Chapter BOONE
BOONE
As much as Skylar and Lyric warmed up to me over the next week, they still side-eyed my constant presence at their house. I figured they might adjust to how Nova and I were a couple once they visited my place.
I drove them over on Saturday morning after breakfast. Lyric bobbed her head to the music while Skylar dozed off. Nova held her tongue, afraid to put a voice to her worries.
I suspected Nova was mostly tense about Exile’s lingering bad mood. He barely acknowledged me, even when I was standing next to him. Despite her worries, Nova often behaved like a horny teenager around her brother. She only took a break from dry humping me if children were present.
I felt like they were working out issues from their childhood, so I didn’t meddle. Spending time with Nova was more important than figuring out their relationship.
Skylar woke up when we pulled into the underground parking lot. She looked around startled and slid her sunglasses onto the top of her head to see better.
“You live in the ground?” Lyric asked me.
“No, I just park here.”
The girls were a little creeped out by the well-lit garage. They held their mom’s hands while we walked to the elevator.
“This is a hotel,” Lyric told me.
“No, it’s just condos. Do you want to push the button?”
The girls instantly perked up at taking charge of the buttons. They even used my phone to open the condo door.
The girls oohed and aahed at the condo’s interior, especially enjoying the view. Skylar seemed fascinated by looking down at the cars. Lyric was more interested in the cage.
“When is your dog coming home?”
“I’ll get him soon. That way, when you visit next weekend, he’ll have you to play with.”
“This is good, right?” I asked Nova, who remained on edge.
Nova glanced up at my loft bedroom. “I feel weird having the girls here.”
“Why is that?” I asked and wrapped her up against my body.
“This place feels like our sex den,” Nova whispered, making me chuckle. “I can’t view it as appropriate for children.”
“Open your mind, perv,” I teased.
Nova gasped at being called a perv. I saw the exact moment when her wild child amusement overrode her good girl horror.
Letting Nova adjust to the new reality, I asked, “Girls, do you want to see how I fancied up my second bedroom?”
Lyric was curious, but I sensed Skylar wanted to keep looking down at the cars. They both followed to the second room.
A few days ago, Nova and Goldie helped me think of ways to turn the standard side bedroom into something more inviting to rowdy princesses.
The bedding was now a pale blue sheet set with a plush pink comforter. A bunny-shaped lamp sat on the side table. A pink shag rug rested on the hardwood floor.
“We can paint the walls whatever colors you want,” I told them. “You can also pick things to put on the walls.”
“What about night lights?” Skylar asked.
“I already had those because my mom sleeps here sometimes,” I explained and opened the closet door. “There are two lava lamps, just in case one goes out. I also have a lava lamp night light in the bathroom.”
Skylar was instantly drawn to the lava lamps. Lyric climbed onto the bed and looked around.
“What about Ramen when we sleep here?”
“Dillon will take care of him,” I explained. “Eventually, he can come stay, too.”
“He’ll be friends with Beef Jerky,” Lyric said and climbed off the bed. “Mama, did you see the cage?”
Nova nodded and followed Lyric out to the corner cage. I stayed with Skylar, who was watching the lava lamps.
“I can get one of them for your room.”
“This room?”
“Your room at your house.”
Skylar looked around. “Are we moving here?”
“Not all the time. Sometimes, I’ll be at your house.”
“What about school?”
“We’ll stay here on the weekends. But for today, we’ll only hang out until dinner time. Your mom is worried you’ll be scared to stay overnight.”
Skylar shrugged. “I’m not scared. The boogeyman can’t come here.”
Smiling, I followed Skylar out to the family room. For the next forty minutes, the girls explored the condo. They liked my pumpkin patch photos and the pool table. Eventually, we headed upstairs to my bedroom.
“Should I get one of those safety gates for the condo?” I asked Nova as I held Skylar’s hand.
Nova flashed me a tight smile. “That might work, but they’re old enough to be told not to come upstairs alone.”
“Why?” Skylar asked. “Is it dangerous?”
“You’ll be up high,” I said as we reached the loft. “You could fall and get hurt.”
The girls frowned in unison. They didn’t like anything that might cause pain. I’d been the same way as a kid. Meanwhile, Goldie would push situations until she was crying and bleeding.
The girls noticed the lava lamps on my dresser. After taking a picture of them, entranced by the dancing colorful blobs, I sent it to my mom.
Yarrow responded immediately, “I want to meet them again.”
“Soon.”
“Now.”
“In a few weeks.”
Refusing to budge, Yarrow texted, “On Monday.”
“Next weekend.”
“How about Wednesday?”
“I think next weekend would be best.”
Yarrow didn’t respond for a while, and I worried she was on her way to Little Memphis.
“My mom might show up,” I warned Nova. “She’s gone silent.”
Nova frowned at my phone. “Is that bad?”
“Of course not,” I said, surprised by her question. “My mom is cool. She’s going to love you and the girls. But she’s also going to hog your attention, and I don’t want to share yet.”
Nova gave me a soft grin. “Chris’s mom thought I was lazy.”
