“Hey.” Paige stops at the sound of my voice, finding me in the doorway and her mom’s head rises from her lap. “I’ve got the boy. You guys go ahead.”
Paige breaks the distance. “You have work, Rob, and I won’t let you do it.” She narrows her eyes at her mom who’s already standing up.
“I already called in this morning. We’re good.” I nod reassuringly and Paige’s eyes bore into mine long and hard.
“Are you sure, Rob? I have back to back classes today. There’s no way I can get back until dinnertime. I can ask Chrissy.” I shake my head.
“I doubt she’ll be able to do it.” Digging into my pocket, I reveal the note left on the table. “Her and Dex went on a little trip.” I hold up the white piece of paper to her and her small framed shoulders slump.
“I can’t ask you.” She’s fighting it, but her eyes glisten with hope. She wants me to do it for her. She’s just afraid to ask. For a first time in a long time, I want to make someone happy other than myself.
“Yes you can.” I assure her with my eyes and she stares long and hard.
“You can, sweetheart.” Her mom stands up and stalks over to me. “Thank you, Rob.” She holds out her hand and I shake it quickly, my eyes pinging between her and Paige.
Paige has a disgusted expression on her face when I shake hands with her mom. “Mom.” Her voice is stern and almost threatening. Shit, I never want that mean side of her faced my way.
“Paigy.” I stifle a laugh and then I get the pinned glare from Paige. “I promise I’ll be back tomorrow morning.” Her mom backtracks to the door to escape Paige.
Realizing exactly what her mom is doing, she inches forward, following her. “Eight am. I have school and Rob has work, okay?” She points her finger. “I’m telling you, Mom, this is the last time.”
“Promise, Paige.” A huge smile crosses her mom’s face and she wraps her arms around her daughter. For the first time I realize there aren’t very many similarities between the two of them. I wonder if Paige resembles her dad then? Speaking of which, where is her dad, or the kid in the kitchen’s dad?
The door shuts and Paige’s forehead drops to the wood. Her back rises and falls and her knuckles become white from her grip on the doorknob. Remaining quiet, I wait for her to turn around. When she finally does, the wetness in her eyes is clear and my hands clench to stop from hugging her. “Thanks, Rob. I really appreciate it. I’ll skip my last class.”
“No you won’t. I have this. Don’t worry.” I step forward and she does the same. My whole body desperately wants to grab her, hug her and fade away those worries. I learned after the accident, you can’t encompass the pain of someone else.
“Thank you.”
“You said that already,” I joke and she peers up at me with a smirk.
“Well, then take good care of my little brother. He’s shy, but he’ll open up a little more . . .”
“Go!” I usher with my hand for her to go up and get ready.
“Okay, great. Here’s his booster seat, don’t go fast, you know . . . drive the speed limit. He needs to be in the backseat.” She continues to ramble and I laugh at her being overprotective. I’m fairly certain this kid is resilient with the mother he has.
She back-steps up the stairs, biting the inside of her cheek. “Okay, going now.” Then she runs up the stairs and I admire the view of her ass in those shorts that I love.
When I go back into the kitchen, Matty is pouring himself another bowl of cereal. Now the kid’s got the right idea. “You play with a lot of kids?” I ask, taking the seat across from him.
“No,” he mumbles over his mouthful.
“Today’s your lucky day.” I shoot a text to Trey.
AN HOUR LATER, the kid is sitting in my backseat in his booster. He stares out the window mostly, but when I play some classic rock music, the kid lip-syncs and bobs his head to the beat. Paige has definitely been an influence on the little guy. I’m thankful Trey accepted my apology a month ago. I was convinced his friendship with Jessa would make him hate me, but I guess the true friendship we developed over the years still existed inside of him.
I ring the doorbell to the four-bedroom suburban home I’m still shocked my friend lives in with his wife. The rumbling of little feet slam against the floor before Trey’s booming voice yells. “Tara, do not open that door.”
“Man, he sounds so fatherly,” I remark to Matty who stares up at me with indifference. “See, he’s my good friend and I just—” The kid’s blank stare tells me I’m wasting my breath, so I stop.
I catch Trey with Chloe holding the little guy in his arms through the glass as he unlocks the door. A little brunette girl peers out the window, examining Matty. “Hey,” I snap my fingers and point to her.
“Tara.” Trey fills in the blank and laughs at me not recalling the girl’s name. “This is Drew.” Then he bends down. “Who’s this?”
“My name is Matty.” The kid surprises me.
“Good thing you know, because I’m fairly certain your driver doesn’t.” Trey jokes and then opens the screen.
“Funny, man.”
Trey winks, holding the door open. “I know.” Then he focuses on Matty. “Come on in; I guess the school holiday has everyone off in the area.”
I snap my finger and point to them. “I was wondering.”
I follow Matty and clasp my hand on Trey’s free shoulder. “You’re a lifesaver. I had no idea what to do with the kid.” I whisper so he can’t hear although he’s already following Tara down the hall.
“Whose son is he again?” We walk down the hallway to the kitchen and family room. “Why were you the best choice to watch him?” His eyebrow arches and I shake my head.
“He’s Paige’s brother and I was the last option.” I try to fill him in, but he shrugs.
“Figured so. How is Paige?” He raises his eyebrows up a few times fast.
“Shut the f—”
Trey’s eyebrows raise and he stares down at a drooling Drew. “She’s fine.” I correct myself and a bellowing laugh escapes Trey. I do have to admit one thing I missed about him was his easy going love for life personality.
“Sure she is.” He situates Drew in the high chair and tosses a few Cheerios on his tray. “Why don’t you guys go outside?” The kids all scramble up and run outside to the patio. I’m surprised Matty follows with how shy he’s been.
“See, already a lady killer,” I joke, nodding my head toward Matty following Trey’s two girls outside.
“You’re a bad influence. How long have you been around him?” Trey maneuvers around the kitchen, grabbing things with ease for the little one. Man, he’s changed since those days when stopping at Zen’s was our daily ritual. Or the nights when we’d down shots of Jack until we ended up passing out watching re-runs of Saturday Night Live.
“Don’t knock the kid’s swagger. I’ve only known him for . . .” I pick up my arm and glance at my watch. “An hour, maybe.”
Trey chuckles, giving Drew juice. “You couldn’t even play with the kid before shuffling him over here?” He occupies the seat across from me, cutting up a banana.
“You’ve really become . . . domesticated.” I raise my eyebrows at him and ease back into the chair.
His eyes focus on me with daggers. “Yeah.” I’m shocked he doesn’t make a joke or flip the tables on me. A strong desire to hold his self-confidence digs into my heart. He couldn’t give a shit what I think, or anyone else for that matter, he’s happy. Which everyone is aware of from the cheesy-ass smile on his face.
“Where’s your other half anyway?” I distract the churning thoughts about happily ever after that I’ll never get by pulling out my phone, as though someone texted me.