𝚋𝚎𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜 - 𝚓𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚊𝚗 𝚙𝚘𝚘𝚕𝚎.

seven.

Jordan Poole.

Practice was in full swing when I heard a soft voice call my name. Turning, I saw Lily walking into the gym, holding something small and rectangular—my phone. I'd forgotten it on the kitchen counter, as usual.

She smiled, a little shyly, and handed it over. "Hey, you forgot this."

"Thanks, Lily," I said, genuinely grateful. She nodded and walked off, glancing back with a small, polite wave before disappearing through the doors.

As soon as she was gone, I noticed everyone staring. Steph raised an eyebrow, Klay looked amused, Juan just shrugged. And Gary watched her walk away, then licked his lips.

"That's the nanny y'all hired?" he asked, clearly intrigued.

Klay rolled his eyes and tossed a ball his way. "Dial it back, man."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, that's Lily. She's been a big help with Jahkari and around the house."

The guys chuckled, but Gary still seemed intrigued. I just shook my head, smiling to myself.

Practice was draining, but I was ready to get home and see my two babies. As I pulled into the driveway, I noticed Karianah's car wasn't there. Stepping inside, I found Jahkari sound asleep on the couch, curled up under a blanket, with Lily sitting nearby, scrolling through her phone.

"Hey, Lily," I greeted quietly so I wouldn't wake Jahkari.

She looked up, smiling. "Hey, Jordan. Karianah's still at rehearsal."

I sighed. Right. Rehearsals were only going to get more intense over the next few months. With Karianah's schedule ramping up, it was going to be a challenge, but that's why we got help.

After a quick shower, I headed back downstairs to check on things. Lily looked up as I came into the kitchen.

"How are you feeling today? How was practice?" she asked, genuinely curious.

For a second, I was taken aback. It had been a while since someone had actually asked how I was doing. Smiling, I told her about practice and the day's drills, surprised by how nice it felt to just talk. She listened, nodding with interest.

"So, how's the nanny life treating you?" I asked in return, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.

"I love it," she said with a genuine smile. "Jahkari's such a great kid. And honestly, it feels good to be in a home that's warm and welcoming."

Just then, I noticed her shirt—a familiar one. I tilted my head. "Is that... my shirt?"

Lily's face turned bright red. "Oh, shit. I'm so sorry! I must have mixed up the laundry again. I didn't realize..."

"It's fine, really. It looks good on you." She laughed nervously, relaxing a little.

The easy atmosphere felt good, a reminder that things were settling in place.

As I closed the fridge, I heard little footsteps padding across the living room. Jahkari had woken up from his nap, his face lighting up as soon as he spotted me.

"Daddy!" he yelled, running over and throwing his tiny arms around my legs. I picked him up, hugging him back as he beamed up at me.

"You're home!" he said, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Lily and I played so many games today!"

"Oh yeah?" I asked, smiling. "Sounds like you had an awesome day."

He nodded enthusiastically. "And we even made drawings!" he added, looking over at Lily, who gave him an encouraging smile.