5+Us Makes Seven_A Nanny Single Dad Romance

by Nicole Elliot

  “Fine, I’ll call you later,” he said as I walked away.

  “Please don’t,” I called over my shoulder.

  My hands trembled as I fumbled with my key to unlock the front door of the building. When would I be able to afford to live in a place with a doorman?

  Inside my building, I slammed the door shut and turned to look outside. Max had left. I breathed a sigh of relief before going upstairs to get ready for work.

  * * *

  Max was still nowhere to be seen when I left the building for work. On the entire walk to the nondescript office building about a mile from my apartment, I thought about him and Cooper.

  I had slept with him again. Did I finally have him out of my system? He satisfied my physical needs, but I felt like he could offer me so much more.

  At work, I ran into Laura in the break room as I got another cup of coffee to keep me going. She smiled when she saw me. I waved and walked over to the where the coffee machine sat on the counter.

  “You weren’t answering your phone last night,” she said.

  “Oh, I might have hooked up with someone,” I said with a bounce in my step.

  “You? Hookup with someone? I need the details.”

  Laura and I had been friends for years. We shared practically everything with each other.

  “Maybe later,” I said, grabbing the pot of coffee and pouring a mug. “How are you and that new guy working out?”

  “Which one?” she asked.

  “The tall one with the beard. I can’t remember his name.”

  “Jason? He was like two men ago. You need to keep up.”

  “Are you ever going to find a decent man?” I asked then took a sip of coffee.

  “I don’t know.” She sighed. “There’s like no good guys who aren’t already in a relationship.”

  “Right?”

  “Was it the guy from Afghanistan you hooked up with last night? Max?”

  I frowned, staring down at my coffee.

  “No? Tell me more.”

  When I looked up, I saw a look of excitement on her face.

  “It wasn’t Max. I met another guy in Afghanistan too.”

  “Cooper? Yeah, you told me about that crazy night right before you left.”

  “He caught up with me a few days ago.”

  “And Max found you like a week ago? That’s weird.”

  “I guess.”

  Both of us took another sip.

  “You should hook me up with Max if you’re not interested in him,” she said.

  “Really?”

  “Why not?” She shrugged.

  “He’s not my type of guy at all, but I won’t judge you.”

  “Better not,” she said.

  I smiled.

  “I’ll send him your number. Is that cool?”

  “Yeah. Who couldn’t use a little more muscle in their life?”

  Whether Max and her hooked up or not, hopefully it would distract him enough, so he would quit stalking me.

  All my thoughts circled back to Cooper in one way or another. No matter how hard I tried, I wasn’t able to get him out of my mind.

  “I should go,” she said.

  “Yeah, me too. I’m on chapter thirty-two of editing this novel, and I need to get it finished today.”

  “Good luck.”

  “Only four more chapters to go, but this author can go on and on, dragging scenes out way too long. I never know what to expect.”

  “Can’t be any worse that the one I’m editing right now.”

  I took a step toward the break room door.

  “You doing anything for lunch?” she asked.

  “No. We can get something together.”

  “Sounds good. Don’t send Max my number yet. I want to think about it more.”

  I raised my hand in recognition as I walked out and headed toward my desk for another day of work, helping other people with their written words but writing none of my own. It didn’t bring me joy, but it paid the bills.

  NINETEEN

  Cooper

  When I woke up and saw her gone, I wondered in the back of my mind why she hadn’t told me the truth about her and Max the night before. I hadn’t mentioned it either. We had both been occupied.

  As I drank a cup of coffee in the kitchen and attempted to wake up, my phone rang. I thought it might be Jade, so I quickly grabbed it. I didn’t recognize the number.

  “Hello? Who is this?”

  “Is this Cooper Anderson?” a man asked in a heavily accented tone.

  “Maybe. Who is this?”

  “It’s Aamir,” he said. “Do you not remember me?”

  “Aamir, old friend. How have you been?”

  “Not good, Cooper, not good at all.”

  Another man’s voice suddenly piped up.

  “You will come back here, Mr. Anderson, and finish what you started.”

  “Who is this?”

  “My name is not important. Aamir’s life will be spared because he got me in touch with you, but if you do not comply, I will burn this whole village to the ground.”

  “What do I care?” I asked as nonchalantly as possible.

  If he knew I cared about the people, he would be able to use them as leverage.

  “You care, Mr. Anderson. You forget what you have done in our country?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You are stealing our resources.”

  “I’m not stealing anything,” I said. “By the way, this conversation is probably being recorded.”

  “Do I sound like I care?” the man yelled.

  “Who am I speaking with?”

  “You will know my name soon enough. For now, understand you need to come back to Afghanistan and finish what you started.”

  “Look, I have no idea what you’re talking about. Put Aamir back on the phone.”

  “Beware, Mr. Anderson. We have eyes all around the world watching.”

  The call ended. I put the phone in front of my face and stared at the screen, still unable to believe what had just happened. Did Max have something to do with it?

