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“The market is hot right now,” Jade comments.
“It really is. They want to be here in Willow River full time before the baby gets here.” Kennedy places her hand on her belly, and the smile on her face is nothing short of blissful.
“I should get going,” Alyssa says, looking at the time on her phone. “I have a ton of laundry to do for work this week.” She stands, and I do as well.
She waves to my family, and we stop by the swing set so that she can give Blakely a hug. Archer and Ryder are taking turns pushing her in the swing.
“Thank you for coming to my baby brother's party,” Blakely tells Alyssa, pulling out of her hug.
“Sweetheart, this was your birthday party,” I remind her.
“Yeah, that too, but it’s also for my little brother.”
I don’t even know how to reply to that, so I don’t. My niece has the biggest heart of anyone I know. She’s wished for this—a mom and a sibling—and in her five-year-old mind, her wishes are coming true.
With my hand on the small of her back, I walk Alyssa to her car. I was supposed to pick her up today, but she was running late. Apparently, she was out of tape and couldn’t finish wrapping Blakely’s present. I offered to bring mine, but she insisted that I go on and she would meet me here. Now that she’s leaving, I wish I’d insisted that I drive her. I feel like I’ve barely seen her this week.
Not that I’m in a hurry to leave, but at least I’d know she got home safely. “Text me when you make it home,” I tell her, pulling open her car door for her.
“Yes, Dad.” She playfully rolls her eyes.
“I’m sure your dad would agree with my concern. We’re just looking out for you.”
“You are aware that I’m an adult, right? I have a job, my own place, and I even wipe my own ass.” She mock glares at me.
“Ha-ha, funny girl. Just text me so that I don’t worry.”
“I always do.” She slides behind the wheel and starts her car.
I wait until she’s buckled in before closing the door. She rolls down the window and sticks her head out. “Dinner this week?”
“Definitely.”
She waves, and I do the same, stepping back. I watch her until I can no longer see her car before walking back around the house and joining my family.
“Alyssa get off, okay?” Jade asks.
“Oh, shit!” Maverick spits out his drink as the table erupts in laughter.
“That’s not what I meant, and you dirty-minded fools know it.” Jade shakes her head at them, but it’s easy to see that she’s amused with their interpretation of her question.
“She got off just fine.” I smirk.
If you can’t beat them. Join them.
CHAPTERTWO
Alyssa
It’s almost quitting time, and I still have my time off request sitting in an envelope in my purse. I hate dealing with my boss, Tamara, but I know that if I want to go for the long weekend with my best friend, Sterling, and his siblings, I need to turn it in today. The rule is a week’s notice. We have plenty of staff. Tamara just likes to be controlling.
“The doctor will be right with you,” I tell the last patient of the day as I finish checking her in. I busy myself with cleaning up my work area, and once the medical assistant calls the last patient back to a room, I grab the envelope, take a deep breath, and head to Tamara’s office.
“Knock, knock,” I say, rapping my knuckles lightly on the door frame.
“Why did you say it if you were going to knock? Everyone knows that you don’t do both,” Tamara asks snidely.
“I wasn’t aware.” What I want to tell her is that she’s lost her damn mind. There is no hard and fast rule of when to say “knock, knock” if you are entering a room. “I have this for you.” I hold up the envelope. I don’t dare step into her office without being invited. She’s reamed me for that before. Lesson learned.
