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“Sorry, little boss, got to go.” He darts into the front seat.
I snicker. Benji rolls his eyes and hugs me once, quick as a whip, before climbing in his car. Angie and I chat for a moment and then I kiss her forehead, stepping away as Damon drives off.
I only have to be at work for a few hours without them, but it still feels too long when I begrudgingly walk back up to my office. Piper is there, and the coffee is on my desk.
“Remind me to add a percentage to your raise at the next annual review,” I tell her, and she gives me a thumbs up, not even looking away from what she’s typing. God, she’s a great assistant.
Sitting behind my desk, I decide to take a few extra minutes before I go back to work. I text Jessi, telling her all is good but I want to chat later, and she replies with some sort of animated picture of herself inside of a coffee cup. I snort and roll my eyes.
At least I wasn’t lying to Benji.
While there is no romance left between us—and perhaps there was never that much to begin with, not that we knew that at the time—I do love Jessi. Ilovemy kids.
And I’ll do whatever it takes to give them a good life. Even if that means I never see Laura again when this ruse is over.
CHAPTER 19
Laura
The dress feels too tight, too fancy, too elaborate. But it’s on me, and I’m basically sewn into it with how tightly Alice has cinched it to me, so there’s no turning back.
“You look good,” Alice grumbles under her breath, shooting me a quick glare. “Stop fidgeting.”
David had called me in a panic earlier, saying he had to cancel because his babysitter fell ill. Alice had already been doing my hair and makeup for an hour and had altruistically offered to babysit.
Now, faced with an eight year-old on a sugar rush and a glaring teenager, I think she’s starting to regret it.
“Thanks again,” I say meekly.
She smooths out her expression because the kids are looking at us.
“I amdelightedto hang out with these cuties,” she says brightly. I almost believe her.
“What if we playeddolls!?” Angie asks, clapping.
Alice nods, looking bewildered. “What if?”
Angie races off. Uncertainly, Alice follows.
David is still getting ready. That leaves just me and Benji alone in the kitchen.
He’s poking at his dessert at the long wooden table. I’m sitting caddy corner to him at the breakfast bar.
It’s the most awkward thing I’ve ever experienced. I’d wager it’s the most awkward thing he has ever experienced either, but there’s no real way to check because that would involve talking, which we are not doing.
I think I must look like a child playing dress up, and I think that Benji thinks that, too.
“So,” I start, and then immediately choke on my own spit. I begin to cough, hands flying out to grab the table for leverage as my lungs try to fill in a normal, regular way.
“Are you okay?” he asks, frowning at me. His fork is poised halfway between his plate and his mouth. His brows and nose are wrinkled in concern.
He looks a lot like his dad like this, actually. The resemblance is uncanny. It’s cute and frightening because it cements how real it is that the man I’m pretending not to care about haskids.
Probably should’ve needed this moment to have that really hit home, but now it is, and I’m almost panicking about it.
“I’m okay,” I manage. It only sort of comes out like a wheeze.
Benji nods, but he doesn’t look convinced. He does get his fork to his mouth though, so the whole situation is really mostly behind us.