  If he did, it would explain why he had reached out to me out of nowhere nearly a year after we got out of the military because things were too hot to continue.

  I pushed Afghanistan out of my mind, hoping this was just a dirty joke because Max was still bitter that I refused to go into business with him again.

  I began replaying some of the better moments from the night before. Unlike other women, I found myself still captivated by Jade.

  After finishing my coffee, I left my apartment and walked a few blocks to the nearest Central Park entrance. Why hadn’t Jade told me the truth?

  I bounced the question around, unable to come up with an answer. Determined to confront her about it, I sent a text message in the early afternoon.

  “Your place or mine tonight?”

  “Start at my place ;)”

  The winking smiley set off something in me. The more I thought about her not telling me about Max, the angrier I became. Would she lie about other things?

  Did lies of omission not count?

  My thoughts went back and forth the rest of the afternoon as I ran some errands then returned to my apartment for a nap before going to meet her.

  TWENTY

  Cooper

  By the time evening rolled around, I had myself worked up, ready to go off on her about keeping secrets from me. The closer I got to her apartment, the more upset I became.

  Sure, she was a good lay, but it wasn’t worth this game she was playing. What the hell had I been thinking? I hit the buzzer for her apartment around six o’clock.

  After confronting her, we would either fuck our brains out or I would leave and go get drunk on my own. She buzzed the door open right away. I opened it and went inside.

  On the elevator ride up, an apparent housewife, her hair still in curlers, turned to smile at me. I smiled back and nodded in recognition, hoping she got off before me.


  We stopped. The door slid open and she got out, glancing over her shoulder. I hit the button to close the door, preparing to give Jade a piece of my mind.

  I had given her too much of my time already. If she didn’t come clean about everything, I would kick her out of my life. It was that fucking simple.

  The elevator door slid open on her floor. I stepped out and headed toward her apartment. With each step, I prepared myself for the confrontation.

  She wasn’t expecting me to ask her about Max, which gave me an advantage in the coming battle of the sexes. I loved fucking her, but I wasn’t about to let a woman walk all over me.

  I rapped on the door three times. She opened it a few seconds later, a smile on her face. Her wet, curly hair made her look even more hot, not to mention the half-open robe exposing her soft cleavage.

  “Hey, you’re early. Come in. I just got out of the shower.”

  “Yeah, we need to talk,” I said, walking in and shutting the door behind me.

  “Can you talk in the shower?” she teased, pressing her body against me.

  I stepped away, a serious expression on my face.

  “Uh oh,” she said, frowning. “What did I do?”

  “I don’t know, Jade. Did you do something?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. “Or fail to mention something?”

  “What’s this about?” she asked, looking straight into my eyes.

  “Something you’re not telling me.”

  “Oh, like those samples in Afghanistan Aamir asked you about? Or that whole smuggling thing that you were involved in? Not getting that story ruined my career. You know that, right?”

  “You seem to be doing pretty good for yourself,” I said, glancing around her living room.

  “Not as well as you it would seem,” she shot back.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “You’re living large for someone who recently got out of the military and isn’t working for a living.”

  “I saved money up,” I said, dropping my arms.

  “That’s what you told me.”

  I stepped forward and put my hand on her arm. She pulled away.

  “You’ve got a lot of nerve coming in here and lecturing me about honesty.”

  “Come on,” I said. “Let’s take that shower. We can talk about it later.”

  “I’m already clean. You ruined my mood.”

  I took a deep breath, not taking my eyes off her beautiful face. She looked even sexier when angry, something I didn’t think was possible.

  “Come on, Jade.”

  “You’re not coming on, or in, anything tonight.”

  “Oh yeah? You’re not the only woman in the world.”

  Her lips pressed together tightly as she stared at me.

  “Are you saying you’re fucking me and other women at the same time?”

  “That’s not what I said at all, but you’re one to talk about sleeping with other people.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” she asked, her voice getting louder.

  “Why don’t you tell me.”

  “Get the hell out of here, Cooper. You’re an asshole.”

  She stormed over to the door and flung it open.

  “Whatever,” I said. “Like I said…”

  “I heard what you said,” she yelled, pointing. “Now get the hell out.”

  As soon as I made it to the hallway, she slammed the door behind me. I walked back to the elevator, wondering what the hell had just happened. Should I go back and ask her about Max?

  No, she would have told me if she wanted. The thought resonated with me as I took the elevator down to the first floor. Fuck you, Jade, I thought as I went outside. I need a drink.

  Sitting at a bar a few blocks away from my apartment, nursing a drink, my phone rang. I dug it out of my pocket. Instead of Jade’s, I saw the strange phone number of Aamir again.

  What now?

  I ignored the call. Maybe the problem would go away on its own.

  TWENTY-ONE

  Jade

  After Cooper left, I grabbed my phone and sent Laura a text message, telling her to come over for drinks. She agreed immediately. I went to my bedroom and got dressed while waiting for her.

