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I grab the bowl. “Want me to make some more? We’ve got all night. We can totally have a marathon.”
I can see the wheels turning in her head as her eyes dart from the popcorn bowl to the TV screen, her obvious desire to keepwatching warring with her determination to remain disinterested in the “enemy” that is her new nanny.
“I guess that sounds cool,” she finally concedes.
I do a silent victory dance behind her back as I go to the kitchen for more popcorn.
—
I don’t know when I fell asleep; Sophie passed out sometime after dinner near the end of the second movie, and I distinctly remember starting the third, but when I’m awoken to the feel of a warm hand on my shoulder and a warmer mass at my side, my eyes blink open to mostly darkness. Sophie has wormed her way against me as she sighs softly with sleep, and when my eyes adjust to the darkness of the room lit only by the soft glow of the menu screen of the third Shrek movie, I see a familiar face looming over me as Aiden’s hand gently rouses me awake.
“Sorry,” he says quietly. “Didn’t think you’d wanna spend all night out here.”
I sit up straighter, careful not to disturb Sophie. “What time is it?”
“Just after nine,” he tells me. “I guess you guys didn’t finish your movie?”
I stifle a yawn. “I have been giving your daughter an important education on film classics.”
“Clearly,” Aiden laughs as he eyes the menu screen still playing on the TV.
“How was work?”
“A surprisingly slow night,” he says, coming around the other side of Sophie’s sleeping form to sit beside her. “It’s not often I get home this early.” He reaches to brush Sophie’s hair away from her forehead, smiling. “Seems like she’s warmed up to you a little bit.”
“Don’t be fooled,” I tell him quietly. “It’s like taming a feral cat. When she wakes up again, she’ll be her cute little hissing self.”
“I appreciate your valiant effort.” Aiden’s eyes me curiously. “Are you thinking of disappearing in the middle of the night yet?”
“Oh, my go-bag is currently hidden under the stairs,” I say seriously. “I’m waiting for an opening.”
Even when he looks exhausted, his smile makes my heart stutter. “I guess I should get better locks.”
“Have I told you yet about my friend’s basement theory?”
He grimaces. “Do I want to know?”
“That depends. Where do you stand on kidnapping jokes?”
“I think this is a good time to make it clear that I don’t actually have a basement.”
“My friend would say that’s what youwantme to think,” I answer grimly.
His answering laugh quickly morphs into a yawn, and he reaches to rub his eyes. “I’m going to pass out mid-conversation if I’m not careful.”
“Oh, right. Let me—”
I throw the blanket I’d grabbed from the back of the armchair from my shoulders with the intention of untangling myself from Sophie, so Aiden can put her to bed, only noticing after it’s gone that the neckline of my oversized T-shirt has slipped over my shoulder to bare a good bit of skin and bra strap and—judging by the cool air—even a bit of cleavage. Great. Aiden coughs as he averts his eyes while I adjust it, and I’m grateful for the darkness of the room as I pull everything back into place.
“Sorry,” I mutter.
Aiden sneaks a peek to see if it’s safe, shaking his head. “It’s fine. I should get her to bed. School tomorrow and all.”
“Right. Sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep. She was getting into the movies.”
“It’s fine,” he assures me. “I’m happy you got her out of her room.”
“Thanks for waking me up,” I tell him, rubbing my neck. “I’d have been sore in the morning if I slept out here all night.”
