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“I know.” She pulled her phone from her purse and checked the time. “Crap, okay. I have to go. Are you sure you’re fine to watch Lola?”
I raised my eyebrows. “Don’t you think it’s a bit late to ask that?”
“Well—”
“You’re not canceling it.” I laughed, getting up and rounding the table to her. “But nice try.”
She put a hand in my outstretched one and let me pull her up. “Damn it,” she muttered, stuffing the phone back in her purse. “Let me say bye.”
She went into the front room and perched on the sofa next to Lola. She whispered in her ear and kissed her cheek.
Then, she darted in front of the kids, bent down next to Zac, and touched a kiss to his cheek, too.
My stomach plummeted downward, my heart clenching tightly as Zac turned his face toward her, his eyes bright and his smile wide.
And I knew.
With one kiss to the cheek of my son, I knew the one thing I hadn’t allowed myself to acknowledge.
I was falling for her.
Hard and fast.
I turned away when she ruffled his hair and said another goodbye to them both, this time adding the warning to behave themselves.
“Okay,” she said, rejoining me in the kitchen. “Do I look okay? Most of my dresses aren’t exactly…normal work ones.”
I spun and looked at her, arms folded across my chest. Her hair hung loose around her face, her make-up was as perfect as always, and the dress hugged her curves to perfection.
“You look beautiful,” I said honestly.
She opened her mouth, then closed it as a blush spread across her cheeks. “Thank you.”
“Anytime.” My lips curled to the side and I handed her her purse. “Go. You’ll be late.”
She glanced through the door toward the sound of the kids laughing, but swallowed hard and nodded her head instead. “Okay. I’m going. Um… I’ll call you when I’m coming back to get her, okay?”
“I’m not working ‘til five,” I said, following her to the front door. “Take your time.”
“Okay. Sure. Fine.” She fiddled with her hair, twisting it around her finger over and over. “Thank you. For watching her.”
“It’s my pleasure.” I reached over and extracted her finger from her hair, then tucked the light strands behind her ear. “Good luck.”
“Thanks. Crap. I need a Xanax.”
I laughed.
I had a better idea.
I took her face in my hands and pressed my lips to hers. Soft and gentle, but firm enough that she knew I meant it.
Her sharp intake of breath when I released her mad me chuckle.
“That works, too. Okay. Bye.”
She all but ran out of the door, leaving it wide open as she headed for her car.
I shook my head. It was a wonder she’d never been robbed the amount of times she left doors open or unlocked.
She waved as she got in the car, and at this point, her nerves were more than palpable. They were infectious, because, hell. I had butterflies for her.
Not the interview. I knew she’d be fine and she’d have a real job soon, but for her.
I was nervous for her heart.
Damien Fox had broken his sister’s heart once, and if he did it again today, I had a fist that wouldn’t think twice about meeting his nose.
I watched Perrie leave until her car had disappeared down the street, then went back inside. The kids had migrated from sitting normally on the sofa to sitting like, well, kids.
Zac was almost upside down, one leg on the arm of the sofa and the other foot resting on the top of the back sofa cushions. His popcorn was on the floor, and he lifted his arm up and down as he shoved it in his mouth.
Lola had moved to the floor—kind of. Her butt barely touched the ground as she rested her feet on the coffee table and leaned back on the sofa. She, too, had placed her popcorn bowl on the floor, and there was a suspicious puddle of the snack next to the bowl.
I half-smiled. It didn’t look comfortable, but hey.
“I’m heading into my office to work. I have some paperwork to get done. Do you two need anything?”
Lola shook her head.
“No,” Zac said around a mouthful of food. “Is ‘ere ‘oos inidge?”
“I’m sorry,” I said dryly. “I don’t speak tiny savage.”
Lola giggled.
Zac swallowed his mouthful. “Is there juice in the fridge?”
“Bottom shelf so you can reach it,” I confirmed. “Come get me if you need anything, all right? And I mean come and get me, Zac. Don’t holler and wake up the nearest graveyard.”
“No zombies.” Lola shuddered.
I would prefer no zombies. I wasn’t sure the LVPD were trained to handle an undead invasion.
“No zombies,” I agreed. “Got it, Zac?”
“Yeah. Got it.” His response was closer to a grumble, and I knew he’d forget that fact in about five minutes, but I lived in hope that one day, he would listen to me.
