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Her saying she needed help rubbed me wrong, especially when it came to someone watching her kids.
“Let me take them for the day.” The words flew from my mouth before I could even process that I’d thought them, but I wouldn’t take them back. No, the more I considered it, the more it made sense. I liked Cole and Bella, and I was doing absolutely nothing all day while their mom worked.
“No, that’s okay. Thanks though.” Bexley smiled tightly again, trying to move past me.
“You’re mad at me,” I declared, holding up two hands to block her from moving.
“I’m not mad, I just already have a babysitter.” She scoffed, trying to dodge again.
I moved with her. “You’re mad that I didn’t call you, which is fine. I’m mad at myself too.”
Her eyes softened, probably searching for some kind of lie. “Then why didn’t you call?”
I knew it.I smiled in response. “Because I’m a coward…I didn’t know how to call and not still act pissed at you for everything we talked about.”
“Pissed at me?” she yelled, pointing toward her chest. “Why are you pissed at me?”
“Because you started talking about your Betty Crocker life with your husband and babies,” I yelled back, jokingly.
“Logan was never my husband.” She exhaled heavily.
What?
Why the hell hadn’t Logan locked her down?
“Look, I’m sorry for being an idiot…please let me hang out with the kids today.” I stepped closer, inhaling her scent. She was going to be late for work, but I didn’t care. Somewhere in my subconscious, I was already paying for Bexley’s house and buying her a new car.
“Ryan, they’re already getting attached to you…it was hard on them when you didn’t call. They don’t understand this stuff well, and Logan hasn’t exactly been there.”
Shit, that had been a dick move on my part.
I stepped even closer, grabbing the backs of her arms, hoping she’d tilt her chin up.
“I know…and I’m sorry. I’m not going to mess with them, I promise. I’m attached to them too.”
“But our past is messy, and I don’t think it’s a good idea to keep—”
“Our past is why you trust me with your kids. You know I’d never hurt them. You know I’d never lose them or harm them. Just let me go pick them up and spend the day with them. Then when you get off, we’ll do dinner,” I suggested, loving these random ideas that kept springing into my head.
Letting out a long sigh, Bexley finally gave in. “Fine, but…just…don’t make them any long-term promises, okay? Please.”
I nodded, stepping backward, feeling excited. “I promise.”
She turned around and headed for the door while I jumped into my SUV.
* * *
Beingaround kids wasn’t something I’d say I was exactly good at if being around them involved some level of skill. My cousins had kids, so once or twice a year, I’d see one. I’d worked with kids on set before, but otherwise I didn’t really have any experience to draw from.
I was winging it and only every so often calling or texting my PA for a little help. I knew she had three kids, at least that was what she’d mentioned once or twice; we weren’t exactly on that level where you share life stories with each other, but I knew she knew things like what kind of booster to buy for a five-year-old and what kind of bike an eight-year-old might get.
But now, as Bella and Cole sat on the couch in my villa suite looking utterly bored, I had no idea what to do.
“Okay, I know there’s swimming around here.” I clapped my hands together.
Cole heaved a sigh. “I can’t get my cast wet.”
Right.
