything along those lines.”

So different from my family. Our mother didn’t work, and our father worked like a dog. He tried to make it to as many games as he could, but it was hard for him. Our mother rarely came to games even though she had nothing else to do. She would have preferred we did something more girly than sports.

He continues, “Her close girlfriends, Andie and Dylan, are usually around. You may have met Andie. Her father, Beckett Windsor, is one of the new owners of the Cougars and Anacondas.”

“Yes, I’ve seen them around. They come to just about every game. I suppose most of our games are in the afternoons. I can be here in the mornings unless we’re on the road. Harper can even come to the ballpark with me when you’re in a pinch. No one will mind. One of the girls on the team is a mom and her baby comes now and then when her husband is busy.”

Harper’s face lights up. “In the locker room? With the team?”

I smile. “Of course.”

She seems giddy, and Tanner smiles down at her before looking back at me. “During the school year, I need her picked up from school and cared for until dinnertime. On odd occasions, a little later, but I try to avoid that as much as possible.”

“Once the season is over, sometime in October, that won’t be a problem at all. I’m wide open.”

He nods. “Great. Given Harper’s level of excitement and your references, I don’t see why this can’t work out. I just want my ex-wife, Fallon, to meet you. She needs to approve anyone who’s around Harper.”

“I understand completely.”

“We’ll figure out a time to make that happen.”

Harper scrunches her nose. “Tell Mommy to come over after work today to meet Bailey. I want her to start right away. My summer season is almost over, and I want to hit with Bailey. Coach says I should be getting more power in my swing.”

Tanner blows out a breath. “Her coach acts like they’re adults. They’re seven. It should be fun for them, don’t you think?”

I nod. “Of course. I know a few fun drills.” I turn to Harper. “If it’s okay with your daddy, maybe I can show you a few this afternoon.”

Harper looks hopefully at Tanner and he nods.

TANNER

I’m sitting on the deck, smoking a cigar, watching the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen in my life play softball with my daughter. When she walked in, something passed between us. She felt it too. I could tell.

She bends over to retrieve a ball, giving me a direct view of her perfect ass. At least a portion of her body was covered when she was wearing the sweatshirt. Now she’s in a fitted tank top with those tight leggings, and I’m finding myself constantly in need of…ad justment.

Just a regular middle-aged man, drinking whiskey, smoking a cigar on his deck, getting hard from simply watching his kid’s potential nanny play with his daughter. Totally normal.

I run my fingers through my hair. How did I get here?

Hiring Bailey might be the biggest mistake of my life. I’m half-hoping that Fallon rejects her as a candidate, though I can’t imagine she will.

As if I manifested her, Fallon walks outside. My friends and family think it strange that she has a key to my house and is free to come and go as she pleases, but at the end of the day, she’s Harper’s mother. I have keys to her house too, though I don’t use them as liberally as Fallon does mine.

She plops down next to me. “Hey. Sorry I’m late. Crazy day at work. Is she still here?”

I point toward the batting cage where Harper and Bailey have been for the past two hours. “The two of them are breaking in the new batting cage. The contractors finished it today, and Harper was anxious to get in there.”

She smiles. “I bet she was. It’s incredible, Tan. She’s a lucky little girl.”

I nod. “I think she wants to live in that sucker.”

Fallon looks more closely and lets out a laugh. “Oh cheez, Tan. Your new nanny is a far cry from Hildy, who could have doubled for Mrs. Doubtfire. Is she a model?”

I shake my head and blow out a ring of smoke. “Much better. She’s a professional softball player. She plays for the Anacondas.”

“Ahh. I thought she looked familiar. Harper must be over the moon.”

“She was bouncing off the walls with excitement. She’s been watching Bailey play all season. Now she gets to possibly hang out with one of her idols, but if you don’t like her, I’ll try to find someone else.” I mumble, “Though I don’t think it gets more perfect.”

She continues to watch them happily interact before turning to me. “If you hire her, you can’t sleep with her.”

I straighten my shoulders, immediately feeling defensive. “For god’s sake, Fallon, she’s a kid herself.”

She’s no kid. She’s a woman. All woman, down to each and every perfect curve. Her eyes may scream innocence, but her body certainly doesn’t.

Fallon gives me a skeptical look. “Don’t bullshit me. Who you sleep with is your business, not mine, but it can’t be our kid’s nanny. That could lead to heartache for Harper.”

“I don’t plan to sleep with her, Fallon. She’s not even my type.”

She rolls her eyes. “She’s everyone’s type. Look at her. I want to freakin’ sleep with her.”

I chuckle, and she smiles playfully. “Seriously, how old is she?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. She graduated a few years ago. Late twenties, I guess.” Twenty-eight and a few months. I may have looked it up while sitting out here, hoping she was at least thirty and I wasn’t a pervert. “She loves kids. Her references are impeccable. She wants to eventually be a teacher, even majoring in childhood education. She nannies during every off-season and always has. That’s as far as I got until the guys said they finished the cage and Harper begged to break it in with Bailey.”

She shrugs. “It’s your call. I trust you. I certainly know you wouldn’t put Harper in harm’s way.”

“Of course not.”

“If she’s the best person for the job, then you have my blessing.”

I nod. “Okay. I’ll let them know. You’ve certainly made Harper a happy little girl. I mentioned to Bailey that you might need her now and then when you’re in a bind and your parents aren’t around. It makes sense to have one nanny for consistency. I’ll take care of it whenever you need her.”

