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I gripped Seth’s arm. “Don’t deny a pregnant woman peanut butter, for God’s sake.”
“Swear jar.”
I didn’t even bother to argue with Laurie. She’d been taught not to take the Lord’s name in vain. We might as well just buy her that pink bike with streamers she wanted now.
“PBJ it is then.” Seth’s lips twitched as he pushed open the door to utter silence.
The three of us stood in the doorway, not moving. Barely breathing.
“Do you think they killed each other?” Seth questioned.
“If so, I hope it was on the green rug. Even if we paid far too much for that piece of—” At Laurie’s glance, I smiled. “Loveliness.”
Sethtsked. “Poor rug.”
When I tried to move forward, Seth threw out an arm to keep me and Laurie back. “Let me check things out.”
Caught between a laugh and rolling my eyes, I laid a hand on Laurie’s head. “Let your daddy play the hero. He so rarely gets to.”
Seth was about to respond when Laurie bellowed, “Unca Ollie, where you be?”
Oliver strolled out and smiled as if we didn’t make quite a picture being blocked from entry into the house. “There’s my favorite superhero. How’d you do?” He moved forward and Seth dropped his arm in time for Oliver to pluck the candy bucket out of Laurie’s hand. “Whoa, this thing must weigh five pounds. Good job.”
Laurie flipped out her sword and grinned demonically. “No one says no to Wonder Woman.”
“True enough.”
“Where’s Sage?” I demanded.
“Who?”
“Oliver.”
“She flounced. Rather dramatically. She probably left, as she couldn’t handle my obvious skill with the neighborhood kiddos. She was feeling a little left out.”
“Left out. Is that what we’re calling it now?” Sage came down the hallway, her bright yellow feathers fluttering.
They distracted me enough that it took me a second to look up and see her cupping an icepack to her cheek.
I gasped and rushed forward before casting an accusing glance at Oliver. “What did he do?”
“Me?” Oliver’s completely angelic voice fooled absolutely no one. “I feel maligned.”
“Oliver,” Seth warned. “You better start talking.”
“Why don’t you ask Ms. Evans what occurred?” Oliver sounded lazily superior, as if he didn’t even have to work at being better than everyone in his midst.
In the old days, his condescending attitude might’ve rankled. Now it amused me more than anything else. Under that crusty shell, he was a stand-up guy. And since Sage appeared okay—mostly—I was back to fixating on ice cream.
Hey, pregnancy cravings stopped for no mere flesh wound.
Sage exhaled and lowered her ice pack. The skin along her cheekbone was puffy and pink, but I didn’t see any bruising, thank God. “It was just an accident.”
Oliver arched a brow while I calculated exactly how much was left in that tub of Silky Chocolate Royale Seth had bought me during a middle of the night craving last week.
“Mike came by with his niece. You know, Mr. London? He teaches over at the high school.”
“Mike is her crush, but she keeps calling him Mr. London. Very odd, if you ask me.”
