Page 23 of Mr. Wrong
“Sure.” I point to the measuring cup full of pancake mix. “Hit me,” I say and Cassie giggles. I watch the cup wobble in her hand a bit while she dumps the dry mix into the bowl. “I think she looks nice.”
Liar.
What you think is that she looksnicenaked.
Better than nice.
“She’s pretty.” She’s whispering again, like she’s telling secrets. “And she carries dinosaurs in her purse.”
“Exactly,” I say, handing her the whisk to keep her busy while I chop apples. “How can younotlike a woman who carries dinosaurs in her purse?”
She doesn’t say anything for a second, concentrating on mixing the pancake goop together. “Is she gonna be my new mom?”
I feel my jaw clench at the thought. “No,” I say, focusing on chopping apples. I don’t say anything else, mainly because it was something I never even considered. Before I found her hopping around on the front porch, I thoughtMs. Piercewas some dowdy, middle-aged schoolmarm. It never occurred to me that she’d be someone like Ellenore. Someone I’d like.
Someone I’d want.
Someone that my brother might want too.
“Well…” She gives the whisk a careful turn. “So where’s she going to sleep then?”
I add my pile of chopped granny smiths to the bowl. “She’s going to live in the pool house.”
“But you live in the pool house.” Her brows slam down over her eyes again.
Shit.
I’m going to have to tell her I’ve decided to move out. Because that wasmyrash, asshole decision—not my brother’s.
Don’t be an idiot, Lex. I’m not asking you to move out. I’m just asking you to think about what’s best for Cassie.
Before I can say anything, Landon pushes through the doorway, Ellenore on his heels, a stack of catalogs hugged to her chest like a shield.
As soon as Cassie sees my brother, she hops down from her stool, hands on her hips as she stomps over to the doorway. “Dad, if Elle lives in the pool house, where is Uncle Lex going to sleep?”
“Well…” I watch Landon usher Ellenore into the kitchen. Pulling out a stool for her at the breakfast bar—the perfect gentleman. Right now, I want to stab him in the neck with my paring knife. “That’s something you should ask your uncle.”
Shit.
I can feel all three of them staring at me.
Ignoring them, I sprinkle a bit of cinnamon into the mix and add a little brown sugar before carrying the bowl of pancake batter to the pre-heated griddle.
“Uncle Lex?”
I set the bowl down and look at Cassie. She’s standing a few feet away, hands still stacked on her hips but her chin is trembling again because she knows. She knows what I’m about to say.
She knows I’m going to tell her that I’m leaving.
“Cass—”
“We’re going to share the pool house.”
Everyone stops and looks at Ellenore. Until now, she’s been quiet, dutifully following Landon from room to room, nothing more than the occasional quiet murmur of her voice to offset my brother’s more commanding tone.
Cassie divides a narrow-eyed look between Landon and me before she turns to look at Ellenore. “Serious?”
“Serious.” Ellenore nods. Standing, she skirts the breakfast bar, avoiding eye contact with everyone but Cassie. “We’re grown-ups, right?” When Cassie nods her head, Ellenore continues. “And grown-ups are always telling you to share your things and be nice to other people, right?”
