Page 114 of Someone to Remember
“Hardly. We’re talking about the bloodhound, after all.”
“True,” I say with another laugh. “So Ella had a daddy moment after her nap that’s got me wondering if I ought to be leaving.”
“Yes, you ought to be leaving. She’ll be fine with Auntie Tracy. I brought paper dolls for her.”
“Oh, she’ll love that. I haven’t thought about them in an age.”
“Remember how much we used to love them?”
“So much. You’re the best. Thank you for everything you do for us.”
“I love you all, and you’d better not replace me with Sam as your favorite babysitter.”
“I’d never do that, but I might need to toss her a bone to keep her happy.”
“I’ll allow an occasional bone.”
“Gee, thanks. Josh will be hungry when he wakes up.”
“I’ve got it covered. Go on and have a great time. Don’t worry about anything here. Mike is bringing dinner over later.”
“Aunt and uncle of the year.”
“Tell that to the ones at the White House.”
“Let’s keep it between us.”
I leave her laughing as she tosses something to me that I catch in the air, so it won’t hit me. When I realize it’s a condom, I let out a scream. “What the hell, Trace?”
“Your face, though.” She’s bent double with laughter. “You can never be too safe.”
I throw it back at her. “Where’d you even get that?”
“I’ll never tell.”
“It’s probably old and moldy from your pre-Mike days.”
“I’ll have you know it’s brand-new, and there’re more where that came from.” She comes to me, tucks the “thing” into my purse and kisses my cheek. “When you’re ready.”
“Buzz off. I’m nowhere near ready for that.”
“Yes, you are, and it’s okay if you want to.”
“Bye, Tracy.”
“Bye, Ang. Don’t be a prude.”
I let the door slam in her face. She deserves it. Ugh, way to put that in my head when I had to build myself up to get through dinner. Hell, I had to build myself up to walk out the door. As I stand at the curb waiting for Brad, I hope none of my neighbors see me getting into his truck and make a thing of it. Thanks to my sister’s high profile—and mine by proximity—as well as the huge coverage that followed Spencer’s death, me going on a date might be newsworthy.
I can’t think about that, or I’ll turn right back around and forget the whole thing.
Twenty-Six
Angela
Thankfully, Brad’s truck comes around the corner before I can talk myself out of going. His kids are spending tonight and tomorrow night with his in-laws. I asked him to be my plus one to Iris and Gage’s wedding, and we’ve chosen not to take our kids so we can have some adult time. Our kids aren’t close to Iris’s. Not yet, anyway, so there is no good reason to take them, even though they’re invited.
How lucky am I that my sister was able to babysit two nights in a row? She says she has no life, but I’m sure she’d cancel plans to make it possible for me to go out and have fun. There’s no one in this world quite like my Tracy, and yes, she was mine long before I had to share her with Sam.
