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“You don’t shout ‘snap’ kick enough,” Ellie explained. “I faster than you.”
Yeah, no kidding. I’d figured that much out.
I hmphed and put another card down. Ellie slapped one on top of mine. I did another, the picture matching, and before I’d even opened my mouth, Ellie hollered, “Snap!”
With a sly grin, she whacked her hand on top of the pile and slid the two matching cards toward her.
I stared at Brantley with my mouth open in a “What the fuck?” look.
He glanced at Ellie. “Are you cheating?”
“Nope.” She jutted her chin out and up. “I just weal good at Snap.”
No kidding. If there was such a thing as a Snap World Tournament, she had a positive future.
Eli put a card on the pile he had between him and his dad. They exchanged cards for a moment before two matched and Eli screamed, “Snap!”
“Oh my god!” Brantley threw his cards down. “This is ridiculous. You’re four! I’m almost thirty! How are you beating me, dude?”
“Oh dear, Daddy. Are you hading a tantwum?” Ellie looked at him with her eyebrows raised.
“Do you need a time out?” Eli asked, eyes wide.
I bit the inside of my cheek and looked away.
I was pretty sure I’d heard Brantley say that at some point during the time I’d known them, which just reaffirmed that kids really were tiny sponges in human bodies.
“I need a beer,” Brantley muttered, sweeping all the cards into a neat pile. “Come on, you two. It’s time for bed.”
“Awwww,” they whined in chorus. “But we not tired!”
I glanced between them.
“Of course, you’re not,” Brantley agreed. “But it’s still time for bed.”
“That’s not faaaair,” they continued together.
Well, neither was life. Better they learned that early.
“Bedtime,” he said again, putting both sets of cards back in their boxes.
“Aw, Daddyyyyy.”
“No.” He got up and crooked fingers at them. “Let’s go.”
“Is Kawi staying?”
“No,” I said, standing up. “I have a lot of work to do tomorrow, and I already stayed and lost at Snap. I really do have to go.”
“Ohhh, but that’s not fair,” Eli muttered.
Brantley flapped his hands at them. “Go. Upstairs. Find your pajamas. It doesn’t matter if Kali stays or not, because you’ll be asleep.” He herded them out into the hallway, and I followed, clutching my phone and keys.
“But, Daddy,” Ellie said, turning halfway up the stairs. “If Kawi goes, then you’ll be alone.”
He paused. “Yes?”
“Doesn’t dat make you sad?”
No. I wasn’t going to do it. Not tonight. Not this time. I’d spent more than enough time with him lately, and something had to give. I was not going to be guilted into staying by her.
Nope.
Absolutely not.
I pulled away from the stairs, toward the door.
“No,” Brantley said slowly. “I’m used to it. Kali is right—she has a lot of work tomorrow, and you need to get some sleep because you’re at Summer’s again.”
“Again?” Her eyes bugged.
“She bakes nice cookies,” Eli said quietly. “I like it there.”
My lips twitched up.
Goddamn it, no, they couldn’t be doing that.
Every time I smiled at those kids, they stole a little piece of my heart.
“Let’s go.” Brantley waved his hands, ushering them up the stairs.
“Night, Kawi,” Eli shouted over his shoulder.
“Night, kids.” I smiled and edged toward the door.
Ellie caught my eyes, a sad look in hers, and waved a tiny hand in goodbye. She dipped her head as Brantley’s hand touched her back and pushed her up.
I took a deep breath and sighed it back out. That right there was the epitome of a guilt trip. The sadness in her eyes at the idea of me leaving—
No.
I wasn’t going to fall for it. I wasn’t going to let it work. I couldn’t let it. We’d already crossed too many times and if I stayed…
I leaned against the front door and stared through the door into the kitchen. The smell of pizza still lingered, and I knew there was at least an entire pizza in the box on the side that was probably the reason for it lingering.
I hugged my phone to my stomach, then pulled it out in front of me and texted Jayda.
Me: At Hot Dad’s. Do I stay or do I go?
Her response was immediate. She needed a life.
Jayda: Stay.
In hindsight, she wasn’t the best person to ask that question to.
“Jesus, you scared the crap out of me.” Brantley laughed, hand on his stomach.
I looked at him wide-eyed.
“I thought you’d left,” he said through his laughter. “Is something wrong?”
“No, I…” I paused, narrowing my eyes. “I think I’m falling for Ellie’s guilt trip.”
“Oooh.” He winced. “My apologies. But, that explains why you’re still here.”
“Yeah, I can’t decide if I feel bad for leaving and you being lonely or worse that I’m staying and I probably shouldn’t,” I said slowly.
“You’re staying?” He quirked a brow. “You’re welcome to.”
“I guess I am. I mean, I was only going to go home, put on Friends, and take off my pants.”
