AllFreeNovel
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“That’s food,” I said slowly, like I was introducing her to a new species. I took it from her before she got an intrusive thought to throw it somewhere. “You eat it, and it makes you feel better.”
“Gross.”
I clicked my tongue, but my smile betrayed me. Laurel could eat marshmallows and peanut butter all day if she wanted. Especially if she let me lick some of the peanut butter off her lips.
By the time we had made our way through the cereal aisle—where Laurel filled her cart with a disturbing volume of boxes—I picked up on the sweat gathering along Laurel’s temples and how her cheeks had flushed with fever again. She didn’t believe me when I told her that otitis media and the level of infection she’d had were serious, but she needed to rest. We’d given Calla a dose of antibiotics with a graham cracker first thing when we had arrived at the grocery store, and she seemed entirely unaffected, thankfully.
Laurel, on the other hand, was looking worse for the wear. It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her to wait in the car while I checked out, but as we approached the checkout lanes, I spotted a familiar head of curly, blond hair at one of the endcaps.
Remington looked up from examining a box of fruit leather and then waved my way. His dark brown eyes skated over Laurel and Calla before going enormous.
Well, shit.
“Yo, Lachlan!” he called with another wave.
I raised a hand in greeting, and Laurel looked up from her cart. I leaned over to her and whispered quickly, “My brother. Ignore literally everything he says.”
She got a diabolical gleam in her feverish blue eyes. “Yourbrother?” She looked Remington up and down as he approached. “Hotness runs in the family, I see.”
I scowled down at her. “Easy, there.”
She shrugged with innocent, round eyes. “What?”
“Hey, what’s up?” Remington had a shopping basket in one hand with random snacks, and I noted that he hadn’t brought the boys with him. Probably picking up last-minute things for their trip.
“Not much.” I paused for one tenth of a second before I figured I might as well lean into it. I snaked an arm around Laurel’s waist and pulled her firmly to my side. “This is Laurel and her daughter Calla.”
Remington looked like he’d discovered a secret stash of donuts in my pantry—elated with a wallop of smugness. “Laurel,” he said slowly, as if tasting her name on his tongue. “I’m Remington. The more attractive younger brother, obviously.”
Laurel laughed. My eyes hooded with annoyance.
“And Calla,” Remington said, waving. “I have a kiddo about your age, I think.”
“I’m four,” Calla said.
“Five,” Laurel and I corrected in unison. Remington’s gaze slid to me with maniacal glee.
Fuck. Every relative and friend on social media was going to hear about this within an hour. It was a good thing I fully intended on hoarding Laurel to myself, even if she didn’t trust me just yet.
“Nice to meet you both,” Remington said, and I didn’t doubt for one second that he meant it.
“Calla has a touch of strep,” I explained. “So, we should probably get her home and chat later.”
“Later,” Remington agreed with a nod, and his eyes did a ping-pong game between Laurel and me. “Like… dinner? After spring break maybe? We’re free. You three free?”
“Oh, eh,” Laurel hemmed.
I could have saved her and made an excuse. I could have been chivalrous and allowed her to hide from a commitment to the bossy guy who had inserted himself in her life.
But hell no.
Instead, I looked down at her expectantly and said, “Yeah, I’m free. Week after next? I work days.”
Laurel sputtered. “Oh. Ah, yeah, I work… days.”
“Lachlan mentioned you worked at the school,” Remington said.
Laurel went tomato red. “Did he?”
