Page 43 of The Last Thing
We should start making dinner soon, but I can’t deny Sophia a little dance party. Plus, they liven me up too. By this time of day, I’m usually exhausted, and a dance party gets me energized again.
I jump when the apartment door swings open a solid hour before Deck should be home.
I fumble for my phone to turn off the music as Sophia runs toward the door. “Nana!”
I spin around quickly, a smile plastered on my face, and look at Deck’s mother.
She’s about my height, though her body is fuller with beautiful curves. Her medium-length hair is graying brown and perfectly styled, and she’s wearing a bright smile that matches Sophia’s.
“Hi, Mrs. Decker. I’m Hallie.”
Her warm smile grows a little. “It’s nice to meet you. And please, call me Linnie. I hope you don’t mind me stopping by. I brought some groceries and thought I might make some dinner.”
Sophia frowns. “But we already have food to make.”
“We do, but we can make that any night. Let’s see what your nana brought. It’s probably even better. And maybe the three of us could cook it together.”
Sophia’s eyes light up at that, and Linnie walks over to me and rests a hand on my arm.
“I like you already.”
We share a laugh, then she follows Sophia into the kitchen where she starts unpacking the bag she brought.
I pull out my phone and quickly text Deck.
Me: Hey, no emergency. Your mom is here. I just want to know what she knows, so I’m prepared.
It’s not until she’s explaining to Sophia how to make the spinach and ricotta pasta bake that he texts back.
Deck: Sorry. Usually she mentions when she’s planning to stop by. As of now, she only knows you’re the nanny Sophia loves, who is also saving my ass.
Me: Good to know. Thanks.
I stare at my screen for a second, thinking of how sexy his ass looked naked.
Nope. I need to get my shit together, and thinking of Deck’s ass is not going to help me do that.
With that, I tuck my phone away and get to work helping in the kitchen.
Linnie is lovely,and it’s clear where Sophia gets a lot of her energy and charm from. I see some of it in Deck too, but from the way Linnie has been talking, he takes after his late father.
He only briefly mentioned that his dad passed away before Sophia was born, but it’s clear from the way his mom talks that the three of them were very close.
The door swings open, and Deck walks in, soaking wet. Sophia is halfway to him when she thinks better of hugging him.
“Why are you late and drenched?” Linnie asks.
It’s only then that I put it all together and glance at the window.
“Crap. When did it start raining? I didn’t put the top back on the Wrangler?—”
“I did it.” Deck looks at me, a drop of water dripping off his hair and running down his cheek.
He reaches up and pushes his hair back from his face.
“That was sweet of you, honey,” Linnie says.
“Yes.” I clear my throat. “You—you didn’t have to do that.”
