Page 25 of Family Bonds: Alana & Brennan
“Brennan.”
Urgh. He should have realized that unpleasant tingling at the base of his neck was Celia. Like clawing to drag him in.
He turned. “Hi, Celia.”
“Did Becca tell you that Polly wanted to have a play date?”
“She did,” he said.
“I’m off tomorrow if you’re around.”
“Sorry,” he said. “We’ve got plans.”
“Oh,” Celia said, her bottom lip coming out in a pout much like Becca often did.
Not sexy in the least.
Why did women think that was? He assumed Celia would have practiced those moves in the mirror.
“Maybe one night next week when I’m off?”
“Nights are hard,” he said. “I’m not positive when I’ll get out of work and then Becca is in bed pretty early once we get our routine down.”
Celia put her hand on his arm, her nails almost tapping against him. He fought hard not to shiver. “I like when a man has a routine. My kids come home all wound up. They will be at their father’s the following weekend, so maybe in two weeks?”
“We’ll see,” he said. “Getting close to the holidays then. I might have my work Christmas party that night.”
At least he thought that was the night. Hoped it at this point. Any excuse he could find.
“Definitely after the holidays,” Celia said.
“Daddy, I’m hungry.”
“We are going,” he said. He picked Becca up and put her on his hip, then grabbed her bookbag next to her. “Have a good weekend.”
“I will,” Celia said, a big cheesy grin on her face. Forced for sure.
He got Becca buckled in the back, then climbed in the front.
“What’s for dinner?”
He hadn’t even thought of it. It was just one of many on his list of chores and things to do in life.
“What are you in the mood for?”
Normally she replied with grilled cheese or chicken tenders. Both were easy and always in massive quantities in the house.
“Tacos.”
Not something he had in the house and he didn’t feel like going to the store for it.
“How about we have them tomorrow? When we go to the store, we can pick everything up then.”
“I don’t want to wait though,” Becca said, crossing her arms. The joys of seeing her in the backseat from his rearview mirror.
Yep, there was the same pout that Celia had.
“You’re going to have to. I’ll give you three choices to pick from.”