“She was right to hate you,” I murmured in her ear. “He wouldn’t be dead now if he hadn’t married you.”
Nova frowned. “Should I feel guilty?”
“Of course not. He also wouldn’t be dead if he wasn’t a dickhead,” I pointed out and smiled at the girls. “But he helped you make great kids, so I’ll be sure to drop flowers on his watery grave if I’m ever in Baton Rouge.”
Nova’s expression kept shifting. She was thinking about Chris and my mom. I also caught her glancing at my bed. I’d made it today, but the blankets were normally a mess, especially after we’d spent time together.
“Boone,” Skylar said and took my hand. “Can we swim now?”
“Sure. I’ll change up here. You three girls can change in the other room.”
Skylar looked down the stairs and shook her head. “I’m going to fall.”
I picked her up and then looked at Lyric. She considered whether she wanted to be carried like a baby. Deciding the stairs were scary, she lifted her arms. I brought them downstairs to the bedroom.
A few minutes later, they appeared in their one-piece suits. Each one had the little skirt that shy girls wore. Skylar and Lyric had matching blue and pink mermaid-style suits. Nova wore a simple black suit with a little skirt.
As they put on their sandals, I got their swim toys blown up. I felt a smile on my face at how easily I’d taken to the dad role. The girls already felt like mine. I could imagine going to their school functions and playing Santa.
I carried the pool toys with one arm and held Skylar’s hand with my other. She decided Lyric’s job was to push the elevator’s up and down buttons, but it was her job to push the number buttons inside.
“I know my numbers,” Skylar stated.
Lyric frowned. “I know them, too.”
“I’m older.”
“I’m smarter.”
Skylar shook her head and muttered, “No.”
I chuckled while Nova acted like maybe she should get involved. Before Mama Bear had to separate the girls, I explained the building’s setup.
“There’s a route to the pool that doesn’t take us outside. That’s good for the colder months. But I wanted to show you the courtyard before we got wet.”
Exiting the building into the courtyard, we found Rock and Rowdy sitting across from each other. Their dogs were asleep in the grass, enjoying the sunny day. The girls hurried over to admire the two Chihuahuas.
“Look at you playing the family man,” Rowdy said and put out his cigarette.
“I plan to keep Nova,” I replied and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “That means the girls will be around more. Maybe we can install a small play set.”
Rock instantly grunted, “No,” while Rowdy simultaneously said, “Sure.”
As they frowned at each other, I smiled at Nova. “We could put a small one right here in this grassy area.”
“This isn’t a place for children,” Rock grumbled at me. “The complex is full of men.”
“Ivy lives here.”
“One fox doesn’t change how this isn’t a place for kids.”
“Naw, dog, you suck,” Rowdy told Rock. “Those little girls are super badass foxes. Look at them.”
Skylar and Lyric turned their attentions to Rowdy.
“I’m wearing a swimsuit,” Lyric said and spun around. “It has a skirt on it.”
“Very cool. Your mom has the same kind of suit.”
“Let’s stop talking,” Rock told the girls. “Go swimming.”
Skylar lifted her orange plastic glasses and glared at Rock. “I’m going to retire you.”
“Yeah!” Lyric cried, hitting a note high enough to make Rock flinch. “Don’t bully!”
“Okay, I think we’ve had enough quality time with the bros,” I said as Nova ushered the girls away from Rock.
“Zodiac might be right about them,” Rock muttered to me.
Pointing at my VP, I warned, “Zip it or we’ll have a problem.”
Rock suddenly smiled. “You’re so whipped. Enjoy swimming with the hellions.”
“You’re retired,” Skylar growled at Rock and lowered her glasses. “I don’t talk to bullies.”
Rowdy laughed at how the five-year-old dismissed Rock and walked away. I left my club brothers to poke at each other while I guided Nova and the girls to the indoor pool. The room echoed, startling Nova when the door banged shut behind us.
“The water should be warm,” I said and stepped into the pool. “Have you gone to the Sleepy Eye Community pool yet?”
Nova set down her bag and looked around. “Not yet.”
“It’s a long walk,” Lyric said as she dipped her toes into the water. “I’m not scared of the pool.”
“We still need to be careful,” I said and backed deeper into the water to allow the girls to take another step down.
Nova adjusted her simple black swimsuit. I knew she was thinking about eyes on us, but no one was around besides us four. Once she made sure she was properly covered, she put the pool rings on the girls so they could float.
I watched them from the deep end and waited until Nova chilled out. I dunked my head a few times. Nova finally glanced at me. Her lusty gaze made me smile.
“Boone,” Skylar said and began kicking her legs. “I’m coming to you. Don’t let me drowned.”
“I won’t.”
“I’m swimming!” Lyric cried, kicking her feet and spraying water at Nova.
Laughing at their enthusiasm, Nova lost her edginess. My condo had been her secret place. Sharing this space with the girls felt like she was losing something special.
But this complex was my home, making it their home, too. The sooner the girls felt comfortable here, the more tightly they’d be wound into my life.