Babysitting the Player

Chapter 4

I finish the stack of books just as the front door opens.

"Mommy!" Layla yells as she gets off the couch and runs toward the stairs.

"Nope. Just me," Bryce says. "Mom and I put the dresser and mirror in the garage for now but she's got more errands to run."

"Aw." Layla frowns.

"Well don't I feel special?" Bryce laughs. "Good job keeping the kid alive."

"I tried." I shrug. "Kinda felt like you guys wouldn't have cared either way so it didn't matter much. I like when there's no pressure like that."

"I like your sense of humor." He smirks as he pulls his phone out of his pocket. "Where did I put my laptop?"

"Girlfriend want to Skype?" I laugh.

Did I just pull the girlfriend line?

"Haven't had one of those in six months, easy." He shakes his head. "One of my friends wants to play video games and I need my laptop."

"Did you unpack it yet?"

"I have no idea. The contents of all those boxes kinda blurred together."

"I'm hungry," Layla says.

"Grab a snack," Bryce says.

"Where?"

"Come here." He leads her to the pantry and helps her pick out a granola bar before disappearing down the hall.

I walk into the kitchen and watch Layla eat her snack, always being cautious of choking when I'm watching a kid her age. By the time her granola bar is finished, Bryce is back with his laptop and headset.

And he called me a dork.

He parks himself on the couch, putting his legs up and taking up all three cushions, so Layla and I take the love seat. About forty seconds in, Bryce is clearly frustrated by something going on in his game.

"Shoot me one more time and you're gonna fu-"

"Okay!" I cut him off. "Layla, why don't you go color in the other room?"

"He always says bad words." She laughs. "I'm used to it."

"Fuck!" Bryce yells.

I toss a throw pillow at him and get him right in the back of the head.

"What was that for?" he asks annoyed as he pulls his headset off.

"Your sister is four."

"So?"

"Chill with the swear words."

"Oh, please, she curses more than I do."

"I do." She laughs. "Fuck."

"Layla!" My eyes widen and I try not to laugh.

"Relax." Bryce laughs. "You're not gonna get in trouble or anything. Mom taught her everything she knows."

Oh, good.

Bryce's headset goes back on and he turns his attention back to his game.

I gotta be honest, I did not have him pegged as a guy who still plays video games at seventeen.

My phone buzzes next to me and I flip it over to reveal a text from Johnny.

Wanna hang out?

I can't. I'm babysitting

Who is it this time?

The little girl next door. The new people

So you're over there again?