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Myles screams before I can finish the sentence. “I just burned my tongue.” He sticks it out and it is a little red.
“Should have asked,” I tell him.
“Should have warned me.” He shakes his head. “Why are you cooking anyway?”
“Because somebody needs to feed the family when they get here,” I tell him. “And you two are new parents with no sleep. So I thought I’d take care of it.”
The truth is, I’ve been reading advice websites. I take my role as godfather seriously. All of them say the best thing you can do for new parents is to pick up the slack in the house.
They have a housekeeper so I can’t clean the place. And to be fair, my cleaning skills aren’t exactly great. But I can cook so that’s what I’m doing.
And now I’m kind of regretting it because they both think it’s weird.
I open my mouth to repeat my offer of looking after Charlie, but the kid gets in first, letting out an ear-piercing wail. Seriously, how can something so little scream so hard? Do they come with fully grown lungs?
“He’s hungry,” Ava murmurs. “I’m gonna give him the boob.”
I try not to smirk. But Myles notices anyway.
“Not in here,” he says, lifting a brow at me.
“I wasn’t going to look,” I point out. Not least because I’m not an asshole. Well, not a complete one.
“Sure. And the sun didn’t rise this morning.” Myles grabs a bottle of water from the refrigerator, pouring some into a glass. “Let’s take it to the nursery,” he suggests to Ava. “If we’re in luck he’ll go to sleep and we can catch a nap together.” He kisses her cheek softly and she closes her eyes for a moment.
“Are you okay to stay here for when everybody arrives?” he asks.
“Yep.” I keep stirring the sauce. “You guys go. And enjoy your… horizontal time.”
“It’s a fucking nap,” Myles growls. “We’re not all sex mad.”
“Of course it is,” I agree lightly. “Enjoy your fucking nap.
* * *
SOPHIE
I pull into Ava and Myles’ driveway just after two. It’s full of expensive shiny cars and I try to not get vehicle envy. Myles’ family arrived at some point this morning, ready for the christening tomorrow, and of course they’re all speed mad. I spot a Jaguar, a BMW, and two Mercedes. Even his mom drives an Audi. Like the house they’re parked outside, they reek of money. Myles’ dad is scarily rich, and his brothers are all successful in their own right.
I’d say Ava landed on her feet, but I think they’re the ones lucky to have her. And she’d truly be just as happy if Myles was a poor fisherman.
That’s just how she is.
I put my car into park and climb out, my heels scrunching on the gravel. As I walk toward the house I shoot a text to Lauren, the third of our group of friends telling her I should be at hers in twenty minutes.
Because us girls have plans.
We’ve booked a spa day for the afternoon. Or rather, Myles has. When we told him we wanted to surprise Ava with some self-care he kind of took over and paid for us to have exclusive use of the place.
And yeah, he’s relationship goals. He’s ruining me and Lauren for anybody else.
As I walk up the stairs to Myles and Ava’s house I take a moment to admire it. Built in 1899, it has nine bedrooms – enough for all his family – plus a huge guest bungalow that they offer to his brothers when they stay. The bathrooms are to die for – all marble surfaces and gold taps. I’ve only stayed over once – when Myles went away a few weeks ago and Ava wanted some help with Charlie – but it took a lot to drag me away.
When I knock on the door it opens almost instantly and I’m assailed by the loud sound of laughing and deep male conversation escaping from the hallway. Myles’ brother Eli smiles at me. I’ve only met him once before – at Myles and Ava’s wedding – but he’s a nice guy and a successful ice hockey player.
“It’s Sophie, right?” he asks.
I smile, pleased that he remembers. “That’s right. I’ve come to steal Ava away.”
