I glance sideways, seeing that Brinley is already standing up in her crib. She’s currently panting like a dog, pointing, and giggling at Benji. I sigh, throwing my head back against the pillow. “I take it you’re both ready to start the day?”
Benji answers by letting out an excited bark and leaning in to give me another enthusiastic face lick. Brinley claps her hands and lets out an excited yell. When Benji does a little hop on his front paws, as if to sayhurry up,I pat his side and voice, “Okay! Okay, I’m up.”
Benji seems satisfied enough with my answer because he pounces off the bed, swishing his butt as he heads toward the bedroom door. I’m not sure how he got it open in the first place. I roll off the bed and follow in his footsteps, shutting the door with a sharp click.
“What should we wear today, girl?” I say as I whirl around, glancing at the bags of clothes sitting beside the bed. We went on a generous shopping spree after our stop at the diner yesterday. Just a few things that we’ll both need for the colder weather until we get a more permanent wardrobe figured out. I picked up some work-friendly clothes, too. Brinley babbles, saying words I’m sure she understands but I sure as hell don’t. “Right. I agree,” I nod along like I understand every word she throws at me, pushing off the door and ruffling through our options.
Time to start the day. Hopefully it’s better than the last.
I’d settledon a pair of acid wash bootcut jeans and a black long-sleeve shirt. The boots I bought, since mine were ruined in the fire, are a bit snug, but I know they’ll be more than comfortable once I break them in. I had little to no motivation to deal with my hair today, so after brushing through it I decided on putting it in a braid and throwing it over my shoulder. Once we’re both fully dressed, I grab the bag I packed for Ana off the floor and open the door to the hallway. Brinley takes off in frontof me, rounding the corner into the kitchen at the same time the smell of bacon and waffles overrides my senses.
I hear him before I see him, his deep timbre rolling down the hallways as Brinley squeals in delight. I enter the kitchen as Wyatt drops to her height, ruffling her hair with that ridiculous, crooked grin on his face. “What’s up, little bear?”
My chest tightens at the nickname. At the gentleness in which he says it. It’s utterly cheesy, but he’s calling her littleme. Something about it lands too close to somewhere I don’t want to touch. Before I can dwell on it much longer, his eyes lift over Brinley’s head and find mine. I give a small, awkward wave that has me wanting to slap myself in the face with the same hand.
“Morning,” he says, voice clipped now—rough where it was warm just seconds ago. His gaze rakes over my body, but it feels like I’m a chore. A misstep in his otherwise pleasant morning.
How can this be the same man who carried me to my car after the fire? Who helped lull Brinley back to sleep with his stupid gravelly humming, and then sat silently while I cried in front of him in the middle of the night? Whoclearlymade us breakfast at the ass crack of dawn?
“You get enough sleep?” he adds, flatly.
“Plenty, before your dog decided to let himself into the room.” My tone was meant to be teasing, but admittedly comes out with more bite than I’d anticipated. Can’t say I feel bad about it though, especially when his jaw ticks in response.
“Yeah.” He runs a hand along his neck. “Probably should’ve told you he knows how to open the doors.”
“I don’t mind.” I shrug, softening a bit when I glance at my daughter. “Brinley likes him.”
At that moment, Brinley lets out another squeal, darting around Wyatt to find Benji, who’s patiently waiting by the stove for a spare piece of bacon. His tail starts thumping against the hardwood once he sees Brinley, but he stays still and lets herwrap her arms around his neck and nuzzle her face into his. He tries to stay as still as possible, but giddiness soon overrides him, and he begins licking at her face until she giggles and pulls away. My eyes involuntarily slide to the food on the stove and counters as Wyatt draws back to full height. There’s probably more food than needed, and my stomach chooses then to let out an embarrassingly loud growl. I’m hoping he doesn’t hear it, but obviously he did, because he says, “There’s coffee on the counter. It’ll be just a few more minutes until everything’s done.”
Before I can mutter back a sarcastic comment about this feeling like a bed and breakfast, a gentle knock vibrates against the front door, right before it pops open. Ana peeks her head in, eyes bright and smile wide. “Morning everyone!”
“Oh, Ana!” I jump to meet her at the door, enveloping her in a quick hug. “It’s so nice to see you.”
She places a quick kiss on my cheek before we pull away. “It’s nice to see you too, my dear. Is my son being good?”
I make a point of glancing his way and giving my head a little tilt. “Let’s just say it’s hard to believe he’s a morning person.”
She smirks, skimming a skeptical eye over her son, who now leans against the kitchen counter with crossed arms and a scowl on his face. “That’s because he’s not. Just likes to think he is.”
She brushes past us to find Benji and Brinley, crouching down in front of the former. “Hi, Miss Brinley.”
Brinley’s seen Ana enough to remember her. She claps her hands and shrieks, “Hi!”
Ana tickles her side, drawing a giggle from Brinley, then rises to her full height. Brinley immediately wraps her arms around her legs in a hug. Ana lays a hand on her back and looks up to give me a warm smile. The kind of smile that makes it hard to remember this is just temporary, and not Brinley’s everyday family experience. “I picked up a car seat for her on the way here,but I might need some help putting it in the right way. It’s a bit of a pain in the ass.”
“Y-you bought a car seat?” My eyes bounce from Wyatt to Ana’s, wondering if he had anything to do with this. But the look of surprise on his face, too, tells me he doesn’t.
“Oh, yes! I hope that’s okay. Figured it’d be easier than transferring it here and there.”
I blink, surprise and emotion clogging my throat. The act is so small, so inconsequential, yet it hits home harder than she probably realizes. The fact that she’s so eager to be around my little girl means the world. She’s just so…motherly.It makes me want to reach out and give her another hug, one that’s a whole lot longer and much tighter. Before I can, and probably embarrass myself in doing so, Wyatt sets two plates on the kitchen table, a larger one for me and a smaller one for Brinley. Ana picks Brinley up, settling her into the highchair beside her. “Eat up, Winnie. The sooner we can start, the sooner it gets done.”
Chapter Seven
WHITNEY
Breakfast was fairly quiet, save for Ana asking a few questions here and there, and Brinley’s continuous babbling that made all of us laugh a time or two.
I realize the longer I sit inside Wyatt’s house, the more I fall in love with it. The various open windows mixed with the cream walls and wood accents allows a deep, amber glow to illuminate the entire house. It makes the space romantic and cozy. The living room is anything but simple. It has a tall, ornate ceiling with a gorgeous chandelier right in the middle, along with a fireplace, a wooden coffee table, and a grey couch with a matching armchair.
