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Jenna pressed her body against mine, slid her arms around my waist, and pulled me into a hug. “You’re my best friend too,” she mumbled against my chest.
I dropped my head and held her.
I expected to feel terrified, or at the very least, hesitant. I’d never felt this way about anyone before. I waited for uncertainty to pull me away from Jenna, one worrying thought, something, anything to slow us down.
It never came.
* * *Two days later, I was passing the time coloring with Marley while we waited for Jenna and her kids. I was off today. Last night we’d talked about possibly heading down to the beach and getting in the water if the weather was nice.
I didn’t know whether that was still the plan, so I hadn’t mentioned anything to Marley about it. Right now she was just eager for Jenna, Oliver, and Olivia to get here. She always was.
“Daddy, where awre they?” she asked for the fourth time in the past five minutes. Maybe less than that. Her fist holding the purple crayon moved furiously over the page.
“They’re coming. They’ll be here soon.” I held her steady on my lap with one hand and leaned over, swiping a crayon off the floor. “Here.” I showed it to her. “You want to throw some pink in there?”
“’Kay.” Marley dropped the purple crayon and grabbed the one I was holding. She scribbled in sharp lines. “Daddy, they here now?”
I smiled and kissed the side of her head. “Almost.”
The doorbell rang. Marley gasped and wiggled out of my lap, crawling underneath the table and popping up to stand once she cleared it. “They’re here!” she hollered, her little legs carrying her quickly into the family room.
I scooped her up before she could reach the door and smiled against her cheek when she squealed in surprise. “Ready?”
“Ready!” she answered, wrapping her arms around my neck.
I pulled the door open, eyes lowered to greet the twins, since they typically barged in first, but Jenna stood alone on the porch.
“Hey,” I said, lifting my gaze.
She was wearing this shirt/shorts combo thing. It was one solid piece, navy blue, and sleeveless. A tie cinched the waist.
I didn’t know how the fuck she got it on, but she looked good wearing it. Even in clothing I did not fucking understand, she looked good.
“Jenna!” Marley reached out with both arms, tipping forward.
Jenna smiled at me, then gave it all to Marley as she took her, balancing my daughter in the crook of her arm. “Hey, sweet girl.” She kissed her cheek.
“Where are your kids?” I asked, getting her attention.
“Remember that thing I was working on…”
My brows lifted. Holy fuck. Did she get a sitter for today?
“Oliver is at a friend’s house. They’re bringing him home later tonight,” she said, stepping back a little on the porch and turning sideways to face the driveway. “And Shay has generously offered to take the girls to get their nails painted.”
I stepped out of the house and peered over at the car parked behind Jenna’s.
Shay and Olivia both waved at me through the windshield.
“They could be gone for close to two hours, depending on how picky the girls are about their colors.”
I looked over at Jenna after she spoke. “Two hours, no kids?”
“If you’re okay with Shay taking Marley…”
“I’ll grab the car seat out of your car. It’ll be faster than getting to mine.”
A smile stretched across Jenna’s mouth. She turned her attention to Marley, asking, “What do you think, princess? Do you want to get your nails painted super pretty?”
The second my daughter started nodding her head, I stepped down off the porch and crossed the yard. I wasn’t wasting any more time. We were already on day fifteen, half a fucking month, and that car seat could be the biggest pain in my ass. I needed to move.
“Hey, Nate!” Olivia leaned across Shay’s lap and waved at me out the driver’s-side window.
“Hey, sweetheart.” I stopped at Jenna’s back seat and smiled at Shay. “Hey. Thanks for offering to do this.”
“Desperate times,” she replied coyly.
“What?”
“Nothing.” She dropped her sunglasses in front of her eyes.
Jenna walked over with Marley and jumped into conversation with the girls. I got to work on the car seat, nearly snapping one of the belts in half in the process of getting it out of the car. This shit should not be that difficult. I paused with it at Shay’s hood when she leaned out the window, hollering.
“No need! I got two back here for Sean’s girls. The youngest is still in that stage.” She gestured with a flick of her hand. “We’re good!”
My face hardened. “You couldn’t have mentioned something before I pulled it out?”
Jenna laughed, and I turned my head.
“God, I could make the best joke right now,” Shay said.
I stalked back over to Jenna’s car. Securing the car seat took twice as long as removing it. By the time I was finished, sweat beaded on my forehead and the back of my shirt was damp.
