Page 7 of Our Little Wedding

Ainsley

“Nikki’s dinner is in the fridge on her favourite plate. Hopefully, that will make it easier for you to get her to eat tonight. All you need to do is take it out and heat it in the microwave. Reheat it for about three minutes. She will try to tell you she can eat in the living room, but she needs to eat at the table. Spencer thinks she is getting away with too much at Brittany’s, so he is implementing stricter rules for when she is here. She’s been horrible since she returned.”

“What about drinks?”

“She can have a juice box or a glass of milk, whichever she wants. Don’t let her con you into giving her pop. It gets her crazy hyper, and lately she has been sneaky about that, too.”

“Okay, plate, no pop, and at the table. I think I got it,” Carly said, hopping up onto the counter.

“Oh, and I got out some construction paper and some new markers. She wanted to do some arts and crafts tonight. I believe she wanted to make Spencer a birthday card. She needs to do that at the table as well, since we found a minor cut on the couch the other day that we had to have repaired.”

Carly nodded and then took a sip of the pop I’d gotten for her. “No problem. I’ll help her with that. Maybe I’ll even make Spencer one.” She winked.

I laughed, imagining what Carly would put inside the card. I shook my head as I reached up into the cupboard and grabbed a box of crackers, put five on the plate, and then grabbed the cheese from the fridge and began making Nikki a snack before we left. I had just added a handful of grapes when Carly cleared her throat.

“Don’t you find this a little weird?”

“Find what weird?” I asked.

“I dunno, this. You used to be the babysitter, and now here he is, hiring a babysitter.”

I looked at Carly, who wore a smug smile on her face. “I am a former babysitter. Currently, I am a personal assistant.”

“Ooh, I forgot. You’ve moved up in the world.” Carly giggled.

“Don’t make fun of me. You know one day you too could end up not babysitting and spending time in corporate America.” I laughed.

“I don’t think so. I’ll be living the wild life, working with young kids in a school somewhere, not in corporate America under my boss’s desk!”

“You bitch!” My mouth dropped open, and we both laughed. I shoved Carly’s shoulder just as Nikki walked into the kitchen and placed a few sheets of construction paper on the table.

“Carly, if you give me two desserts, I’ll tell my dad nice things about you.” Then she turned and looked at me with a smile.

I looked back at her, trying not to laugh, and was about to say something when Carly interjected.

“If I give you two desserts, you’ll be sick, and unfortunately I don’t do puke, so…”

Nikki hung her head, and then, almost as if Carly had said nothing, she looked up at me with hope in her eyes. “Will you and Daddy be back in time for dessert?”

“Mmmm, I’m not too sure. We might be, but to be on the safe side, you should have dessert when Carly gives it to you.”

“But Mom lets me have two,” Nikki cried.

I glanced at Carly and shook my head. This was totally abnormal behaviour for Nikki, and I was glad when I heard Spencer’s voice from the hallway.

“Well then, maybe you shouldn’t have any,” he said, coming around the corner dressed in jeans and a sweater. The scent of his cologne combined with the sound of domination in his voice made my knees weak. “Ready to go?”

I nodded.

“Carly, please. Can I have two desserts?” Nikki questioned as she climbed up on the kitchen chair.

Spencer looked at me and smiled. “What did Ainsley tell Carly?” Spencer questioned.

“She said maybe.”

Spencer looked over at me and then back to Nikki. “No, I don’t think she did. Now you behave yourself for Carly, and if there is mention of two desserts again, I will tell Carly you can’t have any. We’ve got to get going,” Spencer said, placing a kiss on the top of Nikki’s head.

“Awww, Daddy,” Nikki cried.

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