AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Sure, the Dragons are playing the Acadiana Tigers. Should be a good game."
"See you in half an hour at the stadium."
He hung up and looked at Charlie, who'd been watching him with a puzzled expression. "So do you like football?"
"Like the Saints?"
"Not the same level, but yeah."
Charlie smiled and nodded his entire body. Jake hadn' t realized such a thing was possible, but the excitement in the child's eyes tempered his anger at Eva. And he wasn't sure if the anger was over being suckered into babysitting or that she was going out with another guy... an accomplished, rich guy with the nickname around town of "Hot Doc."
"Then let's get this living room picked up, eat a quick bite, and go watch some football like real dudes do," Jake said, extending his fist.
Charlie scrambled to his feet, gave him some dap and said, "Hell, yeah."
Jake laughed but then said, "Don't say that again. Eva will kill me."
"No, she won't," Charlie said gravely. "I heard her saying bad words all week. She burned my waffles and said a really, really bad word.”
"Yeah, but still. Let's keep the naughty words to ourselves."
"Okay. I gotta go pee."
"Have at it," Jake said, rising and tidying up the coffee table and folding the remaining blankets before heading to the kitchen. He looked over at the note Eva had left along with the medicine and tried not to be mad at his friend.
Yes, friend.
Even if he wanted to punch Jamison, yank Eva toward him, and drag her off to his cave. That was a primitive, natural instinct. He'd probably feel a little that way about his sister. Okay. No. He didn't feel that way about Abigail at all. Maybe it was because he cherished Eva's friendship so much, and everyone knew that Jamison French was a womanizer. Okay. So he wasn't a womanizer, but the man didn't stick with any particular woman. He could hurt Eva, fooling her with his slick manners and witty intellect, making her think he had forever on his mind when all he wanted was a little sword play.
Okay, Jake had to stop thinking about Eva.
"Come on, Charlie," he called.
The kid slid on his socks into the kitchen. "What?"
"Let's eat."
Jake dished up the chicken and rice casserole his mother had fixed. It was obvious Fancy was in "helpful mom" mode with Eva. When he'd dropped by yesterday, she'd been making the casserole for today and said she'd already sent spaghetti and a chicken enchilada casserole. Nothing like a friend in need to get his mother cooking... and he'd gladly clean up the leftovers.
After a quick meal and even quicker cleanup, he wiped Charlie's face, proud of himself for thinking of it, and they loaded up to head to the game. Jake had never actually babysat before, but he even remembered to grab the booster seat. Maybe he should make Eva pay him for babysitting. He had mad child-care skills.
They made it to the game three minutes into the first quarter. Matt, his boys and Jake's father occupied their normal seats, and thankfully it didn't take Charlie long to bond with Matt's son Wyatt. Wyatt would be only a grade ahead of Charlie, and they both seemed to like something called Minecraft.
By the end of the game, Charlie had gone from reserved to bouncing off the walls. It might have had something to do with the candy and soda Jake's dad had bought all the boys. But the upside was the Dragons had pulled out a win in the last few seconds of the game, nailing a field goal from forty-four yards. The home side of the stadium had erupted into cheers, and the band had cranked up an old MC Hammer tune that had the three boys writhing, hopping, and jumping off the bleachers.
"Whoa," Jake said, catching Charlie in midair. "I have to take you home all in one piece."
"I don't wanna go back to Eva's yet. This was fun," Charlie said, twisting away and running behind Wyatt, who was jumping up and down the stadium steps.
"Jeez, it's nearly eleven o'clock," Matt said, ruffling his older son, William's hair.
''Oh, crap," Jake said, digging into his pocket for his cell phone.
Yep.
Eva had called eight times and sent several texts.
Where are you?
