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“I’m glad you did.”

The corner of my lip turned up. “I’m glad I did too.”

CHAPTER 15

JUSTIN

Emma helped give Chelsea a bath, then changed her Band-Aid afterward. It was just a Band-Aid, but watching how gentle and sweet Emma was with my sister made me smile.

After that we moved to the living room and sat on the sofa to watch Frozen, me at one end and Emma at the other because Chelsea wanted to be in the middle curled up against me. Brad jumped into my lap and I was officially buried.

Emma smiled at me from the other end of the couch. “You’re like a docking station for small vulnerable dependents.”

“Well, we all need a job.”

She laughed.

When Chelsea fell asleep, I carried her up to bed. When I came down, I sat back in my corner. I didn’t want to assume Emma wanted me closer.

She looked at me, amused. “All the way over there?”

“Well, I don’t want to crowd you. Though the docking station is available if you’d like to give it a try.”

She made a show of thinking about it. “You know, I would like to give it a try. See what all the fuss is about.”

I grinned and made a come-here motion with my hand and she scooted over and let me put an arm around her. The highlight of my entire week, hands down.

“So what do you want to watch?” I asked, hoping she couldn’t feel my heart racing, though I was pretty sure she could.

She tilted her head up and her mouth was very close to mine. “Whatever you want.”

“Okay. Hellraiser it is.”

“Ha.”

I picked up the remote and started scrolling. “How about The Sopranos?”

“Sure. But from the beginning though. It’s been a few years.”

“Got it.” I was scrolling down to season one when my phone pinged on the coffee table. “Sorry, I leave the ringer up when I’m babysitting,” I said.

I looked at my screen and cracked up. “Look what Brad just sent me.”

It was a picture of a shirt with the Toilet King on it and a text that said, “Your birthday gift motherfucker.”

She laughed. “When is your birthday?” she asked.

“Not until next year. When’s your birthday?”

“In a few weeks, actually.”

“Oh. Well, do you have plans? Can I take you out?” I asked.

“It’ll be after my contract’s up.”

Her way of saying she wouldn’t be here for it. I only got to feel disappointed for a second before my phone pinged again.

“Sorry,” I said, looking at it. “It’s my mom. I have to reply to this.”