Page 6 of Penalty Kill

The last time I’d stayed in a city that long was before I left my parents’ house at eighteen. I’d been on the move since the day after high school graduation. I couldn’t stand the thought of living in the same town my parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents had called home. I needed out. I needed my own life. Three generations of never leaving, and they expected me to be the fourth. West Huntburgh, Pennsylvania had been enough for them. No vacations or road trips, other than the annual trip to the family cabin at Lake Erie just two hours away. But it was one boring house in a boring town to another.

My parents didn’t understand my need to leave. They said I was ungrateful for all they provided for me. Their lives were fulfilling for them, so following in their footsteps should be the same for me.

The itch to get out and see the world set in during eighth grade geography class when I realized how much I was missing. I dreamed of seeing it all. Paris, Rio, Hong Kong. I wanted to travel the world and experience what other countries and cultures had to offer. Unfortunately, you needed money to travel, especially internationally, and I couldn’t even afford a passport when I first left. I started off with Philadelphia. It was only a few hours from my hometown, but it might as well have been the moon. In the ten years since I left, I’ve lived in nearly every state, but I still haven’t managed to leave the country. I haven’t been able to build up enough of a savings to feel secure about taking that leap.

Staying here wasn’t a setback.

I’d have to remind myself of that every day. I wasn’t sure what the pay was, but nannies could make good money, especially for rich people. This could be my big break. I’d save up for the whole year and it might be enough to get a passport and a one-way ticket to explore the world.

3

Brandon

This was insane. I was crazy for letting Chloe and Emma talk me into it. Not that anyone was capable of saying no to those two, not when their minds were set on something. I wiped my hands on my jeans for the third time. Why was I so nervous? It wasn’t like I was the one walking into a job interview.

My knee bounced a mile a minute while I watched the boys race each other up the stairs to the highest slide at the park. They were fearless. I was pretty sure they were supposed to be playing on the little kids’ playground still, but telling them to stick to that side was an insult to their egos. That was for babies, apparently. They were big boys and could handle the real playground. Sure, they were ready, but I wasn’t. It was easy to lose sight of them. They were too fast and too brave for their own good. The two of them fed off one another, pushing each other to take more risks, showing off that they weren’t scared.

It was terrifying.

I checked my watch and sighed. I thought it would be a good idea to get here early so the boys could burn off some of their energy before the woman Chloe interviewed got here. I didn’t want to scare her off before I had a chance to talk to her, but my idea might have backfired. The boys were screaming, chasing, and at a full-on energy level ten with no sign of slowing down.

There weren’t very many other kids here either, so it wasn’t like I could distract her from noticing which children were mine. It was hard to miss the two towheads blitzing from one side of the playset to the other while screaming at the top of their lungs.

“Brandon?”

I turned to see a beautiful woman walking toward me. Her long caramel hair nearly touched her hips. Her skin seemed to be glowing. She was wearing flowy, turquoise floral pants and a baggy yellow shirt tied around her waist. I tried to look away from the thin strip of tan skin peeking through the gap between her top and pants, but it was hypnotizing. A hippie goddess.

I shook my head. Bad Brandon. It had been a while—years—since I’d noticed a woman this way. It was such a foreign feeling it took me a while to identify it as attraction, so long that the beautiful woman was now staring at me with an uncertain expression.

“Sorry, my mistake. I’m looking for someone, but I don’t know what he looks like.” She turned and started walking away, and I realized I needed to respond. Two minutes ago.

“Yes, I’m Brandon.” She faced me, not looking convinced. I guess I would be confused too. “Sydney, right?”

She grinned, making her hazel eyes sparkle, and moved to the bench I was sitting on. She offered her hand, and I shook it quickly before she sat down. “I’m so glad I found you. All Chloe told me was to look for a man with brown hair.”

I chuckled. “I guess she could have done a bit more to help you out.”

She laughed lightly, a delicate sound that had me wanting to lean in. I had to stop myself from scooting closer. “Thanks for agreeing to meet me. I can only imagine how weird it must be for a complete stranger to want to watch your children.”

Weird? No, it was an answer to a prayer. I didn’t want her to know how desperate I was for help. I didn’t even fight it when Emma and Chloe presented me with the idea after practice on Tuesday. I hugged them when they said that not only did they think I needed a nanny, but they had a woman in mind. It was exactly what I didn’t know I needed. I knew I couldn’t do this on my own. The boys were suffering from my limited time, which wasn’t fair. If I could find the right fit for us, this would solve so much. If Sydney could care for them, they would get some of the much-needed attention and focus they deserved. I knew there was no replacement for their mother, but having someone in their life that they could depend on? That was the best I could give them at the moment. Things would slow down a bit once the season ended, but that was months away. Sydney could be there for them now.

As long as I didn’t scare her away.

“I really appreciate it. I’m not sure how much the women told you, but I’m new to the world of single parenting and need help.” I tried to smile but it fell flat. “I’ve let the ball drop with the boys too many times recently, and I’ve accepted that we need help.”

She chuckled. “Well, that is the first step.”

I laughed and the corners of her eyes crinkled. I loved it.

Wait. No. I can’t feel anything. Not for her. She was a potential nanny, not someone for me to flirt with.

“Right.” I cleared my throat. “Milo and Finn are four. They go to preschool for four hours a day, and three times a week they stay for another two to three hours in the daycare program. I’m hoping having a nanny will make it so they don’t have to do that anymore. I’d rather have them home or at the park or something.” I shrugged.

She nodded. “I understand. Emma and Chloe also mentioned you need someone to keep up with their schedule and errands.”

I winced. “Yeah, I feel like I’m losing my mind most of the time. I can’t seem to remember when it’s their turn to bring treats at school or when they’re supposed to dress up for a holiday or spirit day.” I looked over to check on the boys before meeting her eyes again. “Unfortunately, I can’t stay on top of it all. Not right now.”

I waited to see the judgment on her face, but it never came. She just smiled. “I can’t pretend to know what you’re going through, but I––”