“Thank you. That’s very generous of you.” She bites her lip nervously. “Speaking of my parents, I got a call on my way here. My father tripped on a cobblestone street in Spain and broke his foot.”

“Oh shit. Is he okay?”

“He’ll eventually be fine, but physically getting him home is too much for Mom. Between the luggage and him in a wheelchair, she just can’t manage it all. Fortunately, it was the last stop on their cruise. I told them not to get back on the ship. To stay put. I need to fly over and help them get home. I’m slammed at work for the next few days. He won’t be able to fly before then anyway, but I’ll be there through the weekend and into next week. Can you handle Harper, or should I bring her with me?”

I think for a moment. “She’d miss a few games. She’ll freak out. I’ll keep her.” My eyes widen in realization. “Shit. You’re going to miss the team’s family camping trip.”

Without me noticing it, Harper and Bailey had stepped up onto the deck as the words trickled out of my mouth.

Harper’s face falls and she screeches out, “You’re missing the trip, Mommy? We’ve been planning it all summer.”

Fallon’s eyes fill with tears. “I know. I’m so sorry, baby. I hate to miss your special night. Poppy got injured. I have to go help him. He needs me. You’d help Daddy if he were hurt, right?”

Her lip trembles and her head falls. Tears spill over her long eyelashes. “Y…yes.”

I stand and pull Harper into my arms. “It’s not Mommy’s fault. She wants to be with you more than anything, but she’s being a good daughter. Poppy needs her. I’ll do the mommy and daddy activities. You won’t miss anything. I promise. You can decorate my hair and beard with all the girly stuff you want. ”

She shakes her head as the tears begin to fall heavily. She sobs, “You can’t do the mommy activities. It’s girls only.”

I ask, “What about Michelle? She has two daddies.”

“Her aunt is coming.”

Bailey asks, “If you don’t mind me asking, when is this trip?”

I look at her. “Saturday night.”

“We have a Saturday morning practice and no practice on Sunday since we leave for a short road trip on Monday. I don’t want to overstep, but I can go if you’d like.”

Harper lifts her head and she gasps, the tears immediately stop. “Bailey Hart coming on our trip? Everyone will be so jealous. Please, Daddy, can she? Can she?”

“Umm…umm…” I look at Fallon. It’s up to her.

I can tell it hurts, but she doesn’t want to disappoint Harper more than she already has. “Thank you, Bailey. It’s a very generous offer. Why don’t we chat for a bit and get to know each other before deciding?”

Bailey smiles innocently, completely unaware that Fallon is hurting. “Anything to help.”

I point to the chairs at the table on the deck. “Let’s sit for a minute.”

Everyone takes a seat, including Harper. I turn to Bailey. “I want Fallon to get to know you, Bailey. We’re a unified front when it comes to parenting our angel. I know I mentioned you possibly helping when she’s at Fallon’s from time to time. Her parents are extremely helpful in that regard, but her father is injured, and it may be a trying few months for them. We may need you more than I thought.”

Bailey nods. “Of course.”

Fallon squeezes my arm in appreciation. “Thank you.” She turns to Bailey. “Tanner said you play softball and that you may want to teach someday?”

Bailey’s face lights up. “Yes, I do. I enjoy softball, but working with kids is my passion. I’ve even tinkered around with writing a few children’s books. I have two very rough drafts sitting on my laptop. I work on them when I can, but I’ve been neglecting them for a long time now. I hope to dive back into them one day.”

Fallon asks, “What are they about?”

Bailey looks over at Harper and winks. “Young female athletes, of course. There’s so much evidence of the positive effects of athletics on young girls. They’re more physically fit, mentally healthier, and they perform better in the classroom. It helps with both verbal and non-verbal communication, increased self-esteem, and overall leadership skills. My sister and my teammates are among the strongest women I know. They’ve all overcome adversity on varying levels. Sports are a big part of that.”

Fallon nods. “I was an athlete back in the day. I get it. I’m a physical therapist now and certainly agree with everything you said. It’s part of the reason we’re so supportive of Harper’s passion.”

Bailey asks, “What was your sport?”

“Basketball.”

Bailey lets out a laugh. “That was my main sport until Kam begged me to spend more time with her playing softball.”

I sit back and smoke my cigar while the two of them trade a few basketball war stories. They’re getting on like old friends. I think it’s official. The sexy Bailey Hart is now my daughter’s nanny, and I’ll be looking at her gorgeous face several times a week.

At some point, Harper stands, walks over to me, removes the cigar from my mouth, and, without an ounce of remorse, extinguishes the flame in my ashtray. “Smoking is bad for you, Daddy.” She turns to Fallon. “Right, Mommy?”

Fallon and Bailey both laugh as Fallon pulls Harper onto her lap. “It sure is. Don’t let him smoke. I tried for years to get him to stop. You need to succeed where I failed.”

I turn to Bailey, pleading for help, but she shrugs. “They’re right, Mr. Montgomery. Smoking is terrible for you.”

My face falls. “Oh my god, it was bad enough when it was two against one, now there are three of you. How did that happen? At least I don’t pump my body full of sugar like you two.” I look at Bailey. “Fallon and Harper each have quite the sweet tooth.”

All three of them smile but Bailey’s is a bit more conspiratorial. “Harper, I have a fun little game we can play to make your daddy stop smoking. Are you in?”

Harper’s face lights up. “Yes! What is it?”

She motions for Harper to come to her, which she does. Bailey then whispers in her ear. Whatever she says leaves Harper in a fit of giggles.

Fallon looks at me, nods, and gives me the thumbs up.

Oh boy. This should be interesting.