Page 17 of Hello Tease

“Apparently they’re busy Friday night.”

“I’m not,” I said before I could think of what a terrible idea it would be to babysitter-zone myself before I could even ask her on a date. “I could watch the kids.”

Liv’s eyes sparked. “That sounds so fun. I’ll text her and let her know.”

“Wait, wait—”

But then Fletcher said, “The girls and I could come over too. Make it a little less creepy than a strange single man watching her kids.”

Thank you, I mouthed to Fletcher.

Hayes said, “I’ll be anywhere else.”

Everyone laughed at that, and then Rhonda came back with our drinks. Thankfully, that was enough conversation to move us on to another topic. Like how everyone in town thought Dad was dating Agatha, the waitress at Woody’s Diner.

* * *

Friday night came soonerthan I expected. Luckily, I’d had enough time to get the house ready so when the doorbell rang, I was ready for Larkin and her kids. I knew it wasn’t Fletcher because he and Maya knew they could always walk right in.

When I swung the door open, Larkin held two large bags on one shoulder and had Jackson in the stroller in front of her. “Are you sure you’re up for this?” she asked nervously. “Because if you aren’t, I can always reschedule with the girls.”

“What, you don’t trust me?” I asked with a laugh that quickly faded at the look she gave me.

“Of course I am,” I replied seriously, reaching for the bag on her shoulder. Something inside made a robotic squeaking sound, and I nearly dropped it. “Is that possessed?”

“Oh gosh, you aren’t ready for this,” Larkin said worriedly.

“It’s okay. Here, let me show you all the setup so you can feel more comfortable.” I shouldered the bag, stepping back to let them through the entryway. Emily came running past me while her mom parked the stroller and took Jackson out.

Larkin gave me a grateful look. “That would be amazing.”

So I walked them through the rest of the house more thoroughly than I had at the dinner party. They had already seen the kitchen and living room, but I pointed out discreetly to Larkin how I kept the knives and cleaning supplies up higher and out of reach of children.

Then I led them to the living room. “Look at this,” I said, walking to a chest in the corner by the bin of blankets. “You can open it, Emily.”

Emily looked up at her mom, and when Larkin nodded, the little girl pulled the lid open and gasped. “Are these all for us?”

I smiled big at her delight. “I wanted to make sure everyone had toys they liked. What do you think?”

She pulled out aPAW Patrolstuffie of a little brown dog and hugged it tight to her chest. “I love it!”

I smiled. “I even have a playroom set up. Let me show you.” We went to the other bedroom on the same level, and I pulled the door open, showing them inside.

“A BUNK BED!” Emily cried. “I’VE ALWAYS WANTED ONE OF THESE!”

I had to chuckle and smile over at Larkin, who looked happy tinged with a little bit of grief. Like she felt bad that Emily didn’t have a bunk bed of her own.

“You’re always welcome to it,” I said to Emily, “any time your mama needs a break. I also put up this sensory swing, and there’s a bookshelf with all sorts of books and a reading tent in the corner. I have a pack and play I’ll set up later for Jackson if he gets tired.”

Emily took a book off the shelf and climbed inside the purple tent. With the flaps closed, she yelled, “I love it!”

Larkin let a wiggling Jackson on the carpeted floor, and he crawled toward the tent with Emily. “Let your brother in,” Larkin said, and Emily opened the flap just long enough for him to crawl inside. Within moments, Emily started readingBrown Bearto her little brother and making all the animal sounds I was sure her mama had made a hundred times.

My heart swelled in my chest at the sight, and then Larkin placed a hand on my arm, warming me in a way I wasn’t used to.

“Thank you for this,” she said, looking up at me with big blue eyes that were hard not to get lost in. “I’m sure you had this set up for your nieces, but Emily feels like a little princess already.”

I had to clear my throat to speak. “I meant what I said. You’re all welcome over any time.”

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