  What the hell was Cooper’s problem? I had gone out with Max one time, but we hadn’t done anything. And even if we had, it was none of his damn business. It wasn’t like I was playing both men.

  I became angrier about the situation the more I thought about it. By the time Laura arrived half-an-hour later, I had myself worked up. She came in and closed the door behind her.

  “Where’s the wine?”

  “In here,” I said, walking toward the kitchen.

  She followed me as I retrieved a bottle of wine and opened it on the counter.

  “Grab some glasses?” I asked.

  “You’re not with Cooper tonight?”

  “Ugh. Don’t get me started.”

  “What did he do?” she asked, opening a cupboard to get the glasses.

  “I don’t even know to be honest. He came over demanding to the know the truth, but he didn’t come out and accuse me of anything.”

  “Did he find out about that Max guy?”

  “I don’t know how he would. Unless Max is talking to him again?”

  “If that was the case, I’d think Cooper would have said something.”

  “Right?”

  I poured us each a full glass of the mid-range quality red wine.

  “Here’s to a girls’ night out,” she said, lifting hers.

  “Or one staying in.”

  We both smiled and clinked the glasses together.

  “You don’t mind, do you?”

  “Staying in to drink? Not at all. You have more wine, right?”

  “I always have more wine.”

  “They should let us drink more wine at work, like the French.”

  “Um, I don’t think the French go to work drunk.”

  “I read about it online,” she said.

  “Ooh. Speaking of online, you want to check out Max?”

  “Yeah,” she said.

  I headed into the living room with her following close behind. After grabbing my laptop, I joined her on the couch. She had poured herself another glass.

  “Okay,” I said, sitting down next to her. “Let’s do some Facebook stalking.”

  After a few minutes, I had signed in and located his profile page.

  “Wow,” she said. “He’s buff. Are you sure you want to pass him to me?”

  “He’s definitely not bad to look at, but he’s not for me.”

  “Really? Why not?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “It has something to do with Cooper, doesn’t it?”

  I took a drink of wine, ignoring her question.

  “Anyway, I’m sure he’s fine,” she said, scrolling through his photos. “Aw, he has one of you and him in Afghanistan.”

  “What?” I leaned forward, peering at the screen. “I don’t remember that being taken.”

  “You had a lot on your mind at that time.”

  “Yeah, I guess…”

  I sat back as she browsed through his other photos.

  “Well?” I asked.

  “I’d go on a date with him,” she said.

  “Yeah?”

  “Hell yeah.”

  “I’ll give you his number right now,” I said. “Maybe it will get him off my back.”

  “As long as he gets me on my back,” she said.

  I laughed, pushing her gently before sitting up and grabbing my phone.

  “Here you go…”

  As I read off the digits of his phone number, she put them in her phone.

  “Put it on speakerphone,” I said as she dialed the number.

  “Hold on…”

  The phone rang. I felt like a girl in middle school making a prank call for the first time.

  “Hello, is Max there?” Laura asked.

  “This is me. Who is t
his?”

  “Laura.”

  “Well, hello, Laura.”

  “I got your number from Jade.”

  “Oh, you did, did you?”

  “Yeah. I told her you were hot.”

  “Did you, now?”

  “I did,” she said then turned to look at me.

  “What can I do you for?”

  “I thought we could go out or something.”

  “Sure,” he said. “You doing anything tonight?”

  “Tonight?”

  “Yeah, tonight.”

  “Well…”

  “Let’s go grab a drink and see where it goes from there.”

  She looked at me for affirmation. I nodded my head. The sooner he moves on the better. I was ready for a little less complicated.

  “Sounds good to me.”

  “Great, Laura. You want me to pick you up?”

  I shook my head violently.

  “No, we can meet somewhere,” she said.

  “Alright. I’ll text you an address.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “I’ll be the one with all the muscles.”

  Laura giggled like a schoolgirl.

  “Yeah, I’ve seen your photos online.”

  “Oh, you have, have you?”

  “Yeah. They were nice.”

  “Just nice, huh? You’ll change your tone when you see them in person.”

  “I bet I will,” she said.

  “Talk to you soon, Laura.”

  “Yeah…”

  She ended the call then twisted to face me.

  “Well?” she asked.

  “Well what?”

  “You sure you don’t mind?”

  “Why would I give you the number if I minded?”

  “I don’t know. You can be… too nice sometimes.”

  “That’s my problem, is it?”

  “I need to go get ready,” she said, standing up. “It’s okay if I leave already?”

  “It’s okay, I promise,” I said, nodding toward the bottle. “More wine for me.”

  “Thank you for this. I need to find a good man so bad.”

  “I hope he works out for you.”

  She waved and walked toward the door.

  “Call and let me know how it goes,” I said.

  “You know it.”

  After she left, closing the front door behind her, I sat back and took another drink of wine. My eyes moved to the laptop screen where I saw a large photo of Max without a shirt.