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The woman's frown burst into a grin.
“You hypocritical bastard,” she shot at Owen, though she didn’t seem mad. “Really? After the shit you gave me over Jamie?”
A blush broke over Owen’s cheeks as the woman leaned forward, hand out to shake.
“I’m Paula, the ex,” she told me, still looking like she’d won something. “Good friggin’ luck with this one.”
Her hand waved toward Owen, as if I would need luck with the man of my dreams.
“Now, I’ll be able to get them from school tomorrow. You just need to get them there. Ok?”
She was already moving on, pushing the boys in the door.
“Paula, I’m…”
I gripped his forearm and looked the woman Paula in the eyes.
“It’s fine, I can head home.”
She shrugged as if she didn’t care one way or the other.
“Well, I suppose that depends entirely on whether you plan on sticking around long term or not,” she said flippantly, then started down the stairs.
That quick, Owen and I were standing across from his two children who were looking at me like I was an alien.
“Who are you?” the younger boy asked, stepping closer until we were basically a hair's breadth apart.
His bright blue eyes stared up at me with innocent wonder, and I couldn’t help but love him instantly.
“I’m Mia,” I told him.
He grinned at me, then put his arms around my waist and put his little face right into my crotch as he hugged me tight.
Owen watched, then gave me an apologetic smile.
“You’re the new girlfriend?” the older boy asked, Charlie, I thought his name was.
“Do you have your piano lessons tonight?” Owen asked, completely bypassing Charlie’s question.
“Mom already moved it to Thursday,” he said, shifting around us to head to the kitchen.
The youngest boy…Lord, what was his name? He gave me one last squeeze then ran after his brother.
“I’m sorry…” Owen started, but I shook my head.
“No, no Owen. You’re a professor and a writer, but you’re also a father.”
“Right, but we’d planned on waiting until later to—”
“Since when do things go according to plan?” I asked with a laugh.
He lifted an eyebrow and nodded.
“Yeah, but if it’s too much, I can take you home and…”
He drew his fingers through his hair and glanced down at his watch.
“Or… in two hours the kids will be in bed and we’ll have the rest of the evening to ourselves.”
