Page 86 of Single-Minded
“We’ll get you some dinner soon,” I told them.
“Pizza!” Scarlet jumped up and down.
“Shh. We’ll see what time we get out of here.”
“Why don’t I take the twins to get carryout?” Presley said. “I can take them to your house until you’re done here. If it gets late, they can put their pajamas on.”
I studied her face for any reservations, because what she was offering was a lot.
Scarlet skipped over to us. “Please, Daddy? We can show her our house and our bed you made us.”
I was used to doing everything for my girls by myself, but tonight was tricky. My instinct was to question Presley again, but I saw nothing but sincerity on her face.
“Let me help,” she said, as if she could read my mind and knew my doubts.
Not even their own mother would go out of her way so much.
I knew the longer this took, the more impatient Sienna and Scarlet would become, and who could blame them? There weren’t many worse places to spend your Friday night than in the doctor’s office.
I nodded once, hoping I wouldn’t regret this, but it was for the twins’ good to accept. “If you really don’t mind, that’d help a lot. The squirrels get restless when they’re hungry. Nova, it’s time for Daddy to get his hugs now so Miss Presley can take care of your sisters.”
Nova slowly turned her head toward me, her eyes red and tear filled, cheeks pink. She started to sit up, and I reached over to take her from Presley. It wasn’t until I had my girl in my arms that I could see the red stain of blood on Presley’s shirt.
Presley noticed it the same time I did. “Oh,” she said. “That’s a problem.”
I angled Nova so I could dig in my pocket for my keys. “There’s a sweatshirt in the back of my truck you can pull over that. The girls can show you how to get to our place,” I said, pretending she hadn’t been there overnight two weeks ago. I told her our usual order—no meat on Sienna’s—and went for my wallet.
“Dinner’s on me,” Presley said. “I’ve been wanting to treat these pretty girls to some pizza.”
“I’ll pay you back later,” I said.
“We’ll discuss it later. How will you get home though?”
“I’ll figure that out. If Jagger’s around, he’ll drop us off.”
“Text me if you need anything or think of anything I can do to help,” she said as she stood.
The twins raced over to her as if she were a magnet.
As Nova settled her head onto my shoulder, I met Presley’s gaze and hoped she read the gratitude in my eyes. “Thank you. Girls, Miss Presley’s in charge. Do what she says.”
Presley leaned down close, close enough I caught her sweet scent, and kissed Nova’s cheek. “You’re a brave girl, sweetie. We’ll save you some pizza and see you soon.”
“Bye.” Nova’s voice was weak, as if she was exhausted, which I was sure she was.
I watched two thirds of my trio head for the door, one on either side of Presley, just as the nurse appeared and called us back.
Nine stitches and an hour and a half later, I carried Nova into our house. The good news was she didn’t have a concussion, and Doc Julian had given her pain meds so she was more comfortable.
The kitchen was clean, with no sign of pizza or dirty dishes. I could barely make out female voices coming from the girls’ room, so I headed that way with Nova still in my arms.
The sight I came upon in their bedroom tugged at me, but I tamped that down, refusing to acknowledge it. The lights were off except for the girls’ two reading lights in the full-size top bunk. Stretched out in their bed between them was Presley, all of them on their backs, so wrapped up in the book Sienna was reading out loud that they didn’t notice we were home.
“Hey, ladies,” I said quietly.
Scarlet sat right up. “Hi, Daddy. Hey, Nova. How are you feeling?”
She slid down the slide from the top bunk, the serenity of thirty seconds ago gone.
