CHAPTER 14 Liam Bradley #2
As fun as their room—and their new playroom, which I didn’t even ask for—is here in my home, it’s still not their home.
It’s a transition, and we can make it as fun as we want…
but they’re still going through something that will leave them emotionally scarred.
If I can help ease that transition, well, I suppose I’m happy to do it.
She looks over at me, and she closes the gap separating us until she’s close enough to press her lips to mine. “Thank you for this, Liam. It’s incredible, and you didn’t have to do any of it.”
I run my knuckles along her jawline. “You deserve to be pampered. And to be fair, I just issued the instructions. Dolores somehow executed to perfection.”
“She did.” She loops her arms around my neck, and I hug her back. “Thank you for everything.”
I lean down and breathe her in, and then I pull back.
Her kids are right in the next room, and no matter how much I want it, I need to give her space.
I’m sure she’s not ready for the kids to know there’s sort of something more than friendship between us, any more than either of us are in any position to label what it is.
“Can I get you a drink?” I ask, and she nods.
We peek in on the boys, who are in a mad game of Mario Kart, and then we head toward my kitchen.
“The climbing wall is actually amazing. Think it can hold my weight?” she asks, and I laugh as I nod at it.
“Be my guest.”
She walks over and climbs a few levels until her head is about to bump the ceiling, laughing the entire time before she climbs back down.
It’s fun and carefree and hot as hell.
I peer into the fridge, not really sure what sort of drink she wants.
“If there’s any food or drinks you want stocked, just make a list and I can get it ordered,” I say.
“The boys like a cup of milk before bed. Do you have milk?”
I nod.
“And I like a glass of wine with dinner. Do you have wine?”
I nod again.
“Then we’re all set. We’re pretty low-maintenance when it comes to drinks. They’ll have the occasional Capri Sun, but mainly they’re water drinkers. Soda upon rare occasion, usually diet or caffeine-free.”
I wrinkle my nose. “You’re no fun.”
She laughs. “You want to give them soda? Be my guest, but be prepared to deal with the consequences.”
“Do they like pizza?”
She nods. “Yes, but it has to be thin crust, and it has to be pepperoni.”
“Boys after my own heart. Sound okay for dinner?”
“Sure. Let me treat, though.”
I roll my eyes. “Let me take care of the three of you.”
“You are,” she says softly, and her eyes are misty when I glance over at her. “Far more than you could possibly know.”
We manage to wrestle the boys away from the games and get them to eat. Afterward, Penny helps Benji with his bath in the bathroom in the hallway outside the boys’ room, and Sammy uses the shower in the en-suite bathroom in Penny’s room.
Once the boys have their teeth brushed, their hair combed, and their pajamas on, they come out to my family room, where I’m catching the highlights on ESPN.
“Mom told us to say goodnight,” Sammy says.
I mute the television and stand. “Sweet dreams,” I say.
“Night, Uncle Liam!” Benji says.
“Thanks for letting us stay here. This house is awesome,” Sammy says. He gives me a quick hug, and he bolts from the room, presumably to go back to his room to try to get in more playtime before bed.
Penny isn’t having it, though. “Straight to bed, Samuel Thomas Calloway!” She ruffles Benji’s hair, too.
“Are you going to triple name me, too?” he asks.
She chuckles. “No need, Benjamin James Calloway.”
He giggles, and he grabs her hand and pulls her out of the room.
She tucks them in and does whatever nighttime routine it is they do, and she returns to the family room a few minutes later, collapsing on the couch a couple of cushions too far out of my reach.
She glances over at me. “I’d sit closer, but Sammy never goes straight to bed, so he’ll probably be out twelve times, and I’m not ready for them to catch us making out on your couch.”
I shake my head. “No explanation necessary. I want to do whatever makes the three of you comfortable. But to be clear, you want to be making out with me on my couch?”
Her voice is low when she says, “More than you can possibly imagine.”
I laugh. “There’s always tomorrow.”
“I hate to cut this short, but I should probably get ready for bed myself. I need to be up before they are so I can help them navigate morning routine.”
“Do they need anything for breakfast?” I ask, wanting to make sure I have whatever they like.
“I grabbed a box of Cheerios from the pantry at the house, but if you really want to make an impression, the boys both love Cap’n Crunch.”
I laugh.
“What?” she asks.
“You draw the line at soda, but sugary cereals are fine?”
She laughs. “Yes and yes.”
“Well, you’re in luck, as Cap’n Crunch is also a favorite of mine, strictly as a nighttime snack after dinner. I rotate the flavors, but I always have regular, Crunch Berries, and peanut butter.”
Her eyes widen. “Can I have a bowl of the peanut butter?”
“For breakfast?”
She shakes her head. “Right now.”
“Abso-fucking-lutely. And while we’re at it, I’ll have one with you.”
We’re both laughing as we walk toward the kitchen. She locates the bowls and spoons with my direction while I grab the cereal and milk, and we clink spoons before we dive into our bowls.
It feels like the start of a new tradition, and I’m not quite sure how to feel about that. It really can’t be a new tradition since her living here is temporary and I’m leaving for San Diego in a week, but I guess I’ll soak it all in while I can.