“When does summer vacation start?”
“Eight weeks, so that’s no help to you. Plus, she’s going to be working with a music camp over the summer, so…”
“Got it. So what do I do? Put an ad up somewhere? If we start calling people we know, word’s going to get back to Mom and Dad.”
Liam nodded.
“Ryleigh’s her own boss, so I’m sure she can either help here a couple of hours a week or maybe at the pub so I can be here.” The nervous laugh was out before he could stop it. “I’m not sure which option is better for Asher. Maybe the less time I’m here, the better chance he has of being well cared for.”
“Jamie…come on…”
“What? You think I don’t know how unqualified I am for this? How no one’s willing to say it out loud that I screwed up and how I’m not mature enough to handle being a father? Or…or…how you’re all not dying to tease me about how I’ll never have a date again?”
At least Liam had the good sense to look embarrassed.
“Okay, fine. We all thought about it, but no one said anything because it’s not helpful right now. We’re all here to support you and help in any way we can, but we’re all just as clueless as you are, so…there’s that.”
“Yeah, great. What kind of care is that for Asher? He didn’t ask for any of this! How could Jenn just dump him with a guy she knows is a screwup?”
“Jamie, other than…this, you’re not a screwup. You work hard and yeah, sometimes you’re a little self-absorbed and clueless, but you’re definitely a good person. We all know that. Hell, everyone in this town knows that about you.”
Falling back against the cushions, he let out a long breath. “What the hell was she thinking? I mean…why didn’t she come and see me as soon as she found out? And…what if Asher’s not mine? I know the timeline adds up, but…”
“Let’s just say for the sake of argument that Asher is yours. You can still get a DNA test to put your mind at ease, but do you think Jenn would lie about something like that?”
“That’s just it, Liam! I have no idea! We didn’t spend a whole lot of time getting to know each other, if you know what I mean. We went out and had fun and it was all very light and casual.”
Patrick and Ryker walked through the room carrying more boxes and he didn’t even have the will to care about what was in them. He hadn’t touched that stuff in the months he’d been living here, so he guessed he didn’t need whatever was in them. Surely by now the room had to be organized, didn’t it?
As if on cue, Ryleigh and Tessa joined them in the living room. Asher was sound asleep in the carrier. Arianna had fed and changed him before she left and, thankfully, he was a heavy sleeper.
Tessa sat in the oversized chair and Liam got up and squeezed in beside her while Ryleigh came over and sat next to him.
And he knew she was going to take her turn at trying to reassure him about how all of this was going to work out. Soon, Ryker was sitting beside her and Patrick took a chair from the kitchen and joined them.
Okay…now what?
Reaching over, Ryleigh took one of his hands in hers and that’s when he got nervous.
“First, relax,” she said to him and all Jamie could do was nod. “The room is all cleared out. Patrick and Ryker are going to take the stuff to the storage unit and come back with a bed for the room.”
“A bed? Ry, I may not know anything about babies, but even I know Asher’s too small to sleep in a real bed.”
“Not for Asher, dummy, but for people who come and help you with Asher to sleep on. That room isn’t particularly large, but you can fit a full or queen-size bed in there along with a crib and a dresser. It’s not ideal, but for now, it will work.”
“Oh. I guess that makes sense.”
Ryleigh looked around and he noticed that she exchanged looks with both Liam and Patrick, who nodded at her.
And that really made him nervous.
His sister gave him a sweet smile—like she was buttering him up for something.
Now he was borderline terrified.
“As I’m sure you figured out, there isn’t really a way that any of us can help you in the babysitting department. We all work and it’s important for there to be some…stability for Asher. Babies need a schedule and to feel secure.”
“If there were a revolving door of people coming in,” Tessa chimed in, “it could be confusing and that would make Asher fussier than he should be. So finding a full-time caregiver along with yourself would be the best thing.”
“I’m not disagreeing, but I don’t have any idea how to find a full-time caregiver I would trust to have around my son or even in my home! If you know someone, then I’m all ears.”
Ryleigh’s smile grew. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
“You were? Why? Do you know someone?”
She nodded. “Actually, I do, and she’s on her way here.”
Jamie practically sagged to the floor with relief. “Jeez, Ryleigh, why didn’t you say something sooner? I’ve been sitting here freaking out and you’ve already found a nanny? You’re a genius!” Sitting up, he pulled her in and gave her a huge hug. “You’re the freaking best!” When he pulled back, he smiled. “I can’t believe how amazing you are!”
“Well, I…”
“No,” he cut her off. “It’s true. You see a problem, and you fix it! It’s like a gift and I’m so thankful for you. For all of you, but mainly for you.” He winked at her.
“You weren’t saying that a few months ago,” she reminded him.
“I know, I know…but it all worked out, and thank you for forgiving me and doing something so unbelievably generous.” He stood and looked around anxiously. “When will she be here? Does the house look okay? Should I maybe go and shower or at least brush my teeth?”
“Um…definitely brush your teeth,” she said with a laugh. “And I’ll send the guys out to do what they need to do.”
“But you’re staying, right? You and Liam and Tessa?”
“We’ll be here,” she reassured him.
“But I want to stay and watch,” Patrick said with a smirk. “Ryker and I can hang out for a few more minutes. We want to…um…meet the nanny too.”
“Shut up,” Liam hissed and Jamie got a little suspicious again.
Ryleigh must have noticed his sudden change in demeanor, because she walked over and gave him a playful shove toward his bedroom. “Go and freshen up. Everything’s under control and it’s all going to be all right. You have my guarantee.”
“O-kay…” But he really wasn’t feeling as confident as he was a minute ago. Still, he knew he needed to clean himself up before meeting this person so he went to do his thing.
Walking into his en suite, he quickly brushed his teeth, put on deodorant, and ran a brush through his hair. Then he went back into the bedroom and changed his shirt and put on a pair of socks. He considered throwing on his sneakers, but didn’t think it was necessary. Off in the distance, he heard the doorbell ring and his heart kicked hard in his chest. With any luck, this person was going to be an angel of mercy and get him through the next three weeks until Jenn was back.