AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Sure, I don’t see why not.”
“Let’s do it now,” Phoebe instructed.
“Now?” her heartthrob husband sputtered.
“Oscar, Sebastian, and I are very busy people. We’ve got park play dates, and we help Sebastian take care of his donkeys. Call her on your phone and put her on video,” Phoebe instructed with her hand on her hip.
“About that, I—” Landon began, but Oscar cut him off.
“Or do you want to talk more about how you like to look at Harper even though she smells bad?”
“Let’s make that call,” Landon announced and slipped his phone from his pocket—the one that didn’t contain lacy panties.
“Hey, Tomàs, can Aria come to the phone?” he said, glancing from the screen to the three children.
Who was Tomàs?
“Yes, hold on, Landon,” came a man’s voice with a gentle Spanish accent.
“What is it, Uncle Landy?” came a sassy chirp of a voice.
Uncle Landy?That was surprisingly adorable.
“Hand me the phone,” Phoebe directed with practiced ease as she held out her palm.
“Aria, I’d like you to meet some friends,” Landon continued, then passed the phone to Phoebe.
“Are you Aria?” the little girl asked.
“Who’s asking?” Aria shot back with a decidedly less chirpy tone.
“Me. I’m asking. I’m Phoebe Gale. Tell her who I am, Sebastian.”
There was enough sass between Phoebe and Aria to power the city for a week.
She chanced a look at Landon. A sad smile pulled at the corners of his lips as he watched Phoebe interact with his niece.
“I’m not saying your hot dog title, Phoebe,” Sebastian lamented. “You made me do it three times yesterday and twice today before you’d help me brush the donkeys.”
“Introductions are important,” the little miss bossy pants huffed. “Fine, I’ll do it myself. Aria, I’m Phoebe, Princess of the Hot Dog Fairies, Bearer of Cookies, and Eater of Pizza. These are my friends, Sebastian and Oscar,” she continued, holding out the phone so the boys could enter the shot. “Your uncle said that you’ll be in second grade with us at Whitmore. That’s the name of our school. Are you excited? We’ve got great swings on the playground, and sometimes Oscar’s dad comes by in a food truck and makes us grilled cheese sandwiches. That’s my second favorite food after hot dogs.”
And nothing—nothing. Not a peep came from Aria’s side of the conversation, but that didn’t deter Phoebe.
“And congratulations, Aria,” Phoebe continued.
“On what?” the girl threw back.
“On getting a new aunt and a nanny. That’s like eating a hot dog for lunch and then getting pizza for dinner. Her name is Harper. She plays the piano. She likes to say bad words, and she smells like a garbage can. This is Harper.” Phoebe turned the phone.
And that’s when she got her first glimpse of Landon’s niece.
The child scowled with a smudge of dirt on her cheek, or maybe it was chocolate. She looked like she lived with a pack of mountain lions. Her thick brown hair made a bird’s-nest-like halo around her face. The kid had the aura of a brawler—a beautiful, blue-eyed brawler who shared Landon’s striking features.
She waved to the child. “Hi, Aria. Phoebe’s right. I’m Harper. Harper Presley.”
Crap! She’d overdone it.
She’d never been a kid person. That’s what was so great about teaching online. But a strange connection formed between herself and this little girl, who exuded the force of a tiny mob boss.
