“I’d rather not hear about them.” I cover my ears like a toddler. Just then, Matty runs into the room, and climbs into my lap. I’m just as surprised as Jessa’s wide eyes. The kid sees me as his protector and it kind of feels good.
“Yours?”
I crinkle my brows. “No, our roommate, Paige’s brother.” I glance down at Matty. “Matty, this is Jessa. Jessa, this is Matty.”
“Nice to meet you, Matty. You like Tara and Chloe? They’re fun, right?” She already possesses that motherly voice that can calm kids.
“Yeah, they’re a lot of fun.” He looks back to me. “I’m hungry.”
“We just ate breakfast.”
Jessa stands up, going to the cabinet. She pulls out a granola bar and then looks down at me. “Any allergies?”
“No, I don’t have any allergies.” She smacks the back of my head.
“Not you, Matty.” I shrug. I’m thinking Paige would have told me, right? She’s way too responsible not to.
“Matty, do you know if there are any foods you can and can’t have?” Matty squints up to me and his eyes light up.
“No. Not like Brendan at school. He can’t have peanut butter.”
“But you can?” she asks, and since when is it twenty-questions before you give a kid something to eat?
“Yep.”
“Good, here’s a granola bar.” She places it in front of him and he opens it by himself, gobbling it down.
“Thanks.” She smiles. “Like I said, this mother role suits you.”
She rubs her belly. “I hope so, because number two is on the way.”
“Seriously?” Just the thought of two kids back-to-back nauseates me. “You need to tell him to get the—” She cocks her head at me, smiling. “Give you some space.” I change my wording. Damn, two kids already.
“Nah, I don’t.” She smiles and stares over at her baby. Joyfulness pours out of her and it makes me happy that I’m the asshole I am. It confirms that good can come from me being a prick.
“THANK YOU SO much, Kailey.” We walk over to her car and she unlocks it for me. It’s a sporty two door and for some reason I’m surprised by it.
“Nice car,” I comment and she waves me off.
“It’s Trey’s. Since he was home today, he gets the minivan. But usually the soccer mobile is mine.”
We both climb in and the leather is so soft and nice. She runs her hands over the steering wheel. “I do have to say, it’s nice to actually feel my age while driving this car.” She inserts the key into the ignition and starts the car.
“So, where are you parked?” She glances at me as we pull out of the parking lot. She found a premium spot before class and I caught up to her outside the building.
“All the way in lot F. I can’t thank you enough.”
“No problem. Trey’s got the kids, so I’m free for a little while.” She laughs and it’s so cute how they made this unexpected life work for them.
“Well, then you want to stop by the Loft?” I joke, but Kailey’s silence says maybe she’s considering it.
“You know what, we should plan a day for all of us girls to get out. With Jessa just having the baby, Sadie all wrapped around her wedding and me, I can’t even tell you how much I need time off.” She drives over and her phone dings in her purse.
“Maybe a spa day?” I raise my eyebrows a few times. I’ve never had very many girlfriends. Consider it Daddy’s occupational hazard. I would just be getting into a friendship with a girl, and then they’d find out who my dad was and they became obsessed. Then their parents would constantly ask about it. There was Clare, but she moved last year and I just never tried much. Until Chrissy.
She stops at a red light and the car jerks forward. Her eyes light up. “Perfect. Yes! Let’s plan it.” She does a little dance in her seat and I laugh.
“You are so fun. You must make a great aunt.” I compliment her and she waves her hand.
“There was a time, I wasn’t so much fun. A time when I took life way too serious. I had to learn the hard way, it’s short and honestly, I can thank Trey. He’s just . . . the one for me.” My heart sinks watching her talk about her husband. That seed of hope that I find the same thing one day. The one who pulls the best out of me and loves me for the crap part, too.
She reaches over and pats my knee. “You’ll find it.”
“Are you psychic, too?” She laughs, flooring the gas and my back presses to the back of my seat.
“Nah, I just see it on your face. You remind me of myself.”
“How is that?” I ask, shooting a text to Rob about Matty.
“Scared.” She turns into parking lot F and I stare at her in awe. She nailed it; I’m scared shitless of finding someone that loves me with no strings. I have no role models on how to make a relationship work, and I fear there will always be that issue of my trust fund, who my dad is, or anything else that goes along with my past.
Rob: I’m over at Trey’s. I can shoot home now.
“Oh.” I murmur and Kailey stops in front of my car and gives me her attention.
“What’s wrong?” she asks.
“Rob’s at your house with my brother.” My thumbs move over the screen.
“They’re still there? Perfect.” She drives away from my car and my palm presses against the window, watching my car pass by.
“Kailey?” I ask and she waves her hand at me. A signature move I’m figuring out.
“You can get your car later. Come on over and we’ll order pizza for the kids. Trey called earlier and said how much fun the girls were having with Matty.”
“Are you sure? If they’ve been there all day; we should give you guys time by yourselves.” I fight it, but she continues driving.
“No. No. When you get to know Trey, you’ll figure out, he prefers the company of a lot of people.”
“Okay,” I meekly agree, sinking down in my seat a little. It’s happening a little too fast. I like Rob’s friends from what I know of them, but it makes Rob, Matty and I like a package deal. Then a small piece of me whispers to ignore those fears and have fun.
Shooting a text to Rob, I tell him to sit tight because Kailey’s driving me over. He never responds and I figure he’s busy.
We park in the driveway, next to the minivan. I spot Rob’s Mustang on the street, along with another car I don’t recognize. When we step inside, it’s not children’s laughter, but adults from the entryway. Kailey drops her back-pack on the bench by the door and I do the same, slipping from my Tom’s.
Following Kailey, I don’t realize it until I see her myself. I’ve heard enough stories from Chrissy to know who’s sitting next to Rob. She’s gorgeous with her short bob haircut and tiny frame. Straightening my T-shirt down over my skinny jeans, I somehow wish I could shrink myself to her size. Rob has the baby in his arms, feeding the baby a bottle. He looks comfortable, but awkward all at the same time. His hand keeps moving to position the bottle in different ways.
“Man, a few hours and even Rob turns parental in this house,” Kailey jokes, wrapping her arms around Trey’s middle, lying her head on his back. He’s on the phone and hangs up at the same moment she kisses his shoulder blade. Twisting around, he pulls his wife in his arms.
“What can I say, I have that effect on him,” he winks, placing both his hands on the side of Kailey’s face, bringing his lips to hers.
Jessa’s eyes peer up and find me in the doorway. Quickly, she stands up and comes over to me. “You must be Paige. I’m Jessa.” She smiles and appears friendly enough. She’s Rob’s ex though, and it’s like she’s checking me out with a fine toothcomb.
“Yeah. Nice to meet you.” I shake her hand and smile back. Pleasantries I tell myself.