AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I ignored Oliver. “Okay, and what happened?”
“I tripped. There was a candy issue, and I flailed, and I tried to reclaim my balance by grabbingMike,” she glared at Oliver, “but I hit my face on the doorjamb because Hamilton moved.”
Seth reclaimed Laurie’s treat bucket from Oliver. “Hey, kiddo, what do you say if we get you changed for bed so you can watch your show?”
“Okay.” Laurie frowned, looking between Sage and her uncle. “Stay?”
“Not sure that’s a great idea, pumpkin.” Oliver brushed her hair away from her face. “But I’ll see you next—”
“But it’s Halloween,” she protested, yanking on the jack o’lantern her father held. A Snickers bar fell out and I dove on that sucker like a crow on a field mouse.
Everyone laughed, even Sage while she settled her ice pack back into place.
“Mommy, you can have that one,” Laurie said benevolently, but I was still stuck on her calling meMommy. It was still a rare, treasured thing, and I couldn’t breathe around the lump in my throat.
So I nodded and hurriedly peeled open the candy to give myself something to do. “Thanks, honey.”
“I’ll just go get her ready then. Keep the bloodshed to a minimum, please.” Seth gave his brother some serious side-eye before nudging Laurie up the stairs.
Oliver shrugged and unrolled his sleeves, pulling them back into place. “I feel my work here is done.”
“You’re done insulting me, you mean? After you let me hit the wall instead of saving me?”
“You swooned into Mike’s arms. What did you expect me to do? Push the other man out of the way?”
“I did not swoon, and yes, maybe. That might’ve been nice. At least Mike was kind enough to get me this ice pack while you stood around smirking.”
“I don’t smirk. And he got you the ice pack and left, while I’ve been listening to you whine for the last half hour. So who’s the better man, hmm?”
I took a bite of my Snickers, chewed, and swallowed. So glorious. “The better man in this scenario is upstairs getting his child ready for bed. You, sir, are behaving like an ass.” Oliver merely shrugged. “So did Mike if he rushed out of here after you got hurt, Sage,” I added.
She flushed. “His niece had to go. He was being responsible.”
“Yeah, yeah. He probably had a woman at home in his bed to get to. Speaking of,” Oliver glanced at his watch, “I’m late.” Before I could say another word, he gripped my shoulders and kissed me on the cheek. “Be well. I’ll see you soon.”
He glanced back at Sage. “Baby that cheek. Good luck inviting Mr. London to Vegas. I’m sure he’ll be overjoyed.”
He was gone before I could say so much as “peace out.”
Not that I would have said that, but sometimes Oliver’s overly stilted mannerisms made me want to use phrases my inner high school student would’ve been proud of. Though I didn’t have a clue how today’s kids spoke to each other.
Lord, I was so woefully unprepared to have a little one of my own.
“Can you believe him?” Sage adjusted the ice in her pack and slapped it back on her cheek. “He’s so condescending.”
“You’re not actually going to invite Mike to Vegas, right?” When Sage didn’t answer, I moved forward, brandishing my candy bar like my forgotten staff. “You barely know the man. That’s a big trip to go on with a virtual stranger.”
“We haven’t all known our soul mates since high school, Al. Some of us have to wade into the dating pool to see what kind of fish we get.” She sashayed past me, holding the ice pack above her head. “I’ll bring this back soon. Happy freaking Halloween.”
She closed the door behind her, and I took me and my Snickers to the family room couch that would be my lover for the rest of the evening.
I seriously did not have the energy to contend with Sage’s romantic problems. Maybe tomorrow I might. Or after I gave birth.
Or after she gets herself into trouble in Vegas and you have to send Seth to go bail her out.
Or worse, Oliver. Hmm, now wouldn’t that be something? Oliver being forced to be the white knight to save Sage from a horrible dating experience in the city of secrets and strippers and slot machines.
Nah, he’d never go.
