I hear Cori snort, but she doesn’t say anything.
“Yeah, but my problem is childcare.”
“Your problems are more than that,” Cori mutters under her breath.
“Cori, that’s enough.” Leander points at Cori, who seems unfazed by her father’s annoyance. “That’s why I wanted to have this meeting. Your brother needs us now more than ever. You can help him out by watching Ruby while he works.”
“Works? Works where? He has no job, and I’m not a babysitter. I work too,” Cori says with a bit of an attitude. “How amI supposed to babysit when I have a full-time job and a small business? And don’t make plans for me, please.”
“Well, I could work if I had help.” Devin insists.
“Devin, you never worked at any place longer than six months before you became a father. Who are you kidding?”
“This is why we need to come together as a family, Cori.” Annette Lamb has a calming way about her. She’s a pretty woman, but it’s clear her kids get their looks from her husband. They both have darker skin compared to her lighter tone. Despite being in a wheelchair, I can tell she’s short. Cori is tall for a woman, and her son is at least six feet tall.
“Whatever. Do whatever you want as long as you leave me out of it.”
“Cori, can you tone down the damn attitude for a minute?” Leander points at her again. While I agree the attitude is unnecessary, I don’t appreciate his tone with her.
The server arrives, and Cori addresses her instead of her father. “Can I have a margarita with an extra shot of tequila, please?"
“A sparkling water for me, sweetheart.” I wink at the waitress, and she blushes. “You’re doing a great job.”
Cori glares at me with a smirk on her face. She looks away much too quickly.
“You have a beautiful daughter,” I tell Leander, who puffs out his chest in pride.
“She’s single,” Annette says.
“Mother!” Cori gasps.
“Are you single, Daxton?”
“As a matter of fact, I am, Mrs. Lamb. And looking, but it’s hard to find someone who checks all my boxes.”
Devin snickers.
“Don’t look at Cori. She’s mean,” he warns.
“Only to those who deserve it,” Cori says back.
“And she gives off masculine energy,” Devin adds.
“At least one of us does,” Cori responds.
“Okay, she-man.” Devin cackles at the insult.
“You two stop embarrassing your mother and me in front of our guest,” their dad hisses.
I rub the baby’s back, who has now fallen asleep. I take her off my shoulder and rest her in the crook of my arm. I look down at her, and she resembles her father, who resembles Cori.
The server returns with our drinks, and Cori downs half of hers before setting her glass down.
“Cori, I would love to take you to dinner and a movie sometime.” She freezes, but Devin laughs and snorts like I just told a joke.
“Dude, look elsewhere. She’s single for a reason.” He chuckles and shakes his head. “No man wants to deal with that.” Devin jerks his thumb at his sister.
“How do you know what a man wants?” Cori snorts.
